Phule’s Paradise by Robert Asprin

“That won’t be necessary,” the commander, said levelly. “You’re being relieved of your duties. Effective immediately.”

“I … I don’t understand,” Huey said, looking at the casino owner in feigned bewilderment.

“It won’t work, Huey,” Gunther said tersely. “We know all about your working for Max and about the dealers you’ve been hiring.”

“We have some interesting tapes from the eye-in-the-sky cameras,” Phule said. “Your pet dealers have provided us with a catalog of skims and scams, often while you were standing on camera watching them. They’re being met as they report for duty, incidentally. We felt it was best that they not work the opening. In fact, they’re being given the entire week off without pay. After that, we’ll interview them again to see if they’re willing to work for us without the skims and perks.”

“But that won’t leave you with enough dealers to open!” the manager said, then realized he was admitting the extent of his treachery.

The commander smiled humorlessly. “That would be true if we hadn’t arranged in advance for replacements for them … and you.”

Huey was stunned by the admission that this action against him was not spontaneous, but rather the result of foreknowledge and substantial planning.

“So what does this mean for me?” he said, both from curiosity and to cover his confusion.

Gunther looked at the commander.

“You will be held here,” Phule said, “incommunicado.”

As he spoke, he nodded at the Legionnaires, who responded by moving through the suite and pulling the phone in each room out of the wall.