Volkov glared at him for a moment, but finally nodded toward a red-jacketed croupier standing nearby. The croupier took the cash from Tanner, speedily counted it, then placed a large stack of chips in front of him.

Tanner smiled. “Let’s begin. A thousand dollars a hand?”

“As you wish.” Volkov dealt seven cards each to himself and Tanner, then dealt a short stack of four cards to the side.

Lara had watched Volkov and Anton play standard draw poker since she was a child, but she was surprised how different this variation made the game. The men played their five-card and two-card hands quickly, with little time between new dealt hands. Within minutes she could see how the game revealed the true character of its players. Volkov was increasingly fiery and aggressive, while Tanner showed intelligence and precision. Both approaches benefited the opponents; Tanner won more hands, but Volkov tended to eventually make up his losses with bold and risky bets.

“You play well,” Volkov said. “You’ve earned your reputation.”

“As have you.” Tanner leaned forward in his chair. “Shall we step things up a bit?”

“In what sense?”

“Ten thousand a hand?”

Volkov thought for a moment, then nodded. “Do you wish to increase your stake? For you I can extend credit, but of course I’m also equipped to make a wire transfer from your financial institution.”

“That won’t be necessary. At least not yet.” Tanner reached into his inside jacket pocket and produced a stack of crisp thousand-dollar bills, held together by a brown paper band with a bank logo. “That’s a hundred thousand.”

Volkov waved over the croupier. “Do you always travel with that much cash on your person, Tanner?”

He smiled. “Just some walking-around money.”

“Be careful where you walk.”

“No worries.” Tanner nodded toward Lara. “I have her to protect me.”

Volkov regarded Lara with a stare that was chilling. “But we’ve already agreed to have that discussion. She may not be around to serve that function.”

“Just deal the cards, Volkov.”

Volkov waited as the croupier took Tanner’s cash, counted it, and gave him another stack of chips. He then dealt Tanner and himself another seven cards each.

Tanner looked at his cards and arranged them to create the five-card and two-card hands. He put the cards facedown and moved a large stack of chips to the center of the table.

“I put in fifty thousand.”

Volkov raised an eyebrow. “You wouldn’t be bluffing, now, would you?”

“Only one way to find out.”

Volkov stared at the two sets of cards. He shrugged and moved a stack of chips into the center. “I’m a curious fellow.”

“How curious?”

“I’ll see your fifty and raise it ten.”

Tanner considered this, then flipped up the edges of each of his hands to show Lara. Why had he done that?

Because he had nothing, she realized.

A pair of garbage hands.

What in the hell was he thinking?

Trust him. Go with it. He’d shown her his hand and that must mean he wanted her help. She’d had years of keeping Volkov from reading her, and it was never easy. This time she must make it impossible. She allowed the faintest smile to touch her lips and then she looked quickly away. Had she reacted fast enough or had she given away Tanner’s bluff?