Jingle of Coins

by C. D. Ledbetter

  “Yes,” he replied. “You’re very good.” When he finished dressing, he picked up her chemise and dangled it between his fingers. “Coming?”

  “I already did that—several times,” she teased. “You go ahead; I’ll join you in a few minutes.”

  “Don’t be long.” Her dress puddled into a shiny heap as it slipped from his grasp.

  “I won’t.”

  She watched him stride from the room. After she slipped her dress over her head, she scooped up the microphone from under the arrangement, plus the second stick she’d worn in her hair and bent down, as if to smell the flowers. Cupping the underside of one of the overhanging stalks, she slid the device into position and deftly pulled out the wooden stick holding the flowers in place. Aware of the camera filming her every move, she ran her fingers through her hair, pulled it into a French twist, and anchored the two sticks into the back.

  Her stomach twisted into a tight knot as she left the office, praying that her actions looked natural. Instead of going to the patio, she hurried to her room. The surveillance camera winked at her in the mirror, so she smiled at her reflection, applied a light touch of lipstick, and went downstairs.

  Mike motioned Hector to a nearby chair and took up a position across the conference table.

  “Do you have the merchandise?” Hector demanded.

  “The shipment left Moscow two weeks ago and arrives in Reno on Wednesday. Two canisters of nerve gas are coming in; one’s Sarin, the other’s VX. I’m having them delivered to a casino where I’m a silent partner.”

  Hector leaned back in his chair. “I don’t like using specifics when we discuss business.”

  Mike snickered. “I’ve spent a fortune on the most technologically advanced surveillance equipment that’s been developed. The Feds thought their guys could break into here, but they were wrong. Dead wrong, if you get my drift. You can speak freely; this room’s clean.”

  “Very well. How can you be sure the nerve gas is authentic?”

  “My partners were security operatives stationed at chemical weapons facilities. When the government fell, they smuggled out fifteen canisters to sell on the black market. These two were tested before they left Moscow. They are the real thing, don’t worry.”

  “I will, of course, want a demonstration before I take possession. It has to be somewhere private. Your authorities are looking for me; I don’t wish to advertise my presence.”

  “Have your pilot land on the private helicopter pad on top of the Silver Spires Hotel and Casino in Reno at three o’clock on Wednesday. I’ll set up a demonstration in the basement.” Mike stood up and placed his palms on the edge of the table. “What about the rest of the payment? How do you want to handle it?”

  “I’ll bring three million dollars in cash; the remaining three million will be wire transferred to your Swiss bank account. You can confirm the transaction before I leave the hotel.” Hector pushed his chair away from the table. “Our business is concluded. I’ll meet you on Wednesday, provided you have the merchandise.”

  “It’ll be there, don’t worry.”

  Mike watched him leave the room, then took a few moments to bask in the glory of his accomplishment. As he leaned back in his chair, he noticed the arrangement sitting in the center of the table and thought it odd that none of the blossoms drooped or fell out of position. He looked closer and spotted the wooden sticks tied to the back of the stalks. Nearly invisible, they kept the heavy flowers from drooping.

  He got up, walked toward the door, then stopped when he realized that the sticks reminded him of the chopsticks Kate wore in her hair. Warning lights switched on inside his brain. Like the chopsticks Kate wore in her hair… Something about her actions subconsciously bothered him, but he hadn’t been able to put his finger on it. Until now.

  Shit! She and Hector must have gone into his office before dinner. Stu mentioned it in passing, but he dismissed it as nothing, since Hector had been practically screwing her in the hallway a few minutes earlier. He grabbed the arrangement, pulled out the flowers, and examined the wooden sticks. All were similar in color, but one was significantly wider than the others. He pulled off the colored floral tape and discovered the microphone attached to the wooden shaft. Furious at being duped, he flung the arrangement across the room and called Stu into the office. “Get security. Now.”

  “What’s going on, boss?”

  Still clutching the bug in his right hand, Mike moved to the desk. “Shut the door.”

  Once Stu was seated, he placed the device in the center of his desk. “I found this in my office. What the hell is it doing in my flower arrangement, and more importantly, why didn’t you find it before it came into the house?”

  “Holy shit. Is that what I think it is?”

  Mike nodded.

  “How the hell could the scanner have missed it?”

  “Exactly. It had to come from Kate; that bitch must be working with the Feds.” Mike glared at Stu, and a muscle in his jaw twitched. “Find her, but don’t make a scene. I want you to bring her to my office—alive. Do you understand? Don’t harm a hair on her head. I want that pleasure all the myself. When I get done with that bitch, she won’t even resemble a human.”

  Stu shivered at the icy calm of Mike’s voice. “I’ll take care of it.”

  “Call the guard at the front gate. Nobody leaves until I say so. Shoot anyone who tries.”

  Keeping an eye out for Mike’s guards, Kate slipped into the bathroom next to the kitchen. She’d done it! She’d planted the bug! Now all she had to do was find a way to leave with all her body parts intact.

  She opened the door a few inches. Stu and Hector’s bodyguards stood like armed statues outside Mike’s office. After several agonizing minutes, Hector emerged from the office, and he and his entourage disappeared into the opposite end of the house. Kate figured she’d have ten, maybe fifteen minutes before somebody started looking for her. A few moments later, Stu left his post and entered Mike’s office. It was time to make her move. She slipped out of the bathroom and entered the kitchen work area.

  Kate scanned the room, looking for something, anything, to help her out of her predicament. A waitress uniform hung on a peg near the door. She grabbed it, then ducked inside the walk-in pantry and pulled the uniform over her head. So far, so good.

  Now all she had to do was sneak into the garage and make the CD switch. She followed two of the catering employees out the service entrance. A large delivery truck, decorated with the catering company’s logo stood between her and the guards, and tears of relief stung her eyes when she realized it was her way out.

  Kate waited until the catering employees returned to the kitchen, then slipped into the garage. Her hand trembled as she pulled Dozer’s CD out of the recorder and replaced it with Emily’s CD. Sorry Emily, she mused, but I’ll need to keep your favorite CD after all. She made a mental note to send Emily a hundred bucks to pay for a replacement and left the garage for the safety of the delivery truck.

  After checking to make sure the coast was clear, Kate closed the sliding door and prayed that the guards hadn’t notice the sound. If this catering company was like most, the keys were still in the vehicle. Her spirits soared when she found a set stashed on the driver’s visor. Precious moments were lost as she searched for something to wipe on her face and settled for a few well-placed smears of frosting. Hopefully that would convince the guards that she was a catering employee, not a guest.

  She patted her pocket for the CD one last time before sticking the key into the ignition. The vehicle coughed and sputtered to life. Kate released the parking brake and shoved the gearshift into drive.

  Voices called out behind her. Fearing the worst, she pressed harder on the gas pedal. Halfway down the drive, an armed guard shouted something unintelligible and held out his hand for her to stop. Kate steered the truck to the opposite side of the drive and kept going.

  Shots rang out and the windshield shattered into a thousand slivers. Missiles of flying
glass shards nicked her face as she careened down the drive. The knot in her stomach intensified when she spotted a second guard. He raised his rifle as she rounded the last curve.

  The front gate loomed behind him like an iron-barred window. She had to make it; she’d come too far to stop now. Clenching her teeth, Kate stomped the accelerator. The guard fired when she drove past, and something exploded in her left side.

  A wave of pain, unlike anything she’d ever felt before, engulfed her. It intensified until her vision started to fade. “No!” she cried, fighting the darkness that threatened to overwhelm her.

  Her side burned like it’d been lit with a blowtorch. Kate eased her left hand down to her waist and felt a sticky wetness oozing below her ribs. She’d been shot! Biting her lip, she swung her glance back to the shattered windshield. Only fifty yards to go! Could she make it? The gate beckoned like a mother to a child. If she could hold out until she passed through them, she’d be okay. She rallied all her strength into one last effort and steered toward freedom.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  The ringing of the phone echoed through the apartment as Emily stepped out of the shower. Cursing softly, she wrapped a towel around her slender torso and padded into the living room. “Emily Sane.”

  “Emily, it’s Glen.”

  Her heart skipped a beat. “Hey.”

  “We need to talk.”

  She glanced at the clock. It was only eight thirty. “Come on over.”

  “Good. I’ll see you in about thirty minutes.”

  Emily’s pulse quickened as she hurried to her bedroom. She considered meeting Glen dressed in her towel, then decided against it. A few minutes later, she lingered in the front of the bedroom mirror, admiring her reflection. Her sleeveless shirt buttoned low across her bosom, and the new shorts made her legs look long and lean. She practiced leaning over, trying to adopt the posture that showed the most cleavage.

  The thought crossed her mind that if she gave up eating for the next couple of months, she could just about afford the other designer outfit she’d been tempted to buy. Sex or food—which would it be? Both were good for the body, but right now, sex was a little more important. Maybe after she actually had some, she’d change her priorities, but as of right now, she was on a starvation diet!

  The doorbell chimes interrupted her reverie. No more cold showers, she promised herself as she crossed the living room. It was time for action. If this outfit didn’t catapult Glen into dragging her with him into the Garden of Earthly Pleasures, nothing would!

  Glen stood on the doorstep, dressed in cutoffs and a sleeveless tank top, clutching a bucket of chicken in one hand and large, grease-stained paper bag in the other. His gaze slid down the length of her, then upward. “Hi,” he said, after a long moment.

  Emily concentrated on reining in her galloping libido and promptly forgot what she was going to say. “Come on in.”

  He set his packages on the kitchen counter. “Hope you don’t mind if I eat while we talk. I’m starving.” He paused and turned toward her. “I brought enough for two, in case you hadn’t eaten. Sammy’s Chicken Wing has the best fried chicken in the state.”

  “Actually I haven’t. Thanks.” She filled her plate, and a companionable silence grew between them. “What did you want to talk about?” she asked, sipping her wine.

  “We’ve got to make our move right away,” he replied. “The California Indian Casinos signed a contract to go on line with the new facial recognition program. They’ve contracted my casino to upload their surveillance tapes. That means your picture will go into the database even though the Indian Casino didn’t formally charge you with cheating.”

  Emily choked on her wine, and he reached over to thump her shoulder blades. “It’s okay, Emily,” he soothed. “We still have time to go to Reno.”

  She rubbed her watering eyes and struggled to find her voice. “I don’t think so. It’s not your face that’s going to be plastered across everybody’s security camera. It’s over, Glen. I’m sorry, but there’s no way I’m going to risk going to jail. I don’t want to get rich that bad.”

  He sighed. “It’s not as bad as it sounds. It’ll take two days for them to send the tapes and three more to upload the data. That’s more than enough time for you to find a Superbucks machine that’s going to pay off.”

  She shook her head. “No. Remember our bargain? We agreed that I had the right to call off the deal any time.” She pushed her chair away from the table. “This conversation’s over. So’s our deal.”

  He padded after her. “If you want to call it quits, fine. But the least you can do is listen to what I have to say before we part company. Would you do that? Please?”

  “All right,” she agreed. “I’ll listen, but that’s it.”

  Glen perched on the edge of the coffee table. “The only thing affected is our time schedule.”

  She opened her mouth to protest, and he gently placed his hand across her lips. “Let me finish. Whether you believe it or not, you’re almost ready. There’s a new casino opening in Reno on Sunday. It’s the perfect time for us to go. We can fly up Monday and come home Wednesday. I’ll slow down the upload process to make sure the casinos won’t finish loading the tapes until sometime Thursday afternoon.” He reached out to cover her hands with his and stared into her eyes. “Well, what do you think?”

  Glen’s plan was tempting. If he was correct, all their hard work wouldn’t be wasted. And, from the way he talked, he was probably in charge of the process of uploading the tapes. Maybe it was time she took a calculated risk and put her trust in him. He’d been right thus far. She inhaled deeply, then blew out her breath. “All right. But if I go to jail, I’m taking you with me.”

  He walked to the door. “I’ll get my video camera.”

  Emily poured herself another glass of wine, this time filling it to the rim.

  Glen returned a few minutes later. “You ready?”

  “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

  He started the casino recording. “Here we go. Forget that I’m here. Just listen to the sounds and imagine that you’re inside a casino.”

  She felt self-conscious at first, but after a few minutes, her imagination kicked in and she could actually 'see' the sea of slot machines surrounding her. Suddenly, a hand touched her arm, and she jumped.

  “Sorry. I didn’t realize you’d startle so easy.” He ejected the videotape from the camera and stuck it in her VCR.

  “Did I tilt my head?”

  “Yeah. It’ll come up in a minute.”

  Emily wanted to crawl under the couch in embarrassment when she watched her head bob back and forth. “Oh my God, I had no idea,” she moaned.

  “I didn’t make the video to embarrass you, Emily,” he said softly. “In a real casino, you’re hardly noticeable. We’re only going over this because every detail has to be perfect.” They watched the tape a few more times, then Glen switched off the VCR.

  “What are we doing now?”

  “I’m going to hold your neck so that you bump into my hands every time you move your head. That should help you stop.” He started the recording again and moved back into position. “This time keep your eyes open.”

  She smiled nervously as he slid his hands around her neck. His fingers felt warm and firm, and she nuzzled her chin against them as she swayed toward him. Aroused by his nearness, she stared into his eyes, mesmerized by their intense color. The recorded sounds faded into the background as she lifted her face and waited for his kiss.

  Glen’s touch was feather-light as he traced the curve of her jaw and stopped at the base of her throat. “You’re so beautiful,” he murmured as he touched his lips to hers.

  The kiss was as gentle as a summer breeze. Glen stared into her eyes for a moment, then kissed her again, this time with a passion that sizzled through her like a live wire.

  Flickers of desire, deep within her body fanned into a burning inferno. Emily molded her body to his and wrapped her arms around his
waist.

  At last he lifted his lips from hers and slowly blazed a trail of kisses down her throat. His fingertips moved to caress her rib cage and tugged at the buttons on her blouse.

  Desire exploded within her, blocking out conscious thought. She slid her hands up under his shirt to caress the muscles across his back and shoulders. Moaning softly, she tilted her head back as he licked the hollow of her throat. Her shirt slid to the floor as he buried his face in the valley between her breasts.

  The sound of a doorbell ringing incessantly wormed its way into Emily’s consciousness. She drew back to listen and realized someone was at her door.

  “Don’t answer it,” Glen said thickly, pulling her closer. His kisses moved across her shoulders.

  The doorbell stopped ringing and fists pounded. “Emily, for God’s sake, let me in,” a female voice called. “Please.”

  “Don’t answer it,” Glen repeated, covering her lips with his.

  “Emily, please,” the voice begged.

  “I’m sorry,” Emily mouthed against Glen’s lips. She slipped out of his arms and picked up her shirt. “Coming,” she called as she shoved her arms through the sleeves and hastily did the buttons.

  She opened the door to find Kate standing on her doorstep. Kate weaved back and forth for a moment, then collapsed in the doorway as Emily reached out for her. “Emily, help…”

  “Oh my God.” Stepping back onto the carpet, Emily tried to ease Kate onto her back, felt something warm and sticky on her hands, and realized it was blood. Looking closer, she saw that one side of Kate’s white dress was soaked with the thick red liquid. “Glen, get in here!” she screamed as she raced across the room to call for an ambulance.

  “I’m here, Kate,” Emily murmured in a soothing voice as she cradled the injured woman. “The paramedics are coming. Hang on.” Kate’s cries of pain changed to whimpers as Emily grabbed a towel off the edge of the coffee table and pressed it against Kate’s side to stop the flow of blood. She thought about moving Kate to the couch, but decided against it when she realized that moving her might make her wound bleed more profusely. Better to stay where they were until the paramedics arrived.