скачать книгу бесплатно
Kelly rolled her eyes and started to walk away.
“What about Amy?” Dana glanced over at their friend who looked more subdued than usual.
“She can’t take a break yet. She’s spent the last hour in the security office. Brenda is there now so there’s no one to cover for her.”
“An hour?” Dana fell into step beside Kelly as they passed the elevators and headed for the door that would lead them to what the employees affectionately called the dungeon, officially known as the back-of-the-house, where the cafeteria, housekeeping and lockers were located.
Technically, Dana wasn’t supposed to go back there since she wasn’t an employee, but no one had ever said a word and since the other two couldn’t leave the property for their breaks they’d always grabbed a quick cup of coffee in the cafeteria.
“Everyone who worked during the thefts has been scheduled to meet with security,” Kelly explained. “It’s a pain in the ass, but I can see management’s point.”
“I get that, but Amy was there for an hour?”
“I haven’t gotten the scoop from her yet.” Kelly entered the cafeteria first and went straight for the coffee station. She nodded to one of the engineers who looked up from the newspaper he was reading. “I heard that one of the room service waiters was questioned for nearly two hours.”
“Well, those guys are actually on the guest floors all the time so I can see why.” Dana poured herself half a cup, leaving out the cream and sugar. That was all she allowed herself before running. “Even if they aren’t suspects they might’ve seen something helpful.”
“Yeah, I suppose.” Kelly chose a secluded table in the corner, although only a few other people were taking their breaks. She took a hasty sip, muttered a curse and jerked away from the steaming cup. She exhaled sharply. “But Amy hardly ever goes up on the guest floors.”
Dana had taken the seat opposite her and faced the doorway. If Kyle showed up she was out of here. The man could hurt her business so she’d kept her mouth shut, but she wasn’t going to stick around and take any harassment. She looked at Kelly and noticed the strain around her mouth and eyes. “Are you worried about Amy?”
Kelly’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. She blinked and then waved a dismissive hand. “No. I got this letter from my mom…” Kelly rubbed her temples.
“Oh, that.” Dana’s light remark belied the sympathy that ran deep. Being disappointed in yourself was one thing, but letting everyone back home know what a failure you’d become…well that was hard to stomach. It didn’t help to keep up the lie. Contact with old friends and family just kept getting harder, more complicated, until you didn’t know which end was up. “I might have some good news.”
“Yeah?” Kelly braved another sip, a curious lack of interest in her face. “I could use some good news.”
Dana spotted Amy at the door of the cafeteria. “Amy’s here.”
“Good. I’d like to hear what security said to her.”
Their friend joined them at the table and the conversation immediately focused on her meeting with security.
“Man, those guys aren’t kidding.” Amy shook her head at Dana’s offer to get her coffee. “Daryl kept firing questions at me like I was some kind of criminal.”
Kelly frowned. “Didn’t he just ask you to go to the movies with him last week?”
“Yeah, the stupid jerk wanted me to go see one of those juvenile comedies. As if.”
Dana knew the security guard, but only by reputation. “Maybe he’s giving you a hard time because you turned him down.”
“No, I heard they’re coming down hard on everyone.” Kelly shook her head. “Still, they have no reason to be suspicious of the front-desk people.”
Amy sighed. “Except I made several housekeeping requests on the nights of two of the thefts. Apparently one of the guests involved denied calling the front desk for extra pillows and I was the one who’d logged the request.”
“So?” Dana didn’t get it. “You wouldn’t have been the one to take the pillows to the guest floor.”
Amy’s expression turned grim. “After the housekeeping runner goes home at eleven, depending on who’s available, either the supervisor or a desk person fills guests’ requests.”
Dana sank back in her chair. “And tag, you were it.”
“That’s what they say. I don’t remember.” Amy growled with frustration. “I only work two lousy nights a week. Why did the thefts have to happen during my shift?”
Kelly briefly touched her hand. “Ah, sweetie, don’t worry about it. Let them make their reports. They’re just doing their job. Nothing will come of this.”
“Still, it’s humiliating.”
Kelly looked at Dana. “Let’s talk about something more pleasant. You have good news for us?”
She checked her watch. Not much time. “Turns out my client is a producer. He’s here to meet with a playwright for a film he’s backing. He didn’t say it in so many words, but he might be looking for local talent that can take on the big screen.”
“Chase Culver?” Amy asked, and at the same time Kelly said, “The hottie?”
“Yeah.”
“He’s a producer?” Amy shook her head. “He doesn’t look like a producer. The guy’s yanking your chain.”
Kelly nodded. “I’m with Amy on that one. He’s a little on the rough side, don’t you think?”
“The family money comes from oil. He’s decided to dabble in the movie business.”
“Hmm.” Kelly chuckled. “Expensive way to get laid.”
“I don’t think it’s like that,” Dana said, surprised at her defensiveness. “I mean, the guy could walk into any Manhattan bar and find someone to help him pull off his boots.”
“True.” Amy glanced conspiratorially at Kelly.
“What?” Dana got defensive again. “I’m not interested, if that’s what you’re implying.”
Kelly laughed. “If you’ve got a pulse, you’re interested in the man.”
Dana pushed back from the table. “Here I thought I was doing you guys a favor.”
Kelly finished her coffee, her obvious indifference not quite computing. Of the three of them she was the most diversely talented, able to sing, act and dance. She’d also been the most ambitious, keeping up on every casting call and arranging her days off accordingly. “How?”
“Look, I don’t know what kind of film he’s looking at producing, but why not throw your hats into the ring? It’s not as if we haven’t all stood in line for hours and hours for a two-minute audition just to get thrown out on our rears.”
Oddly, it was Amy who seemed more excited. “Is he holding auditions?”
“Not yet. Not that I know of, anyway. He seems to be in the scouting stage.” Troubled by her attitude, Dana stared at Kelly. “I thought you’d be all over this opportunity.”
Kelly sighed. “I’m tired. This town is finally getting to me.”
Amy’s mouth dropped open. She briefly looked over at Dana, who understood the disbelief in Amy’s face. “You? Miss Insanely Optimistic? You’re giving up?”
“I think eight years of heartache is enough.” Kelly drove a frustrated hand through her curly hair. “I’ve got to get back to work.” She hesitated. “Look, I was going to wait and tell you guys once I made up my mind for sure, but my mom told me there’s an opening for an assistant manager at the local bank back home. The manager is an old family friend and the job is pretty much mine if I want it.”
“Shut up!” Amy’s face went pale.
Dana knew she didn’t look so hot herself. How could this be? Not gung-ho Kelly. She never ever lost hope. Anyone would’ve bet she’d be the last woman standing. “You’re going back to Wisconsin?”
Kelly shrugged. “The cost of living is lower and I might as well use my business degree…” She smiled sadly. “As much as it pains me to admit it, I’m going to be thirty next month.”
“Thirty?” Amy frowned. “That’s right. Wow.”
Kelly gave her a wry look. “I’ve got to face facts. Thirty is way too old for this town.”
“What about that new guy you’ve been seeing?” Dana asked when she found her voice again. She hated the thought of Kelly leaving. Foolishly, the idea had never occurred to her that their threesome would ever be broken up, and the concept was hard to grasp. “Is it over already?”
“No. Everything is good.” Kelly stood. “Look, I shouldn’t have brought this up yet. Miranda won’t be back from vacation for another two weeks and so obviously I wouldn’t give notice yet. And then again, I haven’t made a decision. I really have to get back to work before Kyle gets in my face.”
“But what about this guy Culver?” Amy got up, too, so abruptly she nearly knocked her chair over. “Don’t you want to know what that’s about?”
The two other employees remaining in the cafeteria looked up with avid interest. Kelly lowered her voice. “Maybe. But I’ve got to give the bank my answer soon. You guys break a leg.” She winked, and left without waiting for Amy or Dana.
Amy shook her head, still looking stunned. “That was scary.”
“Yeah.” Dana was feeling pretty shaken herself. She got rid of her unfinished coffee, afraid to look at her watch. She had to be late, but she couldn’t seem to make herself move toward the door. “Did you see this coming at all?”
“Hell, no.”
“Me neither.”
“Yeah.” Amy smoothed back her dark hair. “Wow. I’d like to go slam back a couple of shots, but I have to get back to the desk.”
Dana sighed, and walking side by side, they headed for the door. “I’ve got to meet Chase.”
Amy’s chin came up. “You think he’s legit?”
She shrugged. “I don’t have any reason not to.”
“You going for it?”
Dana swallowed. “I haven’t auditioned in three years.”
“So?” “So, I like what I’m doing.”
Amy snorted.
“Right.”
What Dana should’ve pointed out was that she’d quit three years ago. Moved on. No more pie-in-the-sky dreams for her. She had no business nurturing even the teensiest hope. Yet here she was, holding her breath.
3
CHASE BENT over to pull on his sweat socks, wincing with the effort. Yesterday’s run—his first with Dana—hadn’t tested his physical endurance as much as the hundred sit-ups he’d foolishly punished himself with last night. An equal amount of push-ups hadn’t fazed him, but then again, the recent double bullet wound near his ribs had made crunches a bitch.
He promised himself that tonight he was taking it easy. Just him and that king-size bed. Throw in some room service and the television remote, he’d be all set. And if Dana were to…
Shit. What the hell was wrong with him? He couldn’t be thinking like that. Yeah, she had legs that could wrap nicely around a man’s waist and a high firm backside that you could set a beer on, but she was still a possible suspect. Just like the rest of the people on his list. So he’d better remember to keep his fly up.
The phone rang and he knew it was her because they were supposed to have met in the lobby ten minutes ago. He pushed off the edge of the bed and made it to the console table before the third ring.
“Mr. Culver?”
“This must be Ms. McGuire.”
“Are we still on for this morning?” Her tone was all business.
“Yes, ma’am. I do apologize, but I’m running a little slow. How about you come up and have a cup of coffee while you wait? Room service brought up a fresh pot less than half an hour ago.”
“I don’t mind waiting here in the lobby.”
“I have a suite with a nice big parlor.”
“I don’t drink coffee before I run.”
“Some water then?”
She hesitated. “Frankly, I make it a policy not to go up to the guest rooms.”
“I see.” Chase smiled wryly. That was lie number one. “I’ll be down in about five minutes.”
“No problem.”
He heard a click, and then slowly replaced the receiver on the cradle. He expected more enthusiasm out of her. Maybe he’d pegged her wrong. Nah, he didn’t think so. She’d admitted she’d come to New York looking for a singing career. Looks like he had to bait the hook again.
He found his running shoes under the teak secretary where he’d kicked them off yesterday. Bending over to pull on the shoe hurt his ribs again and he cut loose a word his mama had literally washed his mouth out with soap for when he was twelve. He still remembered the day as if it were yesterday. Not just because of the nasty taste of the soap, but because of that first look of disappointment in his God-fearing mama’s eyes.
How many times before that had she begged him not to turn out like his daddy, and in that one second, to her mind, he’d taken that fork in the road. To some degree she’d been right. Chase had disappointed himself too many times to think about. He’d done things he regretted, made promises he hadn’t kept. The true irony was that two months ago, when all hell had broken loose, sending his career as a cop up in smoke, none of it had been his fault. But that hadn’t seemed to matter.
He pushed the thought from his mind, tucked it away in that dark corner that had already been too contaminated with hate and anger to make a difference. Today he had a job to do and it required all his concentration. The last thing he needed to do was screw up again.
Besides, this was going to be an interesting run. He hoped Dana didn’t have another appointment after his because he had every intention of hijacking her.
“LET’S TAKE another route,” Chase said once they entered the park. “A change of scenery.”
“Sure.” Dana waited until a family of four got off the path to follow a string of ducks toward the lake before she started to run. She couldn’t get Kelly out of her head. This morning’s timing had been awful. Dana had dozens of questions.
“You’re quiet, darlin’.”
“What?” She looked over at him. He hadn’t shaved yet. Dark stubble covered his chin and jaw, and she thought about what Kelly and Amy had said about him not looking like a producer. Silly, of course. There was no specific look.
“Is something wrong?” With his dark eyebrows drawn together, his gaze narrowed, his eyes looked more gray than blue.
“No. Nothing.” She had to stop thinking about Kelly. It wasn’t just about how much she’d miss her, which was a whole other issue, but about how much the defeat on her face had shaken Dana. Kelly giving up was kind of like signaling the end of an era. Which was really crazy because Dana had long ago removed herself from the fray. So why should it affect her?
She noticed he was lagging a bit and slowed down. One of the problems with guiding men was that they often wouldn’t speak up if she went too fast for them. “Five miles again?”
