Thankfully, we made our way through the crowded section of the casino without incident. When we got past the high-ceilinged and well lit, airy check-in and lounge area of the resort/casino, I asked as coolly as I could, “So where are we going? Does Madame Allegra hold court somewhere here in the Strip?”

Jack caught the nervous tone in my voice and re-gripped my hand briefly, trying to settle me down. My hand was clammy, but his felt cool and dry. We arrived at the circular driveway of the casino hotel a minute later. I slipped my dark glasses on and then watched the dancing water display that jumped around in a pre-programmed way. I resigned myself to the fact that the guys who’d come to get us only spoke when needed. And their silence told me they didn’t need to answer any of my questions.

A couple of dark late-model heavily-tinted Mercedes SUVs pulled up in front of us a minute later. “Please get in,” the man who spoke earlier instructed us politely. One of the others was holding the door to one of the Mercs open. Three got into the other SUV idling behind the one we were expected to board. Jack and I exchanged a look before Jack motioned to me to get in first.

Fifteen minutes later we all pulled into the back-lot of one of the resort casinos further down the Strip. The three guys in the SUV behind us jumped out and took equidistant positions between the SUV we were in and one of the doors of the building that that had been opened from inside as we pulled up.

I chose to get out from the door where Jack alighted from. Again, he offered his hand as I stepped out. I re-clutched it gratefully. The one who’d spoken to me in the café earlier pointed his arm in the direction of the open door while one of the men in the SUV we’d been in walked ahead of us, and stepped through the doorway.

He led us down a confusing labyrinth of passageways. After about ten minutes of walking at a fairly quick pace, we emerged into a deep-carpeted hall that led into a living room of sorts. There were about half a dozen sofas and some chaise lounges scattered around the big, high-ceilinged room, as well as all manner of side tables, and a wet bar on one corner.