Chapter 22: Chapter 22

Ted looked at him, sat back down, and raised a questioning eyebrow.

Without acknowledging Ted, the man rose, passed close to Ted and said in a quiet, sensual voice, “Room eleven-eighteen. Wait ten minutes,” and walked toward the elevators.

Ted watched the man as he moved away. He was tall, seemed well proportioned. His step was sure, confident, a man in control. He disappeared into the elevator. This guy, whoever he was, was certainly different from Arnie. Ted wondered what would come next.

Adding an extra minute to the prescribed waiting time, Ted got up and approached the bank of elevators.

He got out on the eleventh floor and held the elevator door for a couple entering the car.

“It must still be raining?” the woman asked Ted.

“Excuse me?” Ted asked, not understanding.

“Your shirt. It’s water-spotted. A shame, it looks like expensive silk.”

“Oh yeah, it is. Raining I mean.”