Texas Takedown. Heather Woodhaven
slowed. “Where to?”
She pointed to the left. Even though she’d requested a top floor, they’d put her on the bottom floor, where she could hear every footstep and door closing all night long. The smell of wet carpet hit her sinuses. The moisture was either from the heavy humidity or the remnants of a flooding.
Judging by Matt’s tight lips, his hotel didn’t suffer the same problem. She pointed at the door to the left. “This is me.”
“Okay. I’ll head for the ice machine while you get settled.” The moment her hand touched the door, Matt’s support left her. He strode down the hallway.
She pushed the plastic key into the slot, but instead of the little light turning green, the door opened, almost as if on its own. Strange. Had she not closed it all the way?
Utter darkness greeted her. Her breath hitched. She’d purposefully left the lamp on. Had housekeeping turned it off? She glanced at the door handle. The Do Not Disturb sign was still hanging where she’d placed it. Her back went rigid. Logically, it was possible the lightbulb had burned out.
She groped for the light switch but couldn’t remember where it was. Her heart slammed into her chest as she searched for it with no result. What if someone was in the room, waiting for her? She jumped backward into the hallway, letting the door close in front of her. “Matt?” She hated the way her voice shook.
“Everything okay?”
“I think someone’s been in my room.” Her voice shook. He was going to think she’d turned into a basket case.
His long stride reached her in a heartbeat. “Are you sure?”
She shook her head. “No, but—” She waved at the door. “It’s different.”
His brow furrowed as he studied her. “May I?” He took the plastic key from her hand. The door opened easily as he stepped into the blackness. “Probably just housekeep—” Light flooded the room and into the hallway.
Her shoulders dropped. He’d found the light switch, which meant she had overreacted.
He spun around. Lines creased his forehead. “Izzy, call the police.”
* * *
Matt couldn’t believe his eyes. Every inch of her hotel room had been ransacked. The drawers weren’t just open but pulled out of the dresser. The couch cushions and king-size mattress had been flipped.
The police directed him to wait in the hotel lobby as they interviewed Isabelle and the hotel staff. Isabelle iced her ankle in the chair perpendicular to him while they asked her questions. He pulled off his suit jacket. He could usually stand the heat and humidity in decent air-conditioning, but this hotel seemed to lack it.
Isabelle clutched her sparkly heart necklace. She shook her head to whatever question the officer had asked her. The jewelry looked bulky, almost gaudy compared to the elegance of her outfit. Frankly, it didn’t suit her tastes. Or rather, the tastes she used to have. He didn’t presume to know how much Isabelle had changed over the years.
Her manicured fingertips ran over the diamond-encrusted jewels on the left side of the heart. Fake, probably...he hoped. He cringed as he recognized the spark of jealousy. It would not rear its ugly head again. He was too mature for that.
As thick as the jeweled heart was, it was likely a locket of some sort...and none of his business. He would not ask her who gave her that locket. Although it might be part of the reason she hesitated to spend time catching up with him. Maybe she had forgiven him but didn’t want to be alone with him because she was already attached to someone else. He leaned forward to catch a glimpse of her other hand.
Isabelle caught his movements and frowned as her hands dropped to her lap. No engagement ring. He smiled and pushed his arms out as if stretching, and her face relaxed.
The hotel staff gathered on the opposite side of the lobby. They seemed tense as they huddled. It seemed harder to believe the ransacking was a coincidence after the men in the grotto. Isabelle had thought a man had been watching her outside his hotel, but he’d credited it to nerves. Now it seemed like someone was targeting her.
The police officer stepped away from Isabelle. She took a shaky breath and smiled at Matt. “He said you’re free to go. I’m sorry you had to spend your day off like this.”
Matt watched the officers leave. “Did they have any leads?”
Her face fell. “Not yet. They’re moving me to another room, at least.”
“No. Absolutely not.”
She pulled back, her blue eyes wide.
He sighed. He’d done it again, speaking without thinking. But it didn’t mean his instinct was wrong. He stood. “You’re not staying here. We’ve already discovered it’s not safe. Besides, don’t you have a sinus headache from these damp carpets?”
She blinked. “My allergies have gotten better over the years, but yeah, I’ve got a low-grade one that won’t quit.”
“I’ll help you pack.”
She flashed a smile that reminded him of all the nights he’d been tempted to kiss her. Some decent air-conditioning would be welcome right now.
“I appreciate your concern, Matt, but my boss already paid in advance for me to stay here. I can’t afford—”
“My treat.” There he went again. But he wasn’t about to let her stay somewhere that clearly had inadequate hotel security.
“I can’t let you pay—”
“Yes, you can. Besides, I’m manager, and it’s our slow season. I’m sure we have a couple of rooms available.” The lines around her eyes creased in worry. “It’s complimentary,” he added. “It won’t come out of my pocket, either.” He tilted his head back and forth. “And if you’re that worried about it, you can ease your conscience by writing a review after your stay with us.” He held out his hand. “Come on.”
Her eyes twinkled as she looked up at him, and she accepted his hand. “You can’t buy a good review from me, Matthew McGuire. I have my integrity.”
The softness of her touch took him off guard. He let go the moment she had her balance. “If you’re not one hundred percent satisfied, your room is compliment—Oh, wait...”
She laughed. “Point taken.”
“Besides, you’re going to love it.” He couldn’t help bragging over his hotel. The last two years, he’d worked hard to make it the premier destination for conference attendees, and the top brass had noticed. Which was how he’d been promoted so fast.
He glanced down at her dainty foot within her flat. It was red, most likely from the ice. “How is it?”
“Almost as good as new.”
“Isabelle, what did the police say?”
“They didn’t think the two incidents were connected.” Her hand clasped her necklace again.
“Seems a bit coincidental, don’t you think?”
“They figure I somehow showed I had cash.”
“They assume the men with knives—”
She flinched at the word. “They say I’ve had an unfortunate experience with San Antonio crime.”
Granted, he wasn’t a woman walking the streets alone, but the statement didn’t ring true to him. If she couldn’t offer the police any reason why someone would be targeting her, then they would be grasping at straws. “And what do you think?”
“It seems a bit much to take on face value, but I can’t offer another explanation for why this happened to me.” Her face was lined with worry. She didn’t seem to be holding anything back. She looked genuinely surprised.
She