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looked at Harry his features turned serious. “We don’t have much time.”
    “I know,” said Harry.
    “You can break in there, right?”
    “If I can break into the Pentagon, Reuben, I think I can manage an office in the mall.”
    * * *
    Annabelle sipped a glass of wine and surveyed the room. There were about fifty people that she could see in the luxurious penthouse apartment. They were clearly all well-to-do and connected and many seemed to know one another. She followed Bob around a bit and listened in on some conversations, but then used a potty break excuse to go off on her own.
    She was looking everywhere for Alex Ford but didn’t see him. The vice president must be in another room of the apartment. Maybe one had to pay for the privilege of being in such august company in addition to what they’d ponied up already. Plus, a photo op would probably set one back another five grand. Politics for the people, she thought.
    She grabbed another glass of wine and continued her stroll. She nodded and smiled at people as she went, but her gaze kept roaming. The views out the windows were spectacular, but that was not the way they would be coming. The bank was down below. How they would get from there to here she didn’t know. But she assumed they had found a way. Otherwise why would they have invaded the bank at all?
    She took out her cell phone and tried calling Alex, but he didn’t pick up. He wouldn’t, she assumed, while he was on duty. But if she could just find him and tell him what was going on…
    “Hey, Annabelle!”
    She turned to see Bob standing there with some people for her to meet. She smiled politely and turned to the group. But even her rock-hard nerves were starting to crumble a bit. She had to find Alex and warn him. And she could sense time was running out.

CHAPTER 9
    Caleb paced nervously in front of the intersection of the main hallway and the corridor leading to the mall offices. He was hoping with all his might that no one would happen along this way. He figured his odds were good. There were no stores around here. It was just dead space in the mall on a Saturday afternoon.
    He pulled his phone and texted Reuben. The message was brief.
    Hurry up!
    Just as he put the phone away, he looked up. His mouth became dry and he gave an involuntarily shudder.
    It was a mall cop headed directly his way.
    As the beefy man in the dark blue uniform with squeaky belt and shoes approached, Caleb attempted a smile.
    “Hello,” he said as the man drew closer.
    The man looked at him suspiciously. “Can I help you, sir?”
    “Help?” said Caleb in a shaky voice. “No, I’m fine. Just…just waiting on some friends.”
    “Up here?” The guard made a show of looking around at the empty space.
    “Y-yes,” said Caleb, stammering slightly. “We, I mean they, don’t really know the area. I suggested meeting here, you know, just for—it gets crowded downstairs.” He paused and swallowed hard. “I don’t like crowds.”
    The guard looked even more suspicious. It didn’t help when Caleb gave a nervous glance down the corridor leading to the mall offices.
    “Can I see some ID?” asked the guard.
    “ID?” asked Caleb shrilly.
    “Yes, ID,” said the guard, drawing closer. His hand went up and rested on the butt of his holstered gun.
    “Cer-certainly, Officer. Do I call you Officer?”
    “Sir, the ID, please.”
    “But I’m not doing anything wrong.”
    “Then you should have no problem showing me some ID. If it checks out we can all go on our way. How’s that sound?”
    “But the Fourth Amendment guarantees protection against unreasonable searches and seizures,” said Caleb desperately.
    “I’m neither searching nor seizing, sir, and you’re making this a lot harder than it has to be.”
    “I’m sorry, I truly am.” Caleb could see the cop was definitely suspicious now. He suddenly brightened. “I saw Paul Blart: Mall Cop with Kevin James,” Caleb said conversationally as he reached