Page 52 of Elling & Jackie

Chapter 19

In the parking garageof the hotel, Elling pulled out his cell phone. If Campbell tried to leave, he'd have to go past him.

"I'm here," answered Roar.

"It appears Campbell is going to hang around here." He watched the back door of the hotel. "He's having lunch in the restaurant."

"Do you need someone to come and relieve you?"

"Nei, I'm good." He leaned against the cement pillar beside his Harley.

"Did you get any rest?"

"Enough."

"Call if you change your mind," said Roar.

"Ja." He disconnected the call.

There was no news to give Roar because he hadn't learned anything in the last twelve hours. He walked back inside. The restaurant was on his left, and there was a self-serve cafeteria-style buffet on the right. He pulled the braided leather at his hip, removing his wallet from his pocket. Grabbing two pre-made sandwiches, he flipped the cashier a ten spot and walked back out to the hallway.

A couple strolled toward him. The man changed positions with the woman, avoiding any contact with him. Used to the judgment against him because of his Slag vest and probably his rougher looks, he watched as the woman looked back at him despite her husband trying to protect her.

He winked. She jerked back around and grabbed her man's arm. Amused, he unwrapped one of the sandwiches and took a bite. The food tasted like soggy cardboard.

There wouldn't be any real food until he could get back to the clubhouse. Wishing he had a drink of water to wash it down, he walked back inside the cafeteria and drank from a water faucet.

Wiping his beard, he grimaced. It tasted like chlorine and made him long for the pure water out of the tap from Norway. While he'd prefer a deep drink of beer, as a child, he remembered the satisfaction of drinking water from home. He hadn't found anything that compared since moving to the United States.

He returned to the hallway in time to spot Agent Campbell walking toward him. The agent stopped and looked at the sandwich in Elling's hand.

"You should try the corn chowder." Agent Campbell tongued the toothpick in his mouth.

Elling took another bite, ignoring him. It was easy to do. The agent had taken Dag for seventy-two hours and put him through hell. Making Campbell's job harder gave him pleasure.

"What's on your agenda today? Is Slag Motorcycle Club planning another coup?" Campbell rocked back on the heels of his pretty leather shoes. "How's Blue treating you after the murder of one of their members?"

He swallowed, crumbling the wrapper in his fist. The Feds still believed Slag had something to do with a murder almost two years ago. He was sniffing in the wrong direction.

"Tell me who is responsible, and I'll see about giving you the offer I put on the table weeks ago." Agent Campbell put his lips together and smacked them, almost losing his toothpick. "Your lack of cooperation isn't going to help you, Halvorsen."

He opened his last sandwich. The conversation made him lose his appetite.

"You know where to find me if you want to talk." Campbell walked toward the elevator.

Knowing if the agent left, he'd go by car, Elling walked back out to the parking garage and sat on his Harley to finish the sandwich. When he was done, he stuffed the cellophane wrapper in his vest pocket and took out a pack of cigarettes.

Lighting a smoke, he contemplated what he should do. Going back up to his room and watching the hallway was his least favorite option. Campbell throwing off his routine by staying at the hotel made him more alert. The game was about to change.

A black Subaru drove up the ramp in the three-story parking garage and turned in Elling's direction. He peered through the windshield and recognized Jacqueline. Craning his neck, he watched her park a few spaces down from him.

He'd seen her leave her room that morning and until seeing her outside of the hotel, it hadn't dawned on him that she'd been wearing shorts, sneakers, and a shirt that left her shoulders bare. Something he hadn't spotted her wearing during work hours.

The sight of all her bare skin had distracted him to what she planned to do today.

The trunk of her car opened. Jacqueline got out of the driver's seat and loaded her arms with paper bags. He got off his motorcycle and walked toward her.

"Hey," he said, not wanting to startle her.