"Nice. I remember this little dragon." Chance said, leaning over to pick it up. "Very nice."

"Thank you," I said to him, then nodded up at Poppy.

"That's everyone isn't it?" asked Chance. "Is our table ready Mr. Diltz?"

"Yes. It's set up by the pool sir."

"Great. Let's play," said Auda, getting slowly to his feet. Several others got up and followed him over to the table as Poppy led the female quartet onto the stage.

I leaned over toward Ramsay and touched her on the shoulder.

"Yes?" she said flashing her pale grey eyes at me.

"I'm curious, the vote on me was four to one, who cast the descending vote?"

She shook her head. "We are sworn to confidentiality, but I will tell you it wasn't me. The Hoxa story did it for me. I think it's fantastic that you knew him. I wish I had."

"That's ironic," I mused, "everyone that knew him wished they hadn't." Our laughs were greeted by scowls from the four men tuning their instruments on stage.

"Maybe we should get out of here," she said looking over toward the game. "Have you ever had your fortune read?"

"No," I said confused.

"Let's go then." She got up and walked over to a small red cloth-covered table set up halfway between the long banquet table and the poker game. Samas sat at the table across from a middle-aged Gypsy woman, her hair tucked neatly under a yellow scarf pulled tightly over her head.

She held a handful of oversized cards and nodded thoughtfully at him. "You are a very happy man are you not?" she asked in a thick accent as we approached. He nodded. "But I sense something troubles you," she said, studying the cards. "It's a longing you've had for a long time, yes?"

"Yes."

"This goal will be attained very soon," she said in an exaggerated nod.

Ramsay placed her hand on Samas' shoulder. "That must mean you're finally going to lose that last fifteen pounds to get down to your ideal weight of 350."

"345," he said looking over his shoulder at her. "Why don't you see what she has to say about you?" He stood up and offered his seat.

"Sure." Ramsay sat down and held her hand out to the Gypsy. "My name is Nadja."

"Madame Dana," she said taking Ramsay's hand, double taking on the black tattoo. "The other man had one of these too. What is it?"

"None of your business," Ramsay said, holding out a fifty-franc note.

The string quartet began to play as the Gypsy woman took the bill and folded it into her brassiere. "Palmistry or Tarot?"

"Oh Palmistry of course," Ramsay replied.

The Gypsy took Ramsay's hand and studied it, looking down her nose at the lines through crude, wire-rimmed spectacles. "You will continue to be very successful in your business endeavors. You will have more work than you can handle."

"Continue," Ramsay said unconvinced.

"I see many men in your future."