Page 40 of Maneater

“Never has in the past.” She stares at me before her tone softens. “In any other circumstance, a man like him was into you; you’d be playing the game to get closer to him, find out more,” Rory says, echoing my thoughts, and hearing it in her voice makes it more reasonable somehow.

“Okay…” I say slowly, then nod. “Okay. Yeah. That makes sense.”

“You have to get close to him. Orcloser.”

“Easier said than done. He’s already skeptical of me. If I start showing up in places, he’s going to get suspicious. I need an excuse to get him alone, an excuse to talk to him without him questioning it.”

“Didn’t you say the hiking excursions were his idea? The article said he picked this location partially because of that, and Horace said he was disappointed it wasn’t turned into a golfing range.” I nod. “I wonder if he goes to them, the excursion fitness classes. Guests aren’t allowed to go out on their own, and while he doesn’t seem like the type to follow the rules, maybe he also thinks he isn’t above the safety rules.”

“Couldn’t hurt,” I say, thinking that, regardless, a hike might be a good idea both to clear my mind and get some information on the different excursions, especially with what the bartender told me about Jeff. Rory goes to her computer, probably accessing the reservation processing system, hacking away in a way I find almost mythical, before she looks up at me and smiles.

“Fish, fish, we go our wish. It’s like the spy gods smiled down on us: there’s one more spot on tomorrow morning’s hike, and wouldn’t you know it, Rowan Fisher is on the list.”

“Looks like I’m going hiking tomorrow,” I say with a smile, pushing down the nervous energy that sits in my stomach. If I just ignore it, it will go away.

Right?

SEVENTEEN

Suspect list for Daydream resorts based on current intel:

Daniel, the general manager

Jonas, head of security

Tanya, the spa manager

Jeff, rentals and excursions

Horace Greenfeld

Jealous redhead