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Jalaal’s hotel was just as close as he’d said As soon as we stepped out onto the strip, I could see it, towering just a block behind the other casinos It was probably one of the tallest hotels in Vegas—if not the tallest

I checked the ti the others to tell theht, and yet all kinds of people still populated the streets If it wasn’t for the darkness, I wouldn’t have been able to tell if ere nearing twelve am or twelve pm

“Las Vegas sure is an interesting place,” I commented

Jalaal strolled alongsideesture, but in truth, it had been years since anybody had held iddy about it

“It has its advantages and disadvantages,” he said “Being able to get ice cream at all hours is definitely a plus”

“You like ice crearin

He returnedI have that on good authority”

“Oh yeah? Is that so you learned from your royal connections?”

“If it were, I couldn’t tell you” He squeezed my hand

We arrived in front of his hotel, which looked even lass and steel bea up into the sky as far as I could see The front doors led into a bright, airy lobby, with a babbling water feature just inside the doors

“I don’t think I’d ever be able to get used to this,” I said, staring up at the ceiling and its thousands of glittering lights

“You’d be surprised” Jalaal strode toward the elevator at the far end of the lobby “You can get used to anything with enough time”

The front desk came into view Behind it, a perky blond man smiled affectionately at us Or at Jalaal, anyway

“Good evening, Sheikh Afsal,” he said “Welcome home”

“Thank you, Rodney” Jalaal nodded toward the man and then pulled me into the elevator He pressed the button for the top floor The child in me was tempted to press every button on the panel There were so many