Page 65 of Enthrall Shadows
I followed the hallway until I reached the kitchen.
Staff buzzed around preparing entrees and setting them on trays.
I’d lost my appetite.
The middle-aged man dressed in a black suit was easy to distinguish as the butler.
“We’ve not formally met.” I stepped forward and offered him my hand.
He shook it. “Hello, sir,” he said, with a highbrow British accent.
“I’m Henry, and you are?”
“Alstead, sir.”
“Great to meet you finally.” I glanced around at the Downton Abbey crew.
My childhood on replay.
“Let’s set a meeting so you can all tell me what you need,” I said.
“What you need is more important, sir,” said the butler.
My focus returned to him. “First name?”
“Conrad, sir.”
“You can call me Henry.” I motioned for us to move toward a more private area. “Conrad, were you tasked with checking me out of the Bel Air Hotel?”
“Yes, sir.”
He’d have found the suite pristine—a habit from my military days.
“There was a personal letter, in the safe.”
He thought on it. “The safe was empty, sir.”
Feeling uneasy, I asked, “How did you get in it?”
“I found the safe open upon my arrival. I had the manager check the room afterwards.” Conrad thought on it some more. “I packed up all your personal items. Nothing was left behind.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes, sir. Quite sure.”
Yet I was the only one with the pass-code to the safe.
“Call the hotel. Double check for me, please.” My throat constricted with dread.
Lilly would have checked out of her hotel by now. Maybe the chance to trace her had gone cold. Just like her mother, she’d disappeared into the ether.
It had been ridiculous of me to wait so long.
I faced the awkward quietness of the staff. They stared back, waiting for me to share some insight or offer some wisdom.
I must have appeared off-kilter.
“Thank you,” was all I could say.
