Merkaba, a supernatural suspense series (Walk the Right Road, Book 3) by Lorhainne Eckhart Page A
Authors: Lorhainne Eckhart
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had taken care of the problem.” He slammed his hand on the table, and Diane’s notebook jumped.
She closed the notebook and the file, then folded her hands and rested her arms on the table. “Patrick, I understand your irritation. But we need to find Brian first. Also, do you know who broke in and pulled Brian off? As Alecia led us to believe, she didn’t see her rescuer, and the maid wasn’t much help, as she’s so worried about losing her job.”
Patrick frowned and swept his hand through the air. He paused for a second before scraping back his chair. “We’re staying at the same motel as Alecia, in her room. Please call me if you have any leads.”
He was at the door with his hand on the handle when Diane said, “Now I’m convinced there’s something up with the man who rescued your daughter. First her, now you evading my questions… Who is he? Now I know it’s no coincidence.”
Chapter 17
Patrick took his time climbing the steps up to the second level of the motel. He stopped and looked over the parking lot and down the long corridor. The maid’s cart was stopped halfway down. Patrick strode toward it and frowned at the large lot and the busy street below: businesses, restaurants … places where a man could get lost if he knew his way around. But where was Brian hiding? Patrick would bet his last dollar that Brian knew he was here now, and if he were smart, he’d be a hundred miles away. Only cowards lurked in the shadows, waiting to hurt a woman, to beat her down and steal her power. Brian had almost done that to his daughter, almost, but she was stronger then she’d admit. Patrick and Harriet had spoken of their fears on the flight out, but Harriet’s troubles, when he had made her leave for five years, had scarred their daughter worse than he thought.
Patrick tapped on the open door, peering into the room where a thin maid in a grey, sack-like dress was vacuuming. She jumped when Patrick knocked louder. Her big, dark eyes widened, and her face paled as she stared at Patrick. She pressed her hand to her chest, and he knew she was terrified of him.
He held his hands up to calm her but didn’t step closer. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m Alecia’s father.”
She stared, as if confused, and didn’t say a word.
“Alecia, the guest who was beaten up,” he clarified. “I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.… I don’t know anything.” Her face paled. “I have to keep cleaning, sir, if you’ll excuse me.”
“Now, hang on a second. I just want to talk to you. Were you the maid who let Brian into her room?” He watched the scrawny young lady tremble and purse her lips tightly.
Patrick sighed, reached into his pocket, and extracted a fifty-dollar bill. He folded the bill and offered it to her. “It’s just between you and me. No one else will know. I’ll repeat nothing.”
She glanced behind him and then stepped forward, taking the fifty. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize he was trouble. I believed him when he said he was her husband. He was so handsome and didn’t look like someone who would do what he did.”
“That’s exactly how they get you. They’re masters at making you believe they’re harmless. Did he tell you where he had come from, what car he drove?” Patrick wondered for a moment if he’d have to pay her more.
“No, he said he was here to surprise his wife. When the other tall guy told me to open the door after we heard the scream, the first guy pushed past me and ran down the stairs. It happened so fast, but he ran across the street. I heard a car squeal its tires and looked then. It was a white sedan, a brand new one. Oh, wait a second.…” She frowned and then waved a finger in the air. “I’m sure it was a rental car, as it had one of their logos on it.”
It was a place to start, as he thought about it. Rental car agencies had to keep records, and how many places could there be in this area? “Thank
She closed the notebook and the file, then folded her hands and rested her arms on the table. “Patrick, I understand your irritation. But we need to find Brian first. Also, do you know who broke in and pulled Brian off? As Alecia led us to believe, she didn’t see her rescuer, and the maid wasn’t much help, as she’s so worried about losing her job.”
Patrick frowned and swept his hand through the air. He paused for a second before scraping back his chair. “We’re staying at the same motel as Alecia, in her room. Please call me if you have any leads.”
He was at the door with his hand on the handle when Diane said, “Now I’m convinced there’s something up with the man who rescued your daughter. First her, now you evading my questions… Who is he? Now I know it’s no coincidence.”
Chapter 17
Patrick took his time climbing the steps up to the second level of the motel. He stopped and looked over the parking lot and down the long corridor. The maid’s cart was stopped halfway down. Patrick strode toward it and frowned at the large lot and the busy street below: businesses, restaurants … places where a man could get lost if he knew his way around. But where was Brian hiding? Patrick would bet his last dollar that Brian knew he was here now, and if he were smart, he’d be a hundred miles away. Only cowards lurked in the shadows, waiting to hurt a woman, to beat her down and steal her power. Brian had almost done that to his daughter, almost, but she was stronger then she’d admit. Patrick and Harriet had spoken of their fears on the flight out, but Harriet’s troubles, when he had made her leave for five years, had scarred their daughter worse than he thought.
Patrick tapped on the open door, peering into the room where a thin maid in a grey, sack-like dress was vacuuming. She jumped when Patrick knocked louder. Her big, dark eyes widened, and her face paled as she stared at Patrick. She pressed her hand to her chest, and he knew she was terrified of him.
He held his hands up to calm her but didn’t step closer. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m Alecia’s father.”
She stared, as if confused, and didn’t say a word.
“Alecia, the guest who was beaten up,” he clarified. “I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.… I don’t know anything.” Her face paled. “I have to keep cleaning, sir, if you’ll excuse me.”
“Now, hang on a second. I just want to talk to you. Were you the maid who let Brian into her room?” He watched the scrawny young lady tremble and purse her lips tightly.
Patrick sighed, reached into his pocket, and extracted a fifty-dollar bill. He folded the bill and offered it to her. “It’s just between you and me. No one else will know. I’ll repeat nothing.”
She glanced behind him and then stepped forward, taking the fifty. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize he was trouble. I believed him when he said he was her husband. He was so handsome and didn’t look like someone who would do what he did.”
“That’s exactly how they get you. They’re masters at making you believe they’re harmless. Did he tell you where he had come from, what car he drove?” Patrick wondered for a moment if he’d have to pay her more.
“No, he said he was here to surprise his wife. When the other tall guy told me to open the door after we heard the scream, the first guy pushed past me and ran down the stairs. It happened so fast, but he ran across the street. I heard a car squeal its tires and looked then. It was a white sedan, a brand new one. Oh, wait a second.…” She frowned and then waved a finger in the air. “I’m sure it was a rental car, as it had one of their logos on it.”
It was a place to start, as he thought about it. Rental car agencies had to keep records, and how many places could there be in this area? “Thank
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