Rip Puckett said, “Who was the first heavyweight champion of the world and…in what years was he champion? I’ll repeat the question again. Who was the—”

“John L. Sullivan,” interrupted Billy. “Sullivan was champ from 1882 to 1892.”

“Absolutely correct!” shouted host Rip Puckett.

In the last round of Game Two, Retta Mae Wagons incorrectly answered her third question and Linus Major kept his mouth shut until time ran out. Billy Constable wasn’t even required to answer a third question. Rip Puckett declared him the winner of Game Two, and the audience cheered.

Retta Mae Wagons and Linus Major both looked disappointed over having lost and were led off the stage, but though he couldn’t see for sure, the producer was certain Wagons and Major were grinning as they left.

Billy Constable stood in his soundproof tube, stunned and amazed and a tad woozy. One hundred million dollars was maybe one question away. He just had to beat the old woman, whatever the hell her name was. Vera something. Billy was sure he’d beat her. Hadn’t he had that omen dream where the roulette wheel’s little rubber arrow stopped on the $100,000,000 slot? God promised him he’d not only get on the show, but win! He’d gotten on the show. Now all he had to do was answer one more lousy question and hope that the old biddy missed hers.

A hundred million dollars almost in his hands! And all his troubles gone. Gone!

God Almighty.

Billy refused to think about the glass of deadly poison.

Meanwhile, in the temporary green room, Jimmy Joel Jenks hugged Linus Major and, even though he didn’t know her, gave Retta Mae Wagons a big kiss on her cheek when the two walked back into the green room. Linus, along with Artie Flowers and Dr. Gregory Bukinberg, were all going to Hurley’s Bar just down at the corner of Forty-ninth and Sixth Avenue to celebrate Linus’s defeat. They asked Jimmy Joel Jenks to join them.

He begged off, saying, “I wanna stay with Rosie to give her support and be here when Billy comes back a rich man.” He promised to join the group later.

Linus asked Retta Mae if she’d like to come.

“Give me one good reason why I should,” she said, smiling.

“Because I’m in love with you.”

“Give me another.”

“Because you’re in love with me.”

Rosie Feinstein was a nervous wreck. She borrowed a piece of paper and a ballpoint pen from someone, sat down, and started to scribble. She said to Jimmy Joel, “JJ, you know what Billy will be left with after he pays off every single penny he owes to Sanseli and Eddie? Ninety-nine million, six hundred and twenty thousand dollars after he pays off all his debts! Jesus, JJ, that’s a lot of money.”

“How much?” asked Jimmy Joel.

“Ninety-nine million, six hundred and twenty thousand dollars.”

“Wow!” said Jimmy Joel Jenks.

It was the Championship Round.