Page 36 of Not that Impressed (Houston Pumas #3)

ELLIE

We have to split up. The hotel is too big, with too many entrances and ways to get around and too many chances we’ll miss Hollis or Libby if they leave. I’ve tried her phone a few more times, and it’s still off.

I’ve donned a pair of big sunglasses, and I bought a wide-brimmed hat at one of the gift shops on the hotel property. Libby may spot me, but I’m hoping this will buy me the time to spot them first.

Unease wiggles in my stomach. Why did she stop answering our calls and texts? Because we were all overreacting, according to her? Wouldn’t she want to make sure Mom and Dad knew she was fine and that this trip isn’t a big deal?

I push my worries away, but it’s harder when Will’s not by my side anymore.

He’s known all the right things to say the last twenty-four hours to keep me calm and not too worried about Libby.

I can’t believe he’s here, sacrificing so much for me when everything between us is new.

And yet, it feels like our friendship, and whatever more there is to come, is as solid as though we’ve been together for years.

I wander up the beach, scanning everyone around me but trying not to look too suspicious. I text Will while I walk, since that will make me seem more normal.

Ellie

Heard anything from Caleb?

Will

Sorry. Nothing new.

Ugh. “Where are you, Libby?” I whisper. I choose a sidewalk that comes off the beach and head toward some guest rooms. Maybe I can walk the halls and see something.

I’ve been up and down the beach twice now without spotting Libby or Grayson.

The evening is humid but not too hot after the rainstorm.

Would they still be inside? It is cloudy.

Maybe they’re afraid it might rain again.

I keep scanning all around me as I walk toward the building full of rooms where Caleb said Grayson’s phone was located. As of an hour ago his phone was in that building. I have to hold on to that. Libby is close, and we’re going to find her.

I open my text messages with Janelle in case I missed any updates on her end in the last five minutes since I messaged her.

There’s nothing new, just Dad’s ETA in Cancun (still over an hour out) and our frustration that the FBI doesn’t seem to work as quickly as the TV shows we’ve watched portray.

At least the favors Dad has called in means the Mexican authorities are ready to arrest Grayson as soon as we find them.

My phone buzzes in my hand, making me jump. It’s a call from Janelle. It doesn’t surprise me she’s seeking out updates too. I’m sure it’s torture to be at home and not know what’s going on here minute by minute.

“Hey, Janelle, we haven’t?—”

“I know what name they’re booked under,” Janelle interrupts me. “Or at least I have a really good guess.”

“What?” I cry and then soften my voice. I don’t want to draw attention to myself. “How? ”

“Libby’s friend, Kat, saw your post and sent me a text. She said Libby sent her a picture of her and Grayson late last night, and she’d written ‘Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliams’ with a bunch of winking emojis. I sent it to you.”

I cover my mouth to keep quiet the exclamation of excitement. “I’ll call you back soon,” I promise. “Make sure you tell Kat thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

“Find Libby. Please.”

“I will.” I hang up and within a minute I have Caleb’s phone number from Will and he’s heading toward me while I call with the name. I trust Caleb to get us information far more than the women at the reception desk.

“1525,” Caleb cries triumphantly. “Grey and Lydia Fitzwilliam, here on their honeymoon, apparently.” His voice is dry.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” I say back. I hang up and look up to see Will jogging toward me. “1525,” I tell him as he comes close.

“That building.” He points to the one I was considering going into when Janelle called. He takes my hand and leads me toward it, walking fast enough it’s almost hard to keep up.

“How do you know?” It’s not that I distrust him, but I don’t want to waste time.

“While I was doing the lobby circuit, I stopped by the map and studied it for a while to give me a reason to look around the lobby for longer. I could tell you where anything is in this resort. Try me.” He looks down at me and gives me a half-smile.

“I guess you’re probably decent at studying and memorizing diagrams, huh?” I tease back.

“Meh. I’m okay.”

I don’t want to wait for the elevator, but it’s definitely faster than trying to climb fifteen stories. I’m in good shape, and adrenaline is flying through my veins, but I’d be dead by the time we got there.

The seconds tick by like they’re hours. Will runs circles with his thumb along the top of my hand, but we’re both antsy, glancing around us constantly.

I text Janelle the room number. Finally the elevator opens.

A family gets out, and we slip inside. Will hits the button for the fifteenth floor and then we wait again: wait for the elevator to move, wait as it glides by each floor, wait for the door to open once we stop at fifteen.

A sign points us to the right, and we rush forward, with me counting off the numbers as we go by them.

1515, 1517, 1519, 1521, 1523.

I skid to a halt in front of 1525, Will behind me.

I summon the best accent I’ve ever used and knock on the door.

“?Hola! Estamos aqui para limpiar.” There’s no answer right away.

“?Hola?” I knock again, trying to keep from knocking too hard.

I share a worried look with Will. Did they actually slip by us?

Could they know we’re here? Did Grayson see me on the beach or Will in the lobby and slip them both out of the hotel somehow?

“Come back later,” a voice calls. Grayson! “Can’t you read the do not disturb sign?”

“Pretend like you don’t understand?” Will suggests in a low voice.

“Lo siento,” I call back, knocking on the door and hoping Grayson gets annoyed enough to come shoo the housekeepers away in person.

“No entiendo. Nececitamos limpiar, senor.” As far as I know, Grayson doesn’t understand my requests to come in and clean the room, but I’m banking on him coming out to talk to us.

“Go away!” he yells. He still doesn’t open the door, and a spike of fear shoots through me. What’s he afraid for the housekeepers to see?

I give up the pretense and pound on the door. “Libby! Libby, it’s Ellie. We’re so worried about you. Please answer the door.”

Grayson swears from inside the room. Will shifts me aside and gives three firm knocks.

“Hollis. Open the door now.” The dangerous edge to Will’s voice sends a shiver down my spine.

He’ll break down this door any second, and I’ll support him, but there might be an easier way without risking injury to Will.

I pull out my phone, texting Caleb swiftly.

Ellie

He won’t answer the door. Anything you can do?

Caleb

And then, the door clicks. I look up at Will and back down at my phone.

Caleb

Will opens the door, holding me behind him with a hand as he steps inside the room.

Grayson stands by the sliding glass door next to the balcony, turning with his mouth open in shock when we walk in. “How did you?—”

“Shut up,” Will commands.

“Ellie?” a voice says, and I stride around Will to see Libby on the bed. I rush to her, throwing my arms around her.

“Are you okay?” I ask, my voice trembling. “Are you okay? You stopped answering and we were all so terrified, Libs.”

Libby holds me so tightly it takes my breath away, and she shakes in my arms. “My phone died,” she whispers. She doesn’t give any more explanation, but the fear in those words tells me everything.

Still clutching Libby, I turn to Will. He stands between Grayson and his only way out of the room, considering we’re fifteen floors up. His expression says everything will work out.

With one arm still clutching Libby, I yank out my phone and dial my dad. “We found her,” I say in a rush. “Get the police down here. ”

“Is she okay?” Dad asks.

“I think so. We’re still in the room. I’ll call you back in a minute.”

“I’ll make the call. Be careful,” he says and hangs up.

“Police?” Grayson laughs, but it’s forced. “I think you’re overreacting.”

Will growls, but I’m the one who jumps in. “Why couldn’t Libby charge her phone, Grayson?” I ask coldly.

He shakes his head and rolls his eyes. “She didn’t want to, right Libby?” he says, his voice full of good-natured annoyance at us. Oh, he is so slimy. “Your family was blowing up her phone. She just wanted to have a good time.”

I lose it. “You kidnapped her and you’re not getting out of it this time with lies about her or Will or me.”

Grayson’s eyes widen. “Whoa, Ellie.” He holds up his hands like I’m a feral animal, and if he keeps gaslighting me and Libby, that might be what he gets. “Libby came with me by choice.”

“SHE’S SEVENTEEN!” I shout at him. “It’s kidnapping no matter how you spin it.”

To my utter pleasure, Grayson’s face turns white. “I thought she was eighteen,” he sputters.

“Doesn’t matter what you believed,” Will says in a low, angry voice, staring Grayson down.

“Go stand behind Will,” I tell Libby softly.

“I’ll get your bag, and we’ll get out of here.

Everything’s going to be fine, I promise.

” She nods into my shoulder then gets up and skirts the edge of the bed to get to Will.

I glance around the room, spotting Libby’s suitcase. It hasn’t even been opened.

Clenching my teeth, I look back over at my sister.

She’s wearing the terry-shorts from the picture Janelle sent me that Libby sent to her friend.

Same with the lightweight hoodie and sandals.

Her hair is in a messy bun, and her makeup is smudged and faded.

I grab the suitcase and roll it toward the door.

“Let’s go,” I say through my teeth.

“You guys are overreacting.” Grayson splays out his hands .