Chapter Five

Lucky rides a Grand Canyon tour bus under the alias Bonnie Skinner, humming to ease anxiety after a sleepless night. She has discovered at an internet café that the offshore account she shared with Cary has vanished. News reports show their car found at the Bellagio, but authorities are seeking a couple, not a lone tourist, so the bus offers cover.

A familiar, unfriendly man from earlier poker rooms relocates to the seat beside Lucky. Uneasy but trapped, she retreats to the bus bathroom to stash cash on her body and notes her lottery ticket before rejoining the tour. On arrival, she slips away from the group to avoid notice and starts walking toward Tusayan.

The man ambushes Lucky from behind, presses a switchblade to her neck, and rips off her belt bag. He recognizes her from poker and TV reports, demands the stolen money, and drags her off the road. Lucky surrenders some stashed cash but refuses his demand to strip, judging the risks of fighting or fleeing as a truck passes by.

Pivoting to her strength, Lucky cons the mugger with a promise of insider “luck,” coaching him on instincts and confidence until his guard drops. She then snatches the knife—cutting her palm—and forces him back to the highway at blade point. She chooses not to provoke him for the returned cash, prioritizing safety, and sends him walking away.

Shaking and bleeding, Lucky steadies herself by touching her cross pendant and retrieves the few remaining bills. She also recovers her windblown lottery ticket from the brush. Thinking of her absent mother and her imprisoned father, she pockets the worthless-seeming ticket, clings to a flicker of hope, and continues on.