The Hunter Beside Me

9: Antiquing

Owen

We pulled up in front of Motel, and it was as disgusting as I expected—an old two story building with faded tan paint and black outside entry doors. Six doors lined each floor, and there were only three cars besides ours. Across the parking lot, a vacancy sign glowed in the window of Motel's office.

Bash and I slid out of the truck with Lilla following reluctantly behind. "What's wrong?" I asked. "It's not too bad so far."

She grimaced. "It's great. I'm just ready to get settled so I can heal my hand."

"Good. You've rested enough?" Bash's voice held concern.

She nodded. "I want to try the tracking spell again, too. Now that we're closer, maybe I'll be able to narrow down the search area."

"Okay. We're getting one room," I said, and they gaped at me.

"What?" Lilla stopped and raised her eyebrows.

"We're too close to finishing this, too close to Catriona. We don't know these people or this place, and we're sticking together." I walked the last few steps to the entrance.

Lilla rolled her eyes but Bash shrugged and twisted the doorknob. "Whatever you think we should do."

The door to Motel's office creaked open, and my nose wrinkled as cigarette smoke poured out in a wave. Lilla turned away and took a deep breath of clean air before entering the building.

Behind the counter, a greasy man in his fifties leaned back in his chair. A can of peanuts rested on his stomach, and a cigarette dangled from his lips. The sound from a television we couldn't see cut off as soon as we walked in.

After dragging his sleazy gaze over us, he stood and dusted the crumbs from his shirt. His nametag said Lenny. Without taking the cigarette from his mouth, he asked, "Y'all want a room?"

Bash stepped forward. "Yes. One room, please."

The man looked between the three of us, pausing on Lilla. "Just one? You want a king or two doubles?" He leered at her as he spoke.

Bash cocked an eyebrow. "Two beds."

"One hour, or you gonna need longer?" Lenny winked at Lilla, and her eyes tightened. He should be more careful.

Bash stepped to the side, blocking his view of Lilla, and Lenny peered up at him with a huff. Bash held out his debit card. "We'll take the room for the night, maybe tomorrow too."

When Lenny didn't move, Bash set the card on the counter and crossed his arms. Thankfully, the guy took the hint. Without another word, he put his cigarette in an overflowing ashtray and picked up the card.

Relief filled me. This creep was even getting on my nerves. We needed to get out before Lilla made something accidentally fall on him or his ashtray suddenly caught fire on his desk.

Lenny slapped a receipt on the counter. "You'll pay one day at a time, and I don't give refunds. Maude goes around the rooms in the mornings, so she's already gone. I don't do anything outside this office. If you need anything, it ain't my problem."

Without a word, Bash took his card and the key, and we left the office. As soon as the truck door shut, Lilla shivered. "Well, he's repulsive."

"He really is," Bash agreed.

"I thought you'd zap him, Lilla. You're showing restraint." I nudged her with my elbow, and her lip curled.

"If I didn't have healing and tracking to do, I would've. Sadly, I don't have the energy to waste right now. Maybe I'll zap him with something tomorrow. Chest pains wouldn't be out of place on someone that smokes that much." She tapped her fingertip on her lower lip.