CHAPTER SIX (ARE WE THERE YET?)
It was a nice hotel..not on the Strip but..nice.
Jim Brass keyed the card, opening the door of to room 218. It was a few steps from the stucco stair case leading from the parking lot. He could see the vending machines and ice dispenser inside a glass partitioned room that also served as the laundry area.
They were on the second floor, of course, a wrought iron railing ran the length of the building. Several other guest were parked below, but all seemed quiet for the time of night.
The man stepped inside, searching for the light switch. He found it on the expected wall by the door, flipping it. The room bathed with soft light.
It wasn't the Ritz. The purple and white mazed bed spread matched the heavy drapes that were pulled shut to the late rays of a setting sun. The purple matched the sky outside with it's mottled blues, greys and soft pinks. One round table and chair comprised a desk area. One multi-colored chair, standard hotel fare. A night stand.
Haley Meadows leaned her weight against the rough cream of wall just outside the door, waiting patiently for once.
He stepped back out, wondering at her hesitancy. The wind blew her hair softly. The Santa Ana winds must be acting up in California. He studied her profile. She had one of those button noses that crinkled when she laughed. Brass thought it was..cute.
He hated that word as a rule, but in this instance..that's the only one that fit.
"Here ya go..home." He mentioned in passing, motioning to the opened door. "Safe and sound."
"I wish we could shoot him with silver bullets..be a lot easier but that's the Lone Ranger and we can't do that. He's one of the good guys even if he does wear a mask."
"...I would love to live in your world." The man decided. "If only for a day."
Haley allowed him to guide her inside the semi-dark room. "Yeah, well..you would change your feeble little mind, Mister Cop Guy..if you had to 'live through' one of my periods. You couldn't HANDLE the truth!"
"In spite of your completely horrible imitation of Jack..I actually followed your train of thought." He was turning on light after light as he went about the small room. "Which is scary in itself, granted. Ok..it's getting late..and you got work tomorrow so.."
"No I don't." She sat on the bed, her mood dropping by degrees. "I'm on.. "vacation"." She had quoted with her fingers, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Oh..NOW he gives me time off! The old poopy head, butt licker!"
The news surprised Brass. Not the butt licker part, of course.
She stood, crossing to the dresser/tv stand/advertisement counter, searching through the drawers , extracting a phone book. "How do you spell 'ticket guy'?"
"What are you doing?" Brass unfolded his arms, stepping to look over her shoulder. He could smell the light scent on her skin. Baby lotion.
"I can't find 'ticket guy'." She showed him the page full of pizza places. "What's it under?"
"You going somewhere?" He was beginning to understand her speech patterns.
"Well...duh." She "quoted" once again for the dumb guy. "Ticket guy"!"
Brass held his smile. "You mean.. 'airlines'?"
"Well, it's the same thing!" She exasperated. "What's it under?"
"Why don't we call them in the morning." He put the book away. "We have plenty of time, right?"
"Oh...sure." She agreed more than readily. "No need to disturb their sleep."
"No." He agreed although why anyone would be asleep at seven thirty at night was a mystery to him. "So.." He glanced around the area, noting the opened suitcase on the holding rack beneath the hanging bar over by the john. "What about 'your' sleep? Can you manage?"
"Oh sure." She smiled at him, her mood an amiable one.
"Ok then." He shrugged mentally, removing his hands from the pockets of the black slacks. "Guess I'll mosey on down the trail, then.."
"You do that, buckeroo." She nodded her consent.
The man smiled at the come back then, walked to the door. "I'll see you tomorrow then?" He had turned, his hand on the knob.
"But, I'm flying out tonight." She seemed confused. "Didn't you make the revelation?"
"...Reserva..." he man gave up. "I'll check in with you." He pointed a finger at her. "Go to bed."
She looked back at the structure absently.
"...Ok?"
"Oh sure." She smiled at him.
"...Goodnight."
"Goodnight." The woman sighed lightly, lifting her hand in a farewell gesture, still smiling at him.
Brass closed the door with but one scolding look in her direction. He had even gotten as far as the next to the last step of stairs before the 'something' nagging at him won out over his common sense.
Not that he didn't trust the woman..in a pig's eyes. He retraced his steps, back up the stairs, tapping on the door of room 218.
She opened it immediately. "Wow that was fa.." She stared at him, a scowl replacing her 'happy face'. "...You're not the 'taxi guy'. She seemed sure of her facts, then looked around him to search for someone she wasn't going to find.
"You called a taxi? You said you were going to bed." He reminded, a tiny hint of..strain in his tone, admittedly.
"See?" She showed him the advertisement. "Call for a ride. I'm not in any shape to drive..you said so, so...I used this!" She laughed happily. "I am so clever."
"That's one word..I got a few others." He mumbled on his way to cancel the taxi.
"What are you doing?" She was annoyed.
"Let me guess..the Star Trek thingy, right?" He put the phone back on it's black hook.
"That's not even here anymore..you should know that. You live here!" She brought her hands to shapely hips.
"Are you hungry?"
"What's that got to do with Star Trek..you are NOT making much sense tonight! That's all I'm saying on the matter."
"There's a diner down by the pool. Let's go get something." He waited.
As did she. ".. ... ..What??"
"Do you need to pee?"
"How rude!"
"Yeah, I know." He handed her the purse.. "Geesh..what'd ya got in here? Bricks?"
"It's my make up and things. I need a lot of make up, that's all." She took her bag, snubbing him, the 'cute' little nose going up in the air. "You're a man..what do you know about it!"
"I know you don't need a lot of make-up."
She stopped so fast he nearly bumped into her. "Well, isn't that sweet." Her manner had altered completely. "You are so sweet to say that."
"Yeah, I'm a sweetheart. A hungry one." He directed her out the door.
"Are you going to kiss at me tonight?" She took his arm, snuggling close to him as he guided her down the balcony.
"Kiss 'at' you.." He repeated. "Does that imply I might miss the target?"
She laughed contentedly. "You are so funny. I like that in a man."
Brass cocked his head a little. "Watch your step."
She stopped completely looking at her feet.
He hung his head, sighing heavily. "Come on, Haley...I'm starving here!" He practically snapped.
"Well, you don't have to be so mean!" She..yes...teared up. "You're just like Poopy-head." She pulled her hand from his bicep. "I hate you!" She turned and fled back up the stairs.
Brass rubbed his hands over his face, shaking his head sadly. "God.." He sighed more than heavily this time, trudging after the woman after a beat. "Shoot me now." He muttered to himself taking the steps two at a time.
She was searching the purse frantically, crying rather melodramatically, he thought upon his arrival on scene. "GO AWAY!"
He handed her the key card.
She took it. "Fine! NOW...go away!" She resumed her crying.
He tugged on his ear, waiting out the 'moment'.
She cried, sobbing heartfelt gasps of completely unconvincing but rather mournful sounds.
He gave her a B+ for 'performance'.
She...halted, staring at him angerily. "This won't work.." She had been trying the key card all this time, in different ways..each one of them either backward or upside down. One was both.
He took it and slid it correctly. He turned the knob and opened the door.
"You think you are soooooo superior!" She resumed her crying but this time, at least..she took it inside.
She shut the door in his face. He half expected her to stick out her tongue at him before she had.
Haley Meadows stuck out her tongue to the closed door facing. She threw her purse on the rounded table then, sit heavily on the bed. She..resumed her state of self-pity, and..her crying.
It had been a shitty day..just one big shitty, icky, ewwwww, day!