Jingle of Coins

by C. D. Ledbetter

  He peeled her fingers from his arm. “No. This is our big chance. We need that money. Everything’ll be okay. You’ll see.” He pushed her toward the machines and disappeared into the throng of gamblers.

  Emily took a deep breath and moved closer to the double row of Superbucks machines. Reaching into her pocket, she withdrew a hundred dollar bill and stuck it into the bill acceptor. She spun the reels a couple of times, then stiffened when the machine across from her changed pitch.

  An older woman in her sixties stood in front of it. “Please, God. Please let her leave before it pays out,” Emily prayed. “I’ll do anything, just let her leave before it hits.” The machine changed pitch for the third time as Emily craned her neck to see how many coins were left in the woman’s bucket. There weren’t any! She cashed out and walked over to the machine next to the old woman. “How you doing?” she asked as the woman reached inside her purse.

  “Lousy. This damn machine ate all my money.”

  Emily fought hard to contain her excitement. “Yeah,” she agreed. “I know what you mean. The machine I was playing paid out a few coins, but I’m still behind a couple thousand bucks.”

  The woman rummaged around her purse for a few moments, then sighed. “Damn,” she said. “I’m out of money. I’ll have to get some more from the credit card machine.” She turned to Emily. “If I were you, I’d find another row to play. This whole row of machines is deader than a doornail. I know because I’ve played them all and got squat.” She smacked the top of the slot machine with the heel of her hand, muttered a few obscenities, and left.

  Emily slid onto her chair and fed in the maximum number of coins. “Please, God, please let it pay off,” she prayed. She patted the side of the machine for luck and hit the 'spin' button. Nothing happened. She added in more coins, but still no jackpot.

  Had she been wrong? Surely not. She decided to keep going. Five spins later, the machine changed pitch again, but this time it sounded different.

  Emily decided to try the silver handle located on the side of the slot machine instead of pressing the ‘spin’ button. Maybe that would change her luck. “Come on, mama,” she called out as she stood up to pull the lever.

  The wheels spun around and around. The first reel locked into place, and a jackpot symbol lined up. The second and third wheels continued to spin, and she closed her eyes and crossed her fingers. Would it hit? Would she and Glen finally have enough money to quit this crazy scheme?

  “We’ve got your partner,” a gruff voice whispered in her ear. “Leave now, or I’ll shoot you where you stand.”

  Emily swung round. Stu! “What...what do you mean?”

  “Let’s go, nice and quiet,” Stu ordered.

  She blinked. “But...but my machine...” She watched as the second jackpot symbol lined up next to the first one.

  “Now.” Stu tightened his grip.

  “All right,” she said. She sighed and cast one last look over her shoulder as she started toward him, then jerked back. It...couldn’t...be! But it was—the third reel had lined up, and it was a jackpot symbol! Suddenly, her slot machine screamed out a loud tune. Bells and whistles started ringing, and the lights on top of her machine flashed and spun.

  “Oh my God,” Emily screamed. “Oh my God.” She jumped up and down and slipped out of Stu’s grasp. “I did it! I won! I won the Superbucks jackpot! I can’t believe it! I really won!” she screamed over and over again. The machine continued to blare out a loud tune. Spectators crowded around her, patting her shoulder. Tears streamed down Emily’s face. “I won. I won,” she called to the two security guards coming toward her. “I’m over here.” She waved her arms in the air. “Here I am. I won. I won. Hurry.”

  The guards arrived, and she jumped up and down and pointed to the jackpot symbols lined up on the payout line. “Look,” she cried out. “I did it. I won. I won!”

  They smiled and congratulated her. More patrons crowded around, forcing Stu into the background. Several additional guards arrived, along with members of the casino’s management. One of them handed her a tissue to dry her tears. Emily gladly accepted their congratulations and stood for pictures in front of the machine.

  Stu waited across the aisle, frowning. She flashed him a smile and linked her arm through the casino manager’s as he led her away from the machine. Stu narrowed his eyes and pounded a fist into his open palm.

  Emily tried to hide the fear that sat like a sour lump in her stomach as she followed the casino manager to the payout window. “How much do you want in cash?” he asked.

  She paused to make a few mental calculations. “I’ll take seventy-five thousand dollars,” she replied, after a few minutes. “Big bills. You can wire transfer the rest. I’ll give you the particulars for my bank.”

  “If you’ll follow me, I’ll get the documentation ready,” he murmured.

  “Is there someplace I can make a private call?” Emily asked when she spotted Stu moving toward them. She patted the manager’s arm and grinned. “I’m so excited. I can’t wait to tell my husband the good news.”

  “There’s a phone in the conference room you can use.”

  “Thank you.” She waited until the door closed and, with hands that shook, fished Dozer’s card out of her pocket and dialed his number.

  “Dozer.”

  “It’s Emily,” she whispered. “I’m in big trouble.”

  “Where the hell are you?”

  “Stu was just here.” Her voice broke. “He’s got Glen.”

  “Shit. I’m in the middle of something really important. Where are you?”

  “The Blue Lion Casino. In Reno.”

  “Stop whatever you’re doing and go straight to the security chief’s office. You’ll be safe there. I’ll send somebody to pick you up later.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Yes, you can.”

  “No, I can’t. I’m in the casino manager’s office. There’s something else...I just won the Superbucks jackpot.”

  “Jesus, Emily. No wonder Stu found you.”

  “Oh God.”

  “What is it?”

  “Stu. He’s coming. Into the conference room.” Her breath came in painful gasps, and her lungs felt as if they would burst.

  “Call me back on your cell phone,” Dozer ordered.

  Her hand shook as she hung up, and she struggled to control her breathing.

  “Ms. Sane, this gentleman says he has an urgent message for you,” the manager said as he ushered Stu into the room.

  “There’s been an accident,” Stu said, reaching out to grab her elbow. “Glen’s hurt. He might not make it.” He tightened his grip. “I’ve got a car waiting.”

  “Your paperwork’s almost ready,” the manager announced. “It’ll only take a few minutes for you to sign everything.”

  Emily stared at Stu, then swung her glance back to the manager. “Thanks. I appreciate your help.”

  “I’ll wait in the hallway while you sign the papers,” Stu murmured as the manager placed several forms on the conference table.

  Emily considered asking for help, but changed her mind when she realized that Stu might kill them both. There was no sense risking the manager’s life just because she was in trouble. She sighed deeply, realizing that for now, she had no other choice than to go along with Stu.

  The manager handed her a pen and patted her hand. “I’m sure he’ll be all right. There’s two signatures line on each page,” he said. “You’ll have to sign all the pages.”

  She scribbled her name on the pages, then nudged them onto the floor. “Sorry, I’ll get them,” she murmured as she crouched down. Once she ducked under the table, she grabbed Glen’s cell phone out of her pocket and punched in Dozer’s number. “How many pages were there?” she asked to cover Dozer’s voice.

  “Eight. Did you find them?”

  She slid the phone back into her pants and wiped her sweaty palms. “Yeah, I’ve got them.”

  “I’ll get your money,” the manage
r announced as she handed over the signed pages. He returned a few moments later and counted out seventy-five thousand dollars. “Would you like a guard to escort you to your car?”

  “Yes, please,” Emily replied, stuffing the money into zippered pockets.

  “Ready?” Stu asked as Emily stepped into the hallway. “The car’s out front.”

  The manager signaled for an armed security guard. “Escort Ms. Sane to her car.” He shook Emily’s hand one last time. “Congratulations.”

  “Thank you.”

  “One false move and Glen’s a dead man,” Stu whispered as Emily slid onto the front passenger seat. He slammed the door and walked around to the driver’s side.

  As soon as the door closed, Emily swiveled in her seat. Glen was in the back, wedged between two of Stu’s men. His face was a sea of bruises, and blood dribbled down from his left eye. “Are you all right?” she asked, fighting the fear that threatened to overwhelm her.

  “Shut up, bitch,” Stu said as he climbed behind the wheel. The automatic door locks clicked into place.

  “Why are you doing this?” Emily asked. “I’ve already told you everything I know about Kate’s death.” Her stomach roiled, and she struggled to keep from throwing up.

  “Yeah, right. And your being here in Reno is simply a coincidence.”

  “I’m looking for a job,” Emily replied. “After what happened to Kate, I decided that I didn’t want to live in Vegas anymore.”

  “Shut the fuck up,” Stu warned as they turned into the construction entrance for the Silver Spires. “One more word and you and your friend won’t live another minute.”

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  The unmarked white helicopter circled the hotel twice before landing. “Make sure we’re not being set up,” Peruvador said to the two bodyguards as they stepped onto the rooftop of the Silver Spires Hotel. As the doors shut, he leaned forward and tapped the pilot on the shoulder. “Don’t cut the engine until I give you the order.”

  The pilot nodded. “No problem.”

  The two guards circled the small rooftop and then used binoculars to scan the surrounding area. They pivoted in a circle, checked the glass enclosure that led to the elevator bay, then one of them returned to the helicopter and thumped the door.

  Peruvador slipped his Beretta 92G Centurion out of his shoulder holster, chambered a round, then tapped the pilot on the cheek with the barrel. “I won’t be long. Don’t leave the helo. Be ready to take off at a moment’s notice.”

  The pilot stared at him for a long moment, then swallowed nervously. “You expecting trouble?”

  “No, but in my business it pays to be careful.” Peruvador shoved his pistol back into its holster, then opened the door. “If you leave this helicopter, even for a minute, you won’t live long enough to pilot another one,” he warned. Grabbing a briefcase, he stepped onto the cement rooftop.

  Hidden by the glass enclosure at the top of an adjoining hotel, Beaumont tightened his grip on his communication device. “Everybody, stay in position,” he ordered. “I don’t want them to even suspect that we’re here. If anybody gives away our positions, I’ll shoot them myself.” He raised his binoculars and watched as Dragonisi joined Peruvador near the glass enclosure, then led him into the building.

  “Dozer, you there?” Beaumont asked.

  “Yeah. I take it the helo’s landed?”

  “Peruvador and Dragonisi just entered the building. Are your people ready to go? Where’s the electrician?”

  “Inside. He’s already isolated the master circuit to the security office. I’ve told him to make sure the parallel power generators don’t kick in once the circuit’s blown. We’re ready to trip the line.”

  “Wait until I give the go-ahead. As soon as Peruvador and Dragonisi re-enter the rooftop, my sharpshooters have orders to disable the helo and pin the guards down until reinforcements come up the stairwell. Have your man ready to disable the elevators on my word.”

  Stu parked his car at the rear of the hotel. “Move,” he ordered as he jerked Emily out. His revolver dug into her ribcage. “Don’t even think about opening your mouth. One squeak out of you and you’re dead. Same goes for your boyfriend.” He shoved her toward the service entrance. Glen followed, accompanied by Stu's men.

  Conscious of the gun digging into her side, Emily moved forward. The bright sunlight hurt her eyes, and she could feel a light throbbing in her temples. “Where are we going?” she asked, scanning the immediate area for someone who could help.

  “Shut up and keep moving,” Stu replied, pushing his gun further into her side. “This is a one-way trip. You should’ve stayed in Vegas,” he said with a sneer. “But no, you had to stick your nose in where it don’t belong.”

  The cold, hard nose of his weapon was a painful reminder of the gravity of their situation. Ignoring the pain in her side, Emily twisted around to face Stu. “Look, I’ve told you everything I know. Let us go. We won’t say anything to the cops.”

  “Too late,” he replied as he shoved her into an elevator. A few moments later, they lurched to a stop. He kept his gun in the small of her back as they walked down a narrow hallway and halted in front of a large wooden door guarded by two men with weapons.

  “Open the door,” Stu ordered the guard closest to them. A cell phone in his jacket buzzed, and he flipped it open. “Right. I got it.” Moments later, he snapped the phone shut and motioned to his men. “Peruvador’s here. Get everything ready.”

  The pressure of his gun disappeared, and a hand shoved Emily forward into a darkened room. “Can’t we discuss this?” she pleaded. “I can give you money, lots of money. Just let us go.”

  The pressure of his gun disappeared, and Stu's men shoved Emily and Glen forward, into a darkened room.The sound of sardonic laughter filled the room as the door slammed shut.

  “Glen, where are you?” she whispered as the lock clicked into place.

  “Over here. On the floor.”

  “Keep talking.” She crouched down and struck out on her hands and knees. “I’ll follow the sound of your voice.” The floor felt cool and dusty as she inched forward, and her shirt clung to her skin in damp patches.

  “Did you hit it?” Glen asked.

  “What?”

  “The jackpot.”

  Startled, she paused mid-crawl. “For God’s sakes, Glen. Can’t you think about anything but the fucking money?” she asked. “Stu’s planning to kill us.”

  “I know. I just wanted to know if you won.”

  “If you must know, yes. I won. Unfortunately that money’s not going to do us any if we can’t get out of here.” She rubbed her hands across her face. “Look, we have to figure a way out of this mess. Quickly.”

  “I know. I’m sorry I got you into this. I should have listened to you earlier.”

  “Forget it. Right now we need to concentrate on figuring out an escape plan.” She moved forward through the dirt, dust, and grime, and her flagging spirits rose when she made contact with a boot. “Is that you?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Thank God.” She inched her fingers up his torso until she reached his chin. Wiping her hands on the side of her pants, she gently caressed his face.

  “Watch it. My eye hurts like hell.”

  Emily dropped a light kiss on the top of his head and hugged him tight. “Sorry. Are you okay? Is anything broken?”

  “I don’t think so,” he replied. “You’re right. We gotta figure a way out of here before Stu comes back to finish us off.”

  “I know,” she consoled him. She crept back to the doorway and eased her hands across the edge of the door, trying to figure out what kind of hinges it had. “The hinges must be on the other side,” she announced a few minutes later.

  “I figured as much,” Glen replied. “Looks like we’re stuck for the moment.”

  Returning to Glen’s side, she reached out to caress his forehead. “Things might not be as bad as they seem,” she began. “Help’s on the way. Dozer’s
coming. I called him from the Blue Lion after I hit the jackpot.”

  “How can he help? He’s in Vegas.”

  “No he’s not. He’s here. Oh my God, I almost forgot. The phone’s still on.” She eased her hand along her pants leg. A pale greenish light illuminated the inky darkness as she withdrew the phone. “Thank God it’s still working. Dozer, are you there?”

  Nothing happened. Emily pressed redial. “Dozer, it’s Emily.”

  “I’m kinda busy here,” Dozer whispered. “Where are you? What the hell’s going on?”

  “When are you coming to get us?”

  “Shut up and answer my question,” Dozer snapped. “Where the fuck are you?”

  “We’re back at our hotel. I think we’re in some kind of basement storage room.” The phone beeped in her ear. “Oh shit.”

  “What?” Glen whispered.

  “The battery’s going dead. Crap. I only have a minute or two left. Listen, Dozer. Stu took us in the back entrance, through some kind of service tunnel, until we came to a bank of elevators. We got off in the basement. There’s a fire hose at the front of the hallway we took. We kept moving down a hallway until Stu got a phone call. Something important must have happened, because once he hung up, he locked us in a storage room.” She paused for a moment. “Did you get all that? Are you coming to rescue us? He’ll be back any minute, and when he does, he’s going to kill us,” Her voice rose several octaves. “You’ve got to come get us. Now.”

  “Emily, listen to me,” Dozer ordered. “This is really important. Is there anything in there that looks like a long, skinny oxygen tank?”

  “What the hell does an oxygen tank have to do with us being here?” She held her cell phone at arm’s length and tried to peer into the darkness. “No. There’s—” The light suddenly blinked out and the call disconnected. Frustrated, she flung the useless phone into the darkness. “Damn, damn, damn...” Her voice trailed off.

  “What’s the matter?” Glen asked.

  “Your damn cell phone died.”

  “Well, at least he knows where we are.”