Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 54208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
“I think we can make an exception to our normal procedure for Ms. Smith. Let me handle this account for you,” Sadie suggested to the clerk before asking, “Could you run and grab some more keycards from the storeroom?”
“Good idea. We’re running low.”
When they were alone, Sadie smiled at Molly. “Sorry for the delay. Let me get you checked in.”
In a matter of minutes, Sadie had counted the money and credited it to the account. She turned to grab a packet from the display behind her that was labeled Molly Smith. “Your room is on the fourth floor, and the elevators are to your left. Would you like help with your bags?”
“No, thank you.”
Juggling the information packet, the keycard, her purse, and the rolling suitcase, Molly headed for the elevator. She wanted to get out of sight before the woman in charge changed her mind. Struggling to hold on to everything, she totally missed the familiar immense man in her path. Wham! She ran into a solid wall of muscle.
“Whoa!”
Large hands settled around her waist to steady her again. “This is getting to be a habit,” he said with a laugh.
“Oh! I’m so sorry,” she said, looking up.
“Let me help you to your room,” Hawking said, setting her suitcase back on its wheels and picking up the packet. “I’ve got these two. Can I carry that bag for you?”
“I can’t impose on you. I’m sure you have important security things to take care of,” Celeste said quickly.
“Getting guests settled in their rooms is everyone’s responsibility. We’ve only been open a week. We’re all still pitching in to make sure everything runs smoothly. I’m glad to help.” When the doors opened for the elevator, he ushered her inside. Unfortunately, they were the only ones in the car.
“Thank you.” Celeste stood quietly. She wasn’t good at social small talk. The silence felt awkward to her.
“Where are you visiting from?”
“The north island.”
“What brings you to Danger Bluff?”
“I’m on vacation between jobs and wanted something in the wops.”
“In the wops,” Hawking repeated with a confused look.
“Oh, sorry. Kiwis use that for somewhere rural. I wanted to relax away from the congestion of the city. You know, out in the wop wops.”
“I like that. Wop wops. Danger Bluff is the perfect spot for a vacation,” he assured her.
When the doors opened, she darted forward. “I can take it from here.”
“Of course,” he said, releasing the handle of her rolling case. “It’s just two doors down that way,” he said, pointing in the direction for her.
Heading down the hall, she could feel him watching her until she got to her door. Quickly, she waved her keycard over the lock and wrangled everything inside. Celeste threw the packet onto the bed and clicked the lock into place.
After setting her bag on the desk, Celeste sat down on the bed and replayed her interactions with the large, obviously former-military guy. His accent had given his U.S. citizenship away, and his reaction to wop wops told her he hadn’t been in New Zealand for long. She attempted to keep her mind away from the feel of his hard body, but she failed miserably. His muscles have muscles.
“Okay. Enough drooling over the head of security. I need to get busy,” Celeste announced to the empty room.
She retrieved her laptop and plugged it into the socket to charge. Celeste had used most of the battery studying and restudying the documentation that had gotten her fired. There was no way a non-science person had doctored this. It had to be someone with an insight into research and the study of diseases.
Unfortunately, that didn’t narrow down her list of suspects. Virtually any research scientist in her company or its rivals could have changed the data. Even a competing drug company had the brainpower to make it look like she was totally off course.
She sat up straight as she pondered that idea. A drug company. They would have the motivation. A new possible cure or treatment that would make defeating cancer cells easier to isolate and kill would make the last-ditch medications that cost astronomical prices obsolete.
Celeste paced back and forth in her room as she tried to think. This didn’t work. She needed to go for a run. Quickly, she put her suitcase on the bed and pulled out a set of running gear and her shoes. After changing her clothes, she sat down to put on her shoes and then looked around for a good hiding spot.
There! Finishing her bow, she stood and retrieved the hard drive from her bag. In a few seconds, she had it placed with the small coffee pot the hotel provided. The black case blended in perfectly with the metal frame around the device. No one would look at it twice.
Tucking her keycard into her bra, she walked out of the room and ran down the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Within a minute, she was outside.