Seven Come Eleven

Chapter Three

Nadia stood on her balcony and watched the sun rise just over the mountains, a fresh cup of coffee in hand. Nadia had slept little, having spent the night unpacking the things she had brought. Jake had told her the penthouse was furnished, so her furniture went to storage. Empty boxes were scattered through the large open living room, but she was done unpacking. The only thing left unpacked was a box of Dan's things that was shoved into her closet, out of sight and out of mind. She would never toss it, but wondered if she'd ever open it again.

The ringing of the phone cut into her thoughts. "This can't be good news this early in the morning." She thought as she picked it up.

"Hello?"

"You're awake. Good." Jake's voice was too happy for so early in the morning. Nadia had never been around to know he was a morning person, and now she was sort of glad she hadn't ever stuck around to see. She was certainly not a morning person.

"What can I do for you?" Nadia asked, glancing at the clock. She wondered if he would like a quick morning romp. She found herself oddly okay with that.

"Get dressed and meet me on the roof. The elevator will bring you up. We will have a sunrise breakfast with drinks." Jake was standing, a thick towel wrapped around his waist as he watched the boulevard below slowly brighten with pink light. He could not see the sunrise from his room.

Nadia's lips curled into a smile without her consent. "I'll meet you in about twenty minutes."

When Nadia arrived at the top of the casino, she found Jake sitting leisurely in a padded white wicker chair. The table was also white wicker, with a glass top. The white umbrella that shaded the table fluttered in the arid desert breeze. There were other tables identical to this one scattered around this side of the roof, and a tiny tiki style bar where a young man was busy squeezing oranges for a mixed drink.

Jake stood up upon seeing her, pulling out the chair beside him. "Good morning, come sit. Breakfast will be ready soon."

Once she was seated, Jake sat down again and picked up his small coffee cup. His eyes went over her quickly. She had hurriedly dressed in jeans and a shirt. He wasn't used to seeing her so casual, it lent a lightness to her face and demeanor.

"This is nice," Nadia said, her eyes roaming the rooftop and the tiki bar. "Do you have breakfast up here a lot?"

The young man from the bar brought over a small cup of coffee and a mixed drink that was bright yellow and orange layered with fresh fruit on the sides. Nadia gave him a nod and sipped the drink first. It was hands down the best Tequila Sunrise she had ever had.

Jake nodded. "You would know if you bothered to stay around in the morning, instead of vanishing into the night like some vampire. Are you sure you're not a vampire?"

Nadia laughed at his serious expression. "I assure you I am not."

"That's good. I think succubus suits you better." Jake finished his coffee and took the drink he was offered.

Nadia once again laughed at his comment, slightly embarrassed by the innuendo. By now she should be used to it she knew. Jake was blunt, often crude. "Is that the only reason you had me move in here?"

But before Jake spoke, Alan stepped out onto the roof with them. "Someone is here for you-"

Before Alan could finish, a woman barged through the door. She was shorter than Nadia. It looked like her hair had been in the bun she wore for days. Though her face was a little fuller than it had been years before, Jake knew exactly who she was. Her eyes locked onto his, red and swollen from crying, her hands shook.

"Allie?" He responded to the hysterical looking woman. "Allie, how did you find me here?"

"It got Brian, Jake. The hell hounds--" she broke down sobbing, unmindful of the other people in the room and what they might think.

Jake wrapped her in his big arms, allowing her to sob for a moment. "He called me last night. He said something about them but I didn't know he was dead."

That part was a blatant lie. This was only confirmation of what he already knew. But there was no way he could tell her he had heard Brian's last words and the gunshot that had ended it. He just held her against him as she sobbed. Nadia watched, trading glances with Jake.

"Am I in danger now?" Allie pulled away enough to look up at Jake, her late husbands friend since middle school.

"I wouldn't think so. You weren't in on the deal."

"Why did he do it? Why did he make such a ridiculous deal? I just thought it was--" Allie's words were cut off by uncontrollable sobs that escaped her throat.

"Bullshit?" Jake supplied. "I did too. I mean who would have thought?"

"Whose idea was it?" Alli wiped her eyes. She couldn't believe Brian would have been involved in such a thing. He had always been a logical guy.

"Miles. I assumed he'd been dropping too much acid." Jake shrugged.

Alan rubbed his face, this was all too weird for him. People standing around talking about meeting the devil and selling souls like it was the most normal thing in the world. But people were dying, not just dying but being mauled to death by unseen forces, and there seemed to be no explanation. It baffled him.

"You said the hell hound got him?" Jake continued, walking from Allie to and leaning on the edge of the roof to look down over the strip.

She nodded, "Tore him to shreds. The police could only identify him by his wallet and ID in the room. He disappeared two days before after a dog bit him outside our house. Just a stray who ran at him while he was getting the mail. I came out and scared it away but it frightened him. He took off that night, taking nothing but his wallet and the car. The police found him when the hotel called about a disturbance in one of their rooms. There wasn't much left, and they ruled a dog he had brought in with him mauled him. We both know what it was, Jake. You know and I do too."

"Yeah, it was inevitable I suppose. I am terribly sorry for your loss Allie. Can I help with anything?" Jake asked quickly.

"I guess not. He left us well off and I have my career. I think he'd like you to come to the service." Allie dried her tears on a tissue from her pocket.

"You send the information and I will be there." Jake offered her a sad smile.

Allie dried her tears and then met his gaze, her eyes suddenly brighter. "You. Why hasn't it come for you?"

He didn't like her tone. It sounded as if she were accusing him of something. "It has, Allie. I have avoided it until now but I don't imagine I can much longer."

That answer seemed to satisfy her, and she turned to walk out. Nadia had been silent the whole time, but when the door closed behind Allie, she spoke.

"This is getting too real. What are we going to do? Mafia loan sharks can be dealt with easily but this is the devil himself."

"I have a feeling they're the same," Jake replied, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Never thought I would be up against the devil. This isn't in my pay grade," Alan laughed nervously.

"You're right. You need a raise." Jake smiled sadly. He was really relying on Alan a lot these days.

"What am I supposed to do if demons attack us?" Alan insisted with a deep roll of his dark eyes. "Do I call a priest or the police?"

"I doubt either would do much good," Jake shook his head. He met Nadia's gaze. "Do you have business to attend today?"

"I should go to the bank," she replied. "They've given me notice that Dan's account is ready for me to transfer to my account. They took a good long while to decide if I could have it."

"Yes, they did. Sometimes there are delays if there are suspicions about where the money came from, and given his reputation, I guess I am hardly surprised. I'll come with you."

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 Nadia met them. She directed them into her cubicle.

"I am sorry, Mrs. Sena. Dan was a great man and we will miss him. Such a tragic accident." The manager smiled as she picked out forms and a folder from her desk drawer. Using a blue pen, she pointed to the lines where she needed a signature. "If you will sign here and here."

Nadia did so but in a daze. It seemed so unreal. She looked up at the manager, reading her name tag. Her name was Debbie. "Is that all?"

The manager of the bank handed her a folder of statements and other information and nodded. "Yes. We will start transfer and you will have the money in your account by Friday."

Nadia nodded blankly. "Thank you."

Outside, the day had become hot already. The sun was baking everything under it with a vengeance, by afternoon it would be absolute hell. Jake opened the car door for Nadia and she chuckled at him as she got into the front seat, stuffing the folders into her oversize purse.

When Jake got in, she pulled the seat belt around her before speaking, "So what's the deal with this car? I would think a successful casino owner could afford something a lot nicer than a— what is this? A 90s Mustang?"

"I have never flashed my wealth around. This is the first car I've ever owned," he chuckled and reached up to unclip the convertible top before pressing the button that pulled it back. "She's on her second engine and paint job and third transmission. Oh, the windows doesn't go down just so you know."

"So why on earth do you keep it?" Nadia couldn't help but laugh at the proud way he spoke of the car like an old friend.

"Cause I like it and it's been loyal. I believe in fixing and not trashing things." He pulled back out into the street and they moved through town towards the mountains. "Ever see the Hoover Dam?"

"No— I haven't." Nadia glanced at him, confused why he had asked.

"Because we aren't far from it. Might as well see it while we are here." He sped up, the older engine purring, vibrating the floor under Nadia's feet. Jake smiled, "Don't hear engines like that so much anymore."

"Dare I ask what color this was before it was this blinding orange?" Nadia nodded at the hood. She could only describe it as tangerine.

"Dark green." Jake replied. "You know that dark ugly green everything was in the 90s?"

"Ew." She wrinkled her nose.

"I know. I didn't like it either." Jake was good at small talk and that kept them busy as they drove up to the dam and across it.

Nadia couldn't help but admire the view. Dan didn't do spontaneous things. He was very methodical and level headed. It had been what attracted her to him in the first place. Nadia enjoyed being in control of a situation and have all the details up front. With Jake around, she had learned she could not always predict what he might say or do. It excited her in a way she had never felt before.

Jake spoke to a guard in a small guard shack before driving across the bridge. The scene was breathtaking from there; the sheer vastness of it took Nadia's breath. She peered out the window in awe at the concrete and water hundred of feet below.

"I've heard there are bodies trapped in the concrete," Nadia said, not looking at Jake.

"They say that but it's still up for debate. I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised if there were a few at least." He replied without taking his eyes off the road.

Talk fell silent between them but was not awkward. They found being in each other's company, even when not chatting or doing more adult things, was comfortable. At noon, they stopped at a local place for lunch. They chose a booth at the window and while they waited for food, Nadia leafed through Dan's papers.

Jake read a newspaper that had been left behind in the booth. When he peered over the top, Nadia's face seemed to be creased in anger.

"What is it?" Jake asked curiously, not sure if he should have asked at all.

"Dan has been keeping a storage building in Arizona. The payments auto draft. I knew nothing about this. I wonder what he has in it?"

Jake had half an idea, but he didn't say it. "You mean he never mentioned it to you? Big thing to keep from your wife, I would think."

"There are several charges on here to a restaurant I have never even heard of." She slammed the folder closed and shoved it back into her purse. Her mind raced with the evidence. It was obvious Dan had been cheating on her in the past year of their marriage. "Damn that man."

"Oh come now, I doubt it's as bad as you think. Remember they involved him with some shady deals, it could be something to do with that. Why would any man in his right mind keep a mistress when he had you at home?" Jake raised an eyebrow and put the newspaper that he'd lost interest in aside. But then again Jake knew Dan wasn't always the brightest. If he had been, he wouldn't have ended up dead, he thought.

"Well just what would you think?" Nadia handed him the papers.

Before he finished reading them, a waitress came to get their order, then glided away. Jake read over the columns of numbers. "I would say it looks suspicious. But knowing Dan, I will bet it isn't a mistress. It is likely the thing they killed him for in that storage unit."

Nadia blanched white for a moment. "Do— do you think anyone knows it's there? Do you think they will come for it?"

"I can't swear they won't. What's odd is that there is no actual contact information for the storage place. It just says self-storage. How would we find out what set of units it is? Have you ever been to Arizona? These places are all over the place." Jake passed her the papers back and looked at his food, which was being placed in front of him. The quickness of it's arrival had startled him.

Nadia looked towards the street, glimpsing her reflection in the window. She was without make up today, her hair pulled up. In the year since Dan had died she had tried to hide her pain under layers of make up but something about Jake let her know it was okay to be herself and free. He was so easy to be around, she didn't have to be on guard or worry he would bolt out of a date night for business. It was wonderful. Living in the hotel was also exciting to Nadia, it was like a permanent vacation and she didn't miss the townhouse at all.