Brandy drew a breath to argue, but Roman covered her mouth with his hand.
Everly was happy to leave the teen to Roman. She pushed the male end of the USB into the reader. “It’s in.”
“I see it.” The frenzied clack of computer keys streamed across the earbud. “There’s a password. Hacking in.”
“Heads-up, lovebirds.” Liam’s voice came across the line. “He’s back. Just screeched to the curb.”
“Sam?” Everly nudged.
“Just another few seconds. There’s some weird encry
ption…”
Voices rose in the foyer.
“Don’t have a few seconds,” Everly said.
She pressed her ear to the door. The other women tried to coax Lyle into their beds while he was trying to tell them he wasn’t there for sex.
“I’m in,” Sam said.
“She’s with another client,” a man’s voice rang in the foyer. “I can check her room as soon as she’s free. I promise to call you the minute—”
“I can’t wait,” he said, his voice coming closer. “This is important.”
“Sam,” Everly said. “We’ve got about thirty seconds.”
“I’m aware,” he said with that I’m-going-as-fast-as-I-can clip in his voice.
A heavy knock came at the door. “Brandy,” Lyle called. “I need to see you.”
Brandy spun toward Roman, frantic. “Now what? If they find out, they’ll kill me.”
Roman opened his mouth to answer her, but Lyle knocked and bellowed again.
Everly gripped Brandy by the arms and gave her a little shake. “Do you want to live?” she whispered. When she nodded, Everly said, “Then tell him just a minute, you’re coming.” When the girl just kept staring at her with those big deer-in-the-headlights eyes, Everly said, “Now.”
On cue, Lyle knocked again, but this time, he pounded with the side of his fist and rattled the doorknob.
Brandy jumped. “J-just a minute, Lyle.” She looked at Everly, who nodded encouragement. “I’ll be right there.”
“Done.” Sam’s voice came over the line.
Everly tilted her head toward the door leading to the bathroom, and Roman headed that direction, unbuttoning his shirt. She stuffed the bracelet back into the bottom drawer of the jewelry box just as Lyle hammered the door again.
Everly gripped Brandy’s shoulders. “If you want out, make this good.”
She stepped behind the door and motioned for Brandy to open it.
Brandy was shaking as she turned the lock and opened the door, hiding Everly. “Hey, baby.” Her voice sounded smooth enough. This couldn’t have been the first time the girl had to pretend in a dicey situation. “Did you come back for seconds?”
“Where is it?” His voice vibrated with tension as he pushed into the room.
“Lyle, I have another client right now—”
“My bracelet,” he demanded. “Where is it?”
From Everly’s position, she saw Roman open the bathroom door and come into the room, shirtless with that terror-inducing steel gaze drilling into Lyle. “What’s going on here?”