Afterthree flights, she hauled herself up by the railing, huffing for air.If Grant was frustrated at the pauses she made on each landing, hedidn’t let on. He just studied his watch a little longer.
Finally,on about the fifth or sixth floor, he consulted his watch and lifted aneyebrow. Then he opened the door. Julie braced for danger—after theempty elevator shaft, anything could happen: explosions blasting intheir faces, ax-wielding murderer waiting for them, Mafiosogunfight—but nothing happened.
“Shallwe?” Grant said, gesturing through the doorway as if they were enteringa fancy restaurant.
Shewasn’t sure she really wanted to go, but she did. Leaning in, shelooked both ways, up and down the hallway, then stepped gingerly onthe carpet, thinking it might turn to quicksand and swallow her. Itdidn’t. Grant slipped in behind her and closed the door.
Thiswing of the hotel had been refurbished in the last few years and stilllooked newish. The carpet was thick, the soft recessed lighting onthe russet walls was luxurious and inviting. In a few more years, thedécor would start to look worn, and the earth-tones and geometricpatterns would look dated. Vegas wore out things the way it wore outpeople. For now, though, it was all very impressive.
Theylingered by the emergency door; Grant seemed to expect something tohappen. Consulting his watch again, he turned it to the left and right,considering. She craned her neck, trying to get a better look at it. Itdidn’t seem to have numbers on its face.
“What’sthat thing do?” she asked.
“It points,” he said.
Ofcourse it did.
Hemoved down the hallway to the right, glancing at the watch, thenat doorways. At the end of the hall, he stopped and nodded, then made amotion with his hands.
“Moremagic?” she said, moving beside him.
“No.Lockpick.” He held up a flat plastic key card. “Universal code.”
“Ohmy God, if the resort knew you were doing this—and I’m right here withyou. I could lose my job—”
“They’llnever find out.”
Sheglanced to the end of the hallway, to the glass bubble in the ceilingwhere the security camera was planted.
“Areyou sure about that? Am I supposed to just trust you?”
Hislips turned a wry smile. “I did warn you that you probably ought tostay out of this. It’s not too late.”
“What,and take the elevator back down? I don’t think so.”
“There you go—youtrust me more than the elevator.”
Shecrossed her arms and sighed. “I’m not sure I agree with that logic.”
“Itisn’t logic,” he said. “It’s instinct. Yours are good, you shouldlisten to them.”
Sheconsidered—any other dealer, any sane dealer,would have left the whole problem to Ryan and security. Catchingcheaters once they left the table was above her pay grade, as theysaid. But she wanted to know. The sameprickling at her neck that told her something was wrong withyesterday’s businessman and today’s housewife, also told her thatOdysseus Grant had answers.
“Whatcan I do to help?” she asked.
“Keep a look out.”
Heslipped the card in the lock, and the door popped open. She wouldn’thave been surprised if an unassuming guest wrapped in a bath towelscreamed a protest, but the room was unoccupied. After a moment, Grantentered and began exploring.
Juliestayed by the door, glancing back and forth, up and down the hallway ashe had requested. She kept expecting guys from security to comepounding down the hallway. But she also had to consider:Grant wouldn’t be doing this if he didn’t have a way to keep it secret.She couldn’t even imagine how he was fooling the cameras. The cameras won’t even pick up what I did, he’dsaid. Did the casino’s security department even know what they hadworking under their noses?
Shelooked back in the room to check his progress. “You expected thatwatch, that whatever it is, to lead you right to the guy, did you?”
“Yes, it should have,” Grant said, sounding curious rather than frustrated.“Ah, there we are.” He opened the top bureau drawer.
“What?” She cranedforward to see.
Usinga handkerchief, he reached into the drawer and picked up a smallobject. Resting on the cloth was a twenty-five dollar chip bound withtwine to the burned-down stub of a red candle. The item evoked afeeling of dread in her; it made her imagine an artifact from somelong-extinct civilization that practiced human sacrifice. Whatever thisthing was, no good could ever come of it.
“Adecoy,” Grant said. “Rather clever, really.”
“Look,I can call security, have them check the cameras, look for anyonesuspicious—they’ll know who’s been in this room.”
“No.You’ve seen how he’s disguising himself; he’s a master of illusion.Mundane security has no idea what they’re looking for. I’ll find him.”He broke the decoy, tearing at the twine, crumbling the candle,throwing the pieces away. Even broken, the pieces made her shiver.
Thenthey were back in the hallway. Grant again consulted his watch, butthey reached the end of the hallway without finding his quarry.
Theycould be at this all day.
“Maybewe should try knocking on doors. You’ll be able to spot the guy if heanswers.”
“That’sprobably not a good idea. Especially if he knows we’re coming.”
“Howlong until you give up?” she said, checking her phone to get the time.The thing had gone dead, out of power. Of course it had. And Grant’swatch didn’t tell time.
“Never,”he murmured, returning to the emergency stairs.
Shestarted to follow him when her eye caught on an incongruity, becausethe afternoon had been filled with them. A service cart was parkedoutside a room about halfway down the hallway. Dishes of a picked-overmeal littered the white linen table cloth, along with an empty bottleof wine, and two used wineglasses. Nothing unusual at all about seeingsuch a thing outside a room in a hotel. Except she was absolutely sureit had not been there before.
“Hey—waita minute,” she said, approaching the cart slowly. The emergency stairdoor had already shut, though, and he was gone. She went after him,hauling open the door.
Whichopened into a hallway, just
