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“I’ve been waiting for half an hour,” I grumbled. “I could have stopped for lunch.”
“I’ll buy you lunch when this is over.”
Sighing, I glanced down at my wrist to check the time, but frowned when I realized it wasn’t on my wrist. That was weird. I thought back to the motel this morning, but couldn’t remember putting it on. The last I remembered…
I’d taken it off at the motel in Ohio. I wracked my brain, trying to remember if I put it on that morning. I’d gotten up early, around five to get on the road. I grabbed my phone, but couldn’t remember seeing my watch on the nightstand. I was so tired after my midnight phone call that I hadn’t really been with it. I hadn’t had any coffee yet, and I never functioned well until I had my morning cup.
I visualized the room, closing my eyes as I went over every inch of it in my mind. The curtains were closed. The door was locked and the chain lock was in place. My bag was on the floor where I left it.
The chair…
The chair at the table was facing the bed. If I had been more awake, I would have noticed it immediately. I would have straightened it, but I was too tired and wasn’t focusing.
But what did it mean?
I didn’t sit in the chair even once that night or in the morning. The only thing I moved was the lamp because it wasn’t sitting perpendicular on the table. But I distinctly remembered taking off my watch and placing it on the nightstand. I did it every night. It was a ritual at this point. How could I forget to put it back on?
The name on the motel sign flashed in my mind and I immediately started searching online for the number. It rang several times before someone at the front desk answered.
“Starlight Motel. How can I help you?” The male’s bored tone nearly made me snap.
“I was there two nights ago and left a watch behind.”
“The motel is not responsible for lost items.”
“I’m not holding you responsible. I was wondering if a maid turned it in.”
“Nothing’s been turned in.”
“You haven’t looked,” I snapped.
“Yes, I did. I just looked.”
“You’re on the phone with me!”
“And I looked. It’s not there.”
“Maybe a maid pocketed it or?—”
“Our staff wouldn’t have taken it.”
I was fuming. This asshole wasn’t even bothering to check. “Look, it was important to me. Can you please look in the room? Maybe check on the floor.”
There was silence for a moment. “Sure, I’ll get right on that.” He paused. “It’s not there.”
I was fuming, but there was nothing I could do except drive back and look for myself. But that wouldn’t happen until this job was over. I’d already committed to helping out.
“Thanks for your help.” I hung up the phone and spun, nearly running into Snatch. “Jesus, walk a little louder.”
“You’re distracted. Is there something I need to know about?” he asked, watching me curiously.
Snatch had chin-length greasy hair and desperately needed a shower at all times, but he was one of the best when it came to security. I was able to handle a lot on my own, but for high-profile jobs, there was no one like him.
“Nothing that concerns you. Do you want to tell me why you wanted to meet on the roof?”
“I thought you’d be interested in that,” he grinned. “This is the perfect place to scope out our target.”
He pointed in the distance to a building on the edge of the river. I noticed it when I drove into the mid-sized town because it sat unusually close to the river.
