"How do you know about my extracurriculars?" I asked again.
His grin turned sharper. "Dominion Hall has resources that would make a guy like you—in your line of work—salivate."
I leaned back in my chair. "Is this a job offer or an interview?"
Charlie shrugged. "It's a warm welcome. What happens next is up to you. No strings."
"What would I be doing for Dominion Hall?"
"Utilizing your talents," he said. "To the fullest."
Vague. Too vague.
But I didn't push.
Charlie reached into his pocket and pulled something out. He handed it to me.
A credit card. Black. Heavy. My name etched into it.
Levi Dane.
"Use it for any expenses," Charlie said. "You can find a place to stay in town, or you can stay here. There's a hotel called The Palmetto Rose—cozy, good staff. Up to you."
I turned the card over in my hand. No logo. No bank name. Just my name and a number.
"Anything else?" I asked.
"Not for today." Charlie stood, and I followed. "Take the day. Get acclimated. Think it over."
He led me back through the mansion, down another hallway. We passed through a massive room—library, maybe, or a sitting room—and Charlie paused, pointing to a glass enclosure in the corner.
"Anything in there?" I asked.
Charlie grinned. "Yeah. Our mascot. Viper named Obsidian."
I walked closer, peering into the enclosure. The snake was coiled in the back, sleek and black, its eyes tracking me.
"Don't stick your hand in," Charlie said with a wink.
"Wasn't planning on it."
The same driver was waiting outside. I slid into the back of the Bentley, and he glanced at me in the rearview.
"Where to, sir?"
"Where would you suggest staying in Charleston?"
He smiled. "Did they give you the scoop on The Palmetto Rose?"
"Yeah. But I'm not really a boutique hotel kind of guy."
He nodded, understanding. "Marriott or Hilton?"
"I've got Hilton points."
"I know just the place. Breakfast buffet in the morning'll keep your belly full."
Twenty minutes later, we pulled up to the Embassy Suites.
