“I’ve enjoyed a game or two.” Diana’s eyes narrowed as she took her seat, ever aware of the gun trained on her torso, “Why?”

     “My dear detective, your suspicion insults me!” Williams laughs, taking a poker set from her desk, “Just a simple game to pass the time, one hand is all I ask, now set it up.”

     Diana did as she was told, laying out the green placemat and setting the deck of cards to one side, giving Williams her chips. It was a nice set, finely kept, with finely designed black cards, accented by blue and red.

     “Tell me, how did you figure it out?” Williams asked, as Diana dealt the first cards, “You knew to continue hounding us, but why?”

     “I knew from the first day I saw Cash he was my guy.” Diana glanced at her hand, eight of hearts, and a Joker, not much to work with, but the wild card gave her some breathing room. She set the blinds at fifty, tossing a purple chip into the center, “He was the right size, when he came over to help with my lock I measured his shoes with my OI, eleven and a half. Plus, he had a limp.”

     “But that profile could fit dozens of people.” Williams matched the blinds, “Surely there must have been something else?”

     “Oh, there was.” Diana nodded, revealing the flop. A Jack of spades, a seven of hearts and a three of hearts. There was hope, but no reason to tell Williams that. She raised to double, tossing a black chip into the pot, “You were dressed very nicely for a standard meeting, and when I saw Cash I knew it was anything but.”

     “You pieced together our relationship just from that?” Williams met the raise easily.

     “I wasn’t certain, but I had a hunch. It was confirmed for me when I interviewed Cash, the lipstick on his collar told me all I needed to know.” Diana smiled, revealing the turn. A three of spades, zilch, “So I could place him at the scene, but I needed opportunity, and I needed motive.”

     “So you began hounding us. You knew you could get something.”

     “I was confident there was some hole I could find. And eventually, I did.” Diana nodded, she checked, and Williams did the same, “The grandfather clock gave me the answer. I listened to the recording of his meeting, and heard it ringing. I had proof then and there he had fabricated his alibi.”

     “But you still needed motive.” Williams pointed out, as the river was revealed. A nine of diamonds, bingo.

     “True, but I found that in a hidden compartment inside that same clock. Probably installed when Cash had it 'fixed', am I correct?” Diana revealed her trump card, enjoying the thinly veiled surprise on Williams' face, “A folder with rather comprehensive accounts of the money earned by a fundraiser Diode held, and you supported. As well as a note of the money you embezzled. You couldn’t let that get to light, and you knew a good man like Chambers wouldn’t keep it secret for long. All in.”

     “You’re right. He reached out to me to confront me, the old fool. If he had just kept his nose out of my business, he would still be alive.” Williams scoffed, holding up a golden poker chip, “All in.”

     Williams revealed her hand first, a pervasively smug aura as she revealed her two threes, “Three of a kind.”

     “Sorry to say, Williams.” Diana laid down her own hand, a sly smirk sneaking into her face, “But you have more confidence than brains. Straight, Jack high.”

     “You repugnant bitch…” Williams leveled a glare that would make grown men cower, as the radio crackled to life.

     “Williams, we’ve got your plane ready, and a helicopter for you on the roof.”

     “Good, I’m glad that a blockhead like you can be useful, lieutenant.” Williams stood up, and Diana did the same, slyly pocketing the golden chip, “Come along now, detective. You may have won the game, but you’re still my bargaining chip.”

     The two boarded the helicopter on the roof, and the pilot silently brought them to the airport. A tense air pervaded the flight, Williams kept the gun firmly placed against Diana’s side as they flew, her eyes blazing with confidence.

     Diana kept her cool as the two stepped off the helicopter, the landing strip was clear, with a small private plane ready for the two. Argil and what must have been the entire police force were on the field, but they couldn’t make a move.

     “Bon voyage, lieutenant! Be a good dog and tell that useless bitch Cynthia how badly she lost!” Williams calls, backing onto the plane with Diana and pushing her down onto the seat, “We’re going to fly now, detective. When we’re well in the air, I’ll give you a parachute and you may leave.”

     “Certainly.” Diana nodded, “Oh, but, before you go…” She withdrew the golden chip from her pocket, “I believe this belongs to you?”

     “Keep it if you…” Williams was cut off as Diana flipped the chip into the air, drawing the scrupulous businesswoman’s eyes for a moment, just the chance Diana needed.

     She made a grab for the gun and got her hands on it, forcing Williams’ arm up as she squeezed the trigger, the bullet harmlessly hitting the roof of the vehicle. She pulled the gun from Williams’ hand and pushed her back into the cockpit, where Williams caught herself against the controls.

     It was a simple mistake, but a costly one. A single moment of carelessness that had led to her demise. The sharp sound of shattering glass ripped through the muffled sounds of the scuffle, and a single bullet found its home in Williams’ head as a sniper found their mark.

     Williams fell limply to the ground, the gun clattering from her hand. Diana swiftly stooped and swept the gun up, alongside the golden chip, which she stowed away in her jacket.

     In the next instance the police had rushed the plane, Argil and Mulligan had grabbed Diana and brought her out of the plane, a medic ready to check her for injuries, but she waved them away.

     “Diana, if you’re injured, I need to…”

     “I’m not injured, Argil. Just tired.”

     “Alright. I’ll handle everything from here, Mulligan will take you home.” Argil nodded, taking the gun, “We’ll reach out tomorrow to go over everything.”

     “Thank you, Argil.” Diana nodded, “Thank you very much.”

-

     Three days had passed, since the events at the airstrip, and Diana was getting back into the swing of normal life. The police had wrapped everything up, Cynthia was soon to be tried for murder, and rumor had it she was going to plead guilty. Amancio had slipped through police's fingers again, they couldn't pin him for anything. And, of course, Mossie was looking to be a permanent fixture of Diana's home.

     Diana had been avoiding press ever since, she had become something of a minor celebrity after solving the case, it seemed, and the press had been itching to get her statement.

     Still, it wasn’t easy to get her address, and Diana knew how to avoid the vultures buzzing for a story. She unpacked the freshly framed golden chip and hung it above Turtellini’s tank, patting Mossie’s head. A buzzing on her desk got her attention, and she picked up her phone to find a text from Trixie.

     “We got a little interrupted last time. Care for a second try?”

     Diana smiled to herself, sitting down at the desk and shutting the manilla file she had put together over the course of the case, filing it away in the locked drawer at the bottom of the desk.

     “Sounds like a plan.”