Page 56 of November

CHAPTER 15

Following the instructions India had provided, Maisie pulled up to the building and turned into the parking garage. There, she was met by a man in a red-and-black uniform, who opened her car door for her.

“Hello. Miss Lincoln?”

“How did you–”

“Miss Sheridan alerted me to your arrival. May I park your car for you in one of our guest spots? Miss Sheridan just called down, and she would like you to come up, if that’s all right.”

“Oh. You park my carforme?”

“I can, yes,” the man replied with a kind smile.

“Sorry. I’m from this city; born and raised. I’ve never heard of an apartment offering valet parking.”

The man laughed and said, “These are condos, Ma’am. The valet service, along with the other perks, come with the purchase and condo fees.”

“Oh, right,” she said. “So, you’re not going to steal my car?”

“No, Ma’am.” He laughed again as she shook his head. “My name is Justin. I assure you, this is normal, but if you’re worried, you can look up and see there are security cameras all over this place. My boss is sitting behind a desk in there, probably watching this whole exchange.”

Maisie nodded but was still hesitant.

“If you just point me in the right direction, I can park it myself.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Justin replied and motioned with an open hand. “If you follow me, I can show you the spot.”

“Thanks,” she said before Justin closed her door.

Maisie felt a little out of place here and still wasn’t sure that this guy was telling her the truth. Paige had once had her car stolen and stripped for parts when she’d trusted a valetat a bar in the city. That bar hadn’t offered valet service, and Paige had paid the price for her trust. Maisie wasn’t about to lose her car to some guy who had bought a uniform online and pretended to be a condo valet, which she didn’t know was a thing. Justin showed her to the parking spot, and she got out of the car and followed him to the glass door that led to the lobby, which was decorated in golds and reds, almost like an old, fancy hotel that she’d seen in movies. Her apartment didn’t even have a lobby. It had a staircase with a row of mailboxes to the left, and that was about it.

“Right this way,” Justin said, opening the door for her.

Maisie followed him to the bank of three elevators, and he pressed the call button. The elevator arrived instantly because, of course, it did, and Justin pressed the floor button on the inside for her as well before wishing her a good night and letting the door close between them. Maisie got off when the doors opened to the carpets that were still red, but there was no more gold, outside of the sconces that had lightbulbs that emulated the city’s famed gaslit lanterns. She found India’s number on a door and knocked. When nothing happened after a minute, she knocked again. The door opened a few seconds after that, and India stood there, both hands at her ear, putting on a gold hoop earring.

“Hi. Sorry, I’m running a little behind,” India told her. “I got home later than I thought I would. Did you really park your own car down there? Justin just rang up here saying that you did.”

“He called you?”

“Yes, to tell me that you were here. They’ll park your car, Maisie. Come on in. I just need a minute. Can I get you something to drink?”

“Before we gooutfor a drink?” she asked, walking in.

“Oh, right,” India said as she finished with her earring and closed the door behind her. “I meant maybe water or tea or something. I have coffee. I can make you a cappuccino, if you want, or a caramel latte.”

Maisie finally took a look around then. The condo hada foyer, so she couldn’t see much. There was a coatrack next to the door, along with a skinny table with what looked to be fresh flowers in a vase on top of it and a small dish where Maisie saw India’s keys and a couple of other knickknacks. The walls were a deep burgundy, and there was crown molding.

“I can give you a quick tour with that coffee if you want,” India offered.

“Um… Okay,” Maisie said.

“So, the bathroom is here.” India pointed to a closed door, which she then opened. “It’s not the main guest bathroom, so it’s a half-bath.”

“How many bathrooms do you have?”

“Three,” India said. “And three bedrooms,” she added. “I also have a small den that I use as an at-home office. I just added it on this past year, actually, along with a jacuzzi tub in the master bath.”

“You have a jacuzzi tub?”