“You’re crying because you’re excited?”
I smile. “Yeah. We’re going to stay in a nice hotel and then tomorrow we’re going to take a bus ride somewhere fun.”
“To Oklahoma?”
My eyebrows lift. “Why Oklahoma?”
“We learned about it in school. There was a thing there called a land run. Can we do that?”
“I’m not sure if things still work like that, but we can go to Oklahoma if that’s where you want to go.”
“It is!”
“Once we get to the hotel, I’ll see if there’s a bus going to Oklahoma then.”
Because I’m sure my father won’t think to look for us there. He’ll start out in places where we have family, which is out west. The south won’t be on his radar, which makes it perfect. I lead the way down the stairs to the first floor and order an Uber. The car arrives a moment later and we get in. My nerves are all over the place. What if my father was talking out of his head? What if we get caught, and they say I’m kidnapping Chip and Belle? What if—
“Hey, lady. We’re here.”
“Oh. Thanks.”
Hôtel de Lumière is one of the most expensive hotels in the world. I know this because I watched a documentary on it. It rises high into the sky, and each room offers a view of the city or the lake. It’s been in the Di Bello family for a long time, but didn’t become successful until Luca Di Bello took over in 2001. I was one year old. That’s why I can’t figure out why anyone in the Di Bello family would want to buy me. I’m nothing to them, and they’ve all got to be so much older.
The exterior of the hotel is a golden color. It’s your first glance at the wealth and decadence that lies within the massive golden doors. Two men in royal purple bellhop outfits stand on each side of the doors and open them when we approach. The marbled tile floor is white with streaks of gold that catch the light from the massive chandelier. There’re pops of gold and royal purple everywhere, but the thing that surprises me most are the gold candelabras with real wax candles burning in them. You just don’t see that anymore, probably because it’s a massive fire danger.
“Can I help you?” A man asks, while sniffing the air as if something smells foul. Prick.
“I’m looking for Angela.”
“She will be out shortly. You may wait over there.”
He gestures to a corner behind a large potted plant. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess.
“Come on, Chip,” I mutter.
“Dove, that man scares me. He looks like he eats kids for breakfast.”
I mean, he’s kind of right. Outside, rain falls from the sky and a chilly breeze moves through the lobby when a man arrives. I shiver. It feels like an omen. What if this is a mistake? What if I was wrong, and being here put me right in the line of fire? I’m about ready to leave when an older woman walks toward me.
“I’m Angela. Are you Dove?”
“I am. Thanks again for doing this.”
She waves her hand. “It’s no problem. Now, do you have the cash?”
Reaching into my pocket, I pull out the money and hand it to her. She tucks it into her jacket and hands me a plastic keycard.
“You’re in room 711. The elevators are to the left. Try not to let anyone see you. I could get into a lot of trouble for selling you the room at such a discounted rate.”
I take the key before she changes her mind. “Thanks. We’ll be gone in the morning.”
She smiles at me and then darts away. Her nervous energy is contagious, and I grip the baby carrier and lead Chip toward the elevator.
A man stands inside and asks, “Which floor, ma’am?”
“Seven.”
The cart lifts and the man stares straight ahead as if we’re not even there. When we reach the seventh floor, we step onto plush carpet that my shoes sink into and follow the signs for our room. Chip lets out an excited squeal when I open the door. The room is bigger than our apartment and much nicer. Chip darts in and jumps onto the nearest bed.