Page 85 of Wild Escape

He stepped aside and invited us into the suite. It was a nice room with a kitchenette, a small living space with a sofa, coffee table, and a flatscreen display, along with a work area. Sliding glass doors opened to a balcony.

JD and I glanced around the space and began our search. We went through all of the cabinets in the kitchen, searched the closets, then stepped into the bedroom.

Water from the shower hit the tile. The bathroom door was closed.

JD and I looked under the bed, pulled out all the drawers, and rummaged through Devon's luggage. The king-size bed was rumpled. I didn't think the black lace panties, red dress, and high-heel shoes on the floor were Devon’s, but you never knew.

“Need some help?” Daphne asked.

“No, thank you.”

She just stood there, looking pretty with arms folded.

We didn't find the Codex or the backpack.

"Who's in the shower?" I asked Devon.

He smiled. "A lady friend. You're interrupting my personal time.”

The faucet squealed, and the water stopped. The shower curtain rattled open.

A moment later, a gorgeous blonde with wet hair stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her torso. Steam billowed out. With misty skin, the woman looked delightful. Classic features, full lips, sparkling eyes. It wouldn't have been a tragedy if that towel had fallen to the floor.

"I didn’t realize we had company," she said in a slight Russian accent.

Devon smiled. "Unexpected visitors.”

He made introductions. “Gentlemen, this is Natalia.”

We exchanged pleasantries, then Jack searched the bathroom.

44

Jack returned and shook his head after searching the bathroom.

Neither the book nor the backpack was in the suite.

Then it dawned on me. It went out with the bellhop on the cart, hidden by the cloth.

I darted through the suite and into the hallway.

The bellhop was long gone—if he even was a bellhop.

I raced down the hall, pushed into the stairwell, and spiraled down to the first floor. The stairs dropped me off in the hallway by the ballrooms. I weaved through the crowd of people to the lobby and glanced around for the bellhop.

I didn't see him anywhere.

At the front desk, I flashed my badge and asked who had brought the champagne up to Devon Anderson's room.

With a few taps of the keys, the desk clerk looked up the ticket. "That was Jason.”

"I need to speak to him. Now!"

Her face tensed. "Hang on a moment.” She stepped away from the desk and spoke to her manager. He wore a navy suit with a gold nameplate above the breast pocket. He looked at me, then said a few words to her.

She returned to the desk. "My manager is going to find him.”

"Thank you."