“Please call me if anything unusual happens.”
I smiled.
“Nothing unusual is going to happen.”
She laughed.
“Every time you say that, something unusual happens.”
I should have listened to her.
Because less than two hours later, I would be standing beside the Seabright Crown's swimming pool while a police officer shouted in my face.
And the man who knew I owned the resort would be standing behind him, smiling.
The Seabright Crown's lobby looked even more magnificent in person than it had in the acquisition photographs.
Sunlight poured through enormous windows overlooking the ocean. Tall floral arrangements stood beside polished stone columns, and the scent of white orchids drifted through the air. Guests moved between the reception desks and lounge areas while discreet attendants offered luggage assistance and directions to the resort facilities.
Noah stopped just inside the entrance.
“Mommy.”
I looked down.
“What?”
His eyes widened.
“This hotel is bigger than our whole neighborhood.”
I laughed.
“Not quite.”
He stared toward the ceiling.
“Are you sure?”
“Pretty sure.”
He considered that for a moment, then looked toward a fountain near the elevators.
“Can I throw a coin in?”
I smiled.
“That's a decorative water feature, baby. Let's ask before throwing anything into it.”
He nodded seriously.
“Okay.”
I approached the reception desk and provided the reservation information for our visit.
The young employee behind the counter was named Isabel Morales.
She was twenty-four, with dark hair neatly pinned back and a warm, professional smile. Her name badge sat crookedly on her uniform, as though she'd adjusted it several times during a busy morning.
“Welcome to the Seabright Crown,” she said. “How may I help you?”
I smiled.
“Good morning. We have a poolside day reservation under Carter.”
She checked the system.
For a moment, her smile faded.
Then she looked toward another screen.
“I see your reservation, Ms. Carter.”
“Wonderful.”
She hesitated.
“Just one moment, please.”
I nodded.
She stepped aside to speak with a supervisor.
I watched discreetly.
The supervisor glanced toward me, then toward the computer. His expression became uneasy.
He said something I couldn't hear.
Isabel nodded and returned.
“Ms. Carter, I apologize for the delay. We have a small issue confirming the pool access authorization.”
I kept my voice pleasant.
“Of course. What information do you need?”
She looked uncomfortable.
“The reservation is valid, but there's a management review flag attached to it.”
I frowned slightly.
“A review flag?”
“Yes, ma'am.”
“What does it mean?”
She glanced toward the supervisor.
“I haven't been given an explanation.”
I studied her face.