Absolute Zero by Mars Jack

Author:Mars, Jack [Mars, Jack]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-10-01T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Her dad and Trent did a slow circle around the building’s perimeter while Maya did a bit of window-shopping. The first floor of the Buchanan Building was an expansive lobby, two boutiques, a café, and a small library for residents. Maya pretended to admire a dress in the window display while she side-eyed the lobby security.

A minute later the other two came around. The three of them gathered on the corner and talked casually, as if they were discussing the best place to get lunch.

“There’s a loading dock around back and a rear entrance,” her dad told her, “a steel door that only opens from the inside. No guards that I could see.”

“Best bet might be to stake it out,” Trent offered, “wait for someone to open it and rush inside.”

Maya shook her head. “Too obvious. No offense.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “You have a better idea?”

“I might.” She saw at least two security guards in the lobby, one reading a newspaper and another chatting with a cute girl with an apron, probably an employee at the café. She couldn’t tell if either was armed but didn’t see any guns. There was a lobby clerk behind a desk to one side where people would occasionally pause to sign in and show an ID.

Such things weren’t unexpected in a building like this that blended commercial and residential space. But Maya knew, from a wealthy friend in high school, that residents were rarely questioned -- and neither were their guests.

“Follow my lead,” she told the other two.

“Lead on what?” Trent asked, but she didn’t answer him. She watched, and she waited. She didn’t have to wait long.

A posh-looking couple not much older than her dad headed for the wide glass doors. Maya took a calculated risk and hurried towards the door as well, reaching for it at the same time as the man, who wore a tweed jacket with leather patches on the elbows.

“Oh, excuse me,” said the man, pulling open the door for her.

“Thank you,” Maya smiled. As soon as she was through she turned to the woman, dressed in an admittedly slimming ruched maxi skirt, and she gushed, “I love your skirt. Can I ask where you got it?”

“Oh, this?” The woman paused and beamed. “It’s from Nordstrom’s.”

Trent and her dad slipped through the door behind the tweed-donning man and stuck close as the five of them walked through the lobby.

“Wow. It looks terrific. I haven’t been there in quite some time.” She raised her voice slightly, just as they passed the lobby clerk with his discerning eyes and his sign-in sheet and she added, “It’s been too long, in fact.”

The man in tweed gave the clerk a small wave, and the clerk went back to his computer.

Don’t mind us. Just their guests.

“Well, I certainly suggest getting there before the end of the season,” the woman went on, and as they waited for the elevator began talking about fall colors coming in.

Maya glanced back at Trent and her dad, who were playing their parts of acting like they belonged.

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