Seven Come Eleven

Chapter Two  Back in the office, finally alone with his thoughts, Jake stared out the window at the parking lot. He could see his own car from here and it never failed to make him smile when he saw his bright orange mustang, waiting for him, inviting him to let the top back and feel the wind. Not today though, he didn’t feel much like leaving and going anywhere.    Turning, his eyes fell on the old band poster he kept in here as a memento. He hadn’t picked up a guitar or drumsticks in years. All of that was packed in the basement of the casino in a dark corner. He couldn’t help a chuckle at how young and naive they had been back then, stupid teenage runaways in California when the Sunset Strip was the place to be and make a name. 

Dan had been dead close to a year. Nadia missed him but she did not miss the constant danger and chaos that was involved. He had been a gambler, but not a very good one, and this had strained their marriage many times. In the months before his death, Nadia believed the marriage was on its last legs, though she had held out hoping for a solution.    Shaking herself from the intrusive and painful thoughts, she turned to the door. “I will get my purse and we will go if you insist on coming with me.”   “I insist,” Jake said as the door closed behind her.  The bank was in the neighboring town of Boulder City. It was a small bank, not even a chain. A friendly young manager who seemed to recognize

 Petrie Del-Ray was a talented counterfeiter; he didn’t just make cash either, he was talented in making fake credit cards, social security cards, and identification of all kinds. His neighbors and anyone who saw him believed he was a technician who fixed office equipment and casino machines. No one gave a second thought to Petrie’s van being at casino's, banks, and other businesses at odd hours.    Jake ran into him as he came in pushing a large case on a dolly. Petrie’s chubby face broke into a smile. “I hear you have a job for me?”   “I do,” Jake walked with him onto the elevator with Petrie, who barely reached his shoulder. He was heavy bodied and spoke with a thick Bronx accent. He had been a boxer up North for several years, how he’d ended up here in

   Alan was standing in front of the casino enjoying the fresh night air when the man passed him. Alan instantly recognized that he was here for the money. “Excuse me! Stop right there.”  The well-dressed man turned to Alan with a dark scowl, not used to being ordered about. “May I help you?”  “No, I’m good. You’re here to meet my boss about a briefcase.” Alan walked closer, hoping to keep this at least somewhat civil. He was a little taken aback by the man’s black eyes. “Come with me.”  “How do you know who I am?” The man followed Alan to the back of the casino past the machines and into an elevator.

  Alan had a bad feeling that he couldn’t explain. The new security recruits had vanished with no trace. He had searched the bathrooms, the bar, the restaurant, and even around the pool. Alan made his way into the office and clicked on the screens. Screen by screen he clicked through footage, looking for the missing men.  After several moments, he found a frame of one of the men, Griffin, standing by the elevator. He was headed back down to his post after answering a call to a room on the third floor. Suddenly the door of the elevator opened and Griffin vanished. It appeared there was a glitch and the frame of him stepping on the elevator was missing. It just cut to the doors closing. He frantically clicked to find the next frames, the elevator door opened on each floor going down and there was no one on the elevator.  &nbs