Yet she had not entirely lost faith that her prayers would one day be answered, and two weeks ago had posted a request on every appropriate site, in the eternal hope that she would some day find the answer to her problem. The problem that would be answered today.
A phone rang in its perch on the little glass side table next to the sofa where the woman sat watching a fascinating programme on the history of glue. She stretched out one pale slim hand to answer it.
“Hannah Wilson speaking…yes…you have? Oh my…are you quite sure he’s the one? Oh wow…uh huh…listen, would you just hold for a second? I’ll be back in just a tick.” The Hannah set down the phone and ran into the study. Her friends looked up.
“I’ve found him. Someone answered the message. I'm going to Sunnydale, California!” She ran forwards and hugged Ace briefly before running back to the phone. She pressed it against her ear. “What did you say your name was?” There was no reply except a click as the man on the end of the line hung up. Ace and the other man joined Hannah in the living room, their computer abandoned.
“So who found him at last?” asked the man. He had dark skin and a mischievous smile.
“Good question Crash, but I don’t know. He hung up before he could tell me…” said Hannah thoughtfully. Then she smiled again. “But who cares about that? This calls for a celebration! Let’s throw a party!” There was a muffled click as someone unlocked the door. A female head with brown tousled hair popped around the door.
“Did I hear something about a party?” she asked, a red lipped smile on her face.
“Come on in Midge, let me see the head has a body to go with it,” said Crash. Midge entered the room. She was small and held a black suitcase in one petite hand.
“I’ve got something to make the party go with a bang,” she said, putting the suitcase on a glass coffee table and unlocking it. She opened it slowly, trying to build up a little suspense. Inside sat row upon row of twenty dollar bills. “What do you think of that?” asked Midge.
“I think someone got lucky,” said Ace.
“I did indeed,” confirmed Midge. Crash by this time had disappeared into the kitchen, and re-entered the living room struggling with a bottle of what looked like very expensive champagne and four glasses. Ace took the bottle from him and popped the cork, pouring the bubbling alcohol into the glasses and handing them to his friends. Then he raised his glass.
“To us!” he proclaimed. “And may we always be this lucky!” Not a single person didn’t drink to that, although Crash looked a little hesitant.
“Danny wasn’t so lucky,” he pointed out. “He got busted when we tried to sell that bloke the Statue of Liberty.” Ace, not in the slightest bit deterred, simply raised his glass again.
“Then I suggest we drink another toast. To Danny, and may his remaining time go quickly,” he said.
“To Danny!” they all said, drinking more champagne.
“And failing that, may we bust him out of the big house ASAP,” said Ace, grinning. Then he poked Hannah. “What are you hanging around here for? You need to get packed and ready to leave!”
“And miss out on my party?” said Hannah. “No chance!” She grabbed a handful of the money and threw it into the air, the others following suit. Soon the apartment was full of champagne, thoroughly happy room mates…and a lot of stolen twenty dollar bills…
