Page 21 of Bishop's Flight
Brigid leaned closer to Miguel. “I won’t be able to stay in here long,” she murmured. “Can you get the footage from the car show without me? You have the picture of the girl, right?”
Miguel looked around the room and his eyes went wide. “Ohhh, right.” He nodded. “I’ll make an excuse for you. Go, and I’ll see if they can send it over or something, right?”
“I’m gonna wander ’round, see if I can question some of the staff.”
Miguel nodded. “Sounds good.”
“I’ll meet you by the valet station in an hour?”
“Sure thing.”
Brigid waved at the manager. “I’m very sorry, but I need to make a call. Miguel has all the information that Agnes and Rose requested. Would it be okay if I step out?”
“Of course.” He showed her to the door, and Brigid saw a monitor go black when she bumped into it. “Not quite sure what’s happening with that, but I assure you our technology and surveillance system is state-of-the-art.”
“I’m sure it is.” She pulled out her picture of the girl. “We’re looking for this young woman in particular. Our information says she may have been traveling with the auto show. Miguel has the details.”
He nodded. “I’ll make sure our screeners are aware.” He paused. “Is she dangerous?”
“Only to teenage boys. Probably.” Brigid smiled a little, then backed out of the room and walked back toward the front of the convention center.
She had a bartender to find.
Brigid hadn’t beento many conventions when she was human, but the one thing that she remembered was that most conversations and socializing happened at the bar. She searched for a watering hole in the casino nearest to the convention center and found herself wandering under a pair of arches just off a large stage where a colorful wheel was spinning.
Inside the bar, screens plastered the walls, set high up to remain visible throughout the bar. Sports of every type were playing on different televisions, and on the largest one that hung over the bar, a European football match was in full swing.
This was definitely the kind of place automotive conventiongoers would congregate.
She sat at the bar and leaned on it, purposefully allowing her amnis to spark and short out the video poker game under the glass.
“Oh!” A girl rushed over in a black-and-white checkered apron. “I’m so sorry about that. Do you want to pick another seat?”
“No worries. I wasn’t going to play.”
The girl drew a paper napkin from under the bar and set it in front of her. “What can I get you?”
A group of men in red-and-yellow-striped jerseys erupted into shouts and applause as one of the teams scored a goal on the big screen.
Brigid smiled. “Soccer fans, are they?”
The girl leaned closer. “Don’t let them hear you call it that. They get a little touchy about it. It’sfootball.”
Brigid smiled. “I’ll have a whiskey and soda please.” She wouldn’t drink much of it, but it was always good to pay the bartender. “D’ya work here all the time?”
The girl glanced at her, possibly trying to judge if Brigid was hitting on her. “I work here pretty regularly. My boyfriend works nights, so it’s nice to be on the same schedule, you know?”
Clever boyfriend insert.
“My husband is a night owl too.”See? We’re just two heterosexual ladies shooting the breeze.“My name’s Brigid.”
“Sierra.” The girl tapped her name badge. “So is it your first time in Vegas?” She set the drink in front of Brigid. “Let me get your receipt.”
“Or I can start a tab.” She pointed toward the convention center. “I’m waiting for my partner. He’s inquiring about the convention security. Our boss is thinking about hosting an event next year. You get much convention traffic here?”
“Oh, for sure.” She took the hundred in cash that Brigid held out. “What kind of convention is it?”
“Motorbikes and motorbike accessories,” Brigid said. “Motorcycles they call them here, yeah? We work for a European company, and our boss has a collection of old Triumphs and Indians. Thinking about arranging some kind of show with his buddies here in the States.”
