Midnight Whispers (Cutler 4)

"Stop threatening us," Gavin snapped.

"And people like Daddy." She turned to me. "And people in authority who come and get old ladies who still play with dolls."

"You dirty . . ."

"Forget it, Gavin," I said quickly. "We'll play her silly game if that makes her happy."

"Fine. Morty has bid six pieces of clothes. Christie?"

I looked at my cards. They were terrible, not even two of a kind.

"I'll pass," I said.

"If you do, you've got to take off six pieces of clothing," she said.

"But that's not the way poker is played," I protested.

"It's our special rules," she said. "Right, Morty?"

"Absolutely," he said.

"This is dumb," Gavin said.

"Everything that's fun is dumb to you," Aunt Fern told him. "Well?" she asked me.

"I might as well stay in if that's your rule," I replied. "Although it doesn't make any sense."

"Good. Gavin?"

He just ignored her.

"I'll take two cards, please," she told Morton. He dealt them and turned to me.

"Four," I said.

"Why are you doing this?" Gavin asked me.

"She wants to have some fun. Loosen up, Mr. Prude," Aunt Fern teased. Reluctantly, he picked up his hand and looked at it.

"Two cards," he muttered at Morton.

I had no better hand than the one with which I had started.

"One for me," Morton said, dealing himself a card. He wore a big smile.

"I raise you two more articles of clothing," Fern said.

"See you and go one more," he replied.

"That's nine if you're in, six if you're out," Aunt Fern explained.

Gavin threw down his hand. I did the same. "Two pairs, threes and fives," Aunt Fern said, showing her hand.

"A straight, two to six," Morton said, showing his cards. He sat back.

"Lucky you," Fern said. She smiled. "You two take off any six pieces you want. I gotta take off nine. Oh," she said, laughing as she kicked off her shoes, "that will leave me stark naked." She lifted her blouse over her head and then stopped.

"What are your six pieces, princess?" she asked.