Page 28 of Cast in Shadow
She emerged a few minutes later, looking pale and tired.
“You okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
“Thanks for the unsolicited assessment. Is it time to go?” she asked wearily, pushing past him.
“Not yet.”
“Good.” She crawled back into bed and curled up into a ball, pulling the covers up to her face. “Wake me up when it is.”
Then, she yawned and burrowed further under the covers.
Well, at least now, he knew why she’d been up and restless all night. Or what she wanted him to think. It could be a ruse. Feigning sickness was easy enough. Perhaps she thought to play upon his sympathies in the hopes of getting him to run out for something on her behalf and then disappearing when he did.
He grunted. Not today, Robin Hood.
Zeke pulled on the zippered hoodie and gathered his keys, and then he slipped quietly out the door and into the stairwell. There he waited, watching through the narrow rectangular window, expecting her to exit any moment.
Nothing happened. Fifteen minutes went by before Zeke went back into the room. She was still there, curled into a tight little ball, huddled under the covers, shaking.
He reached out and gently touched his fingers to her forehead. Her skin was hot and damp.
Well, hell.
She stirred, and he quickly removed his hand.
One eye opened and regarded him. “Time to go?” she asked sleepily.
“Not yet. Need anything? Want some breakfast?”
“God, no,” she moaned.
“Okay. Go back to sleep.”
“Okay.” She closed her eyes and was out again almost immediately.
It appeared their time together would be extended for another day.
Chapter Twelve
Aggie
Mercenary or not, Zeke wasn’t immune to her discomfort. Aggie could use that to her advantage. In fact, she was quite skilled at faking illness. The white face powder and green concealer she carried in her small makeup bag were must-haves.
So far, her plan was working even better than expected. With the black eyes and the heavy bags from staying up all night, she looked like death warmed over. Toss in some shuffling feet, body curls, and soft moans, and she was very convincing. A hot, wet washcloth applied to the forehead at just the right moment clinched it.
Zeke was a smart guy—and a suspicious one. That was why she’d stuck around during his “test” exit. She needed more than a few minutes to make a proper escape.
He stuck around the room for a little while longer, then left again, presumably to get something to eat. She waited for several moments, then cautiously got out of bed.
She dressed quickly, then grabbed her bag, and slipped out. The timing couldn’t have been better. Room service carts were visible in every corridor.
Aggie went up one flight, and then she ducked into an open supply closet and waited.
The woman who came in was surprised to see her and started chastising her in heavily broken English. Aggie assessed her. The woman was motherly-looking and middle-aged, with a religious pendant peeking out from her uniform—the kind of woman who might be sympathetic to someone in trouble. Aggie pointed at her bruises and pleaded with the woman to help her escape. It was almost too easy.
