Page 37 of The Scenic Route
He grunted as he took in the information. “They were married twice?”
“Yeah,” she answered. “Jane’s first and fourth marriages. Molly and I are full sisters, even though she’s the oldest and I’m the youngest.” Although Felicity knew that he’d found all this out in his background check on Jane, she still enjoyed sharing bits of herself with him.
“Do you… Hang on.”
Whatever he’d been about to ask was forgotten as the pickup carrying Clint and Dino exited off the interstate. Felicity cheered. Even Bennett gave one of his little half smiles, so sheknew he was also ecstatic they’d get to stop soon. He accelerated down the exit ramp, getting a bit closer to their quarry before the pickup merged into traffic.
“Things are really hopping for three in the morning,” she said, leaning against her window. There was so much to look at, and everything was lit up like it was the middle of the day. All the visual stimulation was overwhelming.
“Vegas.” Bennett’s grunt had a whole heap of resignation in it, making Felicity laugh.
“I’ve been here a few times,” she admitted, “but never for long, and I’ve never been to the Strip. It’s…a lot.”
“They’re turning.”
Felicity refocused on the old pickup as it took a right to stop in front of a slightly shabby-looking hotel. Bennett kept driving. Although she expected him to circle around, he continued for a couple of miles and pulled in front of a casino. A valet rushed to open her door, and she paused long enough to give Bennett a look before allowing the valet to help her out. Her joints and muscles complained about the long stretch in her car, although her ankle seemed to have improved a bit from the long rest. She wondered how Bennett—who was about two and a half of her—managed the drive without bursting out of the car in western Colorado and refusing to get back inside.
She stretched surreptitiously while looking at the entrance to the casino, trying to hide her awe at the grandeur of the place. From Bennett’s arched brow, she didn’t succeed very well.
“Everything’s just sosparkly,” she muttered under her breath, leaning toward him so only he would hear.
One corner of his mouth twitched up, and the look he directed at her was so soft and affectionate that her breath caught. She shook her head, dismissing the idea. Her Bennett-reading skills were just glitchy. That had to be it.
Two people in uniform opened the doors, and Bennett rested his hand on her lower back to usher her inside. Her stomach fizzed with excitement, and her heart beat faster, two things that usually only happened when she was close to bringing in a skip. She bit the inside of her lower lip, trying to bring back her reason and common sense. When that didn’t work and a thrill still swept through her at the warm press of his palm on her back, she decided it was lack of sleep that was making her irrational. Once she got a good night’s rest, her brain would reset, and all these ridiculous feelings would disappear.
“Is Ronan around?” Bennett asked after they passed through the sumptuous lobby to reach the desk.
“I’ll check,” the woman behind the desk said. “And your name?”
“PI Green.”
As the woman stepped away, Felicity faced Bennett. “Any reason we didn’t circle around and tackle Dino at that other hotel? We could’ve been back in Simpson by midafternoon.”
“You need food and a real bed,” he said.
She did, but it felt wrong to leave the skip they’d just trailed for half a day through four states. “What if they leave? Vegas is huge. We’ll never find them.”
He shrugged. “Doubt they’re going anywhere tonight. They’ve got to be as tired as we are. Besides, we’re running onfumes. No sense in coming all this way and then fumbling the takedown.”
As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. Her ankle was better but still not a hundred percent, she was stiff from the car ride, and her blood sugar had to be bottoming out. “Okay. Sure you don’t want to stay at the same hotel as Clint and Dino though? That way, we can keep an eye on them.”
He looked like he smelled something bad. “That place is a pit.”
As tired as she was, Felicity still had to laugh. “You’re a terrible snob.”
“I am not.” Despite his words, the way he lifted his chin and looked down his nose at her in the most offended way just proved her accusation to be true. He was one step away from clutching his pearls. Her laugh gained strength, and she had to take a few deep breaths in order to keep from losing it in a complete belly-hurting, pig-snorting, exhaustion-fueled bout of laughter.
“Green!” a male voice called from across the lobby. A tall, urbane man in a gorgeous suit with flaming red hair and neatly trimmed beard strode over to Bennett, his hand extended. “Good to see you! I thought you’d never take me up on my offer.”
Bennett shook the other man’s hand, and although he didn’t smile, Felicity had a feeling that Bennett liked the man she assumed was Ronan.
“And who is this beauty?” Ronan asked, taking her hand and holding it gently, like it was a precious baby bird, rather than shaking it.
“Felicity Pax,” Bennett said, moving a little closer to her. “Ronan Fitzgerald.”
“Felicity Pax,” Ronan repeated, turning her name into a purr. Although she was pretty sure his greeting would’ve melted the panties off most women, Felicity just wanted to snort-laugh again.
Keeping a straight face with a great deal of effort, she nodded at Ronan and retrieved her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
