Broken (Otherworld 6)

"Actually, I'm sticking close to the hotel today. Doctor's orders--"

"Then I'll come there. Erin's gone to my sister's. Getting her out of the city during all this seemed wise. I'll close the shop early and head over. Oh, and I can take a look at that letter while I'm there. You still have that, don't you?"

Clay frowned and shifted closer to hear better.

I told her I had the letter, and she was welcome to examine it.

"Excellent. Now where are you staying?"

I glanced at Clay. "The same hotel we gave you the phone number for."

"Oh? You're still there? Yes, of course you are--"

"No, I'm sorry. Completely forgot. We moved last night. We're at the Marriott over by the Eaton Centre. I'll meet you in the lobby."

"The letter's right there on the table," I said as we brought Anita into our hotel room. "There are gloves beside it."

She headed straight for it. I collapsed onto the bed.

"Tired, darling?" Clay asked.

"Too hot," I said, then looked at the nightstand. "Where's the bottled water?"

"Finished it. I'll run down and grab some more."

"No, get juice. Do they have cranberry?" I pushed up from the bed. "Here, I'll go with you. Anita--"

"I'm fine, dear," she said, head still down as she examined the letter.

Two minutes later, Anita Barrington opened our hotel room door, slipped out and nearly barreled into Clay, planted in the hallway. She spun and saw me blocking the other side.

"Oh, you're back," she said. "That was quick. I was just--"

"Leaving..." I waved at the tube in her hand. "With our letter."

A small laugh. "Oh, dear, this doesn't look good, does it? But I wasn't leaving. I was coming down to see you, and it didn't seem safe to leave this in the room."

As she spoke, Clay opened the room door. I waved Anita in. She hesitated, looking across our faces, then went inside.

"Now," she said as the door closed. "About that story I brought--"

"Don't bother unless it's the real one," Clay said.

I grasped the end of the letter tube. She clung to it for a second before letting go.

"She's right, though," I said to Clay. "We need to be more careful about this. Someone could break in and ransack our room looking for it."

He nodded. "Someone who knew where we were staying."

"Because that person specifically asked for our hotel phone number. Someone who must have figured out what we are, so she knew she needed a potion to cover her scent when she broke in."

"Someone who can cast blur spells, knockback spells, probably cover spells too...which is why we didn't see her in the bathroom."

Anita looked from Clay to me. "I don't think I follow. Did someone break in--"

"Earlier, you asked me where we were staying. You knew we had a reason to move last night."

She laughed. "No, dear, I have a very poor memory. I completely forgot that you told me which hotel--"