Miranda Vaughn Mystery 01.00 - Chasing the Dollar by Ellie Ashe Page B

nodding toward the corner of the ceiling at the black glass bubbles that concealed the security cameras. They'd also know we were taking the stairs. I was just happy that it was a mere nine flights this time. But at the end of the staircase, where would I go?
    I stayed close on Jake 's heels in the stairwell—an easier task with sneakers on than in the expensive heels I'd just abandoned in my hotel room. The messenger bag banging at my hip now contained everything I was going to have until I could get back into the room, which was probably being tossed by the Macau police.
    At the bottom of the last flight, Jake pushed the door open, peered in both directions, and then pulled me into the hallway. Hand in hand, we walked briskly toward the main entrance, down the wide corridor flanked by doors that opened into business conference centers and well-appointed sitting areas for travelers.
    The tall, slim figure of the concierge rounded the corner and made eye contact with me. He hesitated and his face briefly registered shock, then he gave me a quick shake of the head and continued into the first open door. I yanked on Jake's arm, and ducked into a sitting alcove.
    " What?"
    " We can't go that way."
    The alcove was empty, but didn 't have any door except the wide entrance to the hall, making us trapped and exposed. I peered around the corner and down the hall in time to see a half-dozen men crossing the hall and walking briskly toward the elevators. I jerked my head back and bit my lip.
    " Who did you see?"
    " Six men, heading to the elevator."
    " Uniforms?"
    I shook my head.
    "Could they be guests?"
    I paused and thought about what I 'd seen. Something about them had a law enforcement vibe. Was it the nondescript suits? The short haircuts? The walk—fast, as if they were trying to hurry but not draw attention to themselves by running. The way they walked in pairs, almost like military formation.
    " Pretty sure they're cops."
    " Chinese?"
    " No, they were white."
    " Probably Patterson's security," he said, moving me so he could look out in the hall. "It's clear. Is there another exit?"
    I had walked down to check out the pool this morning. It was hard to believe that was just a matter of hours earlier. It seemed a lifetime ago.
    "The pool area has a fence, pretty high. I don't remember an exit. We'd have to cross the lobby to get to the pool anyway," I said. "What about the kitchen? There must be a service entrance."
    He nodded. "Which way?"
    " This way," a soft voice said behind me. I jumped and suppressed a scream, finding the concierge standing three feet from me.
    He nodded to a door that blended into wall, and after a brief hesitation, we followed him. He shut the panel behind us, and I realized that it wasn 't a secret entrance, just a way for the hotel to expand a meeting room to accommodate a larger group. The other side of the door was another alcove, but it opened to both the hallway and another conference room.
    " Stay behind me," the man said.
    Jake gave me a questioning look, and I shrugged. I had no idea whether to trust him or why he was helping us.
    "Miss Vaughn, you have very little time," the concierge said.
    " Why are you helping me?"
    " We take care of our guests."
    He gave me a pointed look, and after a few seconds I nodded. Maybe this wasn 't the first time the Mandarin's hotel staff had to help a guest evade police. He turned and headed into the dark and empty conference room, staying along one wall. At the corner, he unlocked a door and let us into a hallway.
    Then he stopped.
    "Go through the double doors, turn right. Follow that hall to the end and you'll find the door to the service alley." He reached into his pocket and withdrew my passport, which I had given the clerk when I checked in.
    " Won't the police be watching the back entrances?" Jake asked.
    The concierge gave us a puzzled look. "Those men are not police."
    I swallowed hard at his tone, took my passport , and stammered out a thank you. Jake