“I’ve taken a look at the master blueprints.” Reid took a sip of his cocktail. “There’s a level reachable only by a special elevator, but it’s the mechanical floor. Since our building is so tall, we also have mechanical rooms on higher levels.”
“I wasn’t in a special elevator,” Roy said. “It was one of the normal elevators accessible from the lobby.”
“Right,” Reid said, “and I’ve gotten confirmation that our mechanical floor houses nothing but mechanics.”
“He couldn’t have been playing his game on the mechanical floor anyway,” I offered. “Engineers and mechanics have access, and Dad would never risk getting caught by anyone.”
“Unless maybe that’s part of the game?” Charlie asked.
I shook my head. “You don’t know Derek Wolfe.”
She opened her mouth, but I gestured her to stop.
“I don’t mean that in a bad way, Charlie. Be glad you don’t. My father left nothing to chance. That wasn’t the way he was wired.”
“Agreed,” Reid said. “He taught me the business, and Riley’s right. He made sure all bases were covered. Always.”
“Yeah,” I said. “He made sure all bases were covered in his non-business pursuits as well.”
All eyes gazed upon me then. My cheeks burned.
“Look, I’m not trying to get sympathy, okay? Please, just don’t. Having all of you feeling sorry for me isn’t helping.”
“She’s right.” Lacey smiled, or tried to. “You’re a strong woman, Riley. You don’t need anyone’s pity. That’s not what this is. We feel bad about what you went through, just like we feel bad about what your brothers all went through. But we don’t pity you.”
I nodded. I didn’t believe her for a minute, but it was a nice gesture.
“My recall isn’t perfect,” Roy said, “but I feel strongly that the floor I encountered was lower than the mechanical floor. As low as you could get in the building. I could go back into hypnosis and try to get more information.”
“Only if you want to,” Rock said.
“I want to do all I can. I’m not sure it’ll do any good, though. Once I uncovered the woman, it all came crashing back to me. I don’t think hypnosis will get me any further.”
“What we need now is evidence,” Lacey said. “We need to get to the hunting ground at the bottom of the building.”
“If it’s still there,” I said quietly.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, my father covered his tracks. Once he knew Roy had seen the place, he probably destroyed it.”
“He couldn’t destroy a whole floor of the building without anyone knowing it,” Rock said.
“Sure he could,” Reid said. “He built it without anyone knowing it.”
The server interrupted us again. “Your appetizer for the evening, ladies and gentlemen. Chef has prepared broiled calamari rings with roasted garlic and red pepper.” He and the others distributed the plates.
Once they had left, Rock said, “Raw fish, and now squid?”
“Try it,” Lacey said. “What have you got to lose?”
“My lunch.” He pushed the plate away. “Doesn’t anyone believe in good old beef anymore?”
“I hear beef is up for the entrée,” Reid said. “Except for Riley. You’re getting tilapia.”
I rolled my eyes. “Great.”
“You don’t eat red meat.”
“I do now.” I stood. “I’m going to go change my order to the beef entrée. As long as it’s not raw, that is.” I hastily exited the banquet room, found our server, and let him know what I wanted.
When I returned, all gazes were upon me once more.
“What?” I nearly yelled.
After a few seconds, Rock spoke. “Riley, did Dad ever take you…hunting?”
28
Matteo
I got a room at a Manhattan hotel I couldn’t afford. I hoped it would only be for a few nights. But who knew? It could take a while to find Riley. Sure, she was a big name here, but that meant she probably also had mega security.
To think.
I’d slept with a supermodel.
Me. Matt Rossi. Mr. Small Town Guy who made silver jewelry and did odd jobs for a living.
The velvet box holding the silver and pink sapphire pendant sat in my pocket. Once I found Riley, I’d put it around her neck. After I settled in my room, I took the elevator down to the lounge and found a seat at the bar.
“What can I get you?” a well-dressed bartender asked.
“Beer, please.”
“What kind?”
“Whatever you have on tap is fine.”
“We have Guinness draft, Stella Artois, Budweiser, Fat Tire, and Dos Equis.”
Okay, then. “Bud is fine.”
“You got it.”
Seconds later, a pilsner glass of good old Bud sat in front of me.
“You want to run a tab?” he asked.
“Sure.” I slid him a credit card. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure enough.”
“Do you know Riley Wolfe?”
“The model?” He chuckled. “I wish.”
Jealousy speared into me. I couldn’t fault him. Of course he wished he knew Riley. She was the most gorgeous creature on this planet.
“I mean, do you know where I might find her?”
“On any magazine cover.”
“Where she lives, I mean.”
“I assume she lives in the Wolfe building.”
“The Wolfe building?”
“Yeah, it’s this huge silver skyscraper in Lower Manhattan.”
“Where’s Lower Manhattan?”
“Dude, did you just get off the bus from Nebraska or something?”
“Just off the plane. From Montana.”
He guffawed. “That’s something else. And the first thing you do is ask for the most famous model in New York. That’s awesome.”
I didn’t see anything funny about it from where I was standing.
“Wait,” he continued. “Here comes someone who might be able to help you.”
A young man ambled to the bar. He was pretty-boy handsome and dressed to the nines. Here I sat in my jeans and the one button-down I owned.
“Hey, Fox,” the barkeep said.
Fox?
“Hi, Johnny. I’ll have the usual.”
“You got it.” He set to pouring what looked like bourbon, but from a bottle I didn’t recognize. “This guy has a question for you.”
“Fox” turned to me. “Yeah?”
I held out my hand. “Matt Rossi.”
“Fox Monroe. Are you a fan?”
“Of who?”
Johnny guffawed again. “Fox here is a model.”
“Oh. Yeah. Sorry. I don’t know any male models. I’m actually looking for a female model, though. Riley Wolfe. Do you know her?”
“Riley? Is she back? Last I heard she flew the coop again.”
“Flew the coop? What are you talking about?”