The Oslo Affair (Shadows of War, #2) by CW Browning (read after .txt) 📗

was helping her pick up the contents of the purse. At the very least, he should have been leery of the fact that a member of the Spanish nobility had condescended to strike up a conversation with him in the hallway of a hotel in Sweden.

The numerous scenarios of what could have gone awry continued to play their way through her head and, when Evelyn reached the stairs and started up them to the fifth floor, her heart was still in her mouth.

What if he came after her? What if Renner was on the fifth floor? Evelyn’s step checked as that thought occurred to her and she glanced up at the next floor apprehensively. What if he had someone watching the fifth floor?

She shook her head and continued on resolutely. No. Anna had got off the lift on the fifth floor and came down these very stairs without issue not five minutes before. Everything was going to be fine. She had to get a hold of herself.

Evelyn emerged on to the fifth floor and cast a swift look up and down the wide hallway. There wasn’t another soul in sight. Exhaling in relief, she passed the empty lift shaft and walked to the end of the hall, turning the corner. There, she leaned against the wall and checked at her watch. She just had to stay out of sight here for thirty minutes. There was no fear that the Condesa would emerge from her room and go to the lobby when they were supposed to be having tea. The Condesa de Carilla was notoriously reticent, preferring to entertain privately and rarely venturing beyond the comfort of her rooms. It had been a marvelous stroke of luck, seeing her check into the hotel the evening before when she was on her way to dinner. The Condesa hadn’t seen her, which was fortunate. Evelyn had had the privilege of meeting her on two separate occasions, once in London and again in Paris. The woman could talk for hours. She was fascinating, but exceedingly annoying. However, her presence here had played beautifully into Evelyn’s plans.

Looking around, she spied an alcove in the wall further down where the laundry chute was partially hidden by a potted fern. A moment later, she was concealed by the fern, settling down to wait. The timing was most important. Too many pieces were in play now. It was imperative that she wait the half hour before proceeding.

Her mind went back to the German on the floor below her. It really was a miracle that he hadn’t suspected a thing, and most especially hadn’t realized that he had been run down by the very person he was waiting for. Instead, he helped her pick up her belongings while Anna went into their room undetected, and then he was even obliging enough to show her where to go to get to the stairs.

Her lips curved and Evelyn felt the urge to chuckle. He’d done exactly what she wanted him to do. He’d seen exactly what she hoped he’d see, and it had all worked perfectly. Her role in the charade was now almost over.

The rest was up to Anna.

When Evelyn finally moved out of the little alcove she’d had plenty of time to calm down from the excitement of her lively performance. Her heart rate was back to normal and her step was light as she moved around the corner towards the lift. She glanced at the ornate dial above the shaft, smiling when she saw that the lift was engaged on the floor below her. Perfect. Everything was still going according to plan.

She continued to the stairs and entered the art nouveau inspired stairwell, starting down the steps quickly. Her heels echoed on the tiled floor, but she was unconcerned at the sound. There was no one on the stairs to notice, and even if there were, they wouldn’t think twice at the sight of a well-dressed woman taking the stairs rather than the lift. After all, the lift was engaged.

Keeping one gloved hand on the shiny railing, Evelyn moved quickly down the flights until she was nearing the bottom. There she slowed, her eyes on the opening that led to the lobby. The stairs emerged next to the lift, and she knew they would be watching the lift.

She could see people moving through the lobby as she came closer to the last step and she hesitated. Had she beat the lift down? As the thought entered her head, Evelyn heard the whirring of the gears and then a muffled clank as the lift settled on the ground floor. She exhaled and waited on the last step, listening. There was the creak of the gate opening. It was almost time.

Stepping off the last step, Evelyn moved over to the wall and stood against it, her eyes fixed on the path to the front desk in the lobby. Voices echoed down the stairs from high above and then the sound of footsteps heralded the advent of guests who didn’t want to wait for the lift. Biting her bottom lip, she glanced up swiftly. She had to move out of the stairwell before the people coming down saw her. Upon entering the hotel, her goal had been to have as many people see and notice her as possible, but now it was the complete opposite. The last thing in the world that she wanted was to have other guests see her lurking at the bottom of the stairs. There could be no good explanation for it and, worse, it would cause them to notice her.

Movement out of the corner of her eye drew her attention back to the lobby and she watched as Anna strode by in her own clothing, her head high, while the porter followed with all their luggage. She was right on time.

Good girl, she thought, watching as the woman went towards the concierge desk. Then she scanned the rest of the lobby, looking for