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.”
