Page 93 of Secret Paths

“Yes…ish.”

“Shoes?”

“No.”

“I knew it.”

“How could you possibly know that?”

“Because if you had shoes, you would already be halfway out of a window.”

I glance towards the window.

He is not wrong.

“Can you help or not?”

“I can. I am deciding how much to enjoy it first.”

“Quickly.”

Downstairs, Alexandra says, “When did you make this?”

“Last night,” Mandy says.

“With what?”

“Ingredients.”

I close my eyes again.

“Hunter! Call Mark,” I whisper shout.

“What is the emergency?” I can hear the grin in his voice. He is enjoying this.

“I do not care.”

“You should. A bad emergency creates suspicion.”

“You are very calm for a man whose best friend is about to be discovered.”

“I am not the one without shoes.”

“Hunter.”

“All right.” He pauses. “Kitchen problem?”

“Yes.”

“At the hotel?”

“Obviously.”

“Walk-in fridge?”

“Fine.”

“Temperature alarm. Tomorrow’s lunch prep at risk. Mark is the only one who can decide what is safe to keep.”