CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
A mass of hopeful gamblers crowd the casino floor, a cacophony of slot machine dings and sirens necessitate payouts. Keno, Craps and Roulette numbers are called out and the croupiers rake in more money for the house. Away from the din, inside the closed doors of the main showroom, hundreds of fans temper their anticipation with alcohol and noisy chatter. The eagerly-awaited concert of Latin Pop Star Michael Barron begins with a swell of orchestral music, choreographed colored lights, and an explosion of pyrotechnics that causes the audience to rise with a collective cheer.
Barron dances onto the stage, knocks out one hit song after another, and drinks in the adoration like nectar from the gods. There is no denying his charisma and talent. There is no denying that
