Page 21 of Sackett
In what seemed like no time, Maverick was back, a plastic bag dangling off one hand.He got back into the car and passed the bag backwards.
“It’s not much but they’ll get you into the hotel.”He started the car, and she opened the bag as he backed out of space and got back on the road.
In the bag she found a pair of black canvas shoes, like she’d worn as a teenager, and a package of thick fuzzy socks.They weren’t socks she normally would have worn with shoes, or at least shoes where they would be seen, but they were thick and would be soft against her sore feet.She couldn’t help but smile at how thoughtful he’d been as she pulled everything out, setting the shoes on the seat beside her.She fumbled for a moment with the socks, trying to figure out how to get them apart.
A click caught her attention.She looked up to find Sackett cutting the connector holding the shoes together with a knife he’d obviously pulled from one of his many pockets.When he’d finished, he offered her the knife, handle first.
“Careful, it’s sharp.”
She looked at the knife, then down at where her hands still trembled.Without a word she just handed him the socks.
He cut the little plastic bits then handed them back.Selena shook her head and wondered what was wrong with her, but picked up one foot and gently pulled a sock on, then the thin shoes, glad it was too dark to see how bad the damage was and that she had the extra layer of the fluffy socks to walk on.
“Where’s your room key?”Sackett said, once she’d gotten both shoes on, drawing her attention again as he put her briefcase into the seat beside her.She dug into the pocket where she’d put it this morning, then replaced it after confirming it was there and hadn’t been taken or moved while they were working on her feet.
The SUV slowed and turned.She looked up and realized they’d reached the hotel.
“I’m on the fourth floor.”
“I know,” Sackett said.
She frowned at him wondering how he could know that.
“You gave us the room number earlier.”
Of course, how had she forgotten that?No, she pushed the self-recrimination out of her head.She had a lot going on tonight and she was still not quite as with it as she’d prefer.
“Ready?”Maverick asked, looking in the mirror, Selena wasn’t sure if he was asking her or Sackett, but did it matter?She was more than ready to go up to her room where she could try to figure out what to do next.
19
SacketthelpedSelenaoutof the car while Maverick grabbed their bags from the back.They were on their way to the door when Maverick handed him his bag.He swung it over one shoulder and let it settle onto his back while still moving.
“That’s all you have?”Selena said with a frown.
“It’s all I need.”He and Maverick had given nearly everything Malice and the others had brought down with them back, except for a pair of pistols.They wouldn’t be going unarmed until they knew the threat was over.What they’d do with them when it was time to go, he wasn’t sure yet, but he’d figure it out.
He and Maverick took positions on either side of Selena as they went inside and to the elevator.They wanted to be sure that if anything happened, they were in position to keep her from getting hurt.
When they reached the room, he waited in the hall while Maverick cleared the room, making sure there was no one who shouldn’t be in the room and that the room hadn’t been obviously ransacked.
“Clear,” Maverick’s voice carried from the bedroom.
Sackett let Selena into the room, closing the door then locking the deadbolt and flipping the flimsy chain replacement lock.
“You’re safe and in for the night, do whatever you need to do,” Sackett said turning back to where Selena stood in the middle of the room, looking a little lost.He watched as she took a deep breath and seemed to pull herself together.She looked up and met his gaze.
“First thing I’m going to do is to order food.Then I’m going to take a shower while I wait for it to be delivered.I haven’t had anything but a few bottles of water since breakfast and that was just coffee.”
“It’s after one a.m.What’s open?”
“Not much from the looks of it,” Maverick said from where he stood near a sliding glass door.“And if you go for delivery it’s going to cost twice as much.”He shook his head.“There’s a Denny’s not too far away.Tell me what you want, and I’ll go pick it up.”He turned his phone so he could type more easily and took a step closer before glancing up at them.
“You don’t have to do that,” Selena dropped her gaze and looked away.“I’m sure you’re tired.”
“I’m not going to be sleeping anytime soon anyway.Plus, I’m hungry too.What about you?”He looked up at Sackett.
“I could eat.”
