I cross the room to Javier, and when he catches me heading his way and notes my expression, he whispers something toEmily, sets his plate down on a nearby tray, and meets me halfway.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, his Spanish accent thick.
“It’s nothing to be alarmed about.” I don’t think. “I was hoping we could scroll through the security footage from last night.”
“Of course, sir. May I ask why?”
I glance around us, and while no one is paying us any particular attention, I don’t want to discuss this out here. “Can we go somewhere? Is there a room we can use? Or even my suite?”
“Do you want me to get Sebastian?”
I think about this for a minute, but he’s smiling and happy with his wife and children. He doesn’t need to know about this. Not yet.
“That can wait.”
He gives me a nod. “Your suite is likely the safest place if you’re at all concerned about that.”
“Perfect. Thank you.”
I flip around and, without making eye contact with anyone, grab a muffin from the side of the buffet and leave the same way I came in. My fingers work to tear at the top of the pastry, shoving pieces of cake and blueberry into my mouth while I get back onto the elevator.
The keycard snicks on the pad, and after I open the door, I swing the latch out so the door catches on it and doesn’t close all the way. My suite is a decent size, and I drop down at the dining table that seats four, only to get back up. I didn’t grab coffee downstairs, but thankfully, there’s a small espresso maker in here.
The sound of gears grinding and water moving through the machine fills the room, as does the aroma of strong coffee. I down my first cup that’s as bitter as I am, not even caring if it’s burning my tongue because it’s already been a fucking day. Onethat would have started miles better if I’d woken up to a warm body instead of a cold bed.
I make myself a second cup and carry it back to the table to eat the muffin, my stomach roiling from too much alcohol and uncertainty.
A moment later, the door opens, and Javier joins me, his laptop bag slung over his shoulder. He takes the seat beside me at the table and sets up his computer.
“Tell me what I’m searching for.”
I don’t have to tell him this is confidential. This is Javier, and he’s forever on the short list of people I trust.
“I met a woman last night,” I begin. “Dark hair and eyes, wearing a silver-blue gown. She spoke in French and was sort of floating around the room. I talked her into dancing with me, and we had a drink together. Once dinner began, I brought her up to my room only to wake up alone with this.” I dig into my pocket, pull out the earring, and set it on the table. “She told me her name was Ella. I never got a last name or even who she came with, and there’s no record of an Ella on the guest list, or so the event coordinator claims.”
His lips thin. “Do you feel she was a threat?”
“No,” I reply automatically, only to think better of it and amend my statement. “I don’t know. She was just kind of there, listening to other women gossip about Bellamy and rolling her eyes at them.”
“You said this was before dinner, si? So during the cocktail hour?”
“Yes.”
He nods, already clicking buttons on the keyboard. He tilts the laptop toward me so I can see the screen, and he puts in a time for the video to begin.
“We had cameras throughout the cocktail room and the ballroom. If she went through security, we’ll have her face and name on file. It’s possible she gave you a nickname.”
“Or an alias,” I quip, though there isn’t much humor to it. I swallow a piece of muffin and chase it down with coffee. I had more to drink last night than I have in a while, and I’m paying for it now in several ways.
“Sì. There is also that possibility.” He scrolls through footage of people entering the chalet, person after person, until I spot her dark hair.
“There!” I point at the woman on Sir Robert Blake’s arm. “I think that’s her.”
I can feel him throwing me a side-eye at the use of the word “think,” but yeah.
“We can’t see her face here. Did she mention Sir Blake to you?”
“No.” I lean back in my chair and take my coffee with me, sipping on it some more, hoping the caffeine will clear the cobwebs from my brain. “She mentioned no one, but she definitely knew who I was. She addressed me as Your Highness without me having to introduce myself.”
