Page 117 of Maneater
“Can we check where she was each time there was some kind of sabotage? I know the cameras have been tampered with for most of the issues, but where was she when, say, the break-in happened?”
“I can look. But I think we’re going to need some more info on her.” I nod, agreeing. “Where do we get it? She very much does not like you, so you can’t work your magic on her.”
Just then, my phone beeps with a new text from Rowan, saying he’s done with his calls and headed up with dinner. I smile wide at Rory, a brilliant idea coming to mind.
FORTY-FOUR
JOSIE
“It’s her,” Rowan says after we show him all of our newly discovered evidence. Rory and I give each other a disbelieving look before I give him a small smile and shake my head. “Seriously? You two don’t think it’s her?”
I shrug and feel the urge to pat his hand.
“We’ve done this a lot, Rowan. Trust us. She’s involved, don’t get me wrong, the same as Carter is. But it’s not her.” He sits back in disbelief, but I continue to explain our reasoning. “That clip of her before the fire? She was angry. She told our perp not to do it. It’s not her, but she knows who it is. She also didn’t come forward to tell on him, so there’s loyalty there, some connection. I’d go as far as to say our perp is doing it for her.”
His eyes go wide at that. “For her? Why would someone sabotage a hotel for someone?”
“People have done crazier things to get someone’s attention.”
“You think he’s trying to get her attention?”
I shrug. I havenothing substantial to go on for that theory, but I have a hunch. Nevertheless, I explain what little I do have. “Many of the sabotages have occurred in the spa,” I remind him.
It’s still fresh on his mind, of course, since when he walked in, he told us that part of why he was busy so long was because a massage table collapsed as an employee was prepping it for a guest. When he looked at it, he found it was missing three screws, the exact three that would’ve made it almost inevitable to collapse during a service. Thankfully, there was no service at the time, and no one was hurt, but it was another clear case of sabotage.
Rowan shakes his head and lets out a sigh. “That’s one way to get someone’s attention, I suppose.”
I smile and grab a french fry from the room service container he brought up, chewing thoughtfully before speaking again.
“We need to talk to her,” Rory says, beginning to pace the room. This is her least favorite part of a mission: when we’re close, but not there, and there’s just one piece missing before we can solve our problem.
“Good luck with that, because every time Tanya sees you, she looks like she hopes you choke,” Rowan says with a laugh.
I roll my eyes, but then I look over at him, taking in my man, all broad shoulders and rumpled hair, and I grin.
“Why do I feel like I am absolutely not going to enjoy whatever you’re about to say?” he asks with one exasperated sigh. I look from him to Rory, who smiles as well, already knowing where I’m going with this.
“Have you ever considered being a super cool undercover spy?” I ask.
The next morning,we have the cameras in Rowan’s office running and are watching attentively. Last night, after we convinced him this was our best option and he could totally pull it off, Rowan sent Tanya an email requesting that she visit his office bright and early, and she is due in his office at any moment.
“Do you feel it?” I ask, my voice low.
“Yeah,” Rory replies, and a chill washes over me with her confirmation.
There’s a moment in any given case where you feel it: the tipping point approaching, the moment where all of the pieces fall into place and everything makes sense. It’s in the air, and while I still don’t think Tanya is our culprit, she knows who is, and she is going to give us just a crumb of what we need to solve the case.
Today.
I can feel it in my bones, as sure as I know my own name.
Before I can say anything else, a knock comes from the monitor, and Rowan straightens. His shoulders go back, and he takes in a deep breath before he calls, “Come in.”
Even though this moment is incredibly important, I can’t help but steal a single moment to take in my man and how good he looks in a dark navy suit and a white button-down shirt with no tie, the top two buttons undone intentionally to really amp up the hot factor and get Tanya off her game.
But I can’t focus on that for long because the door opens and in walks Tanya, a strut in her step as she smiles too wide for my liking and pushes her chest out as she approaches his desk.
“Down, girl,” Rory mutters, and I realize the grip around the pen in my hand is turning my knuckles white. “He’s absolutely bonkers for you, no need to get jealous.”
