Sister Where Are You (Patterson Blake FBI Mystery Thriller Series Book 1) by A.M. Strong

Author:A.M. Strong [Strong, A.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: West Street Publishing
Published: 2022-01-19T16:00:00+00:00

THIRTY-FIVE

It was getting late in the afternoon when Patterson arrived back at the hotel. She parked and hurried to the entrance with her head bent low against a persistent drizzle of rain. She still hadn’t picked up an umbrella and made a note to get one at the first available opportunity.

She stepped into the lobby and approached the registration desk. She had failed to get the information she wanted from the hotel’s manager on her last two attempts, but now she decided to bring out the big guns.

“Did you find that registration card yet?” She asked, leaning on the counter and looking at him through the hatch.

“Not yet,” he responded, eyes glued to the computer monitor. “Still busy. I’ll get to it when I get to it.”

“And what about the theft in my sister’s room?”

“Look, lady, I told you this twice already. I don’t know anything about any room thefts, and certainly not from that long ago.”

“And I said I’d give you some time to think on it and see if your memory got any better.” Despite the manager’s insistence that he knew nothing, his own body language gave him away. It convinced Patterson he was lying.

“Well, it didn’t. I don’t know what you want me to tell you.”

“The truth would be nice,” Patterson replied. She slipped a hand into her pocket and removed the slim black wallet containing her FBI credentials. For the third time that day, she was about to step over the line Grant had drawn in the sand.

When she placed the open wallet on the counter in front of him, the manager’s eyes grew wide. “You’re a cop?”

“I’m a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.” Patterson felt a rush of satisfaction as the manager recoiled.

“Shit. You never said anything when you checked in.”

“Why should I?”

“I don’t know.” The manager was stumbling over his words. “Aren’t you supposed to announce that you’re the law? Isn’t it, what’s the word…Entrapment…if you don’t?”

“That’s not a thing. I’m under no obligation to tell you I’m a law enforcement officer, even if you might commit a crime in my presence. You’ve been watching too much TV. And even if it were a thing, it doesn’t apply to renting a hotel room.” Patterson smiled despite herself. She had the manager on his heels. She decided to press her advantage. “You should think about the repercussions of lying to an FBI agent, though.”

“Look, if I don’t remember, it’s not lying.” The manager’s complexion had turned pale. “Right?”

“That’s true. But I think it’s only fair to warn you I’m trained to spot deception.” Patterson could sense the manager’s resolve crumbling like so many stacked playing cards. “You know, we’ve chatted a few times now, and I don’t even know your name yet.”

“Hank.” The manager’s reluctance to provide this information was clear from the tone of his voice. “Hank Lasky.”

“Good to meet you, Hank,” Patterson said in the friendliest tone she could muster. “How about you give it some thought and see if that memory of yours has gotten any clearer.

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