'Can I talk to her?'
'I don't imagine that's really necessary, is it?'
Matt reached down beside him and opened the flap of his satchel, bringing out the photocopy of Langer's state ID. He put it on the desktop and slid it toward Longbaugh.
'I'd like to ask her about this man.'
Longbaugh studied the photo. 'What about him?'
'Does he look familiar at all? Could he have been a guest here?'
'What does this have to do with the Baldacci case?'
'Possibly nothing,' Matt said. 'But I believe in following all leads.'
Longbaugh frowned. 'I don't understand.'
'We have information that this man may be a friend of Baldacci's. Does he look familiar or not?'
Longbaugh studied the photo again. 'I'd have to say that, based on this photograph, he doesn't strike me as our typical guest.'
'What about the name? Frederick Langer. Could you check your records to see if he may have taken a room around that time?'
Longbaugh hesitated, looking as if he were about to resist, but then his eyes shifted slightly as if an internal sensor had just been switched on. 'You're thinking Ms. Baldacci may have been staying in his room?'
'Something like that.'
'I'm not quite sure how she'd get around the cameras up there, but I have to admit I'm intrigued.'
'Intrigued enough to check your records?'
Longbaugh thought it over, then turned to his computer and quickly typed in an entry. He studied the screen, then shook his head in obvious disappointment. 'I'm afraid there's no record of him. Not under that name, at least.'
'Do you mind if I show this photo to your clerk? See if she remembers him?'
Longbaugh hesitated again, then said, 'You'll print your story without mentioning the name of the hotel, yes?'
'I'll be as discreet as humanly possible,' Matt told him.
Longbaugh got to his feet. 'Then by all means.'
He moved to the door and pulled it open. The desk clerk was facing away from them and from where he sat, Matt had a view of her nearly perfect ass.
He willed himself to remain professional.
'Addie?' Longbaugh said. 'Could you please come into my office a moment? I'll watch the desk.'
It turned out that the desk clerk, whose name was Addie Wright, had never seen Langer, and assured Matt that it was a face she would have remembered. There was a grace and good humor and openness about her (the polar opposite of Ms. Wyndham Academy), and as they spoke, Matt couldn't help feeling attracted to her-even took a glance at her left hand to see if she was wearing a ring.
He didn't need to go down that road again.
When he ran out of questions to ask-quite a few of which had been frivolous and unnecessary-he thanked her and shook her hand and gave her his card, promising himself he'd find an excuse to come back again. He couldn't be sure, but he thought he saw a spark of interest in her eyes.
He was supposed to be helping Ronnie, but all he could think about was that face and that ass and everything that went along with them.
He was a dog, was what he was. In desperate need of grooming.
Maybe there was some irony in that.
— 38 -
'How did Waverly do on cross?' Matt asked.
Hutch plugged one ear with a finger and pressed his cell phone against the other. The judge had just adjourned for lunch and the hallway outside the courtroom was crowded and noisy.
He said, 'Meyer was nearly a blubbering mass of ectoplasm by the time she was done with him. How about you? How are you doing out…'
Hutch paused as Frederick Langer walked by, clutching his book bag. There was no way he could know what they were up to, but Hutch suddenly felt uncomfortable having this conversation.
He waited for Langer to reach the elevators. A moment later, Tom and Monica followed. Then Andy and Gus. The plan was for each team to take turns watching Langer during the lunch hour, so he wouldn't get suspicious.
Matt's voice filled his ear. 'Yo Brando. You still there?'
'Sorry,' Hutch said. 'I was about to ask you if you're making any progress?'
'I think I may be in love, if that counts.'
'What the hell are you talking about?'
'Never mind. So far I've got bupkis. The grooming school was a bust and the hotel wasn't much better. Next stop is Jenny's firm, but I figure they're at lunch right now. You wanna grab something eat, maybe go in with me?'
'Sounds like a plan. The judge extended the break an extra hour. Some kind of personal emergency-although Andy's convinced it's an afternoon hook-up.'
'He would be,' Matt said.
Hutch laughed, glad he wasn't the only one who thought this. To his mind, Andy was convinced everyone in the
Hutch didn't dignify the question with a response. Remembering his dream, he still wasn't sure how he felt about what had happened. And even if he was, Andy was the last guy in the world he'd share it with.
Matt said, 'What about Ronnie? How's she doing?'
Hutch thought about that morning and how awkward things had been between them. He'd had no idea what was going through her head, and didn't ask. They'd barely had time to shower and dress before Maurice called, letting them know that Andy was there to give them a ride.
'She seems pretty up after that cross,' he said. 'She and Waverly are gonna strategize over the break.'
'You think she'll spill about Langer?'
'If she does, I can't imagine Waverly'll be too happy about it.'
'No kidding. Let's hope she keeps her mouth shut.' A pause. 'You up for some Mexican food?'
'Works for me,' Hutch said.
'I assume you can keep the paparazzi at bay?'
It was a serious question. They both knew that if the press were to get wind of their activities, some major shit would hit the fan. 'I've already mapped out my escape route.'
'Good,' Matt said. 'Meet you at Mi Tierra in fifteen.'
— 39 -
