Little Lost Things by Eleanor Chance

Author:Eleanor Chance [Chance, Eleanor]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780998127439
Publisher: Darlington Publishing
Published: 2019-06-13T04:00:00+00:00

* * *

Mara questioned her judgment as she pulled into the circular drive in front of the hotel. Her money was already running low and the hotel Johnny picked was double what she’d hoped to pay, but she needed to keep him happy. She couldn’t risk him trying to contact Grace.

She pulled the keys from the ignition and dropped them in her purse. “Stay here while I check in. We’ll go in through a door in back to get to our room, so no one sees you. Pull up your hood.”

Johnny gave a slight nod and did as she’d asked. She got out and locked the doors, hoping the window tinting was dark enough that no one would notice him. She put on her Baltimore Orioles cap and forced her feet to carry her through the entrance. As she approached the front desk, she was relieved to see that the clerk was a young, foreign-looking man. Odds were good he paid little attention to local news.

She pasted on her most alluring smile. “I need a double room. Do you have any available?” She glanced at his nametag. Kabir Singh. Perfect.

“How many guests?” Mr. Singh asked in a thick Indian accent while he checked the computer.

“Two adults.”

“How long will you be staying?”

Mara hadn’t considered the answer to that question. She’d have to pay upfront since she was using cash and she hadn’t counted to see how much she had. She did some quick math in her head.

“Four nights. It could turn into more. I’m in town taking care of my sick mother.”

Without looking up from the computer, he said, “Admirable. We can put you in a room on the third floor.”

“That’s fine.”

He grabbed a postcard size form from under that counter and slid it across to her. “I’ll need you to fill that out with your vehicle information.”

He looked at her closely for the first time but didn’t register any reaction other than boredom. He picked at his fingernail while Mara filled in the make and model of the car.

“I don’t know the plate. It’s a rental.”

“Just stop by the desk later and give it to us. The year, make, and model are enough for now.” She handed the card to him. He looked at it and nodded. “May I have your ID and credit card, please?”

Mara took out her wallet. “Is that necessary? I’m paying the full amount upfront in cash.”

He held out his hand. “I still require your ID. I need a credit card on file for incidentals.”

“I’d rather not. I’ve had my credit card number stolen at a hotel. I’d rather not go through that nightmare again. That’s why I always use cash when I travel now.”

His smile faded. “It’s our policy, madam. I cannot rent you room without ID and a credit card, but I assure you, we take the greatest care to protect your information and privacy.”

Mara was tempted to walk out, but she didn’t want to arouse suspicion, and she’d run into the same issue at every other halfway decent hotel.

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