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Ari pulled on Damon. “It’s dangerous out there! The lightning is close, and the killer could be outside. Why else would someone slash his tires?”
“She’s right,” Dad said. “You two stay in here.”
Where the killer also could be.
“I need to take another car,” Dad continued. “The Charger hasn’t been touched.”
Damon opened his mouth, looking conflicted. But he pulled his key fob out and handed it to Dad. “Take it.”
“Make sure people go to their rooms and stay there,” Dad said. “And that includes you both. The last thing I want is for him to go after you two.”
“Some people went,” Ariana said, “but a lot of them are searching for the missing people.”
“Just be safe.” He hurried over and gave her a hug then turned to Damon and gave him one. “I’ll be back soon with the police. Be careful.”
“We will,” Damon promised. “Hurry.”
Dad left, and Ariana turned to Damon. “Why would someone slash his tires?”
“To keep him from going to the cops.”
“What if they destroy your tires now?”
“Nobody else knows he’s taking the Charger. Come on, we need to check on everyone. Maybe they found Alonzo and Rita’s grandma.”
Ari didn’t want to get her hopes up. She also didn’t want her dad going out there alone. “We should make sure Dad gets to the road safely.”
Damon looked back and forth between her and the exit. “We’ll look outside real quick, but then we’re coming right back in. It’s dangerous out there.”
A bright flash of lightning lit up the grounds as if to prove his point.
She took his hand, then they hurried outside. The wind whipped rain against them from all directions and even shoved her against him. Thunder rumbled in the distance.
He pointed toward the parking lot and said something, but she couldn’t hear anything over the wind.
The sky flashed with a blinding white. Damon pulled her inside, but not before the deafening thunder shook her entire body.
By the time the door closed behind them, protecting them from the storm, Ariana was soaked and her pulse drummed in her ear.
“What did you say out there?” she asked. “I couldn’t hear you.”
“The Charger is gone. Your dad got out safely.”
“At least that’s one less person to worry about. Hopefully the police will be here soon. I can’t believe Mateo is dead.”
“All the more reason to go back to our room. First, let’s see if anyone has found Alonzo or Mrs. Fuentes.”
Hand in hand, they walked back to the ballroom in silence. Ariana’s mind raced the whole way, and she tried not to think about the dead body as they passed the corridor where Mateo was. At least one of the hotel’s employees stood at the corner, making sure nobody went down to disturb anything.
Conversation sounded from the ballroom. A surprising number of people were still there.
“Is everyone supposed to return to their rooms?” Damon asked loudly.
One of Rita’s relatives glared at him. “When my grandma is missing? Fat chance, pal.”
Damon bristled. “I don’t see you out there looking for her. If you aren’t doing anything, you should return to your room. There’s a killer on the loose.”
“Maybe it’s you. Why areyouout here?” The guy narrowed his eyes.
