Murder and chips!

A brutal murder at the casino had Officer Karen Dallas determined to solve the crime!

Detective Karen Dallas was met with flashing lights and whirring machines as she entered the resort casino. No one gave her a second glance as she made her way to the rear security office where she was met by the manager, Rudy Sheen.

Q.Why did the chicken cross the playground?

A.To get to the other slide!

“I’m so glad you got here quickly,” Rudy said, escorting her into the surveillance room.

“You said you found a body?”

“Yes. An uncle and his three nephews checked in last night. The uncle was found dead in his room a half hour ago by housekeeping. It doesn’t look like a natural death.”

Karen glanced at her watch. It was noon. “Where is the body now?”

“Still in the room. I called 911 immediately, then I had the key code changed and locked the room.”

“Good. And where are the nephews?”

He indicated his team of security staff who were studying dozens of surveillance screens. “They’re scanning the property to find them, but we’re situated on 13 acres so it might take a few minutes.”

Rudy led Karen to the scene of the crime. “I saw all of them at the breakfast buffet around 10, and now he’s dead. It kind of creeps me out,” he said.

Karen observed the uncle slumped on a bed. A small pool of blood had dripped to the floor. The cause of death appeared to be blunt force trauma to his skull.

“Do you think it could have been a robbery?” Rudy said, looking a bit green. “There were several reports of loud voices on this floor this morning, but by the time security came up, everything was quiet.”

“I don’t think so,” Karen said. She noted a large pile of $100 chips on the nightstand. The iron that the hotel provided to their guests was next to the body and had blood on it. Karen bagged it. She then called the coroner and made her way downstairs, where security had rounded up the three nephews. They seemed genuinely upset at the news of their uncle’s untimely death. “Why don’t you introduce yourselves.” She flipped open her notepad.

“I’m Brett Daniels. These are my brothers, Jake and Tim. Uncle Brian has been taking us on this gambling trip every spring for the past 10 years. Honestly, I think we’re all shocked by the news.”

“I’ve been told there was an argument,” Karen said, going with a hunch on the noise complaint. “Who wants to tell me what’s going on?”

“None of us were too happy this morning when Uncle Brian told us this was the last year we’d be doing this trip.” Tim shrugged. “He said he had to concentrate on his new life.”

Jake shook his head in disbelief. “He’s taken up with a gold digger back home. He told us he’s planning on marrying her and cutting all of our inheritances down to peanuts.”

“We did have some sharp words with him,” Brett added.

“How much is your uncle’s estate worth?”

“It’s in the millions,” Brett said.

“Where were each of you this morning?”

Brett spoke first. “I promised my kids I’d bring them back something neat, so after breakfast I headed to the specialty shopping area. I gave up when I didn’t find anything worthwhile.”

“I felt lucky today, so I skipped breakfast and went right to the $20 slots,” Jake said. “I played for several hours and then headed to the coffee shop. That’s when security approached me.”

“And I,” Tim said, “decided to get a massage. I went to the spa, but they were backed up. I waited for about an hour and then gave up and came back to play some blackjack. That’s when security asked me to come with them.”

Karen looked over her notes and smiled. She was ready to bring one of the nephews in for further questioning.