Jeffery led Billy across the lobby and though a set of wide double doors and into a hallway that was soundproofed.  Two bouncers followed them into the hallway, closed the doors and waited.  Billy looked back…the whole scene seemed cut out of a Godfather movie.<br/><br/>“Now don’t you worry there none.”  Jeffery said.  It was obvious he was working to loose his southern accent but it still slipped through, particularly at the end of his sentences where the last syllables were often drawn out and the possessive “I”’s that came out as “ah”’s.<br/><br/>Producing a set of keys he opened a thick, highly polished Mahogany door.  Walking through Billy immediately saw that the room was set aside for gambling.  Poker to be exact.  There were six large round tables spread around the room with eight, richly appointed, leather straight backed chairs situated around each.  Large Tiffany style lamps hung over the center of each table.  A large display case against one wall housed a huge model of a Mississippi River Paddle Boat; the famous “River Boat Gambler” that plowed the Mississippi River during the eighteen-hundreds.  A small bar near another exit held the finest liquor and cigars money could buy.  A bartender in a tuxedo was polishing glassware behind the counter.  He nodded and smiled as the two men crossed the room.<br/><br/>This was a high-stakes room reserved for those who could afford to loose the kind of money in one night that most people would make in a year.  The room was empty save for the bartender, Billy, Jeffery and four well dressed men sitting at a table in the corner.  The men at the table looked up when Jeffery entered.  They were not playing poker.  They looked foreign.<br/><br/>Jeffery motioned to the bartender who came over and stood next to the table.  Jeffery shook hands with the men at the table; made introductions all around, the names were definitely foreign; every one shook hands then Jeffery offered Billy a seat.<br/><br/>“Please have a seat Mr….Holt was it?”<br/><br/>Billy nodded and sat down.  The bartender took each mans order with a smile and a nod but when it came to him; Billy declined.<br/><br/>“Oh, come now Mr. Holt.”  Jeffery said expansively.  “Surely one drink will not hurt?  Besides you look like you could use one right about now.  Sam bring our guest a scotch…um…the good stuff.”<br/><br/>The bartender nodded and left to fill the orders.  The four men at the table nodded to Billy.  No one spoke until the drinks arrived.  Jeffery then offered a toast to “success” and the men drank.<br/><br/>Jeffery smiled broadly and leaned back in his chair.<br/><br/>“Now then Mr. Holt.  On the way here you had asked me how long ah have known your little Angel?  Is that correct?”<br/><br/>Billy nodded.<br/><br/>“Well let’s see now,” Jeffery said rubbing his chin.  “Ah have known her for a little over a year now, yes…yes that’s right… and ah must say she is a fine, fine woman too.  Ah must admit she is one firecracker of a girl.”  He chuckled and took a sip of his drink.  He was waiting for some kind of reaction.  When he got none he continued.<br/><br/>“Now as ah understand things.  And ah usually do.” He added.  “Her father is dead and her mother has left to find her fortune elsewhere is that correct?”<br/><br/>Billy nodded.  He had no idea how Jeffery had managed to learn so much about him and Kate. But then enough money could buy almost anything.<br/><br/>“And if my information is correct.  And it usually is.”  He chuckled.  “That would make you her legal guardian.  Is that not correct?”<br/><br/>Billy wasn’t sure where all this was going but he’d play along.<br/><br/>“Well then.”  Jeffery smiled.  “These men sitting with us have a small proposition for you.  One you might seriously consider since it involves a<em>great </em>deal of money, Mr. Holt…a<em>great </em>deal of money.  The kind of money you might never see working at the kind of job you do.”<br/><br/>Jeffery paused and gave Billy a long look.  The Devil always took a long look before closing a deal.<br/><br/>Billy downed his drink.  He had no clue where this was going.<br/><br/>“Now then Mr. Holt.  May I call you Billy?”  Jeffery continued without waiting for an answer.  “It is common knowledge that our little Angel is actually a blonde…I mean her carpet doesn’t exactly match her drapes now does it?”  He laughed and the four men laughed with him.<br/><br/>“Now,” he continued.  “It is also common knowledge, well at least in some circles anyway, that young, white blonde women are highly prized in…shall we say…certain foreign countries?”<br/><br/>Billy froze.<br/><br/>“The point is this Billy.  These men are willing to offer you a substantial…and ah do mean substantial…a whopping sum of money…somewhere in the vicinity of six or even seven figures…all cash by the way…if you would be willing to…well…part with your young niece?  In other words, Mr. Holt; these men would like take her off your hands.  They would like to buy her, Billy, straight up, cash on the barrel head….<br/><br/>…what do ya think there Billy?  Can we do business?”  Jeffery sat back and watched the color drain from Billy’s face before he went on.<br/><br/>“Now mind you there Billy.  You are free to accept or decline the offer and ah swear on a stack of bibles and ma own mothers grave,” he held up his right hand, “that if you don’t take the offer everything will go right back to the way it was before we even met.  I swear there will be no retaliation against either you or Kate and she will be free to come to the Black Velvet for the rest of her natural life.  That much I can promise you because you see there Billy,” he lowered his voice, “we have three other girls lined up tonight.  Now mind you they won’t fetch nearly as much money but hey, it’s just business, right?”<br/><br/>He patted Billy on the shoulder as he led him to the door.<br/><br/>“Think It over …let me know before you leave.”<br/><br/>Jeffery opened the door and ushered Billy out.  He heard the door lock from the inside as he turned and headed toward the dance club beyond… his own words echoing in his head…<br/><br/>“Enough money could buy almost anything…”<br/><br/>