“Okay, then here’s the plan,” I said. “First, someone call room service to bring us another bottle of wine and some quickly prepared sandwiches or similar items. When they bring it up with the cart, we’ll ask them to leave the cart in the foyer, and we’ll let them know when to pick it up. Gwen, Gray, and Basia, you’ll go down first and check out the lobby. See if you can spot Baldy and any potential accomplices. I doubt he would be so bold as to show his face after what happened, but keep an eye out for anyone taking a special interest in you. Lead them away from the stairwells if you can and let me know when and where they are so Ginger and I can avoid them.”
“Will do,” Gwen said.
“Once it seems like they are preoccupied, I’ll hide Ginger in the bottom section of the food cart in case anyone gets on the elevator with us,” I continued. “We’ll stop on the second floor and get off, leaving the cart there. Ginger and I will take the stairs the rest of the way down and go out the hotel side door. We’ll risk being seen, but hopefully this late in the evening, we won’t encounter too many people. Once we’re in the stairwell, the rest of you exit the casino, get Gray’s car, and pull it around to pick up Ginger and me.”
“Where do we meet you with the car?” Basia asked. “It’s too risky to stay close to the hotel.”
“Maybe in front of, or near, that Mexican restaurant nearby, what was it called?” I snapped my fingers thinking.
“The Tequila Palace,” Gray said promptly, and we all looked at her in surprise. “I’m observant,” she said sheepishly, lifting her hands. “Plus, I really like tequila, so I had it as an emergency backup place in case I needed a drink and didn’t want to deal with the casino.”
“Okay, the Tequila Palace it is,” I confirmed. “Are we all clear?”
Everyone nodded, and even Ginger thumped her tail. I’d forgotten it was possible she might understand some of what we were saying.
“Just make sure you aren’t being followed when you leave the casino,” I warned Gray. “And when you get into the car, plug in the address for the emergency vet.”
“Will do,” Gray said.
“I’m calling room service now,” Gwen said.
Gray brought me the boxes of aluminum foil and plastic wrap. I opened the boxes, and we tore off several long strips of both. Ten minutes later, our food arrived and the waiter agreed to leave the cart in the foyer until we alerted him. We thanked him and he left.
Quickly, the four of us began to wrap the foil around Ginger, securing it in place with the plastic wrap. It wasn’t a great solution, but it was all we had at the moment.
“This is going to be a bit uncomfortable, but stay still, girl,” I said soothingly as we wrapped her neck and shoulders. “You’re going to look ridiculous, but at least you’ll be invisible to satellites.”
Ginger must have understood, because she was extremely accommodating as we wrapped her up and smoothed everything down. When I felt satisfied that we’d wrapped her enough, we sat back to observe our work.
Ginger stared at us, sitting regally in her new metallic shawl.
Gwen took one look and burst out laughing. “She looks like a baked potato.”
Basia kissed Ginger on the nose. “A very brave baked potato.” She gave the dog a hug and Ginger licked her on the cheek.
“All right, foil princess,” I said, efficiently tucking the last strip of plastic wrap around the foil. “You’re officially off the grid. Time to get this operation underway. Gray, Gwen, and Basia, head down to the lobby now for reconnaissance. Ginger and I won’t be far behind.”
The girls shrugged into their coats, and Gray held up her car keys, shaking them at me. “We’re good to go. We’ll keep you posted on any potential dangers. Just get out as fast as you can, Lexi.”
“I will,” I promised. “We’ll be right behind you.”
Chapter Fifteen
Grayson Reese
Although I’m analyst for the CIA, I’ve received some training in surveillance, undercover operations, and defensive driving. I’ve tracked professionals who could disappear in a crowd and vanish like smoke. I’ve tailed men who knew they were being watched and dared you to blink.
Thankfully, the tourists in the casino lobby were not professionals.
The casino glittered, shimmered, and smelled like cigarette smoke, stale perfume, and sweat. Slot machines buzzed and rang constantly, while tourists wandered in loose packs, clutching drinks the size of small aquariums.
Gwen, Basia, and I stepped out of the elevator looking like three perfectly normal women with absolutely nothing to hide aside from the fact that we were actively planning to smuggle a golden retriever out of our penthouse and take her to an emergency vet without being intercepted by biotech thugs.
No pressure at all.
“Eyes up,” I murmured to the girls as we blended into the foot traffic. “We’re looking for a shady bald guy dressed in black pants, a black turtleneck, and a black raincoat. I doubt he’s here, as we have security looking for him, but he may have one of his henchmen monitoring the lobby for him. Regardless, let me know if you feel like something is off.”
Basia nodded, one hand instinctively resting on her stomach. Gwen combed her red hair with her fingers, which was about as inconspicuous as an emergency flare.
