Page 36 of Lorenzo

A red light flashes.

“Come on,” I whisper.

The device recalibrates.

This is taking too long.

The humming stops.

I look toward the cart.

A shadow moves across the open doorway.

The device vibrates again against my palm.

A new code appears.

I enter it beneath the cover of my handbag.

The light turns green.

I catch the handle before the lock can make more than a soft click.

I open the door, step inside, and close it quietly behind me just as the housekeeper walks out of the room.

The room is dark except for daylight spilling around the drawn curtains.

I stay still for a moment, listening in case I got the information on the reservation wrong.

Good. Empty.

I slide the tool back into my bag and look around.

The room is nearly identical to the one below it, according to the plans I studied. Same layout. Same balcony placement. Same view.

Which is the only reason I am here.

I cross to the curtains and pull them apart just enough to inspect the balcony.

A narrow stone divider separates this one from the neighboring room. Below me, fourteen floors above the street, is the balcony belonging to 1419.

Room 1418 lies one balcony over.

I look down at the distance between them.

From the floor plan, it appeared manageable.

From here… Well, it’ll have to be.

I set my handbag on the desk and remove my coat. I rummage for my lockpicking tool and shove it in my pocket.

Outside in the corridor, the housekeeping cart rolls over the carpet.

The sound comes closer.

Then passes.

I wait until it fades before unlocking the balcony door.