“Looks like a pretty regular day,” Meg told me as I walked into the office and tossed my coat on the back of my chair. “The business party from Japan left early this morning, and the rooms have been cleaned. Standard set from the airport tonight, though most are scheduled for late check-in. The guy in 312 rang for extra towels. Would you mind running them up so I can finish my reports?”

I didn’t know what a typical day shift was like at the hotel. I was used to the night shift but had asked Meg to switch with me the night before, so I could go on a date with a guy who chatted me up in the grocery store. The date had quickly gone south, but that wasn’t her fault. I’d come in extra early to thank her for switching. Running up guest requests wasn’t a hassle, but it did take time away from the necessary paperwork we had to complete before finishing our shift. It was the least I could do. I pulled some towels out from the stash we kept behind the desk and grabbed the laundry keys from my desk drawer so I could replenish them when I returned.

“312?” I questioned, certain I had misheard her. The hotel was nowhere near the capacity we usually needed to open that wing.

Meg nodded. There was an odd sort of grin on her face. “He’s a frequent guest and requested his regular room.” As a boutique hotel near the airport, we had a few business people who made us a regular stop. The owners had told us to accommodate room requests whenever possible.   You can thank me later,” Meg called as I walked out. I didn’t bother to stop to ask what she meant.

A few minutes later I stood at the farthest end of one of the lesser used wings. I raised my hand to knock on the…