Dead Heat

By Raymond Obstfeld

Harry Gould went into the game with fifty grand. And came out of it $30,000 light. 

But that was okay. He’d lost to Blackstone, who promptly keeled over with a coronary attack. It could have been worse-he could’ve lost to Bender.

So when Frank “Stillwater” Bender bought Harry’s marker it got worse-fast.

“Harry,” Bender said. “There’s one important lesson I learned from Guido Sarducci, and that is to always have a fall guy to protect yourself. And you, Harry, are going to be our fall guy.”