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Harris stood in the middle of the grand lobby, decorated in red and white for the holiday season, ignoring the woman behind the check-in desk, until she spotted the entrance to the bar and restaurant.
Cassie waved an apologetic hand at the concierge before following Harris. The restaurant was dimly lit, giving it an air of quiet elegance. All the lighting was low and golden, allowing just enough illumination to read the menu in the first place. If people couldn’t read the prices, maybe they’d order more drinks.
A young blonde woman with perfect porcelain skin stood behind a podium with a wide smile on her face that didn’t reach her eyes. “Hello!” She had a slight southern drawl. “Two today?”
“Three, actually. We’re here to meet our friend. Have you seen her? She’s very pregnant.”
“Oh.” The woman took in the information without ever dropping her smile. Cassie had the urge to hide her face. “I don’t think I have yet, sorry.”
“That’s okay.” Harris pointed behind the woman. “We can wait at the bar?”
“Oh. Um, sure.”
“Great. Thank you.”
Harris moved past the woman, and Cassie scrambled to catch up. “Waiting for a pregnant woman at a bar? We could have just taken a seat.”
“Then we’d have to order something. I don’t know about you, but this isn’t my usual scene.”
That’s true. Harris looked like she’d fit in better at a biker bar. And Cassie looked like she primarily spent her time in coffee shops, ordering lattes and reading books. “Okay, but if the hostess hasn’t seen Rose—”
“She’s not the only person who works here.” Harris sat down at a barstool and patted the one next to her. Once Cassie perched on its edge, Harris nodded her head in approval. “Trust me, we’ll figure this out. She’s close. I know she is.”
Cassie was less confident. Even though the receipt was only a couple days old, Rose could’ve moved on by now. Maybe Bob had set her up in a different hotel room. Maybe Chicago had been a pit stop before she moved on to somewhere else. If she was smart, that’s what she should’ve done.
Before Cassie could voice her worry, a young man emerged from the back, carrying a small box with the word cocktail straws stamped along one side. He had blonde hair and tanned skin, both of which looked like the result of hours in the sun. In fact, the kid would’ve fit in better at a beach bar in California.
A few other patrons dotted the bar, but most were sitting down in booths. Even so, it took the kid a few minutes to spot them, and when he did, he looked startled, like they’d appeared out of nowhere. He jogged over with a huge smile on his face.
“Sorry, ladies. Didn’t see you there.” He even had the slow, easy-going drawl of someone who had grown up on the West Coast. “What can I get you?”
“Actually, we’re waiting on a friend,” Harris said.
“Yeah? Maybe I can keep you company for a while.”
“Don’t you have work to do?”
“I’m a great multi-tasker.”
“I bet you are.” Harris laughed, and Cassie fought the urge to gape at her. She’d never heard the detective flirt before, and there was something strange about it. Maybe because she knew Harris well enough to know all she wanted was information about Rose. “Can we each get a rum and Coke, please?” Harris continued. “Then maybe we can chat.”
“Two rum and Cokes, coming right up.”
Cassie leaned over to her friend. “What are you doing?” she hissed.
“Reading the room,” Harris hissed back. “Just play along.”
The bartender returned with their drinks a few seconds later. Cassie took a sip and almost spit it back out. It tasted like he’d filled the entire glass with rum and added a drop of Coke on top for flavor. She was all for getting her money’s worth, but it had to be drinkable.
Harris didn’t seem to notice. Taking a huge sip, she smiled. The bartender beamed back at her, and Cassie noticed for the first time how huge his pupils were. Was he high? She took a subtle whiff of the air but didn’t smell anything.
“What’s your name?” Harris asked.
“Charlie.”
“Hi, Charlie. I’m Addie.” She held out her hand so he could shake it. “And this is my friend Cassie.”
Cassie shook his hand, which was warm and sweaty. “Hello.”
