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“We go way back, Timofey and I.”
The conversation lulls. People are blurring past us, heading wherever they’re going, but the man and I are in a standoff.
Who will make the next move? Who will play the next card?
Over his shoulder, Gram is standing up from the bench. She’s frowning at me, questioning what is going on. I don’t know why, but I don’t want her over here. I glance in her direction and that is all it takes. Gram knows me well enough to know what I’m saying.
She sits back down.
“Interesting that you accidentally ran over the ankle of someone you know,” I blurt. “In another country, no less. What are the odds?”
“Well, truth be told, I thought I recognized you before I clipped you with my suitcase. That’s why I was distracted.” He circles a finger in the air in the general direction of my face. “I was trying to figure out where I knew you from, and I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
“Where do you know me from?”
“A party.” His words are as clipped as his smile.
The only party I attended with Timofey was the wedding rehearsal dinner at his mansion. The one Albanians crashed with AR-15s.
“Those parties can get pretty wild.”
He chuckles. “Yeah. Timofey especially throws some exciting ones. People would kill to be there.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
“I’m actually hoping to see Timofey while I’m here.” He looks from me to Ashley, widening his net. “I hear he’s in the country. Have either of you seen him?”
“We’ve more than seen him,” Ashley says before I can stop her. She hitches a thumb in my direction. “Piper came here with him.”
I’ve never wanted to muzzle my friend more than at this very moment.
The man grins. Am I imagining it or is the light from the windows glinting off his front teeth? I half-expect to see neon green fog wafting around him like he’s the villain in a children’s cartoon.
“Amazing. Would you mind telling me where he’s staying? I’d call him and ask myself, but my phone is dead. I left my charger Stateside, I’m afraid.”
Ashley’s chest hitches to respond, but I cut her off. “Timofey is actually leaving Mérida today for Mexico City. Apparently, he had some business there to deal with.”
“Shame.” His eyebrow arches, and I know he doesn’t believe me. “Go ahead and tell me where he’s staying. I’ll see if I can’t catch him before he leaves.”
“He left this morning. He checked out when I did.”
The man’s smile falters. “I need a place to sleep, too. If a hotel is good enough for Timofey, it’s good enough for me. If I happen to run into him, all the better.”
“Then I’m sure you’ll have no problem finding one to your liking.” I keep the smile plastered on my face as I mentally scramble for ideas. I scan my brain for any hotel names I can remember from when I was booking Ashley and Gram’s stay at the bed and breakfast. I say the first one that comes to my mind. “I know we enjoyed Flor de Mérida.”
Ashley turns to me, and I pray she either doesn’t know I’m lying or knows enough to keep quiet about it.
She doesn’t say anything. Maybe I don’t need to muzzle her after all.
“Flor de Mérida,” the man repeats slowly. “Never heard of it. Is it nice?”
“Wonderful. You’ll love it.”
His eyes crinkle at the corners, and he really does look familiar. Maybe I did see him at Timofey’s house the night of the wedding rehearsal. Maybe he’s nothing more than an old friend.
But I’m not willing to take that risk.
“Well, thank you ladies very much.” He bends in a slight bow. “Sorry again about your ankle.”
