The roar of the engine died down a little bit as the car slowed. “Sorry!”
Five white-knuckle minutes later, we pulled into the parking lot of the Marriott where Hunter was staying. I tried calling him again as we ran inside, but once again it went straight to voicemail. I took a quick glance around: there was a check-in desk straight ahead, and a breakfast bar to the right selling drinks and food.
“Excuse me,” I said to the hotel clerk behind the check-in desk. “I have an emergency. I need to know what room Hunter Cade is staying in.”
The clerk’s hospitable smile wavered. “Miss, I’m sorry, but I cannot give out the details of our hotel guests. Especially ones of special notoriety.”
I realized what he was implying. “We’re not crazy fans of his. Heknowsus.”
“If you know him, then why not call him? Why show up here searching for him?”
“He’s not answering his phone!” I said, exasperated. “I’m in love with him, and I need to tell him so as soon as possible.”
“In love with him?” His smile became patronizing. “I’m sure you are, miss.”
Lizzy planted both palms on the desk and leaned forward. “Listen, jackass. If you don’t tell us what room Hunter Cade is staying in, I’m going to start knocking on doors until I find the right one. And I bet I can disrupt alotof hotel guests before the police arrive.”
Before the clerk could respond, the man behind the breakfast bar spoke up. “You’re looking for Mr. Cade?”
“Yes!” I rushed over to him. “You know who we’re talking about?”
The man spoke while cleaning individual pieces of the coffee machine. “Met him last night while tending bar. He came down for drinks and food, but he didn’t eat much of his food, if you know what I’m saying. I haven’t seen someone that intent on getting sloshed in a long time. He was on amission. Told me he made the biggest mistake of his life, and ruined a chance at true love. I’m guessing he’s talking about you?”
“Fred!” the clerk yelled. “You cannot gossip about hotel guests to any random person who walks through the door!”
Fred ignored him and focused on me. “He made a phone call last night before going upstairs. I told him that was probably a bad idea in his inebriated state, but giving advice to a drunk man is like arguing with a brick wall.”
“The voicemail!” I suddenly remembered. I pulled out my phone and hit play.
“Hey,” came Hunter’s voice, slurring drunkenly. “It’s me. That guy you’ve been doing stuff with. I’m hurt you won’t believe me about everything, so I uploaded some old videos. I should have edited them, but fuck it. I hope you watch them because it shows how I really feel about you. If they don’t convince you, nothing will.
“It sucks that things aren’t going to work out this time. Maybe we can try again in five more years, when we’re both in a better place. Or maybe in another life. But for now, I can’t make you choose between me and Brad. He’s the only family you have left. Family is important, Erica. Don’t throw it away, especially not for a guy like me.”
Lizzy had her head pressed close to mind so she could listen. “Oh, goddamnit. He’s going the selfless route. You really messed things up last night, didn’t you?”
Despaired, I turned back to the bartender. “We’re trying to find what room he’s in, but the clerk won’t tell us.Pleasehelp us if you can. Did he charge his drinks to the room? Can you tell us?”
The clerk was suddenly next to us. “If he tells you, and you end up doing somethingcrazy, the hotel could be sued!”
“I do know what room he’s in,” the bartender said. “But, it doesn’t matter. He grabbed coffee and lunch here an hour ago. He was in a hurry to check out. He had a two o’clock flight to catch.”
“Dang it, Fred!” the clerk hissed.
“What? If you had told them he checked out, they would have gotten out of your hair five minutes ago.”
I looked at my watch. It was a quarter to one. His flight would be boarding soon. “Thank you so much!” I turned to Lizzy. “We have to get to the airport.Now.”
She grinned as we hurried out of the hotel. “Are you asking what I think you’re asking?”
“Yes,” I said as we jumped in the car. “I’m asking you to drivefast.”
Her grin bordered on lust. “Honey, say no more.”
45
Erica
Every muscle in my body was tight like a wire as Lizzy weaved in and out of traffic on the interstate. The radio was playingDanger Zoneby Kenny Loggins, but I could barely hear it over the scream of the Mustang engine. She gripped the shifter knob with fingernails painted pink, downshifting as she got stuck behind a semi-truck and then shifting up to fly around it when she found a gap in traffic.