Cameron lifted an eyebrow. “Icouldmake an inappropriate joke about that statement, but I’ll leave it be.”
I snorted, then stood. The hotel suite had a small living area separate from the bedroom.
“Are you good if I sleep?” I asked.
She went back to her computer, theclick-clickof rapidly punched keys erupting from the laptop like machine-gun fire. “You sleep. I’ll be fine.”
I walked to the bed, kicked off my shoes, and lay down, falling asleep almost instantly.
Several hours later,I was ready to leave. Cameron had her shoes on and stood by the door as if she was tagging along.
Narrowing my eyes, I pointed at her, then the door. “What do you think you’re doing?”
She shrugged on a light jacket. “I’m going with you.”
“Absolutely not.”
“What are you talking about?” Cameron glared at me and crossed her arms over her chest. “Of course I’m going.”
Sighing, I rested a hand on the hotel room door. “No, Cam. This is going to be stealth. Do you know what the enemy ofstealth is?More people. A single person can move more quietly and inconspicuously than two people.”
“I can be quiet,” she said, a dangerous, stubborn gleam in her eye. I was in trouble if I didn’t figure out a way to explain this to her without hurting her pride.
“That’s not the only issue. I need you here researching and working with any contacts you have at the paper to trace any illegal dealings back to the Masters.”
“I can do that anytime,” she retorted.
“Aren’t we on a bit of a time crunch?”
Cameron huffed. “Maybe.”
“Also, I’m going to be in my wolf form almost the whole time. Sneaking around a busy city like that, with how new you are to it, might freak you out. It could be difficult for you to focus and stay in tune with your wolf. Car alarms, flashing headlights, the fucking loud-ass sirens? It won’t be quiet and calm like back in the woods. I’m sure you’ll be fine one day, but this isnotthe place to practice.”
That finally sank in. An irritated frown spread across her face, and she looked at me with bitter but resigned understanding.
“Fine,” she said, flopping onto the couch. “I’ll stay. And I’m going to beveryangry about it.”
I grinned at her as I unlocked the door. “I’m sure you will. I’ll check that everything outside is safe before I go. Keep this door locked, and donotopen it for anyone but me. Got it?”
“Got it, boss.”
I ensured there were no strange people loitering around in the hallway and the lobby, then made three circuits of the grounds, checking for anyone who might be watching us or had somehow managed to follow us. I walked around the parking lot, then around the businesses surrounding the hotel, then shifted and ran a full mile around the place. Only when I was completelysatisfied that no one was around did I take off toward Lenny Nash’s last employment location.
With every step, I wondered what I might find there. Could it really bejusta garage? Nothing more than a place where people got their oil changed, tires rotated, and washer fluid filled? That seemed unlikely, though I wouldn’t know until I checked it out. Something about it screamed at the back of my mind. It was insane that Lenny had vanished from his construction job, only to end up four hours south in a garage owned by thesame peoplewho owned the construction company. No. There had to be a reason they wanted Lenny to work there.
The garage was located near a strip mall. On one side of the massive parking lot was a line of typical shops—a nail salon, a shoe store, a tax processing company, a mom-and-pop sandwich shop, and so on. The garage was across the road. It was larger than I’d anticipated. Seven huge bay doors, all closed and locked. On the right side, a combination office, showroom, and waiting area stood, accessible through nothing but a single glass door. The back of the building was nearly twice as big as the rest of the shop.
Padding through the shadows, I kept a lookout for anyone nearby. The businesses in the strip mall were all closed and locked up, their lights out. Any shadowy figures that might want to sneak up on me had plenty of places to hide. Undeterred, I made my way to the rear of the building.
For forty long minutes, I sat on my haunches in the shadows, watching. There was no movement, no noise, not a sign of anyone watching or lying in wait. In fact, the only sound or movement came from the steady rumble and thrum of traffic from the road. The headlights did nothing to illuminate the garage or strip mall, either, since a large, grassy berm blocked everything from the light of the cars.
Finally sure that it was safe, I shifted to my human form and strode toward the garage’s back door. As I went, I swiveled my head back and forth, still checking for danger or watchful eyes. A strange anxiety had taken hold, but I couldn’t pinpoint the reason for it. Could it simply be that I was far away from Cameron? Was it my worry that this would all be one big dead end? Whatever it was, I did my best to tamp those thoughts down and focus as I approached the door.
The rear entrance was a heavy steel door with a small keypad mounted on the right. Staring at it, I thought back on something Ollie had told me years ago in a similar situation.
People like to think they’re being safe with passwords and codes, but in reality, people are lazy. Lazy, and worried they’ll forget. Nine times out of ten, it’s ridiculously easy to guess. Those are the same people who will act horrified and confused when their stuff gets broken into.
Taking those words to heart, I tried the first few options that came to mind: 0000, 1111, 1234. Nothing. I glared at the keypad, wondering if the place had an alarm system. Maybe I could break a window and enter without anyone being signaled. I tossed that idea aside almost as soon as it entered my mind. No, that was too dangerous. Rookie shit.
