“Ms. Jenkins,” Riley said, drawing the woman’s attention to her. “Do you still want to check in? I can give you the number for a women’s shelter if you’d rather go there.”
Ms. Jenkins’s head jerked back in surprise. “How do you know my name?”
“It was on your reservation,” Riley said.
The woman looked around as though just remembering where she was. “Do you memorize all the names of your incoming guests?”
Wasn’t hard to do today.
“We’re all about customer service,” Kathy chimed. She had the two lamps, one tucked under each arm.
Ms. Jenkins glanced at the suitcase and some boxes that sat in the back of her car. “I guess I’ll take the phone number for a shelter. I don’t want my husband coming here again.”
That made two of them. Well, more than two. Nobody in the inn would want a repeat visit from this guy. “I have the contact information at the front desk,” Riley said.
The group followed after Lucas. Riley asked Ms. Jenkins again if she needed anything. “Food? Money?” Riley would’ve given her everything she had in her purse just because she felt so sorry for the woman.
Ms. Jenkins shook her head. “No, but thanks for the offer. I guess you weren’t joking about your customer service.”
It would’ve been nice if the Smiths had heard that pronouncement, but she uttered it right before Lucas dragged her husband inside.
The Smiths both stood stationed by the window and watched Lucas haul the man, still unconscious, onto the lobby floor. They looked at the body, at each other, and then at the door.
It probably didn’t help matters when Kathy plunked the lamps back on one of the end tables and said with evident pride, “The guy had no idea who he was dealing with.”
She meant Lucas. Because he used to be a police officer and had taken the man down with amazing speed and dexterity.
But Mr. Smith said, “I suppose not,” and he and his wife headed to the door. They made their exit as quickly as they had the first time, even though Lucas called after them that they ought to stay and make a statement for the police.
Nothing doing. They didn’t look back, just walked faster.
Mr. Jenkins woke up a few moments later, still angry, although less violent. He sat up, massaging his head and wincing while he glared at Lucas. “I’m gonna file assault charges against you.”
“Be my guest,” Lucas told him.
The man pulled out his phone and punched in the number with an angry flourish.
He seemed a bit surprised when two police officers showed up before he finished speaking with the operator and even more surprised when Officer Martinez and Officer Blake started speaking to Lucas about the case using police lingo.
Officer Blake handcuffed Mr. Jenkins and took him to sit in the back of the police car while Officer Martinez spoke to Ms. Jenkins. Next, he took statements from Riley and Kathy because they’d been witnesses.
When that was done, Ms. Jenkins thanked them all again and left for a shelter, making her way out of the building with quick steps and a marked air of relief. Officer Martinez spoke into the radio for a bit and told Riley and Kathy that someone would contact them if the police needed further information.
Kathy returned to the kitchen, but Riley stayed in the lobby. Lucas had said he wanted to talk to her after her shift.
Before Officer Martinez left, he turned to Lucas, and in an understated drawl, said, “So you decided to become a hotel manager because it was less dangerous. How’s that working out for you?”
“Some days better than others,” Lucas said grimly. “Don’t tell my mother about this.”
Officer Martinez chuckled. “Mum’s the word for your mum.” He gave Lucas a fist bump and strode out the door, speaking into his radio again.
As soon as the door closed behind him, Lucas turned to Riley. He put his hands together in a gesture of frustration. “Do you remember that I told you to stay inside?” He was gearing up for a lecture.
“Yes,” she said.
“I’m your boss and a former cop. In either of those two capacities, you should have listened to me.”
“I couldn’t let you face the knife-wielding maniac alone.”