Page 19 of Deception

Olive’s phone buzzed, and she glanced at the screen. “Our food is here. Let me grab it. Then we can talk through the rest of our plan.”

Just as Olive rose, an alarm sounded, and lights flashed above her.

“The fire alarm?” she muttered.

Olive and Nova glanced at each other.

“Maybe it’s a false alarm,” Nova suggested.

“Maybe—but we can’t stay here, just in case it’s real.”

She sighed. “Figured you say that.”

They quickly packed up their gear, not leaving anything with confidential information on it. Then they headed out.

This wasn’t a complication she wanted tonight—especially not considering there were so many other things she needed to work on.

But safety first . . . unless someone had pulled the alarm to lure them outside.

CHAPTER 11

When Olive stepped into the hallway, she didn’t smell any smoke. So what had happened to set off the fire alarm?

She and Nova took the stairs to the first floor. In the lobby, a clerk directed everyone outside. They filed out the front door—some people in pajamas, others with hair in curlers. Some still had their luggage with them as if they’d been about to check in or out.

Olive wanted to believe the fire alarm was a coincidence. But what if there was more to it? What if someone did want to draw them outside?

Uneasily, she gripped the backpack on her shoulders more tightly.

Going into this assignment, Olive had thought it would be easy. She’d figured minimal danger would be involved, which would be a nice change from some of her recent cases.

Now she was starting to rethink that. What if there was more to this investigation than she’d anticipated? Between Motorcycle Man and Maria’s hit-and-run, she was feeling more uneasy.

As she and Nova stood with the rest of the guests in the parking lot, Olive quickly scanned the crowd, looking for any familiar faces or anyone acting suspicious.

Everyone else seemed just as irritated at this change of plans as she was.

But she had a feeling this fire alarm was connected to her case.

In her line of work, she couldn’t afford to assume anything.

A man standing in his pajamas with his wife and two young—and very sleepy—daughters let out a loud sigh. “This is nothing. I’m telling you, I saw a guy walk in, pull the alarm, and then keep walking.”

Olive’s lungs tightened, and she exchanged a look with Nova.

“What kind of guy?” someone else asked. “A guest?”

“I don’t know.” The man sounded annoyed. “He wore a black leather jacket and sunglasses—inside. One ofthosepeople.”

Olive’s thoughts raced. That sounded like Motorcycle Man.

He really had come to the hotel and lured everyone outside.

Maybe he wanted to clear Olive or Nova from their rooms so he could find something—something like the USB drive Olive had in her pocket.

“I’ve got to get back in there,” Olive whispered to Nova.

“You’re not leaving me out here. I’m going with you.”

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