Star People Legacy by Smith, T.L. (feel good books to read .txt) 📕

“There’s a back gate to the complex.” I pulled out my phone, sending Chucky a text.

“Hey, enough with the calls!” Frankie reached back for my phone.

I evaded him. “I’m not an idiot. We switched to burners. And the message is vague. To anyone watching it’ll look like a drug hookup. I did learn a little counter-intelligence in the Marines.”

“Which explains a lot. That being counter of real intelligence.” Frankie sniped at me.

“Shut up, Francis!” He hated that name.

“Knock it off!” Daniel was louder than both of us. “We weren’t thrilled when you joined the Marines, but it was probably the best thing. Your training gave you skills we could only gloss over until you came into your own.”

He gave me a softer glance. “It just drove us a bit crazy that we couldn’t keep you safe anymore.”

“Oh, is that what you called it when we were growing up?”

Frankie didn’t say anything, staring out the window. From the tension in his jaw, I knew he was struggling to not argue. I’d fought with my brothers a lot growing up, but it was the usual sibling stuff. When I announced I was going into the Marines, he freaked out the most. Since then there was a strange distance between us. Now probably wasn’t the time to keep feeding it.

Instead I started keying in access to my virtual laptop. I had to erase the automated messages Lutz and I left. The sound of the phone keys made Frankie jerk around again. “I need to delete the ‘come look for us’ message I programmed for auto-delivery.” He scowled. So much for not antagonizing him. I wiped my call history, removed the battery and internal cards, then rolled down the window and tossed the phone out into the street. “All done.”

Frankie gave me a nod and I went back to watching the road behind us.

CHAPTER

20

I saw the casino. It had opened just the week before. Special promotions and A-List headliners were drawing in crowds of people. “Is this what you consider hiding? Every media group is here this week for the grand opening.”

Neither answered me as we went around to the back of the complex and were let through a private entrance, being directed to the rear pavilion. Usually the back of a complex was industrial, but this entrance faced the river and was as luxurious as the main facade, just smaller.

Two security guards met us as we pulled into the circular drive. Frankie opened my door to let me out and they immediately surrounded me. I was buried in broad shoulders as they escorted me into the hotel’s foyer.

My brothers replaced them as they returned to the truck to get our bags.

I had a minute or less to take a look around the foyer. It was clearly set up to cater to celebrities or private guests who didn’t want to advertise their presence, but expected the best of everything.

Glittering quartz granites caught and reflected light around the lobby, bouncing off polished dark rich woods. A chandelier hung low and sparkled. Though the metal and gems glimmered, the design looked ancient. It was. Their eco-policy required as much recycled materials as possible, so they used a lot of antiques in their hotels.

Starring up at the chandelier, I caught a flicker in the corner of my eye. The gorgeous wood wall opened and an immaculately groomed woman in a tailored black suit stepped out. She approached me, not the least bit fazed by my Levis and t-shirt.

“Ms. Adams. It is my honor to meet you. I am Cherise Begay, your personal concierge. Anything you require will be provided with the upmost of discretion.” She nodded towards the two security guards behind us.

I didn’t attempt to correct my name. It didn’t take a Bond genius to know we wouldn’t be using real names. “Thank you, Cherise.”

She gave me a slight smile. “The members of your convention have already been accommodated. The penthouse floors are available to your party, exclusively. All service individuals have been vetted by your own people, but if you have any concerns, alert the security immediately.” She stepped aside. “If you’ll accompany me, I’ll take you to your suites.”

I looked at the two guards behind us, looking grim and ready to react if necessary. I met eyes with Daniel, but he didn’t flinch. I turned back to the woman. “Lead the way.”

She crossed to the wall she’d exited and with a wave of her hand it opened to reveal an elevator. It wasn’t a small elevator, apparently intended for ‘entourages’. With the six of us and luggage, there was still room left over. There were only a few buttons on the panel. Ground floor, concierge level, four penthouse levels and a roof lounge.

She pulled a small tablet from inside her jacket and slid a black key card over the scanner eye, handing it to me. The second my fingertips touched the card, her screen flashed an acknowledgment. “This is your access card, keyed to your fingerprints alone. If you lose it, it is of no value to anyone who finds it. If you would insert it here.”

It was an impressive security measure. The black card had nothing on it. Not even the hotel’s name. I followed her instructions and the elevator started up. “You and your immediate entourage have access to all floors serviced by this elevator. The concierge level will give you access to the main casino. The other members of your convention will have access to all penthouse levels, except yours. That is exclusive to your immediate entourage.”

My convention? Entourage? Four penthouse floors? Daniel said no one would notice “a few dozen” more of us. If we needed four floors, that qualified as a convention. I wanted to ask Daniel what was going on. Instead I kept my mouth shut. Ms. Begay seemed to think I was the leader of this group, instead of the village idiot.

The elevator ride up lasted only a few