The Millionaires

Kicking them aside, he slammed the door shut and headed straight for the dryer. Again, he cocked his gun. Again, he pulled open the door. And again, he found nothing but a pile of bright multicolored costumes. Without a word, he angrily tossed a fistful of clothes to the floor.

Reentering the hall, he was about to cross into the next room when he noticed the one thing that was out of place. Up the hallway. Against the wall. The rolling laundry cart that was in the center of the hall… was now on the right. Something moved. Or someone moved it.

DeSanctis gri

Ten steps later, he cut around the screen and skidded to a stop. In a room that felt like a smaller version of the warehouse, he stared at row after row of rolling wardrobe racks. In front, a red-and-white polka-dot dress hung from a hanger labeled “Mi

Trying his best to ignore them, DeSanctis did a quick scan of the aisles. The costumes draped to the floor and blocked every clear view. If he wanted Charlie, he’d have to flush him out. Methodically moving forward, DeSanctis squeezed between two sequined butterfly costumes and entered the first aisle of racks. With every step, a kaleidoscope of colored costumes brushed against both shoulders, but DeSanctis didn’t seem to notice. His eyes were locked on the floor, searching for Charlie’s shoes. Every few feet, he jabbed his gun into the side of a costume that looked too lumpy, but otherwise, nothing slowed him down – that is, until he reached the end of the aisle and saw the familiar black tuxedo with the bright red shorts. Two white gloves, specially stitched with four fingers, were clipped to the sleeve. Raising his head, DeSanctis traced the costume up to the top of the rack, which held the head of the world’s most famous mouse. Instinctively reaching out, DeSanctis tapped a knuckle against Mickey’s smiling face.

“Couldn’t help yourself, could you?” a voice asked behind him.

DeSanctis spun around, but by the time he caught sight of Charlie, it was already too late. Wielding an industrial broom like a caveman’s club, Charlie swung away. Just as DeSanctis turned, the broomstick sliced through the air. There was a loud thud as it collided with DeSanctis’s head.

“That’s for messing with my mom, asshole,” Charlie said, already winding up for another. “And this one’s for my brother…”

80

With a mechanical crank, the turnstile somersaulted as Joey rushed through the main entrance of the Magic Kingdom. This late in the day, the lines were shorter than usual, but there were still plenty of tourists to get in the way.

“How’s it look?” Noreen asked through the earpiece.

“Like a haystack,” Joey said as she thrust herself into the center of the slowly meandering crowd. Surrounded by a group of overtalkative high school kids on one side, and crying baby twins on the other, Joey pushed her way through the insanity, ran under the overpass that housed the railroad station, and found herself face-to-face with the sixty-foot Christmas tree and colorful storefronts of Main Street, U.S.A. “Are you sure it’s here?” she asked Noreen.

“I’m looking at their online map right now,” Noreen answered. “It should be directly on your l-”

“Got it,” Joey said, pulling a sharp left and ru

Joey counted to herself. Three… two… one…

“What is it, ma’am? What’s wrong?” a tall guard with a crewcut and a silver badge quickly asked.

“Are you okay?” a black man in a matching blue shirt followed.

“My wallet!” Joey shouted to both men. “I opened my purse and my wallet was gone! It had all my money… my three-day pass…!”

“Don’t worry – it’s okay,” the tall guard said, putting his hand on her wrist.

“Do you know where you had it last?” the second one followed. As the two guards calmed her down, Joey noticed the way they watched the gawking crowd. The show, clearly, must go on.

“She’s fine, folks,” the tall guard a

As the crowd broke up and continued on its way, the guards huddled around Joey and helped her to a nearby wooden bench.

“Did it fall out on a ride?” the black guard asked.

“Or maybe in one of the restaurants?” the other added.

“Are you sure this isn’t it right here?” the first one asked, pointing to the wallet that stuck out from Joey’s purse.

Joey stopped and looked down. “Oh, God,” she said, forcing a laugh. “I’m so embarrassed… I could’ve sworn it wasn’t there when I-”

“No worries,” the tall guard said. “I do the same thing with my keys all the time.”

Standing from the bench, Joey thanked the two men and once again apologized. “I really am sorry – next time I’ll be sure to… uh… to check my purse.”

“Have a nice night, ma’am,” the tall guard said.

Stumbling backwards up the block, Joey stepped into the crowd and let the guards disappear. The instant they were gone, she spun around, shoved her earpiece back in place, and plowed with a determined gait directly up Main Street.

“Well?” Noreen asked.

“It’s like I always tell you…” Joey began. She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a black police radio with the word Security written on it. “Whenever you’re on vacation, you gotta watch out for those pickpockets.”

She turned up the volume and held the radio up to her ear. All she had to do was listen.