by J.R. Bowles
CHAPTER 36
Michael sat in the lobby waiting for Jamal. He had been there since eight and it was now three in the afternoon.
“Mr. O'Malley, are you sure I can't order you something to eat? You've missed lunch, and you need nourishment to maintain such a big frame.” Rudy the desk clerk once again fawned over Michael.
It was obvious to Michael what Rudy wanted but he felt only amused tolerance. “No thank you Rudy, I'm fine. I don't expect to be here much longer anyway.”
Well, if there's anything I can do call me. I'm here until four.” Rudy added with delicate emphasis.
Michael shrugged wordlessly and forced himself to smile. He had just glanced at his watch for the thousandth time when Jamal and the Indian girl got off the elevator.
Finally, he thought. Michael had hired a car so he could follow them if they got a taxi; it would be waiting across the street. If they used a bus or the subway he would follow them on foot. He followed them as they left the hotel, making sure he kept far enough back that they wouldn't notice him.
Rudy had just clocked off his shift and noticed Mr. O'Malley was no longer sitting in the lobby. When he looked around to see if he could spot him he noticed he was just passing through the revolving door.
Since the day Michael O'Malley had checked in a lot of strange things had happened. Most likely they were coincidence, but the fact he had shown up looking like an indigent, and then suddenly displayed excessive wealth over the past several days, was intriguing. Rudy was always fascinated by those sorts of things. He couldn't help sticking his nose in other people's business; that's just the way he was. He even went so far as to check O'Malley's phone bill. All those long-distance calls to London, South Africa, and Japan; he had converted his charges to an unlimited charge card. There had been rumors among the staff that he owned a large percentage of the chain, but he wasn't able to verify it. It might be fun to follow him, he thought.