The sudden silence of the engine caught Jo's attention and she let her thoughts slip away to peer around. They were in a parking garage.
"Where are we?" she asked, glancing to Nicholas.
"A hotel," he said quietly, opening his door to get out. "We can talk here and I need some sleep."
Jo glanced to Charlie. The German shepherd had remained quiet and still during the ride, but now he stood up, tail wagging and eyes bright. Happy to see him looking so much better, Jo smiled and patted his head, glancing around when the back door opened. Nicholas was leaning in to get a duffel bag. She watched briefly, but then reached for her door handle and got out. Charlie immediately followed and Jo murmured, "Good dog" as she closed the door, but then frowned as she recalled Nicholas saying they were at a hotel.
"Do they take dogs here?" she asked, walking to the back of the van.
"They'll take Charlie," he assured her, straightening and slamming the back door closed. "Come on."
Nicholas took her arm to lead her across the garage toward the hotel entrance.
Jo patted her leg, a silent order for Charlie to follow, though she needn't have bothered. He never left her side when they were out of the apartment. He rarely left it in the apartment. Charlie was definitely a one-woman dog.
It was mid-afternoon and the hotel lobby was busy as they entered, but most of the people were coming and going. There was only one person ahead of them at the check-in desk, a man in a business suit who finished his business and moved off as they approached.
"I'm Mr. Smith and we need a room," Nicholas announced, releasing her arm. "I'm paying cash."
"We need a credit card to secure a room, sir, and we don't allow dog—Very good, sir," the man interrupted himself to say suddenly, and Jo's eyes sharpened on the clerk. His voice had gone from polite disinterest to an empty wooden tone in a heartbeat, and his face was just as empty as he passed over a packet of card keys.
"Thank you." Nicholas took the cards, dropped several bills on the counter, and then urged Jo away.
"What did you do to him?" she asked with a frown.
"Nothing," he said at once. "You were there."
"Yes, I was, and he was politely refusing us a room when he suddenly changed his tune and, I suspect, not all on his own. Somehow you made him—"
"Sir, I'm afraid dogs aren't allowed in this hotel."
Nicholas slowed, and Jo glanced around to see a man in the hotel's golden jacket approaching.
"The check-in clerk should have told you that, I'm sorry," the man continued, and then suddenly paused just a foot from them, smiled woodenly, and offered, "Enjoy your stay, sir,"
Nicholas grunted and urged Jo forward again, hurrying her to the elevators with Charlie padding along at her side. The dog's head was turning this way and that as he examined this new environment, but he stayed close enough to her that his shoulder kept bumping her leg. They reached the bank of elevators just as one arrived, and followed another couple on board.
They all smiled politely at one another, but the woman's smile was a bit nervous as she glanced at Charlie.
"He doesn't bite," Jo assured her quietly, and the woman's smile widened a little, but she still eyed Charlie like he might leap up and muddy her skirt or chomp his teeth into her arm at any moment. It was a relief when the elevator stopped and the other couple got off. The elevator continued up then, and Jo watched the numbers light up. They rode all the way to the top floor.
Nicholas led the way off the elevator and paused briefly before turning right. He led her up the long corridor, past a maid's cart. Jo glanced in the room as they passed, catching a glimpse of a maid making the bed, and immediately picked up speed to get Charlie past the door before the woman turned and noted his presence.
Nicholas led her all the way to the second last door before he paused and inserted one of the card keys. When the light on the door blinked green, he pushed the wooden panel open, and then held it wide for Jo and Charlie to precede him.
Jo stepped past him, glancing appreciatively at the comfortable room as they went… and doing her best to ignore the fact that there was only one king-sized bed.
"Sorry," Nicholas muttered, glancing around as he entered behind her. "I should have asked for two beds. I can go down and—"
"It's all right," Jo interrupted. "The bed is huge. You could practically swim in it."
Nodding, he tossed his duffel bag on the bed and turned back to the door. "I need to go get something to eat. Make yourself comfortable, I won't be long."
Jo turned in surprise to find the door already closing behind him. Cursing, she crossed the room at a quick clip and tugged the door open, but when she stepped into the hall he was gone. The only thing out there was the maid's cart they'd passed earlier, otherwise the hall was empty. Jo stared up toward the elevators in amazement. It was as if he'd just disappeared.