24 Declassified 05 - Vanishing Point by Marc Cerasini

Author:Marc Cerasini [Cerasini, Marc]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2012-02-22T11:29:15+00:00

* * *

6:59:55 p.m. PDT

Babylon Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas

The bell rang and the doors opened. Lilly Sheridan's daughter Pamela looked up, blinking with astonishment at the man stepping into the elevator.

The new passenger was perhaps the largest man Lilly had ever seen. Not only tall — this man's shoulders were as wide as the refrigerator back at her crummy rent-a-house. He wore a tailored suit that Lilly just knew cost more than she earned in a month, even counting her tips.

He must be α pro-basketball star, she concluded. Or maybe a football player. But a closer inspection changed her mind. He's too old to be a pro anything.

The man's face was a mask of concentration. Brows furrowed, he rubbed his chin. Suddenly, he seemed to realize she was there. The man's face relaxed, his brown eyes met hers.

"Hi," Lilly said shyly.

"Hello."

The man's voice was deep, almost a rumble. He noticed Pamela then, and his smile became dazzling. "Do you like the ride?" he asked.

Pamela nodded. "Makes me queasy, though."

He nodded. "Me too."

The elevator slowed. "Have a good evening," the man said.

"Enjoy your stay at the Babylon," Lilly replied.

He turned and smiled. "Thank you," he said, and the doors closed again.

"Mom, who was that man?"

"I don't know," Lilly replied, distracted. She was worried the banquet manager would be waiting at the entrance to the ball room. Evelyn did that sometimes, to make sure everyone had dressed properly. She didn't want the woman to see Pamela. Too much to explain, and Evelyn would figure out her scam.

"No babysitter, no job," she'd say, sending Lilly home rather than letting her stash her daughter in the dressing room for a couple of hours, where the child wouldn't do any harm.

The bell rang again and the doors opened. The ballroom doors were open wide, but there was no sign of Evelyn or her assistant Janet.

"Hurry, let's go," Lilly hissed, pushing her daughter toward the glittering banquet room.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.