Page 42 of The Girl with No Name

“I’m going to need to verify this with our team. Please wait.”

I spin around and see that Luna has disappeared. Off to the bathroom, perhaps.

The hotel clerk’s phone rings, and he gives us the one-minute finger.

“Ah. It’s your PR team calling,” he says as he answers.

A shudder runs down my spine, and even Dunn flinches for a split second.

“That’s perfect,” he says, recovering. “Why don’t you put him on speaker?”

“It’s a she,” the clerk says, and then into the phone, which he does indeed put on speaker, he adds, “Hi, Miss, uh, I didn’t catch your name.”

“Miss Miles. Grace Miles. Has the band arrived yet?”

It’s Luna.

“Partially. Just two—a man and a woman with their security.”

“Excellent. I was just calling to confirm that we’ll be arriving in two separate groups. Henry and Violet had a duet gig last night at the Opry. The rest of the band is coming a little bit later.”

“Oh, did they now?”

He pulls up his phone and checks. Indeed they did have a gig last night.

I mean,wedid.

“Oh. I see. I, uh…have them here, and I wasn’t sure. They’re refusing to provide identification.”

“Are you always this difficult with your premiere guests? With whom am I speaking?”

“Uhh…Randy.”

“Randy…?” Her voice is irritated yet professional. I have to resist smiling.

“Randy Rice.”

“Well, Mr. Rice, I’d appreciate it if you could get them checked in in a timely manner.”

“These guests, what do they look like?” the clerk asks.

“Mr. Rice, what are you insinuating?”

“I’m saying?—”

“This would make for quite a scar on the Remington’s reputation. I can see the headline now:The Remington Hassles Star Band. What’s your deal? And Henry Cooney is tall, handsome. Carries a guitar. How hard is this?”

Randy’s face turns red as he scans me. I guess I look the part. “I’m sorry, Miss Miles. I’ll get them checked in right away.”

He hangs up.

Moments later, Luna returns.

“The bathrooms are really nice here. Are we checked in yet?” she asks airily.

I have to hand it to her—she sounds nothing like she did on the phone. She’s a verified chameleon.

The hotel clerk gives Luna and me a good, hard stare. But we do look like a band after our trip to the boot store. Luna is even wearing a cowboy hat.

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