Chapter 9
Evalina took a deep breath and counted to ten as the elevator doors slid closed on Ben’s infuriating grin. He hadn’t exaggerated; the woman was beautiful. Compared to her own petite, curvy figure, the redhead’s tall, slim stature was the perfect complement to his height and dark blond hair.
She knew she had no right to be upset. She had run out on him in the middle of the night, so him hooking up with some girl he met a few hours ago on the plane shouldn’t bother her for even a second.
But it had been eating at her since he’d announced he had a date for the evening. Because it made her wonder what she’d been to him back when they’d been together for that one time. Nothing more than a convenience? The closest warm body? When he’d first come on to her at Lapaglia’s villa, he hadn’t known she was an undercover cop. Would he have slept with her then, even while he believed she held him hostage?
When they’d gotten together after everything was over, she’d thought there was more between them than that. Apparently not.
Then why did he take a bullet for you?
Memories from the previous summer flooded back. Ben lying on the floor of the boat, chest bleeding. Similar panic had assailed her when she saw the red stain on his shirt in the piazza and thought he’d been stabbed.
She didn’t want to care for the American. Couldn’t afford to care for him. Not then, and not now. So, just like when she’d walked out of that hotel room, she ignored her heart and focused on the job. Lifting her hand to key her mic, she paced away from the front desk and slipped back into her native tongue.
“Antonio? Are you there?”
“Copy.”
“I just met this Alisa woman Sanders mentioned in the car. They’re on their way up to her hotel suite right now. I don’t like it.”
“Are you speaking professionally or personally?”
Indignation slowed her step. “Professionally, of course.”
“Just checking.”
“Well don’t.”
“Your past with the man affects your objectivity. Back in the car—”
“My past with the man is precisely why I’m on the case,” she reminded. “I don’t appreciate you questioning my judgment.”
“In the car,” he repeated impatiently, “it was clear to me the guy wanted to get a rise out of you. It was equally clear he succeeded. I need to be sure you can put your personal feelings aside here. The job comes first.”
Considering her thoughts a moment ago, his concerns were valid. It didn’t mean she appreciated him pointing them out. “You think I don’t know that? I managed when I took down the man who murdered my father, did I not?”
“Yes, you did. But since then, you’ve been operating on the edge.”
“I have not—”
“I’ve seen your case files. I know you’re on probation.”
Damn.
“You barely held it together back in the piazza with him. I also heard your voice earlier when you saw he’d been hurt.”
Her steps halted as her stomach plummeted. Yes, he was right, and apparently he was watching her every move. If she wanted to keep her job, the last thing she needed was Antonio thinking she carried some sort of torch for Benjamin Sanders. She was the one who’d chosen not to continue any type of relationship, not Ben.
She took a deep breath and blew it out silently with measured control. “I assure you, what happened between me and Sanders is in the past. There are no personal feelings to warrant your concern.”
“If you say so.”
Disbelief still echoed in his words. She relaxed her clenched jaw to avoid sounding too defensive. “I do.”
The mic picked up his soft sigh before he said, “Bene. Then tell me, what about this woman bothers you?”
“I showed her my badge and told her that Sanders must leave the country. She appeared nervous at first, but after she asked a few questions, she still took him to her room.”
“Perhaps they knew each other prior to the plane?”
“I don’t know, maybe. But we should look into her.”
“I agree. Get me a full name for Interpol.”
She retraced her steps to the front desk and commanded the attention of the attendant while extending her badge across the polished marble counter. “That woman who was just here. What is her name?”
The man leaned forward to scrutinize her credentials. “One moment, please.”
Evalina reined in her impatience when he disappeared. True to his word, he returned a moment later with a second impeccably dressed gentleman. This one introduced himself as the manager and took his own turn reviewing her badge.
“How may I be of service, ispettore?”
“I need information on a guest registered with your hotel.”
The front desk attendant pointed to the computer screen and the manager nodded while donning a pair of reading glasses. “Suite two-twelve is registered to Signorina Alisa Marshall.”
“And she is a citizen of the United States?”
“Sì.”
“I’ll need a copy of her passport and use of your business center.”
After a few keystrokes, an unseen printer processed the requested information. The attendant handed over the sheet of paper and she took a moment to verify the picture before reading the residential address in the state of Maine for her partner.
She turned her attention back to the manager. “Can you confirm who booked the reservation?”
Two clicks of the mouse had him lifting his chin to peer through the bottom half of his glasses. “It was confirmed through our website, so the only information we require is the guest’s name.”
“And when was it booked?”
“Yesterday.”
Evalina frowned at the last minute arrangement. If it had been booked by the girl’s father as she’d indicated, wouldn’t he have his daughter’s travel details finalized well ahead of time?
A low click in her ear preceded Antonio’s voice over the com system. “Check the credit card.”
“Is the credit card on file in her name?” she asked the manager.
“Sì.”
The original employee stepped forward once more. “Signorina Marshall presented her own card upon arrival earlier. The reservation was held with a different card.”
She looked back to the manager, who maintained his position in front of the computer. “Does your computer retain that information?”
This time he clicked three times before replying. “The original card was in the name of Signor Nicholas Marshall.”
“I’ll confirm the relation on that name,” Antonio commented in her ear.
Evalina concentrated on the men in front of her. “How many guests in the room?”
“The suite is registered for two guests.”
She pinned her gaze on the one who’d entered Ben’s passport information. “Including Signor Sanders?”
He leaned closer to the computer, his dark gaze transferring to the screen. “She only requested one key card at check-in...”
“Then the addition of the signore resulted in an increase from one registered guest to two?”
The attendant shook his head. “No. It appears the reservation was always for two.”
Ah, now they were getting somewhere.