DECEPTION: THE PACT

CHAPTER XII

What???

I look around but there is not Alek in sight.

After about five minutes of searching for Alek, I finally find him speaking to front desk lady.

When I get into hearing range, I can pick up pieces of the conversation-- something about Alek wanting to know if there are cameras in the elevators.

Smart!!!!

I join his side, smiling up at him, to which he returns a grateful smirk before looking back at the lady.

I can see her have an inner tug of war.

She glanced around, before leaning in closer and whispering.

"There are, but I'm not supposed to tell you that."

"It's my girlfriend's RING we're talking about!" he says firming up his poise.

What type of story had he created to make the old lady offer the secret information to him in the first place?? That I had lost a ring??? And I'm his girlfriend????? Ew!

I unconsciously take a step away from Alek, but I realize that the only way we can look at the security tape recordings is if I comply with his story.

So I nod.

"It was my great grandmother's ring," I explain. "I need to find it, and I'm sure I dropped it in the elevator this morning."

She lets out a defeated sigh, before turning around.

"Beth," she says to the other front desk. "I need to show these two employees to the meeting room."

Is seeing the tapes that serious that she would lie to her coworker?

Well, we were not telling the whole truth either.

I sigh, hoping this would be the last time I would be lying---ever! It feels horrible!

With that, she escorts us through the main hallway into a back door. She fumbles with the lock, but it finally opens up.

We walk into the room and she closes the door.

It's huge, with computers and hard drives all over the place!

I was expecting to find at least one security guard watching the tapes, but there was no one.

"Where are the security?" I ask the lady.

She quickly looks up at me before logging into an old computer.

"This room is called the memory room. The security room with the security guards broadcasts it live in another room, but once an hour has passed, the memory comes here," she explains. "When did you lose your ring, and which elevator?"

I glance down at my watch and think about when I came across Reagan.

"It was 8:30 to 8:35ish, and I used Elevator B," I tell her.

She is about to open the file when I hear the door open.

I dare not move.

I'm crossing my fingers it's not Wyatt...

Please don't be Wyatt. I just told him I was going to lunch because of a headache!

It's only seconds before I hear a voice right behind me.

"Brooke," it says.

"Martin," I try to respond politely through gritted teeth.

I'm relieved it's not Wyatt, but I'm not utterly pleased that it's Martin either.

I turn around to greet him with a smile, but Alek beats me to it.

"Brooke told me that she lost her ring in the elevator, so we asked the kind front desk lady to help us trace it," Alek tries to explain as if it were the truth.

Man, I need to teach him how not to lie so convincingly.

A smirk works up Martin's face--not one of Alek's signature smirks, but an almost evil smirk that means he knows something we don't want him to know.

"Ring?" he asks innocently. "Hmm.... I didn't see a ring on your finger this morning, Brooke."

Wait. How would he know that???

Oh right. That's what you get for helping people out when they drop their stuff in the parking lot.

Alek turns my way, his eyebrows knitting. I can see him trying to work out a plan, but this is my part of the mess, so I need to handle it.

"Are you serious, Martin? Why would I leave on an inherited heirloom when helping a stranger out? I didn't even know you! You might as well have stolen it from my finger if I left it on. No way! I slipped my ring and bracelet in my purse before helping you out. I believe I dropped it in the elevator, hence why I am here," I explained in one breath, waving my hands around as I said the last part.

That, folks--that's what earned me Alek's awesome smirk.

And Martin's frown.

HA.

"I see," the defeated one says, as if he is..... disappointed?? "Well," Martin continues after an awkward pause, "I just had to get a few documents and I'll be one my way. Hope you find your ring."

Without another glance, he quickly leaves the room, loudly closing the door behind him.

"I thought he needed to grab a few documents," says the front desk lady, running her feeble hands through her white curls.

Was she listening to the conversation all this time?

"Maybe he forgot?" I suggest, but deep inside, I know why.