Page 47 of Ace
“This had to have happened right after we left this morning,” Keller said.
Savannah combed a hand through her hair, tired of running only to end up empty-handed and bereft. “Whoever did this must’ve had heavy equipment on standby. They must’ve been watching me. That tree’s been here forever. But who would’ve known Gran Mere was gone, and that we’d just—?”
“Left? Dr. John,” Keller interrupted. “He knew. Where’s he live?”
She turned to Keller, shaking her head. “He wouldn’t do this. Not RJ. He’s been Gran Mere’s friend since I can remember. Even as a kid, he used to bring her flowers. He was good to us.”
Keller cupped her elbow. “We’ll still need to talk to him. Maybe he knows something. Come on. Give me your keys.”
She handed her car keys over, and Savannah let Keller usher her away from the barren hole that had once been Gran Mere’s magical humble home. Both dogs trotted along, Galahad at her side, Red at Keller’s. They hadn’t gone far before she couldn’t go any farther “No, Keller. Not tonight. Please. I can’t. I just can’t keep going.”
“I’m sorry,” he muttered. “You’re right. What am I thinking? You’re exhausted. I should’ve picked up on that before now. How about we get a couple rooms instead?”
“Yes, please,” she said on a sigh. “A shower’d be nice, too.”
“And dinner. We haven’t eaten a damned thing since breakfast, and we’ve both been running our asses off.”
The flashlight died, plunging them into darkness, and that was the last straw. The day won. Gran Mere was never coming back, and no matter how hard Savannah tried, she couldn’t contain her grief. She stumbled. But before she fell to her hands and knees, which would’ve been humiliating, Keller caught her andpulled her into his arms. Her head hit his chest and there she stayed.
“I’m sorry,” she cried, ashamed for her weakness.
“Shush,” he told her as he backtracked to her car. “Even tough guys need to recharge their batteries once in a while, and you’re one tough princess.”
Hmmm. Princess. She liked the sound of that. Savannah dried her tears as she curled one arm over his shoulder. Peace came to her as she absorbed the strength and power rolling off this man. She listened to the steady beat of his heart. He hadn’t faltered. Not once. Not really. Even his perceived weakness—his need to provide comfort at the risk of a killer migraine—had simply been another gift he hadn’t known how to properly handle. Psychic talents didn’t come with user manuals, and he hadn’t had anyone like Gran Mere in his life to teach him.
“You’ve got me now,” she murmured as they cleared the trees. Thank heavens her car was right where she’d left it. Its parking lights winked when Keller hit remote unlock.
“And you’ve got me,” he answered quietly.
Hmmm.That was even nicer than being called Princess.
In minutes, they were on the road. Red and Galahad sat obediently in the backseat, and Keller seemed to know precisely where he was going. Savannah closed her eyes, so weary. So sad. She’d been strong long enough. She needed to sleep for five minutes. Ten at the most.
Didn’t it figure? The girl drove a Buick. And not just any Buick, but an older model like so many retired people owned. Probably Gran Mere’s. Not what Keller expected, yet he should have known. It handled smoothly enough, but the car was a long, gray boat. Something flashy and red would’ve suited Savannah better, yet this one accommodated the dogs. They’d certainly been on their best behavior tonight.
Keller adjusted the rearview mirror, smiling as he glanced at Galahad and Red. Both sat looking at the scenery flashing by. Activating the rear windows, he gave them some air. Just what they wanted. Both put their snouts to the cracked windows, and damned if they didn’t look like they were smiling in the dark. Dogs. Gotta love them.
Keller steered toward the bright lights of New Orleans. Lit against the western night sky, it loomed ahead like Vegas. Carefully so he didn’t wake Savannah, he retrieved his cell from his pants pocket and asked Siri for directions to the closest five-star hotel. Why settle for decent when this might be the only night he had with Savannah?
Siri complied promptly, and wasn’t that the best reason for these heavier, ruggedized FBI phones? They still worked after a swim in the swamp.
Adeptly, Keller navigated away from the bayou, over the I-10 bridge, and past the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge. Finally in the Big Easy, he headedthrough the winding streets for one of New Orlean’s better hotels. He could’ve stopped at the Windsor on Gravier Street, but the Ritz-Carlton on Canal Street was a mere eight blocks away. He kept going. Savannah didn’t wake when he parked the car. This was where a woman like her belonged.
He told the dogs to be quiet, then locked the vehicle and quickly procured a ground-level, pet-friendly suite with two bedrooms and a full kitchen. Keller ordered room service for four before he turned the Buick over to the baby-faced valet attendant, gave the kid a twenty, and then lifted Savannah out of the front seat and into his arms.
That was when things got tricky. Two dogs. One passed out woman. How was he going to get from the car to his room? Leave the dogs in the car in this humid heat? Not going to happen. He couldn’t leave the Buick running—
“Y’all need some help?” the attendant asked.
“Actually…” Keller couldn’t take a chance on losing Galahad or Red in this city, but neither could he manage getting two dogs and Savannah into their room at the same time. And he sure as hell couldn’t risk this young man’s life by leaving him alone with these dogs. “Listen. I can’t take the dogs with me just now. If you don’t mind keeping an eye on my car, I’ll make two trips. I have to keep it running.”And hope Savannah has a couple leashes in her trunk.
“Ya sure I can’t walk your dogs up for you? They look plenty friendly—”
Galahad chose that precise moment to hit the window like an Abrams tank, smearing his drooling chops across the glass.
“Holy shit!” the valet hissed as he stumbled backward.
Still holding onto Savannah, Keller managed to snag the young black man’s sleeve before he tripped on the curb and broke his face.
