Page 35 of Not that Impressed (Houston Pumas #3)

WILL

Ellie opens up her Instagram, skimming over the comments on her post as the SUV drives up Bulevar Kukulcan toward the Winscott Hotel. She gives a soft, “Hmmm.”

“What is it?” I look down at her phone, but I’m not sure what she’s looking at specifically.

“This woman commented that she saw them at the airport.” She shrugs. “It’s nice that people are commenting and that they’re on the lookout, but it’s not anything new.”

I already have my arm around her, so I pull her closer, kissing the top of her head. She tilts her head back to look at me, a rare smile flashing across her lips. “I never would have pegged you for a PDA type of guy.”

“Does it bother you?”

She reaches up and pulls my head toward her, giving me a light kiss on the lips. “No,” she whispers.

“When I’m comfortable with someone, when I don’t feel like I have to consider everything I say, I’m not the—what did you call me? Grumpy to your sunshine?”

She snorts a laugh. “That makes sense. So you’re actually a cinnamon roll.”

“What?” I eye her skeptically .

“Hard on the outside; beautiful sugary gooey inside.”

“Do not ever repeat that again, Ellie Bennet.”

“I’m sending a group text to your team now.” She winks at me and pulls her phone out, scrolling through more comments on her post. Her smile, and the brief lightness we enjoyed, disappears, replaced with a worried frown.

“Caleb will get something soon, I’m sure,” I say to reassure her. “Law says he’s scary in a good way.”

She nods, then leans her head against my shoulder and checks her messages from her family. Every time I reassure Ellie, I see less and less hope in her expression.

If Grayson Hollis has hurt Libby, I will make him pay. I won’t have to worry about dragging Anna through something anymore. The Bennets have made sure Libby’s name is already out there in connection with Hollis. He will go down for this.

The SUV pulls off the main road and heads up a private drive.

Ellie and I share a look. “It’s too nice.

” She scowls at the luscious plants that surround the drive and the hotel towering above us.

“Do you happen to know if Hollis had a big contract with the Pumas?” She switches apps on her phone, doing a Google search.

“No idea.”

“There’s a chance the Pumas still had to pay out a portion of the contract when they cut him, especially if Anna never filed charges and they couldn’t invoke his morality clause or personal conduct clause.”

The SUV comes to a stop, and Ellie pockets her phone, not waiting for me to push open her door and hop out. “Espera, por favor?” she asks the driver, and hands over a generous tip.

“Bueno,” the man replies, and Ellie rounds the car to head inside.

She strides through the lobby to the reception desk, all confidence. She holds up her phone, showing a picture of Libby, and asks the clerk something in smooth Spanish.

The woman pinches her lips together. Ellie’s still smiling when she speaks again, but it’s a smile I recognize—a polite smile but with a glint in her eyes that shows she’s ready to fight.

I catch the word policía. The woman’s lips tighten even more, but she turns to her co-worker and taps her on the shoulder.

They speak in rapid Spanish to each other, Ellie still intent on them. The second woman shakes her head.

“I was working last night,” she tells Ellie in accented English. “I didn’t check them in.”

Ellie’s shoulders fall. “Bien. Gracias.”

We don’t leave the hotel. Instead we walk around the lobby and show Libby’s picture to any employees we see, and we stop at the bar to ask the employees there, since it seems a likely place Hollis and Libby would’ve come into if they were staying at this hotel, especially with the heavy rains today.

“Let’s go.” She sighs. “We can try the next place.”

I take her hand as we walk out. She had her hopes up about the Winscott. As we exit through the front doors, and head down the drive to where our car is waiting, my phone buzzes in my pocket. It’s a text to the group chat.

Law

Caleb wants to know if Hollis might answer the phone for any of you. He thinks he has a way in.

I stop, pulling Ellie back with me.

“What?” she asks. I show her the text.

A guy from the offense that I don’t know well answers.

Younge

I’ve seen him a few times since he was cut. He might answer for me.

I decide not to judge Bodie Younge for keeping in contact with Hollis considering it might mean we can locate him.

Law

Call him now.

Younge sends a thumbs up, and Ellie and I both hold our breath, watching the text group. A few minutes later my phone rings with an unfamiliar number. I answer immediately and put it on speaker.

“Hi, Will? This is Caleb Gallagher, Carlie’s brother?” His voice raises on a question, asking me if I know who he is.

“Caleb!” Ellie almost shouts the name with relief. “Did you find them?”

“I’ve got him,” Caleb says. I smirk at the triumph in his voice. “He didn’t talk to Younge very long, but it still got me enough time to track his location.”

“Where?” I ask. Ellie is practically bouncing beside me.

“A hotel on the Playa San Miguelito, the Winscott. Can you get there?”

Ellie gasps. “We’re here.” She whips her gaze up and scans the surrounding area, as though Hollis and Libby will appear any moment. “Caleb, the front desk already told us they didn’t recognize them. Is there any way you can tell us what floor they’re on or a room number?”

“Give me a second.”

Fingers tap on the keyboard. Caleb issues a few hmms , but almost a minute goes by without him speaking. Ellie chews on her lip, which is distracting. Luckily, I’m practiced at keeping my head in the game with distractions all around me.

“I can only get within about ten feet in an area in the hotel, but I couldn’t tell you if they’re on the first floor or the tenth.”

“Okay.” Ellie’s forcing lightness into her voice.

“They’re not checked in under either of their names.” Caleb sounds frustrated.

“This is better than anything we’ve had so far. You’re a miracle worker, Caleb.” Ellie sounds much more genuine with this statement. And there’s a bit of relief in her tone. I look over at her, and she smiles tentatively. We can make a plan with this.

“Just don’t sing my praises too loud,” Caleb chuckles. “Um, don’t sing them to anyone, actually, if you don’t mind.”

“You got it.” Ellie grins down at the phone.

“I’ll see if I can make something out of their guest list,” he says, sounding distracted. “I’ll call back if I find anything.”

We thank him again and hang up. Ellie faces me. “Well, what should we do? Start knocking doors?”

I give my head a slight shake, trying to think. “They have to come downstairs sometime, right? To eat or … something. We’ll stay here and … wait them out.”

“Okay.” Her expression is anxious. She checks out the building above us, still biting her lip. I take her in my arms and give in to the distraction for a moment, dropping a quick kiss on her lips. When I let her go, she gazes up at me, a little bewildered.

“First things first,” I say. “You tell our driver he can take off and then call your family to update them. I’m going to book us a room so they can’t kick us out.”

Ellie grips my arms. “She’s here, Will, right? We found her.”

“We found her,” I promise. We’ve come too far to consider scenarios where Libby’s not with Hollis anymore.

I just hope I don’t end up breaking this promise.