Page 52 of Wicked Ends
Polly tutted and shook her head. “Now, don’t you go making trouble over there. Earl won’t like you harassing that young woman.”
I put a hand to my chest. “I’ll be good as gold, Scout’s honor.”
Polly rolled her eyes and turned away.
The Night Owl Motel, imagine that. I’d never have expected prim and proper Professor Moore to be staying in a run-down old place like that, just off the highway, no less.
I went outside and got on my motorcycle, itching to get to the motel and barge through the rooms until I found Arianna. I’d get my brother’s money back, and then, I’d teach her what constantly running from me would cost her. She was so reserved, so quiet … and yet, so fucking bold. A study in contrasts.
I hit the road, steering the bike the few miles between The Clutch and the motel, but when I got closer, red and blue lights were flashing in the darkness.
I drew up at the curb. Cops milled around several police cruisers.
“What happened?” I asked Earl as he shuffled over.
“A break-in, someone got hurt,” he said, sounding crestfallen, like he should be the one protecting guests against break-ins, like he wasn’t ninety years old.
An immediate pang of worry hit me. “Who?” All I knew was it better not have been Arianna. No one touched her, except me.
Earl waved a hand. “A businessman on a trip to town. Came home and interrupted a burglar, I guess.”
Pushing aside my relief, I focused on a plan of action.
“Polly said that the new professor at HHU is staying here. She left something at the bar, and I came to give it to her,” I bluffed to Earl.
“Is that right?” Earl blinked up at me in the red and blue lights.
“Mm-hmm, what room is she in?”
Earl considered my words slowly and then stuck out a wrinkled old hand. “Give it to me, and I’ll pass it along.”
Fucker.
“That’s fine. It’s too personal to pass along. What room is she in?”
“That’s confidential. I reckon if she wanted you to know, Marcus, she’d have told you,” Earl chastised, giving me a sidelong glance.
“What?”
“Don’t you be making trouble for that young woman. She’s been through enough.”
“Has she told you what she’s been through?” I moved closer to Earl, my interest piqued.
He shrugged. “She doesn’t have to. No one turns up in town, pays cash for a month of rent at a motel, and keeps to herself so very much without having a story. People aren’t meant to be so solitary.”
“So, you don’t really know anything, right?” I sighed. “Tell me her room number before I go kicking in doors and searching for her.”
“You wanna do that while the cops are still here, or wait until they leave and I can call them back?” Earl asked baldly.
Motherfucker.It looked like tonight wasn’t going to be the night I’d finally see where Ari was staying.
I pulled my phone out and went to the old string of messages with Ari, before I’d given her the new cell and she’d promptly blocked me. I had a feeling she turned off the new cell after I’d returned it to her earlier, so this seemed like a safer bet.
M: Where are you, beautiful? Be a good girl and tell me… maybe then I won’t punish you too hard for being naughty.
A: You’re one to talk. I don’t know what you’re talking about.
M: I’m talking about your little breaking-and-entering stunt. Theft is a crime, birthday girl, as I’m sure you know.
