Page 72 of His Deadly Lies

“Not at all,” I agree.

“The Accardis, perhaps?”

It takes me a moment to realize she’s looking at me, expecting an answer. Waiting for me to either agree with her or deny the implication that the third big player in our game might have someone in their operation who overstepped their boundaries.

I shake my head. “They're skilled at getting the stock away from you by threatening your people. Unless one of the Accardi’s guys have moved over a line…this reminds me of when the Vittorios first started. The very first months. Whoever it is has gotten too close to you, too many times.” And made it personal. At least, in my opinion. I’ve slowed enough that our target passes us, and they take the next exit. It’s a small matter to follow them.

A not-so-small matter to realize that I’ve enjoyed talking shop with Mia.

Hell, she pays more attention to me than Ricardo does, and he’s my nephew. I always thought he’d be the one eager to learn, to want to absorb every bit of knowledge I have to impart.

The sedan pulls into the parking lot of a two-story motel done in shades of red, orange, and brown, a color scheme that needs to be left to rot in the seventies. Paint flecks off the walls, and rust stains are part of the decor. I purposely keep going around the block before taking a right and turning around in a circle to park on the other side of the building.

“Think they’re making an exchange?” Mia asks.

I drag out the binoculars, just able to make out the other car through the hallway connecting one side of the building to the other. Watching. Unsure what our mystery driver is doing.

This place is not exactly off the beaten path; it’s only a few miles from a major highway exit. The motel sign might flicker, but the parking lot is half full.

“It might be an easy getaway spot but not secretive,” I say out loud.

The reception office is on this side of the building, and a few minutes later, our guy walks out of the room, palming a key. He heads past us, Mia and I ducking our heads, and disappears into one of the last rooms on the first floor.

“Looks like he’s planning to stay for a while,” Mia says. “Getting comfortable.”

“Looks like we’re hunkering down for the night,” I correct her.

She starts. “Here? Are you kidding?” Her eyes widen in disgust.

“Do you want to risk losing them? It’s not like we have much of a choice if you want to catch this guy.”

This wouldn’t be my choice for an overnight stay either. Judging from the look on her face, Mia has even more reservations about the place than I do.

“I’ll grab the room,” I say, filling in the silence. “And I’ll ask for room 8.”

Two doors down from him.

“I need to let my father know what’s happening and not to expect me home.”

Mia stays in the car while I sweet-talk the receptionist.

Once the sweet young thing with freckles across her cheeks pockets the cash and hands me the room key, I take the time to check the perimeter of the motel. I haven’t missed anything important, even with my attention fractured. Seems like our mystery driver is still entirely alone, no sign of anyone joining him.

Once I’m relatively satisfied the perimeter is clear, I grab Mia from the car. She palms her phone, her face tight, eyes now narrowed.

Guess the call didn’t go well.

I bite down on the inside of my lip to keep from asking her how it went. It’s none of my business. Not at this point, anyway.

The key slides into the old-fashioned lock, and a single twist has the door gliding open and the scent of bleach trickling outward. The inside of the room is typical for a motel of this age but cleaner than I would have given the place credit for being. The decor is somewhat lacking, but then again, I’ve never stayed in a motel that has been top-notch.

It will do for tonight.

“Well this is…quaint,” Mia says with a sexy wrinkle in her nose.

“We should try to get a few hours of sleep.” I press my ear to the wall. There are sounds of a scuffle from the other side, but nothing out of the ordinary. A man’s footsteps head from one side of the room to the other. Seconds later, a toilet flushes.

Walls are thin.

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