Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 3731837" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter One-hundred-eighty-nine, “A good day for a bank robbery”, Friday, June 16th, 2:15 P.M. When the group if finally ready to leave the Lucky Lady for the bank, Jake is the first to step into the street. He looks it up and down for anything unusual. Though Jake himself is not carrying any more money than usual, the others obviously much be carrying enough to make it worth some young hot head's while to risk a daylight robbery and run for the hills. If he sees nothing, he nods to Van Horne in a reassuring way and follows them. The five head over to the bank. They are still down a teller, with the employees present being Bank Manager Paul Stevens, Teller Shannon O'Hara and Guard/Maintenance Man Chandler Wells (who also works for Wells Fargo). Stevens greets Van Horne and personally sees to the deposits for the tournament players. Jake transfers his fee as well and then withdraws enough money to pay Pierre for his recent purchase. He bids the others good day and makes his way to Pierre's place and gives him the money. He takes a stroll around town on the look out for an opportunity to speak with Prosper McCoy's wife with it being too obvious. The McCoy's reside in a two-story wood-framed house at the northwestern corner of the Sierra and Allen intersection. Jake sees through a window on the Sierra Street side of her house that she is presently home but does not see her husband around. There are construction noises coming from the Palace Saloon a block to the east, which is most likely where he is at. Jake removes his hat, and with it twirling on his hand he knocks on the door. He glances around to see who might be watching. Bonnie McCoy comes to the door. She opens it and based upon the expression on her face it appears that she does not recognize Jake. "Yes Sir, may I help you?" she asks. "Perhaps you can Mrs. McCoy, and in turn perhaps I may help you. My name is Jake Cook, Ma’am, and if you invite me in I would be pleased to explain." Jake gives her a reassuring and charming smile. "Two people who both think it is a shame that Evan Adair once again evaded going to jail may benefit from a short conversation." She lets him in after glancing both ways down the street to make sure that nobody else is noticing. She says, "I have heard of you Mr. Cook. Mr. Adair will be very displeased if he hears that you are at my house." Jake replies, "That is an understatement Ma’am. He will not hear it from my lips, and I will be brief and to the point. Evan Adair has tried to kill me and burn down my saloon, and who knows what else. Clearly some day I will need to end his persecution of me. I would much rather that his own foul plans were his undoing, and let the law put him away for good instead. Mrs. McCoy, I understand that you may have your own reasons for disliking Adair. We need not discuss that. The opportunity that I give you is this; if you happen to know something, or can get word to me of something that I could use to have Adair caught up in his own evil web please share that with me. No one will know that you told me anything, and I take all the risk from here on. If you know nothing, or fear that the risk to you is too great then just say the word and I will bid you good day. Either way I will keep a gentlemen's silence." Jake smiles at her. "What have you got to loose? Except maybe a vulture that darkens your life." She begins to cry and says, "I wish I could help you Mr. Cook, but I'm afraid that I can't. You see, Evan Adair has some items in a bank's safety deposit box in Los Angeles, California that he will use against us if we were to ever act against him." Jake says, "There, there, Mrs. McCoy, I am not asking you to act against him. Merely if you found the opportunity to pass along some information that he would not know came from you. I would use it in a way that would not implicate anyone." Jake glances again to make sure he is not visible from the street. Not sure why, but he asks, "What bank is that?" She says, "The First Commerce Bank....in Box 114. Do...I mean...is there a any chance you could get the documents there? We would be ever so grateful." He replies, "I do not know how I would. Robbing banks is not my specialty. Stranger things have happened though...." He scratches his chin and moves to the door. "Please get word to me if you think of anything that might be, um, useful. Otherwise, we have never met." Jake puts his hat back on and inclines it slightly to her. He has her look out the door before he leaves to see if anyone is around before he leaves. Jake goes over to the El Parador for a whiskey and some time to think. Jake enters to see Manuel Gonzales sitting with a large spread of a dozen Mexican dishes spread out before him and a large tankard of ale, obviously having either a late lunch or early supper. Jake gets a whiskey from the bar before wandering over to see the old wizard. Jake states, "Buenos tardes, senor. If a man's appetite is any indication of his health I would judge you are quite well. Of course it also may have something to do with that daughter of yours, between her talents in the kitchen and her predilection for seeing everyone well fed." He replies, "Why thank you, I'm just catching up for lost time. I've spent the last several days out at Sonoma's ranch, helping to guard it against the return of Wyatt Earp. Only today was I was informed of Mr. Earp's incarceration in town so made my way back. Sonoma tries, but her cooking is not in the same league as her mother's. I have certainly missed this!" Gonzales eats some more and then says, "So are all things working well towards your poker tournament tomorrow? When I spoke with Mr. Van Horne earlier he said that he wanted to hire me to help with security." Jake says, "That would be a most welcome addition. I suppose that the preparations go well enough." Jake takes the liberty of sitting down next to Gonzalez. "I learned that Evan Adair plans some less than honorable activities involving the tournament. To make a long story a tad shorter, hoping to get something on him to keep that snake in the grass under control I learned that he has been black mailing the McCoy's. OK, so I new that, but what I did not know was the black mail material is in safety deposit box number 114 at The First Commerce Bank in Los Angeles." Jake shakes his head. "I am not a bank robber, neither am I indebted to the McCoy's to risk my neck over this. I should just put it out of my mind. But I despise Adair, and even as unprincipled as I usually appear to be, black mail makes my blood boil." Jake looks up from short rant, eyes dark. "Heh, listen to me." Slowly his face releases the anger and tension. "So other than that there are several other well known con artists joining the tournament." He shrugs, his familiar smile returning to his face. "Just another day in Promise City." Gonzales says, "Hmmm....Los Angeles you say. I've been meaning to check in on Maggie Whipple. We probably have another three or four hours until that bank closes if you'd care to go and check it out." Jake asks, "Just what do you have in mind, senor? A sort of casual look-it-over, check-it-out, or bring some tools if we may have an opportunity to try something adventurous Jake-style check-it -out?" The elderly elf replies, "Well, I'm not thinking armed robbery. But what's to stop a couple of businessmen from showing up and opening a new safety deposit box at the same bank? Unless they are warded against magic we'd only need a few minutes alone in the room with the boxes." "Hmmm." Jake strokes at his beard, "Nothing. I will let you finish your meal while I change and get something that may be useful." He replies, "Well, as far as changing is concerned I still have those items that make the younger version of myself, as well as Mr. Austin who went into hiding due to Wyatt Earp being after him." Jake says, "I suppose that makes changing unnecessary, but I still have one more item that might be useful. I will be quick about it and be back." Jake makes his way back to the Luck Lady and finds Van Horne. "I need to speak to you," Jake says in a stern voice. He takes the large Georgian into the kitchen, telling Maria it is time for a short break. "What in Hades were you thinking!" Jake exclaims and then gives his friend Red a grin. Then in a quiet voice. "Not much time to explain I need to hurry. I may be able to help you with the Adair problem..." Jake tells him about the bank, safe deposit box and the McCoy's. "Know anything useful about any of that? Oh, and let me borrow your amulet again." Van Horne hands over the amulet and says, "Just be careful Jacob, Mr. Adair most likely has friends or associates of some kind at that bank." Jake nods. "Good advice. With luck we both may be rid of him once and for all. Then we can argue about who was more foolish with him." Jake gives the Irishman a friendly pat on the arm and stops before opening the door. In a loud voice, "Fine then, but I am not happy about it!" With a wink Jake opens the door and stomps out of the Lucky Lady, his frown visible to all. When he enters the El Parador Jake has a smile on his face. Gonzales is waiting by the staircase and says, "Let's head up to my room." Jake nods and follows him. Once upstairs Jake says, "If you have any old papers or newspapers or book I can bring that will not be missed or lead anyone back to us, I would bring it along as our treasure that needs to be locked up. It would keep the ruse plausible." Gonzales replies, "Good idea. I believe that I can locate a few odds and ends that will fill that void." He gets two books and some papers which he places inside of a well-worn leather satchel. He also collects the hat and eyeglasses for the magical transformations but for now he and Jake remain as their usual selves. He then gathers the brazier and goes through the now-familiar burnt powder and incantation that Jake has experienced before. They vanish from Gonzales's workshop and reappear inside a dark room of some sort with the only light coming from the brazier. It takes Jake's eyes a few seconds to adjust at which point he makes out that they are in some sort of food pantry, with shelves and shelves full of cans and bottles on both sides and large wooden barrels at the far wall. He then makes out a doorway on the other wall with a faint amount of light coming from beneath the crack. Jake moves silently towards the door and listens for a moment before whispering to Gonzalez, "Now what?" Gonzales says, "We are in the pantry of Maggie's Restaurant, which leads to the kitchen. We are between meal times so the kitchen should be unoccupied at the moment, but we should check to make sure first. If necessary I can turn us both invisible to exit, although I would hate to miss an opportunity to see Maggie Whipple again." "I do not think there is any need to be invisible," Jake shrugs and listens at the door again. Hearing nothing, he cautiously and slowly turns the handle and opens the door just a hairline crack to look into the kitchen. The kitchen is large one with multiple industrial-style stoves and sinks and hundreds of pots and pans. The place is exquisitely clean and nobody is presently in there. There are several pots with what appears to me soup simmering on the stove, with stirring spoons beside them, indicating that somebody is coming in at least periodically to stir them. Jake opens the closet door and quickly looks for a door to the outside. He and Gonzales are able to make their way outside onto the Street. Manuel says, "Let's find somewhere private to change into our other selves. Do you want to be the younger me or the older human Gentleman?" "I can be old for a day." Jake follows and asks, "Will this change absorb all my gear? Do I need to take anything off that I want to have available to me?" Gonzales replies, Mr. Austin comes fully-clothed. If there are any items you will want in the other form you should remove them first." When he is ready to change, Jake removes the amulet he borrowed from Red, his dagger, derringer and extra derringer rounds, plus the money from his wallet. "Ready." Gonzales hands Jake Austin's glasses and tells him to say the command world "Tarnation". He becomes a human male between sixty and seventy years of age, with long white beard, bushy sideburns, bushy eyebrows and bald head. He is dressed in a blue cotton shirt, tan wool pants, a wide belt and cowboy boots. He has a straw campaign-style hat on his head. A pair of wire-framed eyeglasses magnify his robins-egg blue eyes. He has a sheathed dagger on his belt but no other weapons. He has a rabbit-skin pouch on his belt and small book in his shirt pocket. Jake looks himself over and chuckles. He goes about putting the items he removed back on his person, "Aw shucks, ain't no one gonna take me serious at no fancy bank." Jake gives a broad, toothy smile. Gonzales says, "Hogwash, this is California." He put on the necktie and does his own transformation, now still looking much like himself but at less than half his age. Gonzales and Jake head out from the alley to the main street and Gonzales hails a hansom cab to pick them up. "First Commerce Bank please," he states. Jake and Gonzales ride through the main streets of Los Angeles and continue towards the southwestern side of the city. They can see and smell the Pacific Ocean in the distance. They continue on for a few more miles to the section of the city known as Beverly Hills. The carriage comes to a stop before a large marble building with the sign reading "Commerce Bank". Jake is careful to leave the carriage more slowly than he is accustomed and feigned being an older man. After the carriage moves on, "Do you have any preference for false names?" He replies, "I usually use Miguel instead of Manuel, so I'll be Miguel Fernandez. Last time I called you Jay instead of Jake, and pulled the name Brothers out of the air since you're from Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly love. Use whatever name you like just so it can't be traced back to the two of us." Jake shrugs, "I can be ol' man James Brothers, Jay to my friends. Let us do it." They enter the spacious lobby of the building, seeing multiple teller windows. They approach and inquire to the teller about their desire to obtain a safety deposit box. The teller says they will need to speak to the bank manager. They are escorted over to an office with the sign on the door reading “M. Drysdale, Manager”. A mustached man of average height and graying hair stands to shake their hands and asks how he can be of service to them. Jake states, "Well there young feller, Miguel here keeps on a tellin' me I need ta git my important papers n' money in a safer spot. Frankly I don't see what's wrong w'my safe spot, but Miguel tells me I'm bein' a foolish old coot. That's not exactly what he says, but I'm holdin' my tongue on account of the wimin folks alls about. So if'n ya be so kind jus' tell Miguel here that my spot is safer for my mine deeds n' stacks o' money than this here big shiny buildin' so we ken be goin'." Drysdale looks up with a look of mild distaste on his face, apparently unaccustomed to dealing with common rabble such as are presenting themselves to him now. He says, "I'm not sure what you have in mind sir. If you are referring to Safety Deposit Boxes they may be out of your price range." Jake exclaims, "Jus' how blasted expensive are yer safer whatever boxes? I jus' took a lil' pocket cash w'me when we left d'mine." Jake withdraws some crumpled bills from his pocket and holds them out to show his friend Migel. In it are five one hundreds plus a mixture of tens and twenties. He says accusingly at Migel, "Ya didn't tell me we'd need ta bring any o' d'gold!" Milburn Drysdale's eyes bug out at the sight of all the bills and the mention of gold. He immediately changes his attitude and begins to treat his visitors as though they are kings! He showers them with compliments and tells them many assurances of why his bank is the safest place for them to put their things. Drysdale explains that they have boxes of various sizes, that all boxes are secured within their own vaults with the finest of locks to keep people out. Each box requires a pair of keys to open, one of which the bank holds and the other belonging to the renter of the box. He takes out a ledger listing and opens to a page listing safety deposit boxes by number and size. Jake reads upside down beside Boxes 101 to 148 it says 2 ½ -inch-by-12-inch” and that list of numbers shows three boxes without names beside them. The name listed for Box 114 reads “Evangelou F. Adairre”. The manager inquires “What size box were you looking for?” Jake says, "Oh, sumthin about," he makes some rather vague motions with his hands that describes nearly nothing and finally says, "about a foot long n' mebee couple inches or so deep. Now, tell me again how you would kip my private stuff safe." Drysdale explains again that all boxes are secured within their own vaults with the finest of locks to keep people out. Each box requires a pair of keys to open, one of which the bank holds and the other belonging to the renter of the box. He says that he will show them and they can start using the box today if they would like. They enter through a metal door which Drysdale unlocks to a corridor with three vaults, stopping at the center one which he unlocks. The room is six-feed deep and has safety deposit boxes on both the left and right walls with around four feet of space in between. The boxes to the right are four different large sizes and number between 001 and 100. The ones on the left have three columns of sixteen boxes numbered 101 to 148 that are 2 ½ inches high each with around an inch of space in between followed by two columns of 1 ¼ inches high with around an inch of space in between numbering 149 to 196. Drysdale takes out his key ring and uses his key to box number 140, handing another to Jake and telling him to insert the other and turn. Jake pretends to fumble with it a bit before getting it right. He then turns it. Just as they turn the keys together and Drysdale's back is to the Mexican Gonzales mutters something in Latin. Drysdale begins to collapse to the floor unconscious, Gonzales catching him and setting him gently down onto the floor. Gonzales has also opened up his pocket watch and says “We have exactly nine minutes from when I cast the spell until he awakens.” Gonzales says, "Get his key to Box 114 and put it in the lock". Jake does as instructed. Gonzales then removes from his pocket what appears to be a fountain pen, placing the ink end on the lock where Adair's key would go. He then says an incantation in Greek and the last two-inches of the pen turn to clay which Gonzales pushes into the lock. He then says another word in Greek and tells Jake “It has solidified in the shape left by the lock mechanism.” They turn the keys together and open the door. They then remove the box.</blockquote>

Verification