Page 73 of Nightshade

“When we charged the first night’s stay on his credit card, it went through,” Nettles said. “The second night was rejected and he said he would handle it. He didn’t. The third night was rejected and now he’s been here five nights and only paid for one.”

“I’m fixing the problem!” Starkey yelled.

Starkey was the smallest of all four men, and Stilwell knew there was not going to be a problem removing him from the premises if push came to shove.

“I’ve been in constant communication with my bank and the credit card company,” Starkey said. “They’re processing payment, but it’s well after hours on the East Coast and this won’t be resolved until morning.”

“He’s been saying that for three days,” Nettles said.

“You gotta go, man,” Esquivel said. “You can’t stay. You get it fixed, then you can come back.”

“Where am I going to go?” Starkey yelled. “There are no more boats tonight and I can’t check in anywhere else.”

Stilwell tapped Nettles on the shoulder and nodded for him to follow. They walked down the hallway and out of Starkey’s earshot. Stilwell spoke quietly.

“He’s got a point,” he said. “We kick him out now and he can’t leave the island, and he can’t check in anywhere if his credit card doesn’t work.”

“What are you saying?” Nettles said. “That I have to eat another night with him?”

“I want to give him till the morning. He gets it fixed and he pays you, or we escort him to the pier and he’s gone.”

“That feels like a big win for him and a big loss for me.”

“I understand. Do you know anything about him? Like what he does for a living or what he’s doing here.”

“He says he’s a writer. We get a lot of them here. Not all of them aredeadbeats.” He intentionally turned his head back toward Starkey’s room as he barked out the last word.

“You’re just making it worse,” Stilwell said. “We’re not going to remove him. So decide if you want to argue with him all night and disturb your other guests or give him the morning deadline.”

Nettles shook his head in frustration.

“Banks open at nine,” he said. “I’ll give him till ten if you promise to come take him if he doesn’t pay.”

“You got it,” Stilwell said. “I’ll go tell him.”

He walked down the hallway to the open door where Esquivel stood. There was no sign of Starkey.

“Where’d he go?” he asked.

“He’s in there making a call, I think,” Esquivel said.

Stilwell walked into the room, down a short entryway, and past the bathroom door. Starkey was sitting on the bed, the room’s phone to his ear. Stilwell made a signal that he wanted to talk to him.

“I’m on hold,” Starkey said.

“With who?” Stilwell asked.

“My agent. I’m trying to see if he’ll pay.”

“Mr. Starkey, the hotel has agreed to let you stay one more night. You have till ten tomorrow morning to settle your bill or we will evict you from the hotel and take you to the Express. Do you understand?”

“What if I pay? Do I still have to leave?”

“That will be between you and the hotel. But right now I need to hear you say that you understand that if you don’t pay by ten a.m., you are leaving the hotel.”

Starkey hung up the phone.

“I get it,” he said. “And it won’t be a problem. I just want to be left alone to write.”