It bothered him that he couldn’t figure it out. He knew he was letting Rory down by not arresting them.
After getting out of bed, he walked to the table and pulled out a chair.
“Do you mind if I join in?”
“No, just more people I can win money from,” Duane said with a laugh.
Wilder grinned. “Don’t bet on it, kid.”
“You’re on. Five-card stud. To ante up is a dollar. Ten-dollar max on bets.” Duane dealt the cards.
Wilder put a dollar on the pile, then picked up his cards and looked at them. He didn’t lift his eyes from the cards until it was his turn to bet. The men looked at him. He pulled his wallet from his back pocket, pulled out a ten, placed it on the pile, and laid his wallet on the table.
“I’ll take that bet and raise you five,” Buster said as he placed fifteen dollars on the pile.
“Call,” Duane said.
“Too rich for my blood,” Bernie said as he tossed his cards down.
“Me too,” Joel said and did the same.
“How many?” Duane asked.
“One,” Wilder said.
“Two,” Buster told Duane.
“Dealer takes three.”
“Wilder?” Buster stared at him.
“I’ll raise you another five,” Wilder said as he got another five from his wallet.
“I’m out,” Duane said.
“Buster?” Wilder raised an eyebrow.
Buster stared at him, but Wilder never blinked as he stared right back.
“Call.” Buster put a five on the pile.
“Okay, what do you have?”
Buster smirked, placed his cards on the table, and looked at Wilder.
“Full house.”
The men grinned as they looked at Wilder.
He sat forward, laid the cards down, and looked at Buster.
“Four of a kind.”
The men whooped and hollered, but Wilder noticed Buster didn’t take his eyes off him.
“Problem?”
“No. Must be beginner’s luck,” Buster snapped.