I emerge from behind the counter to check in another guest, then pause.
A distant scent invades my nose. Acrid, sour…
“Maeve.” Lenora practically crashes into me. “Do you?—”
“I smell it too.”
Our eyes meet, and we breathe the word at the same time.
“Smoke.”
I whirl toward Lola-Grace. “Lola, can you go down to the east wing by the—” The fire alarm wails, muffling my voice. I bend in close to her. “Check for kids in the pool. You know the drill.”
Lola-Grace nods.
There’s no visible smoke, no heat from the fire. Guests in the lobby mutter, but no one appears alarmed as they meander toward the doors.
They must think it’s a drill.
Kellin. I have to get to him.
The fire station generally responds within minutes. The chief will be busting through our doors any second.
“Lenora, I’m going to check that everyone down in the basement went out the lower emergency exit.” After that, I’ll go to Kellin, which I cannot tell her.
“Sounds good. I’ll text you when the chief arrives.”
“Thank you.”
She hustles away while my other employees wrangle the chaos ensuing in the lobby.
Thankfully, the smell of smoke remains faint, but as soon as the guests start to realize this isn’t a drill, panic will ensue.
I need to get downstairs.
I burst into the stairwell, skirting the vaguely anxious guests trying to exit, before descending to the lower level.
A fire extinguisher hangs on the wall, so I grab it, just in case.
When I reach the bottom of the stairs, I march straight to the prep kitchen.
The space has been evacuated. Chef Moreau knows the drill, so I’d be surprised to find anyone inside the freezer room.
I yank open the heavy door. All clear.
I receive a text from Lenora, informing me that Chief Dansfield and his crew have arrived.
I sniff. No odor in this area, so the fire likely didn’t originate in the basement. Hopefully, the chief and his team are handling whatever’s responsible for that smell.
Exiting into the hallway, I spot bodies heading out the emergency egress. Men in suits drag that slight, weasel-like man my father’s been holding in the penthouse.
I pause, suddenly wary. I don’t…recognize those men.
A sense of urgency builds inside me. Time to grab Kellin—and Brody—and go.
Whirling, I slam into the new guard. Not Bald Tat, but the guy I noticed hovering in the lobby earlier.
“Uh, hi. I’m looking for Brody. Have you seen him?”
