Bang!  

 

That was the last thing Roger remembered as he, once again returned to the living.  He thought he had died.  Don Soltero, Cassandra’s uncle had come for payback.  Roger had killed the Don’s son by accident.  The Don had found him.  Roger thought a gun had fired as they had knocked him out.  He awoke below decks, in the hold of the S.S.Cassandra.  The engines were dead quiet now.  Stripped naked and tied by his wrists above his head, dripping wet under a broken pipe. Pain fried his back and legs.

“Good. He’s awake.” The voice was unfamiliar behind him. “Time for fun!”

 

*          2          *

 

Cassandra put the key in the door of her house and stepped in.  She was so glad they had bought her tale about Mr.Toshi.  Even Tony didn’t know how he actually died.  The cops needed her shoes.  That gave her the excuse to get a new pair.  Zero flashed on the answering machine.  She dialed Roger’s mobile and got his voicemail.  His phone buzzed and rang on the credenza next to her in the foyer.  She jumped out of her skin.  Where was Roger?!  She had caught a cab after waiting forever.  She could deal with Mrs. T. later.  Now she had to pack.  She was sure her uncle had found them.

 

*          3          *

 

Akanami stood on the end of the pier and studied the S.S.Cassandra, moored to the far side of the harbor.  She dove in and swam the distance with little effort. The pre dawn was quiet and so was she.  Roger’s emergency text obliged her to his aid.

 

*          4          *

 

Kevin Gardner sat and listened to the headphones of the plane as he waited for his wife…er, his fiancée, Ariel.  They’d just left Rome.  She’d finally agreed to marry him and they would find a house in Eastvale.  Everything was perfect.  But under his feet he felt the sudden jar of the engine exploding.  They’d lost half of the right wing.

 

*          5          *

 

Akanami stood dripping on the upper deck of the mid-sized cargo ship, staring through the open hatch of the main hold.  They had Roger hanging by his wrists, naked and wet.  They were asking him about the Japanese link.  She knew he hadn’t spilled the truth, by the way the torturer did his job, getting meaner with each application of electricity and yelling questions.  Roger held his own yell, focused on his training.  Akanami Toshi smiled slightly and screamed like a big cat.  Ninja stars sliced the neck of the man jolting Roger.  She’d hit the Don in his chair.  Hand on his neck, he ran from the hold.  His trail was red.  She smiled.  Unchallenged, she threw Roger onto a stolen dingy, then in to her parked car on the far waterfront. The Don had recognized her.  It was an unfinished job.  Roger would help her now.

 

*          6          *

 

“What happened?” said Joey.

“Shipman’s dead,” said Carlos, “and you passed out.  There’s no sign of break in, so it had to be someone he knew.  And the way he’s cut up says it was done with some kind of sword.  The bastard can rot for all I care.”

“Wow…” said Joey.  “Are the police coming soon?”

 

*          7          *

 

Tony sat in his cell with his head down pressed against his palms.  He couldn’t believe he was actually arrested for the murder of Mr. Toshi, the motel manager.  Tony was even more flabbergasted when Detective Jones pulled out the printout of the email sent to Tony’s email address that came from Mr. Toshi’s computer.

“Time for your phone call,” the deputy announced to Tony.

Tony dialed home.  Ring.  Ring.

“Hello?” a sleepy Devon answered the phone.

 

*          8          *

 

Don Soltero made it to the control room of the S.S.Cassandra.

“Mayday. Mayday. Require medical assistance.  S.S.Cassandra. Los Angeles Harbor.  Mayday.  Mayday,” Don Soltero managed to get his plea out just before his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

He hit the deck hard.  The pool of blood from his wound was forming fast.

 

*          9          *

 

Detective Jones arrived at the alley apartment above Junior’s Hardware.

There were two entrances to the apartment area, one from inside the store and one from the alley behind the store.  Detective Jones chose the alley.  He climbed the rickety wooden staircase to the apartment.  Knock knock.  “Eastvale PD,” detective Jones said loudly while holding up his badge.

“Thank you for coming.  It’s horrible,” Carlos said as he led the detective in.

 

*          10          *

 

Akanami drove Roger to her humble home above the motel lobby.  The detectives were still gathering evidence in the lobby and were parked in front.  She drove past the main entrance to the service driveway and parked behind her apartment.

“Roger.  Roger… I need you to help me,”  Akanami didn’t want to disturb his rest but she couldn’t carry him up the stairs without his help.

“Feng Feng … Thank you for saving me.  I …” Roger drifted off.

“Later, Mr. Canelli.  Right now, I need you to walk up the stairs quietly,”  Akanami told Roger.

Slowly they began their climb to the second floor.

 

*          11          *

 

Nancy arrived home after an arduous shift.  She couldn’t believe the nerve of the motel manager; he actually sent a blind copy of his email to blackmail Tony to Roger.  What purpose would it serve to expose Cassandra’s affair to Roger, Nancy wondered.  Fearing it would expose hers and Roger’s affair, Nancy deleted the email and emptied the trash.

 

*          12          *

 

The oxygen masks fell from the compartments above their heads just as the plane began its quick descent.  “Prepare for emergency landing now!” the captain said over PA system.  “It’s going to be a water landing.”  Kevin prayed for his baby.

 

*          13          *

 

Ariel heard the PA just after that violent thump.  Thank God she had finished her business.  If she took great care to survive the landing, the baby would too.  But you never know.  She pushed her way to her seat by Kevin, only six rows ahead.  A strong manly hand pulled her to the nearest seat and put a yellow mask on her.  It was Kevin!

 

*          14          *

 

Devon raced down the highway to the First St. exit and followed the signs to the police station.  The last time she had come here was when her mother, Julia’s body had to be identified by her dad.  She had drowned mysteriously when Devon was four.  She hated this part of town, but forced herself to make her way to the desk to get her dad out.

 

*          15          *

 

Capt. Norse found his well funded passenger unconscious and bleeding from the neck in the corridor next to the cargo hold.  Something bad had happened and he was sure he was going to have to leave soon as a result.  He put pressure on the wound and called his staff nurse to help the old man, if it wasn’t too late.  The “nurse” had been a doctor in Beirut and Don Soltero might just make it.  Capt. Norse might just get paid.

 

*          16          *

 

Akanami hated that name but it had served her well.  She just didn’t know how much Roger liked it.  His wounds that she had dressed were going to heal well.  Now, whether she liked it or not, she had to get Cassandra, and eventually Roger, to the company safe house.  She grabbed her Miata keys and bolted out the door.  It was taking longer to resolve the Kyoto Mission and go home.

 

*          17          *

 

Det. Cranston had gotten used to relying on Det. Jones for the local dirt, but he was now on another assignment.  He walked around the lobby of Central Bank.  Betty McDonald was going over the banks IT systems to determine how the robbers erased their tracks.  The explosion marks on the vault door only told part of the story.  Betty’s hunch was that someone on the inside was the key.  They would know in a few hours.

 

*          18          *

 

Det. Jones reached in each of Mr. Shipman’s pockets and found six, Fifty K bearer bonds rolled in an inside jacket pocket.  $300,000 was a lot to be carrying around in a pocket.  Maybe it was tied to Cranston’s bank job.

 

*          19          *

 

Cassandra opened her front door, expecting the cops to have one more reason to harass her.  But it was Roger’s ex, that Asian bitch, Akanami.  The phone rang.

“Nami!” Cassandra said icily. “Let me get that.” She turned to pick up the call.

“You don’t want to answer that.  I’ve just saved Roger’s life and you’re next.”

Cassandra froze where she stood as Akanami entered and closed the front door.

 

*          20          *

 

Detective Jones pulled Carlos aside to begin his questioning.  “Carlos, what is your relationship with Mr. Shipman?”

“Joey and I rent the apartment above the hardware store.  Joey runs the electrical department of the store and I do security.”  Carlos replied.

“Did Mr. Shipman have any plans for this evening?”

“He gave Joey and I the night off.  He had an important meeting.”

“What would Mr. Shipman be doing with $300K of fake bearer bonds?” Detective Jones inquired of Carlos.

 

*          21          *

 

Ariel just got her seatbelt fastened when the plane entered the water.  The impact was severe and water was filling up the cabin rapidly.  Ariel looked next to her where Kevin should have been.  His seat must have ripped away when the right wing tore from the fuselage.

“Kevin!” Ariel screamed before water covered her face.

 

*          22          *

 

“Cassandra you must come with me.  We need to get you and Roger somewhere safe.”  Akanami instructed, “Your uncle has located you and until he’s dealt with you’re both in danger.”

Just then the phone stopped ringing.

 

*          23          *

 

Agent Richter hung up the phone.  He had to get to Cassandra before Akanami did.  He couldn’t risk having the mission exposed.

 

*          24          *

 

“Fake?”  Carlos couldn’t believe his ears.  “But Mr. Shipman was trying to sell the hardware store and his meeting tonight was with a potential buyer.  Are you sure they’re fake?”

“Very sure.  Do you know who his meeting was with?” Detective Jones asked.

 

*          25          *

 

Devon arrived at the police station only to find out bail was more than she could get her hands on.  Devon was left no other choice; she had to call her mother for the bail money.

 

*          26          *

 

Detective Jones excused Carlos and poked around some more.  Oddly enough, the safe in the office was open.

“Joey, can I ask you a few questions in private?” Detective Jones inquired.

Joey followed Detective Jones to the balcony and shut the door behind him.

“What did Mr. Shipman keep inside the safe?”

 

*          27          *

 

Ariel held her breath and realized her eyes were clamped shut.  Was he dead?  A shirtless man undid her belt and hauled her out of the open right side of the plane, to the surface.  He blew air into her mouth and instantly she knew it was him, her love, Kevin.  Someone pulled them into the raft.  Bits of other voices found her ears.

“...cleared the Swiss Alps.  It’s some lake south of Bern.” It was the Captain.

 

*          28          *

 

Devon knocked on the door of her stepmother’s house.  She’d been married to Devon’s dad for only a couple of years, but had loved and cared for Devon during the worst years after her real mom’s death.  Maria Antonia had also given her quite a foundation for magical work and casting.  Her art was based in the Cuban Palo Majombe culture of witchcraft, but Devon had used what she learned keep in touch with her mom.

“I was expecting you,” said Maria Antonia as she pulled Devon into the house.

 

*          29          *

 

Agent Richter peered in the entry windows next to the doors of the Connor house.  It was clear no one was home and he had missed his chance to save the mission.  Was it her, that commie woman who’d gotten here first or was it someone else?  He found his way to the back of the house and jimmied the back garage door and found his way to the kitchen.  There were broken plates and glasses all over the floor and signs of a fight.

 

*          30          *

 

Joey had the distinct impression that Det. Jones believed he killed Mr. Shipman.  Sometimes he had the feeling that Carlos knew more about what was going on with the store, the way they argued.

“Det. Jones,” he said, “I only know what he let me know.  He kept the daily deposit and some DVDs and maybe some papers.  I didn’t like to pry.”  He hoped the DVDs weren’t anything to do with the summer camp videos.  Those would be bad for him.  Carlos didn’t even know about camp.

 

*          31          *

 

Akanami drove as Cassandra slept in the passenger’s seat.  Poor thing was exhausted with everything going on.  The mess they’d left in the kitchen would throw off anybody to believe she’d been kidnapped.  In some ways, she had been, but Cassandra didn’t need to know that yet.  And besides, there was no ransom. Roger would agree.

 

*          32          *

 

Det. Cranston watched the explosion of the vault in slow motion.  The three men in the security tape had known exactly where to set the charge without much damage to the door.  It had taken them exactly one hour to get what they had come for.  One of the perps was rather heavy set.  But the branch manager was a thin woman in her sixties, so that counted her out.  But surely one of the other employees could have been in on it.

 

*          33          *

 

“Hi, Mom,” Devon said as she gave her stepmother a hug.  “How’ve you been?”

“Fine, Devon, I’m doing well.”  Maria already knew the purpose of Devon’s visit but didn’t want to pry.

Devon paused a little.  “Mom, I need your help.  Dad is in trouble.  I need to borrow some money to bail him out.”

Maria nodded to reassure Devon.  “Well, your father gave me something to hold for you.  He must have known someday you would need this.”  Maria opened up the cookie jar above the refrigerator and pulled out an envelope. “This should help.”

Devon opened the envelope and couldn’t believe her eyes.  She’d never seen this much cash in one place.

 

*          34          *

 

“Ariel! Ariel! Stay with me,” Kevin tried in vain to keep the mother of his child conscious.  She kept drifting in and out.  He just hoped the baby was alright.

*          35          *

 

“She’s gone.  You can come out now.” Maria whispered down the hall.

Charlie poked his head from Maria’s consultation room.  “Do you think she knows where the money came from?”

“Devon doesn’t even know I’ve been working at the bank to make ends meet.”

 

*          36          *

 

Detective Jones’ phone rang.  “Excuse me, Joey, I need to take this.”

“Detective Jones,” he spoke to the caller.

“CSI Lawson.  We have the ballistics results.  Tony Donati’s gun was excluded as the murder weapon from Toshi murder.”

“Well, then, we have no physical evidence to hold him.  Release him, but remind him not to leave town.”

Great, he thought.  Just what he needed was more open ends.

 

*          37          *

 

Devon pulled into the police station and approached the information desk.  “I need to post bail for my father,” Devon said a little embarrassed.

“First window on the left.” The desk sergeant said matter-of-factly.

“Thank you.”  Devon turned to the direction of the bail posting window only to see Tony walking toward her.

“Dad?!?” Devon was confused and excited at the same time.

 

*          38          *

 

“So Charlie, you’re sure no one saw you while you and your friends were running ‘our errand’?”  Maria questioned Charlie.

“I’m sure, we wore masks.”  Charlie was confident they’d covered all their bases.

“You all wore gloves so no fingerprints were left behind,” Maria continued.

“Well, uh, I did, but Carlos didn’t.  I didn’t know until he was inside.  I pretended to be Val so I’d have an alibi.  Val was asleep in my bed since he thinks he’s me.”

 

*          39          *

 

 

Don Soltero awoke to find a saline line in his arm as he lay on the table of the ship’s first aid station.  The doctor had just come in.

“Don’ tok.  Here’s paper and pen nest to jou.”  His accent was thick Spanish.

Don Soltero scribbled, asking for the captain immediately.

“Jou can sit but don’t tosh the bandage on jour neck.  I’ll get di capitan.”

 

*          40          *

 

Tony unlocked the restaurant and jotted all the incoming reservations.  He only had to call back three guest parties to reschedule for a later dinner.  They’d be open at 5:00pm, no matter what, but where was Cassandra now that she was released.  She wasn’t answering either of her phones.  His Exec. Chef, Sammy Jay already had the kitchen ready for dinner, but Tony would have to be tonight’s host.  Maybe Roger got that email.

 

*          41          *

 

Kevin climbed into the ambulance, next to Ariel, going to the closest hospital in Thun, just south of Bern, Switzerland.  The attendants told him in good English that she and the baby would be okay.  The survivors who didn’t need medical attention were being put up near the Bern Intl. Airport.  Soon they’d be in London and headed home to Eastvale.

 

*          42          *

 

Det. Cranston played the tape for the thirtieth time.  He knew there was something he wasn’t seeing in the tape footage.  He translated it to digital 3-D.  Now he could see one or another of the three robbers would turn, as if listening to someone out of view.  There was at least one other thief on the job…on the job…inside job.  He had the computer extrapolate an imaginary body, aproximating where they were looking off camera.  The person was a height of 5’ 0” to 5’ 3”inches. 

 

*          43          *

 

No more opening for other bands, not tonight.  Now they could do other bands cover songs just because they really liked to.  Tonight Cuerpo Sin Cabeza was opened by another band, The Ci, Ci, Ci’s.  He had only dated her for a few years, but Toby Mason knew she was probably out in the audience.  She had loved his original music, especially when some of it was in her own “Spanich” as he used to tease her.  His chart breaking song, “Maria Mia” was about his voodoo princess, Maria Antonia. He’d sent her tickets.

 

*          44          *

 

Carlos wasn’t sure what alibi Charlie had, but he was sure Maria Antonia wasn’t in any of the video feed for the bank.  He drove his van along the back streets to her house to get his cut of the money and jewels.  He passed Kyle and Josh, friends of Joey riding along the foothills park.  They hadn’t met yet but he knew them by reputation.  That bastard, Shipman had been hot for Joey’s little friend since he came for a key copy.

 

*          45          *

 

Roger had been using Feng Feng’s computer to access his email.  There it was.  He opened the attachment Toshi had sent while asking for $10,000 up front.  It was the same room he had used often, but on the bed were Cassandra and someone he didn’t see.  The front door swung open and there stood his wife and the woman assassin, Akanami.

 

*          46          *

 

Detective Cranston drove to the bank manager’s house and knocked on the door.

Adriana Murphy answered the door in her robe.  “Yes, may I help you?” she politely asked.

“Detective Cranston, Eastvale PD.  Sorry to call on you so late, ma’am.  I had some questions regarding the bank heist that happened earlier tonight.”

“Bank heist? Did something happen at Central Bank?”

Detective Cranston heard that Adriana had been losing her short term memory lately, but he was used to questioning elderly victims.  She reminded him of his own mother the way she had to look up to him.  In fact she was just about the height of the off-camera perp.

 

*          47          *

 

Maria finished packing her suitcase and called the taxi.  She had everything she could possible need to start her new life.  Austin, TX was supposed to be nice this time of year.  She wouldn’t even need her passport for this new adventure.

 

*          48          *

 

Toby checked with the box office while The Ci, Ci, Ci’s were on.  Maria had not arrived yet; the ticket for her seat hadn’t been scanned by admissions.  Toby grew concerned that something may have happened.  He didn’t know what he would do if she were gone.  Dating for Toby was difficult as most women didn’t like dating men shorter than them.  Maria and Toby were perfect together ever since they met at Central Bank back when he had to work a real job to support his hobby.

 

*          49          *

 

“Cassandra! You cheap whore!” Roger went off.

Akanami jumped in, “Roger, now is not the time.  Don Soltero is in town and he means business.  You both are in danger and have to leave town NOW!  Take the keys to my Miata and go far away.”

Cassandra was shaking in the doorway when they all heard the gunshot.  Cassandra gasped loudly and fell forward with the force of the bullet.

 

*          50          *

 

CSI Lawson was processing the bank for evidence.  No signs of forced entry except for the safe deposit box vault.  Finger prints on the alarm panels all match bank employees or former bank employees.  Now it was up to Detective Cranston to verify alibis of those whose finger prints that were lifted.

 

*          51          *

 

“Adriana, do you have a list of all employees that had a security code to Central Bank?”  Dectective Cranston inquired.

“Toby Mason would have that.  He’s our chief of security,” Adriana said confidently.

“Ma’am, Toby hasn’t worked at Central Bank for 15 months now.  Who took his place?”   He could see the confusion rush over Adriana’s face.

 

*          52          *

 

Devon was glad Val came to her with the truth of his “personality shift.” Not even Charlie, his twin, the real Charlie, knew.  It had been a hoax designed to uncover who had shot him and killed Mrs. Green.  She and Val hid in the park’s bushes across from Maria’s lonely house, as a van came along the solitary street at the edge of town.

 

*          53          *

 

In one lightning fast motion, Akanami slammed the door shut and leapt onto Cassandra.  The bullet in her shoulder had gone through, barely missing her collar bone.  Then Roger was applying pressure to his wife’s wounds.  Akanami gave him a wink and ran for the upstairs window to get a better angle on the shooter. 

“Canelli!” It was the Don. “You come out here you coward!  You kill my son and now I kill someone you love, you bastardo!”  Akanami had him in her sights, but lights were coming on all over the neighborhood.  Through the open window, she got him square in the forehead, this time.  His body crumbled just as a black car squealed away.

 

*          54          *

 

“Joey,” Carlos nudged his buddy in the passenger’s seat. “You stay put and I’ll be right back.”  Joey nodded and dozed back asleep.  The cocktail Carlos had given him was mild, but effective.  Carlos thought he saw movement in the bushes across the street but it must have been the wind.  Maria opened the door and let him in.  She had his bag ready.

“This was the last job here,” she began, “I’m headed for Texas.”

“You’ve got my number, so use it. I think we’ll stay in New Orleans for a few.”

 

*          55          *

 

Toby checked his email one last time.  He hoped she still had his address.  There was one new message which he opened and read only one word: AUSTIN.  It was from her.  That was going to be perfect as they were scheduled to tour San Antonio, Dallas and Memphis. Austin was on the way, just out of San Antonio.  She just might join him there.

 

*          56          *

 

Charlie walked out of Maria’s house with a heavy looking backpack.  But he stopped at the van and knocked on the passenger’s window.  Shaking his head, he walked to his bike and pedaled off for home. Val almost blew his cover, but Devon pulled him back down.  She knew that if they waited they could find out more about what was going on.  Then Carlos came out and climbed into the van with a bag and drove off toward the highway entrance.  Devon and Val got in his silver Jetta and were about to follow, when the garage door opened and Maria’s Mini Cooper pulled into the street and seemed to follow the van eastbound.

 

*          57          *

 

Her sister had been dead for five years now, but keeping in character would allow her an alibi for purchasing her final tickets for Key West.  Adriana knew Carson would be ready, as he always was “at the drop of a hat.”  It didn’t hurt that he was very good in bed either.  He really knew how to treat a lady and he retained much of his good looks.  The perfect retirement.  Her 60’ yacht in the Keys would take them to the Caymans.

 

*          58          *

 

Paul Syler always liked these undercover assignments.  Earlier, he had hacked into the Eastvale Taxi company’s phone lines to monitor the incoming phone calls.  A tip came in to the agency that those involved with the bank heist were going to skip town.  Paul was prepared with a search warrant and now all he needed was for one of them to make a call for a taxi.

 

*          59          *

 

Maria drove her Mini Cooper to the edge of the canyon.  She lifted the hatchback and removed the bags of loot closing the hatchback once this had been done.  She walked over to a group of bushes a few yards away.  She looked around to make sure no one was watching and pulled towards her car the blue tarp covered bundle wrapped in white rope.  Carefully, she untied the ropes.

 

*          60          *

 

Even though they were not twins, it was amazing how much Adelle looked like Adriana, more so as they both got older.  When Adriana fell ill early last winter, Adelle flew in from Key West to take care of Adriana.  Adriana had been well enough to work, but was too exhausted when she got home to take care of things.  When Adriana died last week, she seized her opportunity, calling Maria right away.

 

*          61          *

 

Devon and Val had a hard time keeping up with the Mini Cooper.  They didn’t want to get too close to arouse suspicion.  The Mini Cooper stopped on a deserted road, in a dirt turnout, overlooking Arroyo Canyon.  Soon Carlos in the van pulled into the same turnout to help Maria put the body in the car.  Maria put the car in neutral while Carlos put the electronic timer on the gas tank cover. 

60 seconds should do it, he thought to himself.

Carlos and Maria pushed the Mini Cooper over the edge of the canyon.  Once the car was moving on its own, down the steep canyon, they took cover behind the van.

 

*          62          *

 

Carson West packed his suitcase.  He was going to miss this little town, but better things awaited him.  He threw the suitcase in the trunk of his Benz, got in the driver’s seat and headed for Adriana’s house.  He waited a long time to be with Adelle.  Now the time had come.  He pulled into Adriana’s driveway.

“Adriana, are you ready?”  he called into the front door.

“Yes, Carson.  Can you help me with these bags?”  Adelle disliked being called Adriana, but it was important to have others believe she was Adriana.

Carson gave her a knowing wink.

 

*          63          *

 

Carlos dropped Maria off at the site where the taxi was called to pick her up.  She had a suitcase and her plane tickets to Austin, TX.  After a few minutes, a taxi arrived.  Paul got out of the taxi.

“May I help you with your suitcase, Ma’am?” Paul turned on the charm.

 

*          64          *

 

Even with his hands on her gunshot wounds, Roger couldn’t get that damned image out of his head.  It certainly looked like Cassandra was enjoying herself…and he was sure he’d seen the birthmark on the bastard’s thigh some where before.  Then it hit him.  He knew he was going to beat the shit out of Tony.  But why him?  He liked the guy too much to kill him.  But he was sure going to make his life hell.

 

*          65          *

 

Paul struggled to watch the road.  Maria Antonia’s perfume intoxicated him when she requested Ontario Intl. as her destination.  He prayed his pants would go down by the time they got there.  He didn’t see Maria stuffing the lock of his hair into the small doll in her lap.  She’d also clipped a tiny patch of his collar to strengthen her spell.  This was the same charm sweet Devon had learned from her.  Val was certainly devoted.  Paul carried the luggage all the way to the ticket desk for her and wouldn’t leave.  He was hers now.

 

*          66          *

 

Val and Devon had raced on the dark road all the way to the first of two Arroyo Canyon dams that helped supply L.A. with water and power.  The parking lot which overlooked the spillway was deserted.  Kids would come here to make out in summer after dark, but tonight, there was only one maintenance truck at the control house.

“They must have pulled off,” he said, “when we lost sight of them.”

“It’s probably for the best,” said Devon.  She touched his face and he gave her a deep, steamy kiss. “That’s more like it,” she giggled and pulled off her sweater.

 

*          67          *

 

Adelle was now herself again, blond and bold and in charge.  Carson had liked her appearance as the chaste Adriana, but now couldn’t keep his hands off her.  He presented both boarding passes to the gate clerk and they strolled down the ramp to the first class cabin.  Like being on a honeymoon, he couldn’t help himself from kissing her between sips of the fine champagne.  Adelle was so happy it was contagious.

 

*          68          *

 

Kevin sat by Ariel’s bed and held her hand through the night.  She would come partially awake and mumble in some strange dialect of Aramaic, Hebrew or Egyptian.  It was like she was at the site and translating the glyphs, or speaking to someone else.

“Inhoteph,” she declared intently. “Jah ley wad Inhoteph!”

He felt it was a prayer, or a spell.  The doctor had called it Retrograde Amnesia.  She had a 50-50 chance of recovery.  He chewed his fingernails quietly and waited.

 

*          69          *

 

Tony had one of the busiest Fridays and was sore he couldn’t wait tables.  But two tables made it worth it.  CSI Lawson, Det. Cranston and Tony’s old crush, Betty McDonald was the first informative group.  The second was his daughter, Devon and her four boyfriends, as he called them, the Pierce twins, Val and Charlie, Josh Syler and Kyle Gardner.  Only the officers needed liquor to loosen up, but they were all talking about the bank robbery.  He knew Devon wouldn’t cross the line but wondered about the rest.