Page 36 of Devil's Deal

“Thanks. Can you give me a second before you come over? I’m going to take Huey back into my office.”

She scrunched up her nose, then leaned close and whispered, “I hope you’re going to chat with him about his work ethic. He leaves poor Harlow on his own all the time.”

“How come you didn’t say anything?” Seriously, was I the only person who hadn’t noticed? What did that say about me as a boss? I knew Mac’s death had thrown me for a loop, and the troubles we’d been having hadn’t helped my state of mind, but this was ridiculous.

She shrugged. “I planned to a couple months ago, but Harlow asked me not to. He said that Huey had some problems at home, and he wanted to give him a chance. Did he finally say something to you himself?”

I nodded. “He did. I wish he had sooner, though. If Huey’s having personal problems, maybe I can help.”

Amy gave me a sympathetic smile. “You have the best heart.”

“Was that your way of saying I’m gullible?” I asked, already knowing the answer. I was a stooge.

She wavered her hand back and forth. “Maybe a little.”

I saw Huey walking in through the front door and checked my watch. He was either late or he’d taken a smoke break half-an-hour after starting his shift. “Okay, Amy. Give me a few minutes, and then…”

She nodded her head. “You got it.”

Dodging customers, I strode toward Huey with purpose. I hated confrontations, but I’d gotten better after all these years of running the hotel. I had to admit, it was much easier dealing with an irate customer than having to call an employee out. I rounded the front counter and tapped Huey on the shoulder. “Can I see you in my office?”

“Sure, big cheese.” He grinned.

When I only nodded and turned, heading toward my office, he followed on my heels and asked, “Am I in trouble?”

Holding the door open, I pointed toward the chair across from my desk. “No, but I’d like to have a conversation about a few things.”

He sat stiffly across from me with his hands folded in his lap. “What’s wrong?”

“Huey, do you enjoy working here?”

He shrugged. “Sure. I like working in hotels. Yours is kind of quirky, but…”

The way he said quirky didn’t send butterflies flapping around in my stomach like when Bosley said it. In fact, it sounded a little like he thought it was too cheesy. “Okay. You’re happy with your shifts? The times work for you?”

He shrugged again. “What’s not to like? Harlow’s so OCD that all I have to do is worry about a customer here and there.”

I didn’t like how this was going. First of all, did he always shrug like that? I knew I was easy-going, but I was still his employer. Maybe he was feeling defensive. Maybe I’d come at this from the wrong angle. “How are you doing after that guest chewing you out the other night?”

He shrugged again, slumping back in his seat and getting relaxed. I felt my eye twitch every time his shoulders moved. It was like talking to a sullen teenager. “It was no big deal. He intimidated me at first, but then you came over and handled it. I guess that’s why you’re the big cheese.” He cackled.

It was like the fog clearing on a cloudy day. He was making fun of me. He was being offensive when he called my hotel quirky. I knew this place and me weren’t for everyone, but it wasn’t like he had to be here. It was his job, for fuck’s sake. He could stand to show a little respect.

“Huey, are you positive that you enjoy working here?”

His gaze transitioned, becoming more intense, and he crossed his ankle over his knee. “Why? Who’s said something?” Before I could answer, he jumped up to his feet and continued, “I bet it was that guy you’ve been hanging out with. That customer. Bosley. I can tell he doesn’t like me.”

“No. What are you talking about?” How had I lost control of this conversation?

He waggled his finger at me. “If it wasn’t him, then it was that Dante guy. He’s another one. Are you even sure he’s from a security company? They look like bad news to me. They’re probably the ones breaking into the rooms.”

I shook my head. “Huey, that doesn’t even make any sense.” The break-ins started far before they came along.

He was worked up now, though, pacing back and forth. “Okay, so it wasn’t one of them. It couldn’t be Harlow. He’s too nice a guy.”

I had it. This was a side of Huey I’d never seen, and I didn’t much care for it. All I wanted to do was have a simple conversation. Granted, it was going to be uncomfortable, but it shouldn’t have been whatever the hell this was turning into. “You mean Harlow’s a pushover?”

He stopped and chuckled, the tone mean and condescending. “You notice that, too?” He shook his head. “That guy. He’d let me clock in and just sit outside and smoke without saying a word if I wasn’t such a nice guy.”

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