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"U shown her own clean test unit--to the concierge, not bothering to conceal my confusion "What happens now?"
"Now you enter A valet will take your van"--he paused as htened on the wheel--"or not, as you prefer Your party is waiting for you in the lobby" He stepped back His partner did the sa slowly open
Becks put a hand over mine "It’s okay," she said "I’ve heard of this place"
"So?"
"So I wouldn’t have if my mother hadn’t stayed here You need so et in that there are presidents who never stayed here" Becks pulled her hand away "They believe in discretion above pretty o"
"You’re the boss" I started the engine
Becks sht"
Getting past the valet without ceding the keys was easier than I’d expected Every place I’d ever seen that was even remotely like this had been staffed by people ere so desperate for tips that they’d do anything to guarantee theh to actually touch another hu There’s a commonly held belief that people ork in the hospitality industry are less paranoid about strangers than the rest of us I’d almost been able to buy it, until I stayed in a few hotels and sa careful the staff was to avoid touching the guests It was almost funny, except for the part where it was so damn sad
George theorized once that the people orked in hospitality were even e et attached to anyone," she’d said "People co but na to lose"
The Agora was disturbingly different The valet’s smile when I said I’d rather park e e, spacious, and well lit, with e the walls The bellhop who opened the hotel’seven when it became apparent that our days on the road didn’t leave us exactly minty fresh And neither of them held out a hand for a tip
"This is weird," I h past the guy for o unheard
"This is wealth," she replied, and slapped her palm flat on the test sensor that would open the airlock separating the outer ring of the hotel from the main lobby I did the sa us both to step through
"Welcome, Mr Mason Welcoora recouest facilities A hot bath has already been drawn in your roolad that you’re here" The door on the other side of the airlock slid open, and the main lobby was revealed for the first tie
"You took the words right out of my mouth," I said, and followed Becks out of the airlock
The Agora lobby was decorated in shades of white and blue It looked like the interior of the world’s lacier A piano was tucked away into one corner, half blocked froreen leaves and trumpet-shaped blue flowers The sound of the unseen pianist’s playing echoed through the roo, yet soh to make it clear that there was a live person at the keys The front desk was set just to the side of a curved flight of stairs leading to the second floor
Maggie and Mahir were standing near the center of the lobby, talking quietly They looked around when the airlock door slid shut behind us "Shaun! Becks!" exclai inappropriate in this overly rarified atmosphere "Youbehind so ie "You look…"
"Like the heir to Garcia Pharie earing a tailored blazer over a white lace shirt, no bra, and pants that could have been applied with a spray can Maybe they were--they’ve been doing sos with memory poly was one of the things being worked on Her normally curly, nor down her back like it had developed its own private gravity Again, maybe it had The ways of the obscenely rich are alien to h that I was certain she hadn’t done it herself
At least she was still wearing sensible shoes, rather than teetering on a pair of ih heels I’ve heard the et-you-killed heels" I think it’s a little irl," said Becks, co to my rescue "He has no idea what the safe answer is, and so he’s going to vapor lock until you change the subject Hi It’s good to see you You look wonderful" She stepped forward, sweeping the head of the After the End Tiladly returned