Smoke and Mirrors

105

A man dressed in a casino employee’s attire waited at the elevators, smiling at their approach. “Mr. Klein and his attorney are expecting you.”

His name tag said he was Alex Coyle, the concierge. After they got into the car, he signaled to a young bellboy who was standing beside the desk. The youth came over and got into the elevator, taking a key from the concierge. He put the key in the lock, pressed the button for the eighth floor, and watched the panel with a customer-service smile plastered on his face.

“Hello, Mr. Green,” Winter said to the boy whose name tag read, JOHNNY GREEN.

He nodded. “I’m supposed to show y’all up.”

“Nice night,” Leigh said.

“I guess so,” Johnny said. “In here you wouldn’t know if it was night or day. Is it freezing over yet?”

“It’s getting colder by the minute,” Billy Lyons said as the elevator stopped.

Johnny Green escorted them down the hall to suite 825, and rapped on the partly open door with gloved fingers.

“Enter!” Kurt Klein’s unmistakable voice cried out.

Billy Lyons reached into his pants pocket, withdrew a money clip, and peeled off a twenty, which he handed to the bellboy.

“Thank you,” Johnny Green said, putting the bill into his pocket without inspecting it. He held the door open until they were inside and closed it gently behind them.

“Never would have found the eighth floor on our own,” Winter said, ribbing his friend.

“What I’m charging for this,” Billy said, “I can afford to be generous.”