Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 53450 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53450 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
There were stairs by the elevator, but she was sure Magnus had that area wired for him to watch, too. How else could she get to the ground? She didn’t want to count on that old downspout holding her.
Out of the periphery of her vision, she saw the thick branches of the mature trees that decorated the grounds of the resort. An idea popped into her mind, and Juniper rushed to the windows. No trees close enough here. Methodically, she left the apartment to search outside each window in the common area. Nope.
Quiet surrounded her. Maybe the Littles wouldn’t mind if she looked through the windows in their rooms.
Juniper dashed through their apartment and into the common area. She knocked on the door with the black cat. When there wasn’t an answer, she twisted the knob and inched the door open, expecting an alarm to go off at any moment. Celeste and Hawking’s rooms were lovely. She didn’t look around too much, of course. She already felt bad invading their privacy.
In the playroom, she struck gold. There was a branch six inches from one of the windows. Would Magnus have them wired to alert him of an intruder? She searched around the window frame and peeked on the other side of the glass. Not finding anything, she unlatched it and pushed the window up. Each squeak and groan of the older window made her heart skip a beat. Someone was going to hear her.
When it finally stood open, Juniper pressed her hand to her beating heart. She would have been the worst ninja ever. Sneaking out had her every nerve on full alert.
Looking out, she could see people wandering around the grounds and involved in all sorts of activities. She needed a way to blend in. Thinking quickly, she rushed back into their bedroom and flipped on the lights in the closet. Bingo! That’s what she needed. Juniper pulled a Danger Bluff polo shirt from a hanger and yanked it over her head. After smoothing it into place, she looked over the hats displayed on the shelf. Her Daddy sure had a huge collection of baseball caps. She grabbed one from the back, hoping it was old.
Now, in the best disguise she could come up with in a short time, Juniper returned to Celeste’s playroom. Scrambling out onto the window ledge, she didn’t let herself look down. She reached for the closest branch and eased herself onto it. Not feeling daring at all, she dropped to her stomach as soon as she moved completely from the safety of the window ledge. The rough bark bit into her cheek as she clung to the tree. After taking several deep breaths, she convinced herself she was okay. Moving slowly, she scooted down the trunk. Her feet searched for footholds as she moved lower and lower. Finally, her toe touched the ground.
Juniper dropped to the landscaping and huddled against the trunk to regain her breath. She peeked around the tree, hoping she hadn’t attracted any attention. A murmur of voices came from the pool area, but no one seemed to be interested in her.
Time to act cool. She stood and brushed off her Danger Bluff polo. After lowering her cap to throw her face into the shadows, Juniper walked toward the sidewalk. Visitors approached, and she leaned over to pick weeds from the bedding plants. She knew they would assume she was a gardener.
“The grounds are lovely,” an elderly woman called.
“Thank you,” Juniper said in a deep voice. She reached the path as they continued on.
Arriving at the front of the hotel, she spotted Sadie at the reception desk. How was she going to get past the one Little who knew everyone?
“Excuse me?” someone said to Juniper. “Could you help us find the outdoor restaurant? I’m so turned around,” a woman said. Surrounding her was a large family that seemed very lost.
“Of course. It’s easiest through the main building,” Juniper said quickly. “All you have to do is use the signs on the walls. Come on. I’ll show you.”
The group flowed around her, and as a large group, they moved through the lobby area. Juniper pointed to the sign on the wall.
“Just keep going through the back exit, and you’ll run right into it,” Juniper promised.
As the group continued on the correct way, Juniper walked down the hallway, trying to appear as if she had an important job to complete and should totally be there. Ducking around the barriers for the repairs, she tried the key with a bright red plastic keycap cover, hoping that was the master key. She blew out her breath in relief when she heard the lock open and let herself into the conference room. She hesitated for a few seconds. Had anyone seen her?
When no one immediately came to throw her out, she returned to the lever by the window casing. Just as she had discovered that first time, Juniper could feel it moving under her fingertips. Lowering herself to her knees, Juniper wiggled the lever to clear out the layers of paint. As it flaked off, she blew the debris away. Finally, she heard a click.