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“Tom, report in.”
“Nothing down here. It’s all quiet. Just a couple of valets with their hands in their pockets and some limousines lined up, their engines idling, drivers playing on their phones. How’s it goin’ up there?”
“Dinner is over. The music and dancing is going on.” He checked his watch. “Not sure how much longer the Wyatts will stay.”
“You ever seen anything like these people? Must be something to have that kind of money.”
“Yeah.” Grady noticed the storm on the horizon was moving fast and the lightning was increasing. “Hey, have you heard anything about the weather?”
“Storm’s moving in. Damaging winds. Possibly hail. Sure would be nice to get the family back to the estate before it hits.”
Grady studied the sky, not sure that would be possible. “I’ll mention the weather to Mr. Wyatt. This is Mrs. Wyatt’s crowning event, so leaving early may not be in the plans.”
“I’ll check the weather report for any updates.”
“Good. Keep me posted.” Grady inhaled and frowned. The smell of something burning carried to him. He turned and searched the hall, spotting no one and no smoke. He drew in another deep breath, wondering if it was some flaming dessert in the kitchen, but dessert had already been served, and this smell was not food cooking or grease.
“Fire!” Perry dashed out from the end of the corridor leading toward the restrooms.
A smoke detector alarm sounded about the time Grady ran after him.
Smoke came from around the ladies room door.
“I can’t get it open,” Perry said, pulling on the handle.
Grady shoved him out of the way and yanked, but the thing wouldn’t budge.What the fuck?He pounded on the solid wooden door. “Tinsley! Open the door!”
He heard coughing and then pounding from the other side. “Grady! I can’t get the door open.”
Smoke rose from under the crack.
Perry’s eyes got big. “Oh, my God. IsTinsleyin there?”
“Call 911.” Grady slammed his shoulder into the door again and again, but it wouldn’t budge. “Tinsley, is it locked from your side?”
Another spasm of coughing. “No. There’s no lock on this side. Grady, help me!”
Perry smashed a glass case, pulled out a fire extinguisher, and rushed over.
“That won’t do any good if we can’t get in the door,” Grady snapped.
Hotel employees rushed over.
Grady searched the door frame and spotted a piece of metal wedged in the top. “What’s that?” He grabbed the fire extinguisher from Perry’s hands and banged the canister into the side of the metal wedged in the crack until it loosened and fell out. Tossing it aside, he yanked the door open, and Tinsley fell into his arms. “I’ve got you, Miss Wyatt. I’ve got you.”
“Tinsley,” Perry shouted. “My God. Are you okay?”
Grady scooped her up and carried her. “Get out of my way. Back up everyone.”
“There’s an ambulance on the way, sir,” a hotel manager said.
“Make sure there’s no one else in there. And find the source!” Grady yelled over his shoulder. The manager covered his mouth with his lapel, grabbed the extinguisher, and dashed inside the restroom as smoke poured out.
Grady set Tinsley on a couch in the reception area of the second-floor corridor. She bent over with a coughing fit. He spoke into the hidden microphone in his cuff. “There’s a fire in the second-floor ladies room. Has the fire department arrived yet?”
“Just got here,” Thomas shouted over the sirens.
“Send someone up with oxygen. Miss Wyatt was trapped; she inhaled a lot of smoke.”
