About Last Night... by Stephanie Bond Read Free Book Online Page B

the night. His best man. Our best man, that is. For the wedding."
    Mr. Oliver pursed his mouth, and put pen to paper. "The man's name?"
    "D-Derek Stillman."
    An amused smile crossed his face. "Is that with two D's?"
    The doctor looked completely lost. "Forgive me, but I'm a very busy man—"
    "Wait, Dr. Pedro." Janine looked behind her, relieved to see Derek was definitely out of earshot, then turned back and
    encompassed both men with the smile she'd been practicing for her wedding photos. "Perhaps I could at least get a separate
    room." When the doctor hesitated, she added, "I barely know the man, and he's exhibiting symptoms." Two of many reasons for
    separate quarters.
    Dr. Pedro made a sympathetic sound, then looked to Mr. Oliver. "Do you have any empty rooms?"
    The general manager shook his head.
    The doctor shrugged. "I'm sorry, Ms. Murphy."
    "Perhaps I can stay with the medics," she urged, grasping.
    Her face must have reflected her distress because his face softened into an indulgent smile. "No, but maybe we can arrange
    to place you with a female guest who isn't exhibiting symptoms and who hasn't been exposed to someone who is."
    She smiled, enormously cheered.
    "Unless you've already spent time in the man's room."
    Her smile dropped while Mr. Oliver's eyebrows climbed. She considered lying, then glanced back to the doctor and nodded
    miserably.
    "For how long?"
    "About thirty minutes, total."
    He pursed his lips. "That's not so bad."
    Hope resurrected, she smiled.
    "But how close was your contact?"
    Her smile dropped again. "Fairly close. I checked to see if he had a fever." Among other things.
    The manager must have read her wicked mind, because his lips twitched with suppressed mirth.
    "Well, if that's all—" the doctor began.
    "No," she broke in, exasperated with herself, but knowing she had to tell the truth. "Actually, I k-kissed him."
    Both men blinked.
    "Completely by accident," she assured them hastily. "I thought he was my fiancé." She sounded like a raving idiot, but she
    couldn't seem to stop, as if she needed to purge herself.
    Dr. Pedro's eyes widened. "Are the men identical twins?"
    "N-no, but it was very dark."
    Looking completely baffled, he cleared his throat. "Ms. Murphy, if you've already been exposed, you simply must stay in the
    room." He turned to the general manager. "Moving guests would make it impossible to identify whether the problem is isolated
    to certain areas of the hotel."
    Mr. Oliver nodded solemnly. "I'll make certain my staff is aware."
    The man turned back to Janine. "I hope you understand, Ms. Murphy, why I cannot compromise the quarantine. I'm sorry if
    these circumstances put you in a delicate situation."
    She nodded, backing away, wishing a tornado would rise up behind her and spirit her away to Kansas. "Thank you for your
    time, Dr. Pedro. And please let me know if I can be of service somehow." As if he would ask her now. He probably thought
    she was an escapee from the state loony bin. She certainly would if she were in his shoes. And right now she'd trade shoes
    with just about anyone in the building.
    He nodded, his expression wary. "I'll examine your, um, friend myself as soon as possible."
    "Thanks," she said, then felt compelled to add, "But he's not a friend, he's just my best man."
    He stared at her as if she might be dangerous.
    Janine managed a tight smile for Mr. Oliver and turned to join the exiting crowd. Maybe she had already contracted the
    mysterious disease and didn't realize it. How else could she explain her leaking brain cells and runaway mouth? Of course,
    exhaustion could have something to do with her state of mind, she reasoned as she waited at the end of the line to climb the
    stairs to the eighth floor. Stairwells were confining even without the swell of bodies to deal with, so she hung back.
    When she leaned against the wall, she spotted a curtained door at the end of the perpendicular hallway. There had to be a
    way out of this place, she decided