Page 49 of Lucas
They’d known each other for decades, and even after being apart for several, Lucas hadn’t lost the touch to read his friend. I chalked it up to their continued communication through text and video calls. I wouldn’t have been surprised if they finished each other’s sentences.
“No. But I’m not sure how to flush them out without them running.”
“Would it help if they saw you around town?” I wasn’t sure why they hadn’t considered it already. It seemed the simplest approach. If Philipe stayed in contact with Rom, even if it was longer than every six months, he must trust him.
Rom glanced at Lucas. “It might not hurt. But how often would I have to walk around town on the off chance they’d see me?”
I shook my head emphatically, if for nothing more than getting his attention. “It’s a small town. People talk. Even if Fiona and Philipe kept to themselves, they would want to know what the locals were saying. They’d want to know if there were strangers in town. If they heard of someone new, would they run without checking it out, or would they investigate to see if someone was on their tail?”
“What did you have in mind?” Rom asked her directly, his eyes a warm honey brown.
“A simple boy’s night out with Lucas and Jacques. Lucas mentioned you normally travel with two bodyguards. Make friends with the bartender where a local or two might listen in. Tell them you’re Romero and make up some story about why you might be spending a couple days in town. I guarantee the news of three hot new guys in town will spread like wildfire with the women.” I picked up the last grape that was looking forlorn in the detritus and popped it in my mouth. “With a name like Romero, Fiona should definitely hear about you.”
“Small towns do like to spread gossip,” Lucas said. “But would he need to stay in Hazel Green for that to work?”
“No.” Jacques stretched his back and then neck before leaning over to start collecting the trash. “It’s too small a town. The last thing we need is the local sheriff watching us. That might spook Fiona and Philipe.”
Of all the vamps I’d met, Jacques seemed the closest to understanding human behavior. Or maybe he was attuned to shifter behavior. They seemed more human than vamps.
Either way, I agreed with him. “He’s right. Besides, it wouldn’t be odd for someone to go to different bars in the area. In fact, that would make the story easier to believe and harder to confirm. You’re in Fayetteville to visit some old friends or maybe looking for a new business opportunity. You wanted to get out and see more of the countryside and decided to stop in. One night might not be enough, but you don’t want to go back the next night, maybe the one after.”
“Adding in Fayetteville is an excellent idea.” Lucas tapped the map for no particular reason. “Word might get back to others in town here, which would make our job a little easier.”
Jacques was nodding. “The name will certainly make the rounds, and knowing you were seen with two other males will resonate with Philipe if he knows you that well. During the day, Lucas and Ginger can continue to monitor the grocery store while Bella and I follow the delivery boy. But I expect, if they’re close, they’ll come to you.”
“So, I stay in the motel all day and what? Channel surf?” Romero didn’t seem sold on sitting around.
Lucas didn’t like it, either. “No one stays on their own. Three of us will remain at the motel while the other two monitor the grocery store until the delivery boy heads out. Ginger and I will trade babysitting duty with Bella and Jacques.” He grinned at Romero. “You’re used to being pampered.”
Romero laughed and took on an air of superiority well-known for the species. “I can’t help the role I was born to play.”
It was said in jest, and Jacques was about to respond when he was interrupted.
The door, which had been left ajar, opened, and Bella strode in, dropping two keys on the table. “I got us two rooms. Jacques and I will double up.”
Rom picked up the key closest to him. “I’ll need to change the registered name on my room.”
Lucas briefly explained the plan to Bella. After it was all laid out, Bella patted my shoulder.
“Excellent idea. However, I don’t agree that we change Romero’s room to his name.” She picked up a pen Lucas had been using and drew a quick L-shaped block. A map of the motel. “The room we’re in now is here.” She wrote an X on the block representing our room on the long side of the building, two rooms away from where it turned left to the shorter side. “The two rooms I just rented are here and here.” She put Xs in two side-by-side rooms in the smaller wing.
She studied the map for a moment. “Let’s see if we can get this room rented in Romero’s name.” She made the last X in a room on the far side of the two newly rented rooms, away from the staircase where the two buildings met. “You’ll only be there during the day, maybe go in and out a few times, and make the room look lived in for the cleaning staff. We can keep an eye on it from this room and see if we pick up visitors—friend or foe.”
They all turned to Rom, waiting for his thoughts or questions.
“I want at least one vampire in the room next to where I’ll be spending my days. If I know Philipe, he’s likely to send someone with a message.”
“Agreed,” Lucas said. “Let’s work out the schedule and hit the bar tonight.”
The following morning,I peered through a gap between curtain and window. I’d spent a good twenty minutes building a perfect opening. From the outside, the drape of the curtain looked natural, but I’d focused on creating a slit that I could peer through at eye level while leaning back in the chair. It was an inch-and-a-half opening that provided a view of the front door to what we called the “box”—the room registered to Rom—as well as the two rooms next to it.
I was the shortest person in the room so the others would have to scoot down in the chair a bit. No one should be able to see them from the outside. At least not without spending a great length of time staring at the window. By then, the visitor would be close enough for them to shut the trap.
The only weak part of the plan was the open staircase between the two buildings. Their special guest could make it to the stairs, but the only place to park a car was in front of the motel, so they’d have to be fast. If they tried to make a break for it out the back, they wouldn’t get far. Only a single-person cement path ran between the back of the building and a six-foot chain-link fence. A vamp could easily scale it—if they chose to run—but they still wouldn’t have their car.
“No one’s out there. If Philipe gets our message, or worse, the vampires who’ve been chasing you, it will take them a couple of hours to trace my credit card and even longer to get here.” Rom set a cup of coffee in front of me. “I’ve tried different beans this time. Tell me what you think.”
I snorted. “Are you the one to blame for Lucas’s addiction to espresso?”
