The Black Sheep and the English Rose by Donna Kauffman Page B

bill, Edgar.” He pushed in his chair, then lifted a satchel Finn hadn’t noticed he’d tucked under the table. “I trust you’ll also enjoy the remainder of your stay in New York. You’ll have to forgive me if I say I hope our paths don’t cross again.” He looked to Finn. “Pleasure meeting you, Dalton.” He glanced at Felicity, held her gaze for a moment longer than necessary, then favored her with a brief smile before turning and exiting the dining room as well.
    Felicity picked up a menu left behind by the waiter and flipped it open. Not so much as glancing in the direction of the departing Reese. “Well,” she said, sounding quite satisfied, “that went rather splendidly.”
    Finn didn’t know whether to throttle her, go after Reese, or order dinner. Chasing Reese right now would be pointless, as the man almost certainly had a town car waiting at the curb and would be long gone before Finn could exit the room. Felicity Jane could be supremely frustrating, but she was far from stupid, so he trusted she already had a few ideas about where Reese was likely to go next. Which left dinner.
    He opened his menu and skimmed over the list of entrees.
    A moment later he felt Felicity’s toes stroking the inside of his ankle. He didn’t look up.
    She merely laughed and stroked his leg a bit higher. His body—traitor that it was—leapt to life.
    â€œDon’t be put out with me,” she said, amusement still clear in her voice.
    He continued to look over the menu.
    She sighed, and stopped toying with his pant leg. A moment later she folded her menu, took a sip of champagne, then quite casually said, “Order quickly, darling. We have a hotel room to break into.”

Chapter 4
    â€œH e won’t come back here.” Finn crouched in front of the hotel door and slipped the demagnetizer through the key card slot. “We’re breaking and entering for no reason.”
    Felicity angled her body so anyone exiting the elevator wouldn’t immediately see what Finn was doing. Or trying to do. “I could have gotten the key card from the bellman; then we wouldn’t be breaking into anything. Technically.”
    Finn stood and opened the hotel door, motioning her inside first. “After you.”
    â€œAlways a gentleman.” She moved past him with a swish of her skirt. “And I agree with you. It’s doubtful he’d come back here after our little dinner party earlier. I’m sure he’s changed hotels by now.”
    â€œIf not cities,” Finn groused, following her inside. “So, pray tell, what are we doing here?”
    â€œLooking for clues before the cleaning service gets to work.”
    Finn glanced around, taking in the perfectly pristine dresser top and nightstand. “Because someone like John Reese would write fully detailed directions on hotel stationery and leave it carelessly by the bedside telephone?”
    Felicity wandered slowly around the room, eyeing every detail, from the clean surfaces to the way the blinds were set. Then she turned and walked over to the ice bucket and lifted the lid. “Ah.”
    Finn was in the process of opening every drawer in the place, but paused to look at her. “Ah, what?”
    â€œIce bucket with melted ice.” She turned once again in a slow rotation. “Gauging from the water left and the state of the ice cubes, I’d say he did come back here after dinner. Surprising.”
    â€œTo pack and check out, most likely, so he could get the hell out of the city.”
    â€œIf so, why get ice?”
    Finn folded his arms. “Maybe he needed a drink to calm himself down after his lovely dinner plans went to hell.”
    â€œPossibly. Except…I’m thinking he didn’t just come back here to pack.” She wandered into the master bathroom. “Bingo.”
    Finn came to the door and leaned against the frame.