“After the discussion,” Felix interrupts. “Business first. Pleasure after.”
“You’re right,” Dagen nods. “What have you found, Otto?”
Wylan sits back on the edge of the island, swinging his combat boots like a kid as he pops some of the cheese from the charcuterie board into his mouth. He winks at me as he leans back, waiting for Felix to talk.
“We know that after the gala, Ricardo disappeared into his hotel room at the Ritz, but he hasn’t come out since. A doctor was brought in at some point and the doctor is confirmed leaving.”
“You checked facial recognition?” Dagen asks.
“Of course I did,” Felix answers. “The same man that came is the same man that left.”
“So, he’s just sitting in his hotel room like a lonely bastard?” Wylan asks. “Seems easy enough. I’ll just sneak in there and?—”
“Not so fast,” Felix interrupts. “I said he went in and never came out, but he very much has checked out.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“According to the hotel computer system, he checked out yesterday, but there are no sightings of him leaving the building no matter what angle I search from. When I looked into it, there is only one way he could have gotten out without me seeing him.” He clicks a few keys and the screen shows two cameras. “There is about a three-foot path that runs between these two cameras that someone could slip out in.”
“Ah, I could have told you that had you asked,” Wylan says, shaking his head. “It’s how I got in without being seen.”
Felix shoots him an annoyed look. “That kind of information seems pretty important, don’t you think?”
“Yeah, for me, mate,” Wylan says, rolling his eyes. “I didn’t think ole Ricky was smart enough to utilize it.”
“He’s not,” Dagen nods, frowning. “Which means there’s still someone helping him.”
“I have the systems running a cross-reference on all his contacts in his phone right now,” Felix nods. “If there’s one in there that hasn’t been effected by all the blow up, then I’ll find him. But it’s going to take a few hours.”
“Good,” Dagen says. “Then I can finally show you around my home.” He grabs my hand and leads me away, but not before Wylan and Felix share a look. “You two can come as well.”
Wylan grins and leaps off the counter. “I thought you’d never ask, Foxxie.”
Felix is a little slower to stand, but he does. His tucks his hands into his pockets and follows along from behind as Dagen takes me to his living room and shows off the expensive paintings he’s collected.
“Why does that man look like he’s stealing the goose? Is he part of a big goose kidnapping ring?” Wylan comments about a rather large painting.
“That is a Grigorescu,” Dagen says with a roll of his eyes.
Wylan raises his brow and leans over to me. “Goose kidnapping ring it is, crumpet.”
I giggle, but try to hide it when Dagen shoots me a look. He can’t hide the slight curl of his lip. “Yes, well, I thought it rather intriguing as a teenager, so I purchased it. Now. . . I can see the humor in it.”
After we tour the entirety of the art collection downstairs, Dagen leads us upstairs to the bedrooms. He shows us the spare rooms at first, opening door after door to intricately decorated modern rooms before he reaches one last door.
“And this is my room,” he starts.
“Oh god. It’s not going to be a red room, is it?” Felix teases.
Wylan perks up. “Not into spankings, hacker boy?”
“Receiving? No.” His eyes flick to me. “Giving? Perhaps.”
I swallow.
Dagen laughs. “I don’t need a red room.”
He opens the door and reveals a relatively sparsely decorated room. My eyes go right toward the massive bed, one that makes my queen size look tiny.
