In Hiding (Final Book in the Boss's Niece Series)

Welcome To Vegas

*Mel's POV*

Haley didn't make much of a fuss on the plane. In fact, once I had her buckled in and put some kids movie on for her, she went to sleep.

I, on the other hand, could not sleep. I kept staring out the plane window, thinking about Spencer. How much I wished I didn't have to leave. How much I knew I'd miss him.

I looked down at my wedding ring. I had to put it on my right ring finger when I boarded the plane. You see, Strauss wasn't married, which means I couldn't be married. That ring was just another stabbing reminder that I would never see Spencer for God knows how long.

Once we landed, I woke up Haley. We got off the plane and collected out baggage. Next was haling a taxi.

"Is this where daddy is from, mommy?" Haley asked as I waited for a taxi.

"Yeah." I replied.

"It's very loud here." she said, covering her little ears. I chuckled and picked her up.

"It's only loud because it's the airport. It won't be as loud once we find a place to stay." I promised her, petting her hair. "Look, there's a taxi. Taxi!"

The yellow taxi pulled up to us. He opened the trunk and I put mine and Haley's suitcases in and closed it. I opened the door so my little girl could climb in first and I climbed in behind her. The taxi driver, an elderly, greasy looking man, turned to look at us. He smiled a Haley first.

"Well, hello there." he said in a skin crawling voice. "What's your name?"

"Haley." Haley replied, cuddling into me for protection.

"Where to, ma'am?" the taxi driver asked.

"The closest hotel, please." I told him. He nodded and pulled out of the airport parking lot.

I looked out the window and watched as Las Vegas went by. It was different from what I remembered. Last time I was here was when Spencer and I first got together, long before Haley. And now, here I was with my little girl.

Unfortunately, we weren't here on the best circumstances. We were here hiding, which meant being able to show Haley around wasn't going to happen for a while.

We pulled up to the hotel. I payed the taxi driver, got out baggage and went into the hotel, Haley walking beside me, her hand held securely in mine.

We walked up to the front desk. A perky blond smiled at me.

"Hello there. Welcome to the Vegas Hotel. Would you like a room?" she asked.

"Yes please." I said.

"Okay, what's the names?"

I hesitated before saying, "Erin Strauss and-and my niece, Haley Hotchner."

The blond looked down at Haley, who shied behind me.

"She looks an awful lot like you." she observed.

"My twin sister, her name was Melanie Hotchner. This is her daughter. She and her husband, David Hotchner, died in an awful car accident. I have full custody of Haley now and, to her her mind off of what happened and to ease her from everything, I decided to take her on a vacation."

The blond seemed convinced. She typed away at her computer, then turned back to me.

"What kind of room would you like? A suite?"

"Yes please. Two beds, a TV, a bathroom." I told her. "I don't know how long we'll be staying. For now, I'll say a month."

She typed in her computer.

"And will that be cash or credit?"

"Cash."

She told me my total and I payed her with some of the cash Uncle Aaron gave me. She gave me the room number and the key and sent us on our way.

Haley claimed the bed closest to the window. She liked the view. I began to unpack our things as she watched one of her favorite kids shows on TV.

It was beginning to get dark once my cell phone rang. It came up as an unknown number. I was hesitant to answer at first.

"Hello?" I said at last.

"Mel? Did you get there okay?" came Spencer's voice.

"Reiders." I breathed. "You scared me. It-it came up an unknown number-"

"I'm calling from a pay phone. I'm hopefully going to be able to call from different ones every night until we stop all this." he told me. "I promise Haley."

I nodded. "No, I understand. She's watching TV right now. One second." I covered the mouth piece and turned to Haley. "Hey Haley. Someones calling for you."

"DADDY!" Haley exclaimed and raced for the phone. "Hi daddy!"

I smiled as her face brightened while she talked to Spencer. I turned to look out the window at the beautiful view of Vegas at night.

"Welcome to Vegas, Erin Strauss." I said to myself.