Jack Yabut pulled his bank card from his wallet with trembling fingers and handed it to the owner of the Azure Resort. "It’s a deal, sir. Let’s finish this," he said, his voice a mixture of terror and exhilaration.
The owner’s smile was so broad it seemed to stretch the very skin of his face. He snatched the card with practiced greed. "Excellent choice, young man! Truly, an impeccable eye. I’ll have my staff secure the vase in a custom-fitted velvet case immediately. We wouldn't want a single scratch on such a majestic piece of history, would we?"
"Thank you, truly," Jack replied, his face flushed with the naive gratitude of a man who believed he had just secured his future.
The owner’s internal monologue was a symphony of derision. What a pathetic, gullible moron, he thought. He’s actu
