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“Who is it?” Tarek whispers.
I swallow hard. “It’s a mobster named Salvatore.”
“That must be who he’s partnered up with to hit my trucks.” He studies my face. “What is it?”
“I stole about a million dollars from him once.”
Tarek swears. “Will he recognize you?”
I shoot a glare at him. “Of course not. But Tarek, he’s the real deal. Craig couldn’t have hired a more dangerous partner.”
CHAPTER 10
Tarek
“So… what’s our plan from here?” Sloane asks.
As the two of us head back to the hotel, my mind is racing with possibilities. We may not have necessarily found our spy, but it’s clear Craig is up to no good with this thief he’s talking to. Just how far does this rabbit hole go?
“I’m honestly not sure yet,” I admit.
We’ve just found one piece of Craig’s puzzle, and there’s still a lot of assembling to do. Still, we’ve made progress, and I try to hold onto that small victory. But my optimism is short-lived, because the moment we step into the hotel, a manager rushes up to us with an anxious look on his face.
“I’m very sorry to interrupt you two,” he says, looking at Sloane. “But you’re Sloane Fields, correct? Room 913?”
“...Maybe,” Sloane says, giving the man a wary look.
The manager pauses a moment before continuing. “Well, there’s been a bit of a… mishap with room 913. A pipe has busted in the room above it, flooding it completely. We’re trying our best to fix the situation, but for the time being, the room isn’t fit to sleep in.”
Of course. As if we don’t already have enough on our plates. I let out a groan and rub the bridge of my nose.
Sloane’s eyes widen. “Flooded?” she exclaims. “Is my stuff ruined?”
“We were able to retrieve your belongings,” another worker says, walking up to us with a suitcase rolling behind him. His clothing and hair are drenched. “It looks like most of your things were still in your luggage, and we managed to salvage what you’d already unpacked.”
“Thank God,” Sloane says with a relieved sigh, retrieving her suitcase and pulling it close. “But… where am I going to sleep tonight, then?”
“All of the hotel is currently booked for the conference,” the manager says, rubbing the back of his neck. “But we’ll gladly cover the cost if you’d like to stay somewhere else. There are a few options in the area.”
Sloane, visibly disappointed, lets her gaze fall to her feet. “Well… guess I don’t have much of a choice, do I?”
“That’s very kind of you, but don’t worry about it,” I cut in. “She can sleep in my room tonight.”
Sloane looks at me with wide eyes. “Wait, really?”
“Of course. It’d be stupid to book you at a hotel a block away,” I say.
“I know, but…” Sloane trails off. “Wouldn’t that be… kind of awkward?”
“It’s not like we’re going to share a bed. My room has a reclining couch,” I say with a scoff. “I don’t see how that could be awkward.” She’s a beautiful girl, so I can understand her skepticism, but we're essentially cohorts. It's hardly romantic.
“Well…” After a brief hesitation, Sloane’s expression brightens. “Alright, I guess we can do that!”
“If that’s what you would prefer, then we’ll simply refund you for room 913 after your stay,” the manager says.
“Sure, that’d be fine,” I say. I take Sloane’s bag and make my way toward the elevator, gesturing for her to follow.
Nodding, Sloane hurries ahead of me and presses the button.
