“But Miss—”
“It's over. I can't do this.”
Frowning, he moved so I could stand. I held the table, trying to make it clear I was alright without his support. “Please,” he said. “I need you to look over some photos. I need answers, clues, anything to help me catch this man before he does this again.”
Again.
Laralie's words came back to me. “Did he manage to really do it, hack another bank?”
Roose flinched, considering my question. “No, it was just an attempt through their system. But I'm positive it's the same guy as five years ago.”
I was dizzy; I fought not to sit down again. That man is really back?
Even though he was still swimming in my vision, I looked at him. “Detective,” I said slowly. “Let me give you my cell number. If I think of anything, I'll tell you.”
He puffed up, handing me his pen so I could scribble it on the notebook. “Thank you. Here, my card.” He slid it from his pocket, offering it to me. “If you don't call me first, I'll reach out to you. If that's okay?”
“Yeah, of course.”
His grin was polite, but I knew I'd disappointed him. I would have felt worse about that, except my stomach was still knotting and twisting.
When Roose left the conference room, I darted behind him, hurrying the opposite way towards the restroom. I was on the verge of being sick, the back of my throat itching.
Stumbling against the sink, I spun the knob. Water rushed out, my palms cupping it, splashing my sickly pale skin. In the mirror, I saw how drained I looked. It was as if I'd seen a ghost.
In a way, I did.
Those memories. I just... I didn't want them. I wanted that slice of my life to never float up again. In my pocket, my phone buzzed. Drying my hands, I slid it out, reading the screen.
Silver: Go to Lotus Spa on Fourth Street, they'll be expecting you. Bring the dress, you'll wear it tonight. I'm taking you to dinner.
He'd arranged for me to go to a spa, and he wanted to have dinner? I liked that way more than our secret sex club encounter.
I typed back, Sounds like a date. Before I hit send, I caught myself smiling in the mirror. Silver had taken me from sick and stressed, to giddy and excited in an instant.
Chuckling, I pushed the button, then put my phone away.
This man...
He made it so easy to forget my troubles.
- Chapter Nine -
Alexis
The spa was on a stretch of downtown that was reserved for high end shops. In other words, a place I rarely explored.
With the box containing my dress under one arm, I strolled through the doors and into the peaceful, wood-wind sounding waiting area. There was a woman at the counter, and she eyeballed me with doubt as I approached.
“Hey there,” I said, feeling out of place. “Apparently I have a reservation or something?”
Her drawn on eyebrows moved higher. “Oh?” With long, manicured nails, she flipped the pages of the book on the counter. “Name?”
Could he have picked a snootier spa? “Alexis. Alexis Willow.”
She started to smile, but her lips twitched. “Huh. Here you are.” She sounded surprised, double checking the list. Then, in a great show of skill, she put on a huge grin and spread her arms. “Welcome to the Lotus Spa! I see you've been booked for the deluxe package.”
I gripped the box a tad tighter. “I don't know if I'm a deluxe kind of person.”
“Nonsense! It comes with a salt scrub, a manipedi, a sea cucumber soak, and a make-up and hair blow out, as well as a massage!”
It took some effort not to laugh. “Salt and cucumbers? Are you prepping me to be cooked?”
The woman's sour disposition slid back into place. “It's good for your skin. You could use it, honey.”
“I... think I'll take the manipedi and the massage, but lets skip the food stuff.”
Clearly, she didn't know what to do about being told to take features off. Hovering with her hand by the book, she moved her lips but said nothing.
“Ah,” a sweeter voice piped up. Glancing over, I saw a young woman with a blonde bob haircut. She waved, grabbing my free hand gently. “I'm Sarina, I'll be working with you. Come with me, please.”
With a final peek at the still scowling host, I nodded. “My pleasure.”
Sarina pulled me around a corner, the marble floors echoing as we strolled. Around us, various plants decorated the minimal atmosphere, as did a small river that had been cut into one side of the floor.
The place was gorgeous, I had to admit.
“Here,” Sarina said, offering me a robe and some flip-flops as we entered a darker hallway. “Go put these on behind that screen, there's lockers for your items.”
I took the robe, testing its soft material. I hadn't expected to change, but it made sense. “Alright, thanks.” I walked behind the tall painted screens. They created tiny cubicles in what had to be a giant changing room.