Chapter 8 #2
When she’d said she hadn’t thought about him, it cut Grant to the core. That she’d done it to protect people she cared about gave him hope that she still had feelings for him.
Grant pulled into the parking lot at the hotel and parked in the pull-through at the entrance. They entered together and approached the reception desk.
The clerk looked up from his cell phone. “Hi,” he said and set the phone aside. “How can I help you?”
Avery smiled at the clerk. “We need two rooms for tonight.”
“Will you be checking out tomorrow?” the young man asked.
Avery’s brow wrinkled. “We’d like to book the rooms for at least a week.”
His focus on the computer terminal, the clerk’s brow knitted for a moment and then cleared.
“You’re in luck. You’ll get the last two rooms, at least for tonight.
Both have king-sized beds. We had a pipeline construction crew move in late this evening.
They’ll be here for several weeks. Plus, a bus load of volleyball players arrived before dark.
” He looked up and grinned. “I have just the two rooms left on the third floor.”
“Are they close to each other?” Grant asked.
The receptionist stared at the screen and shook his head. “No. They’re on opposite ends of the hallway. Did you need them together? I can’t accommodate you tonight, but I might be able to move you tomorrow.”
“No, that’s fine,” Avery said quickly. “We’ll take the two rooms.”
“I’ll need a credit card and a form of identification.”
Grant pulled out his wallet and handed him a credit card and his driver’s license.
After entering all the information, the clerk prepared keys for the two rooms, placed them in little key folders and handed them to Grant. “Breakfast is from six-thirty until ten. Have a good evening.”
Grant took the cards, hooked Avery’s arm and left the building.
Once outside, they slid into the car and parked in an available space beneath a light post.
Once Grant turned off the engine, Avery shook her head. “We took the last two rooms.”
“So?”
“So, there won’t be one left for Bree.”
“Then we’ll have to double up.” Grant knew where she was going with the problem but didn’t want to make it easier for her.
She’d have to come to the same conclusion he’d already arrived at before they’d even asked for rooms. He wouldn’t let her stay anywhere alone. And by alone, he meant without him.
With a killer on the loose, possibly with Avery in his crosshairs, Grant wasn’t leaving anything to chance. She’d called him. He’d come. He wouldn’t give the killer a chance to make Avery his next victim. That meant 24/7 protection.
“I guess I could bunk with Bree,” Avery suggested.
“The hell you will,” Grant spoke before he could think through a better response.
Avery’s brow rose. “You didn’t plan on sleeping with me, did you?”
“No,” he lied. “But given the circumstances, I think it’s the only option, unless you want me to sleep outside your door in the hallway.”
“We’re not married anymore,” she reminded him.
Like he needed a reminder. That fact had burned in his gut for two solid years.
“Maybe not, but after knowing the woman for less than twenty-four hours, do you trust Bree?” he demanded.
Avery pressed her lips together. “No. She lied about being me. I have a hard time trusting liars.”
“Have I ever given you reason to distrust me?” Grant asked.
She shook her head. “No, but after...everything, I don’t want to lead you on.”
“Got it,” he said lightly, though it hurt to pretend her words didn’t have the ability to hurt him still. “I’ll keep my hands to myself and my expectations to nil. I’ll even sleep on the chair, if the room has one.”
Her eyes narrowed a bit, and she chewed on her bottom lip in that way that had always driven him crazy. Finally, she nodded. “Okay. Just for the night. Tomorrow, we’ll see if they have another room.”
Grant didn’t argue. He’d wait until tomorrow for that battle. As it was, he wasn’t sure Bree was safe in a room on her own, so he sure as hell wasn’t going to let Avery be alone. Not when someone had already broken into Bree’s room at the Good Night Motel that evening.
Avery gathered the shopping bags full of clothing while Grant snagged the go-bag he’d brought with him from Montana. They were crossing the parking lot when two vehicles turned in. The first was the Jeep with the Nebraska license plates, and the second was the sedan Melissa had driven earlier.
They waited for the two women to emerge and join them.
Bree rolled a small black case with spinner wheels.
“Did the intruder take or destroy any of your belongings?” Avery asked.
Bree shook her head. “No. I didn’t have anything of value, just clothes and toiletries. He didn’t touch anything but my panties.”
“The guy must have a panty fetish,” Melissa commented. “It looked like he was waiting for her to come back and filled the time playing with her undergarments.” The FBI agent shuddered. “Gross.”
“I’ll have to burn the lot,” Bree said. “Which means going commando until I can get to a store for more.” She rolled her case toward the hotel.
Melissa, Grant and Avery fell in step with the detective.
“Have you two already checked on room availability?” Bree asked.
“About that…” Grant started.
“We got a room for you,” Avery offered quickly. “Apparently, we got the last ones available.”
“Glad you hurried over here, or we might not have gotten rooms at all.” Bree shrugged. “I would’ve just slept in my car.”
“Probably not a safe place, given the circumstances,” Melissa said. “And it’s probably not a good idea to go anywhere alone until we capture the killer.”
“I’ve got Avery’s six,” Grant said.
“I don’t need anyone to look out for me,” Bree muttered.
“Damn.” Grant chuckled. “You sound like someone I know.” In more ways than one. Not only was she fiercely independent, but her tone and modulation were so similar to Avery’s that it was uncanny.
Grant handed one of the key cards to Bree. “We’re on the third floor.”
“Oh, good,” Melissa said. “So am I. My room is close to the elevators.”
“Bree’s is on the south end of the hallway, while Avery’s is on the north end,” Grant said.
“And where is yours?” Melissa asked, her gaze on the entrance as they approached and the doors slid open.
“North end,” Grant answered. “We should get some sleep. They start serving breakfast at six-thirty.”
“I plan on being there at that time,” Avery said.
“I’ll be there,” Melissa said. “The sooner we get started tomorrow, the sooner we get answers.”
They all headed for the elevator at once, Melissa punching the button first.
When the doors slid open, Grant, Melissa and Bree entered, Avery hung back. “I’m going to check with the desk to see if they have spare toothbrushes. I’ll see you all in the morning.”
Grant caught the door as it started to close and stepped out. “As far as that goes, I could use one myself. I think I left mine in your room at the hospital.” He turned and gave the two women in the elevator a mock salute. “Goodnight, ladies.”
The door closed.
Avery waited until the elevator rose before she pushed the up button.
“You bought a toothbrush at the store earlier,” Grant stated.
“I did,” Avery admitted.
“Smart move,” Grant said, his lips curling on the corners.
“Great vague response to where your room was located.” Avery’s face was poker perfect, except for the twinkle in her eye.
“Think they bought it?” Grant asked.
Avery sighed. “Not a chance. They’re smart women.”
“Do you care?”
She tilted her head slightly, her brow dipping a little. A bell dinged, and the second elevator door opened. Avery stepped inside and waited for Grant to get in as well before answering, “Not really.”
Grant fought a grin all the way up to the third floor, glad for the ease of their shared humor in the situation. If only they could be less guarded when they were alone in their room with nothing but air and memories between them.