lot about control and he’s definitely trustworthy, no need to worry on that front.” She sighs before she goes on. “Actually, it was my idea all along. I’ve wanted Cy to call you for months to see if Asa could come up there.”
Silence can sometimes get me more than rushing in and firing off questions, and this time it’s exactly what she needs.Cali continues. “I think the noise and people of the club are too much for him. He was always reserved as a kid and I think the frivolousness of the place sets him on edge. Combine that with the shock of being out of the military and newly undead, and you can imagine what it’s been like for him. Cy refused to call you because he knew you don’t really have a formal seethe, but I was tempted to do an end-run and call you myself.”
Damn, that wouldn’t have been good. I’d hate to have to turn her down and that’s exactly what I would have done.
“Don’t get your hopes up, Cali. He may like it here fine, but I’m not inclined to have more members in my seethe. Let’s see how it goes, okay?”
“Alright,” disappointment stands out clear in her tone, “I’ll leave you alone. But, he’s great with all the latest security advancements. You never know…” Her voice lifts at the end, hope shines back in her sunny disposition once more and I don’t have the heart to crush it out of her right now.
I can always let Cy handle the crushing task when I decide Asa has to go. If I can get Asa out of here with him none the wiser on my secrets, then that’s what I’ll do.
Hanging up the phone, one fact resonates with certainty in my mind. Salvador’s group hales from Washington. I think Sheba and her tears may be the key to the murder. I have a feeling many details will come together when I can question that elusive member of Sal’s group. For a polite hotel hostess, it’s still too early to knock on a guest’s door and wake her up.
I shut the lights off when I leave the gym and run into Paul on his way to the kitchen. Paul’s the best chef we’ve had here in two decades. He used to cook down in the lower forty-eight for years, until he answered my employment ad. He hadn’t wanted to come up here to this frozen area of our nation, but the money I threw at him was impossible to resist.
“Morning, Paul. Glad to see you up and at ‘em today,” I say with a cheeky grin.
I saw him last night on the dance floor with some of the other employees and he’s looking worse for the wear today with a haggard air about him.
“Ugh, no teasing. My head can’t take it right now.” He stumbles slightly and catches himself against the hallway wall.
A short, loud laugh erupts from me. After my emotional night, seeing him hung-over helps shake off my last lingering tendrils of heartache.
“Poor baby. You should know by now the morning shift always comes sooner than you think.” I take pity on him and try to give him a little nudge in the right direction. “You know what they say about water the next day, right? Drink plenty and you should be better by noon.”
“Yeah, that and a beer chaser with some Advil should do me.”
I smile and take my leave of him as we approach the lobby. Of course, I meant the small trace of vampire blood in the water would make him feel better. Whether he takes my advice, or his own, is up to him.
Chapter Fifteen
Miranda’s still on shift at the front desk when I enter the lobby. She’s busy working on the computer, but looks up on my approach.
“Hey Miranda, has it been slow this morning?”
“Yes. Only one blood request and nothing else. Tommy went out to Jet Natsuhara’s cabin around five.”
“Good. We’ve got a temporary employee named Asa coming up from Cy’s place in Manhattan. Could you put him in one of the cabins for now? I’m not sure how long he’ll be here or where I’ll want him long term.”
Miranda types rapidly on the keyboard in front of her, “Sure thing, I’ll put him in unit one. What time do you expect him?”
I smile at the thought of our ex-military guy tucked away next door to the Natsuhara cabin. “According to Cali, he could be here as early as