a card key into the door with one hand, the briefcase held at his side with the other. Trailing just behind him and almost out of view through the peephole was another man. Cassie noted the blue blazer with the Cleopatra insignia on the breast pocket. The security escort. She turned away from the peephole and moved close to the doorjamb so that she could listen.
"You want me to check for you, sir?"
"No, I'm fine. I appreciate it, though."
"Then good night, sir."
"Good night."
Cassie heard the door across the hall opening. She switched back to the peephole. The security man was gone and Hernandez was moving into the open doorway. He suddenly stopped and stepped back into the hall.
"Oh, Martin?"
Cassie felt her heart skip a beat. What did he see, what did I miss? She tried to quickly review her hurried exit from room 2014 but she could not think of anything. She looked down at the two bags at her feet and started running an inventory through her mind. But she had barely begun when Hernandez began to speak and she moved her ear to the doorjamb.
"I almost forgot. This is it for me. I'll be leaving tomorrow. Can you hold on a second? I'd like to give you something for watching out for me these last few days."
Martin's voice returned, very close to Cassie's door.
"That's not necessary, Mr. Hernandez. You can just thank Mr. Grimaldi. He wants all our guests to feel secure and, besides, it's against house policy for me to accept – "
"Who's gonna know? Vincent Grimaldi won't unless you tell him. Hold on a second."
There was the sound of a door closing and Cassie returned to the visual. The security man called Martin stood in the hallway, his hands clasped in front of him. He looked up and down the hall, as if worried somebody – maybe the Vincent Grimaldi who was mentioned – would see him taking a gratuity. He then turned and looked right at the peephole through which Cassie was watching him. She froze. She thought that if she moved away he might see a change in the light behind the glass and then know he was being watched.
The door behind Martin opened and Hernandez appeared.
"You know, if you don't mind, come in here and check this out," Hernandez said. "There are fumes or something in here."
Cassie pressed against the door harder and balled her hands into fists. She watched as Martin entered the room, leaving the door open behind him.
She could only see a door-wide slice of the suite. Hernandez and Martin both walked out of sight to the left and then after a few moments crossed her field of vision in the direction of the bedroom. Cassie heard talking and moved to the doorjamb and listened but could not make out what was being said. She moved back to the peephole and in a few moments Martin, followed by Hernandez, appeared again and headed toward the door. Their discussion became clearer as they got closer to Cassie's position.
"… in the smoking rooms," Martin was saying. "It's pretty much industrial-strength stuff that they use. See, you can't open the windows. No hotel in Vegas has windows that open. Too many jumpers."
"Well, I guess it's been building up. This is my third day. I've smoked a few in here."
He guffawed.
"Yes, sir," Martin said. "But if it is going to bother you I could check with the desk and see about moving you into another suite. I'm sure we'd have something available."
Nooooo, Cassie felt like yelling. But it was Hernandez himself who rescued her.
"No, that's not necessary. I'll just have to light one up and see which one is stronger."
He laughed again and this time Martin joined him.
"Okay, good night, sir. Have a good trip home."
"I will. Oh, and here. Almost forgot."
Hernandez held out his hand and Martin raised his. Cassie heard the click of casino chips being dropped into the security man's hand. There must have been a lot of them and they were of high value. Martin's exclamation of thanks came through the door loud and clear.
"Mr. Hernandez, thank you! Thank you! "
"No, thank you, Martin. Have a good one."
"With this I'll have more than one!"
Hernandez laughed and closed his door after hooking a DO NOT DISTURB sign on the handle. Martin disappeared from Cassie's point of view. She heard Hernandez turn the deadbolt and then there was the metallic click of the flip-over lock being slapped closed. She stood motionless and