Summary

In the first section of “Buried Treasure,” set in 1978, three men wearing ski masks woke reclusive author John Rothstein from sleep. Two of the crooks wanted money. The third was angry with Rothstein because in the final novel of the Jimmy Gold trilogy the central character became a normal person with a wife and kids instead of the rebel of the first two novels. That crook, Morris “Morrie” Bellamy, wanted the manuscripts Rothstein had in his safe more than the money his partners said was there. Rothstein degraded Morris. He finally told Morris to either shoot him or get out of his house. Morris shot him.

In the section set in 2009, Tom Saubers, who had lost his job as a real estate agent, prepared to leave home to stand in line to wait for a job fair at the City Center...