Jingle of Coins

by C. D. Ledbetter

  Emily wiped her forehead with the back of her wrist and struggled to maintain her composure.

  “Listen, we’ve got to devise some kind of a plan. Stu’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  “I know. You got any ideas?”

  Glen rustled in the darkness. “I’m thinking. We need to find something we can use as a weapon on whoever comes through that door.”

  “Right.” She moved away, and set out on her hands and knees.

  “Where you going?”

  “To find something to use as a weapon. And once I find something, I’m gonna knock the crap out of whoever walks through that door,” she replied. “I’m not ready to die just yet, and I fully intend to spend every dime of that money the casino’s going to wire transfer into my bank account. There’s no way I’m going to give up without a fight. Not to Stu or anybody else.”

  “Me, neither,” Glen replied. “There’s got to be something in here we can use. Keep looking.”

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  “Do you have the merchandise?” Peruvador asked as he stepped into the private elevator.

  “Of course,” Mike replied. He punched the button for the basement.

  The elevator slid to a stop, and the doors whooshed open. Peruvador remained silent as Mike led him down a winding hallway. “How much further is it?” he asked, after they’d rounded several corners.

  “Just ahead,” Mike replied. He pointed to three guards standing in front of a padlocked door. “Open it,” he commanded. One guard set his Uzi against the wall, unlocked the door, and stepped aside.

  Two long, green cylinders stood atop a grooved, cushioned platform. Mike walked over to one and ran his hand along the outside. “Here they are, just like I promised.”

  “Open them up so I can check the contents,” Peruvador insisted.

  Stu appeared in the doorway, and Mike motioned him in. “Remove the canisters,” he ordered.

  He and Peruvador stepped back as Stu bent over the first unit. Stu loosened the fittings and, a few minutes later, separated the upper portion. Beads of perspiration formed on his brow and dribbled down his face as he reached inside and removed a white metal tube, which he gently lowered into a foam-padded box. He repeated his actions on the second cylinder, and within a few moments, both units of nerve gas were freed from confinement.

  Peruvador traced the Russian markings on the outside of each container. “It would appear that these cylinders are genuine,” he observed. “At least on the outside. Are you ready to perform the demonstration?”

  “Yes.” Mike turned to Stu. “Bring in the first one.”

  Stu edged closer. “There’s something I have to tell you,” he whispered. “It’s important.”

  Mike glared at him. “Later,” he hissed between clenched teeth.

  “But—”

  “One more word and I’ll use you for the test. Now move, damn it.”

  Stu sighed and shook his head. “I’ll be right back.” He returned a few moments later, followed by a second man dressed in coveralls.

  The man’s glance flickered from Stu to Peruvador, then back again.

  Stu reached inside the first cylinder and withdrew a sealed box. Mike called to him from the hallway, and he handed the box to the man. “Hold this while I go see what the fuck Mike wants.”

  The workman eyed the box suspiciously. “What is this?”

  “Cocaine,” Stu replied as he strode toward the door. He removed his revolver from its holster, turned, and fired.

  The door swung shut as the box burst apart. Peruvador and Mike watched through a small window as the man inside screamed, then grabbed his throat. He stumbled, then fell to the ground, coughing and choking as the VX gas worked its deadly magic. Two minutes later, he lay motionless.

  Unperturbed by the man’s violent death, Peruvador glanced at his watch. “How long before the next test?”

  “Just a few minutes.”

  They watched in silence as Stu donned protective gear, then grabbed a metal wheel positioned on the outside of the room. Stu spun the wheel three times, and water spewed from the overhead sprinklers. He allowed the water to run five full minutes, then turned the wheel in the opposite direction.

  The steady stream slowed to droplets as Stu unlocked the door and picked up the man’s limp body. He dumped the remains into a nearby hamper, then peeled off his protective gear and piled it on top of the lifeless corpse.

  “Get the other test subject,” Mike ordered.

  The second performance went exactly like the first, and while they waited for Stu to remove the second body, Peruvador opened the attache case and passed it to Mike. "Here's your money," he said. "Three million dollars, in used bills.”

  “The banking center is ready to make the wire transfer.”

  “Very well.”

  Ten minutes later the remaining three million dollars transferred into Mike’s Swiss bank account.

  “Are you ready to load the merchandise?” Mike asked as they returned to the storage area.

  “Yes.”

  Once Stu loaded the canisters onto a specially cushioned cart, the group returned to the elevator. “Have your man bring the canisters up separately,” Peruvador requested as Stu rolled the cart into their elevator.

  “Take the other elevator,” Mike ordered.

  “No problem,” Stu replied. He rolled the units back into the hallway. A minute later the elevator bell chimed, and he pushed his deadly cargo inside.

  “Let’s do it. Now!” Beaumont’s voice screamed out over Dozer’s earpiece.

  Dozer signaled the electrician, and the uniformed worker tripped the circuits for elevators and the security office. At the same time, ten heavily armed FBI and Secret Service agents raced into the security office to prevent the men inside from sounding an alarm.

  The rattle of gunfire sounded from the rooftop, and Dozer’s heart raced as he waited for Beaumont to give the all clear. He hated being out of the loop, but realized that his responsibility was to get Emily and Glen out of the building before Mike’s men had the chance to silence them forever. Finally, the cracking sounds above him slowed, then quieted.

  “We’re secure up here,” Beaumont announced.

  “Did you get them?” Dozer asked.

  “Yeah,” Beaumont replied. “My men took out the helicopter, the guards are dead, and Peruvador and Mike are on the ground.”

  “I’m moving into the building.”

  More gunfire crackled across the radio. “What the hell’s going on up there?” Dozer asked as he and three other agents stepped out of the elevator into a narrow hallway.

  “Wait one.”

  Dozer signaled for his men to wait as he crept around a corner and confronted the first of Mike’s guards. The man opened fire, then fell to the ground as a hail of bullets spewed toward him.

  “Rooftop’s secure,” Beaumont called out. “My men have both containers. What’s your position?”

  “One guard’s dead,” Dozer replied. “Not sure how many others. We’re moving into the second corridor now.”

  “Look for something to use as a weapon,” Glen whispered as he and Emily crawled through the darkness. “As soon as the door opens, we strike.”

  Emily’s fingers inched along the side of the textured wall until she found the doorframe. Grabbing the smooth wood with one hand, she pressed her ear to the panel. Her heartbeat quickened when she heard a series of loud bangs. “Something’s happening! I hear gunfire!”

  “Get back!” Glen ordered. “One of the bullets could come through the door.” He felt around in the darkness until his hands made contact with a large piece of metal. “I’ve found something we can hide behind.”

  Emily swung around. “Ouch,” she yelled as her head made contact with a hard object.

  “Emily! Are you hit?”

  Her head throbbed at the point of impact, and she could feel a warm trickle moving down her face. She reached up in the darkness to check, wincing as she wiped away the sticky
wetness. “I’ve found something,” she said as she her fingers curved around a narrow cylinder. It was long, cold, and hard. “A metal pipe.”

  “Great. Now get your ass over here.”

  She joined him a few seconds later and passed the length of pipe. “Did you find anything for a weapon?”

  “Yeah.” They fell silent as more gunfire rattled in the hallway.

  Emily’s stomach clenched with each shot fired. Several more shots rang out, then silence. She waited a few minutes, but heard nothing except Glen’s irregular breathing, which matched her own. Finally, when her feet tingled painfully, she changed positions and took a deep breath. “What do we do now?” she whispered. “Gunfire will trump my pipe every time.”

  Glen tugged at her arm. “Maybe, maybe not. Let’s wait a little longer.”

  “All right.” She snuggled against him, glad for the warmth of his body and the comfort of his arm around her shoulders.

  The hallway remained quiet, and a few minutes later, he tapped her arm. “Let’s go. I’ll take the right side; you take the left. Don’t forget your pipe.”

  Crawling on their hands and knees, they moved toward the doorway. Glen patted her shoulder one last time before they split up and assumed a position on either side of the doorframe, pipe in hand.

  Emily’s nerves stretched to the breaking point as she waited for Stu to reappear. Just when she thought she couldn’t stand the strain any longer, she heard footsteps. “They’re almost here,” she whispered.

  Praying that she wouldn’t lose her nerve, she tightened her fingers around the pipe and raised it over her shoulder. “Oh my God. They’re here,” she whispered as she cringed in fear. “They’re standing outside the door!”

  “As soon as the door opens, start swinging.”

  Someone pounded on the door. “Emily. Glen. Are you in there?” Dozer called out as he jimmied the lock.

  Relief washed over her like a tidal wave. Her pipe crashed to the floor as she turned to pound on the door. “In here! We’re in here!”

  The door swung outward, and light flooded the room.

  “Thank God,” Emily called out. She moved her hands over her eyes, shielding them from the glare. “I thought you were Stu,” she confessed.

  “Where’s Glen?”

  The ching of metal hitting concrete boomed through the room. “Glad you finally decided to make an appearance,” Glen said as he stepped forward. “Took you long enough.”

  “Is...is it over?” Emily asked in a low whisper. Her knees gave way, and she leaned against a wall for support.

  “Yeah.” Dozer peered at her, noting the pallor of her face. “You okay? Do you need any help?”

  Emily exhaled slowly to steady her nerves. Now that it was all over, she had no intention of falling apart. “No. I can make it.” She gazed down the empty corridor. “Where’s Stu?”

  Dozer motioned them forward and led them past a group of agents stationed in the hallway. “Dead. The others are still alive.”

  “What others?” Emily asked.

  He ignored her question. “Thanks to the CD you gave us, we have enough information to convict Mike on a wide range of charges.”

  “And Kate? Can you convict him for killing Kate?” She grabbed his sleeve. “What happens now?”

  “Yes. And now you and Glen are getting on a government plane and going into the Witness Protection Program.” Dozer’s lips tugged into a wry grin. “And this time I’m not letting you talk me into any side trips.”

  Emily shivered and managed a smile. “That’s fine with me. I’ve had enough of casinos, slot machines, and goons to last me a lifetime.”

  As they exited the building, Glen paused for a moment and stared at Dozer. “I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but what about the jackpot Emily won? What happens to all that money?”

  Dozer shook his head in amazement. “Man, you are a piece of work,” he commented. “Don’t worry. She’ll get it. We can talk about the details later.”

  Emily laid a hand on Dozer’s arm. “Thanks for rescuing us,” she said in a soft voice.

  “You’re welcome.” He patted her shoulder, helped her into the back of a waiting van, and shut the door.

  Emily gazed at Glen’s bruised and battered face and brushed a lock of hair off his forehead. “I can’t believe it’s over. We made it.”

  Glen snorted. “Speak for yourself.”

  She patted his shoulder and lowered her voice. “Mike can’t hurt us now. We can start a whole new life. No more casinos, no more worrying about being caught and arrested. We can go back to living a normal life.”

  Glen shook his head. “That sounds way too dull for me. I like the excitement of casinos. But you are right about one thing—no more casinos, at least for right now.”

  ”Glen, I’m not going to use my talent in any more casinos. Not now, not ever. I already won the big jackpot; that money will last us for the rest of our lives.”

  Glen touched her shoulder and leaned closer. “Listen, Emily. Your talent is our ticket to untold millions. Why should we quit now when you can win millions anytime we need it? And now that you’re getting plastic surgery, nobody will be able to identify you. It’s perfect. We can meet up later and start hitting the huge jackpots from now on. No more of that penny-ante crap. From now on we’ll concentrate on getting the big money.”

  “No.”

  Glen squeezed her shoulder tighter. “Look, Emily. You’re just tired from everything that happened. In a few days, you’ll feel differently. Just think about all that money you’re going to get. I’ll help you pick out the casinos; you go in and find the machine that’s going to hit, and then we’ll split the take. We lay low for a couple of months, and then we do it again. It will be easy. Just think about all that money, simply waiting for your talent to find it.”

  She shook off his hand, and stared. “No more, Glen. I’m done with it. There won’t be any more jackpots. Not now, not ever. I mean it.”

  “Emily, we need that money."

  “We don’t need anything, Glen. You need the money. I don’t. I’m not that greedy. If you want the money that bad, you’ll have to find another way to get it. I’m not going to live that way anymore. It’s over.” She turned away from him and moved closer to Agent Dozer.

  “Is everything okay, Emily? Dozer asked.

  “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  “You sure? You’re awfully pale.”

  She shook her head. “I’ll be okay.” She glanced pointedly at Glen, sitting in the rear of the van, watching them. “What happens next?”

  “We’ll get you both checked out, and then we’re going to need statements. After that, we’ll catch a private plane and start moving you around until we can get your plastic surgery scheduled.”

  “Sounds good.” Emily leaned back against the side of the van and closed her eyes. “Wake me when we get there.”

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  “Can I at least see him before I leave?”

  Dozer nodded. “Yeah, but I can only give you a few minutes. Sorry.”

  Shaking her head, Emily leaned back into her pillows and closed her eyes. She cursed under her breath as she lifted a hand to her aching hairline. The bandages prevented her from massaging her temple, so she let her arm fall back to the bed. Things were not going exactly the way she’d envisioned.

  After a long flight out of Vegas, Secret Service agents escorted her and Glen into a secluded clinic. Her surgery, three days later, had been a success, if the report from her surgeon was anything to go by. He stopped by a few minutes before Dozer and assured her that the pain she felt would only last another few days or so, and warned her against trying to remove any bandages.

  She still knew nothing about Glen, other than the fact that Dozer was splitting them up. Had Glen changed his mind about wanting more money? God, she certainly hoped so. There was no way she wanted to live that way again. It was too nerve wracking, always wondering if she would be arrested every time she went into a
casino. And winning a big jackpot would certainly put the spotlight on her. Somebody was sure to put the puzzle pieces together, and then everything she’d gone through would mean nothing. No, the jackpot money definitely was not worth it.

  Someone knocking on the door startled her out of her reverie. “Come in.”

  A nurse she didn’t recognize entered, pushing a wheel chair. “You ready to take a spin? If you feel up to it, I’m supposed to take you out to the garden.” She pointed to the window. “It’s a beautiful day. The birds are singing, and the sky’s full of puffy white clouds. How about it?”

  Emily started to refuse, then wondered if this was the meeting Dozer said he would set up. “All right.”

  “I’m afraid you can only stay out a few minutes,” the nurse warned. “You’ll have to take it easy at first, but soon you’ll be able to sit outside as long as you want.” She wheeled Emily to a gazebo surrounded by flowers. “Is this okay?”

  “Yes, thanks.” Emily peered at the other patients sitting in the sunshine. They were all children! “Why are all the other patients children?” she asked.

  The nurse smiled. “This is a pediatric surgical center. Children come here to receive reconstructive surgery. Some have facial deformities; others are victims of car accidents or fires. We occasionally get a few adult patients, but not too many.” She patted Emily’s shoulder. “Try not to worry about anything. Just enjoy being outside. I’ll be back in a few minutes. If you need something, there’s an orderly sitting by the door.”

  “Okay,” Emily replied, anxious to get rid of the woman.

  “So this is where they stuck you,” Glen remarked from behind, once the nurse disappeared.

  She twisted around. “I didn’t hear you come up.” She peered at his bandaged face and managed a wry grin. “Looks like you got hit by a truck, with all those bandages wrapped around your skull.”

  “Don’t laugh. You look the same.” He reached up to touch the bandages. “And don’t waste your time trying to see underneath them, either. They’re too thick. Believe me, I’ve tried.” He moved his wheelchair alongside hers and grabbed her hand. “You okay?”