Page 32 of Rebel's Fairytale
“Nice to meet you,” Messer said as she stopped at the desk and pulled her small wallet out of her jacket pocket. “I’ll need a room. We’ll go with two weeks to start.”
Mama Hen’s eyebrows lifted as she moved to the computer and started clicking away. “That seems like a long time for Warden’s Pass. You have family in the area?”
“Something like that,” Messer replied and pasted a smile on her face, hoping the woman bought it.
They finished up the check-in, and Mama Hen handed over a keycard. Messer thanked her, then she headed up to the second floor and to her room.
Once inside, she unpacked her suitcase with her clothes by laying it on its back and unzipping it. She wasn’t sure what her mission would entail, so she thought it best to stay prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.
With that done, she pulled the table and chairs away from the window, not wanting anyone to be able to see her if she was sitting at the table. Then, she pulled the case file and her map of Warden’s Pass out of the duffle and laid them out on the table, deciding to grid out the town and make a plan.
Eyeing the location of the biker compound, Messer tried to think of a way to do some recon on the place without them spotting her. From the look of things, it was going to be a challenge, but Messer had never walked away from a challenge in her life. This wouldn’t be the first one.
Mama Hen
After the new customer stepped into the elevator, Mama Hen lifted her receiver and pressed the first speed dial number.
“Yeah?”
“Axle, it’s Mama Hen.”
“I know.” Axle chuckled. “What can I help you with?”
Mama Hen ignored his amusement. “A new customer came in. Never seen her before. She was evasive about her reason for visiting and booked the room for two weeks, with the option to extend. Something about her tripped my internal alarm.”
“And… How accurate has this alarm been in your past, Mama Hen?”
Mama Hen put her hand to her hip and cocked her head to the side, even though Axle couldn’t see her. “I’ve had to depend on it more times than I could count, Axle Weber, and it’s never steered me wrong.”
“Whatdidyou do for a living?”
Mama Hen ignored his question. “Gossip doesn’t become you, Axle. I take it you’re on it.”
With another chuckle, Axle replied, “Yeah. Room number?”
“Two thirteen,” Mama Hen answered
“Vehicle?”
Glancing at the screen that showed the view from the security cameras in the parking lot. “Dark gray Land Rover. Parked in the side lot, near the south exit.”
“I’ll get Keys on it. Might need a room key.”
Mama Hen started clicking away, preparing the key. “I’ll have it ready for you guys.”
“Thanks, Mama Hen.”
Bri
The walkway was paved, but it was lined with thick woods, making it feel like they were walking through a cave. The night air was breezy, but the heat radiating off of Rebel kept Bri comfortable. They walked for a few minutes until the trees opened up and revealed a small section of beach that was separated from the next much larger section by a few trees and a rather large hill that jutted out almost until the waterline.
It was the perfect little hideaway for a couple on a bike ride, looking for some privacy. She eyed the blanket in his other hand.
“I come here a lot when I just need to think, or I’m too angry to be around others. With my family being the way it is… was…” He shook his head, and her heart broke just a little for him. For as tough as he was, there was a lost little boy in there who only wanted a stable family.
“So, this is your sanctuary?” She asked as they slowly walked over to a spot near the bottom of the hill.
He nodded. “Yeah. And I wanted to share it with my Ruby.” He kissed her temple before he released her and spread the blanket out on the sand.