Chapter 88. Searching for the Ring

Elaine waited at the reception area, close to the plumbing unit in her old apartment complex. Opposite her, a new receptionist dressed in a well-pressed black shirt with shiny gold buttons sat behind the reception desk, typing some things into his new computer.

Reiki sat beside her on the black leather couch, which felt so comfortable, she could almost close her eyes and doze off to sleep, but the anxiety that Melvin’s missing ring caused forced her to stay awake and alert.

They’d been sitting at the reception area for thirty minutes waiting for Marcus from the plumbing unit to return with the ring he’d said they’d found stuck in one of the pipes. She’d used that time to study the wonderful things Andrew had done to give her old apartment a facelift. The reception area was much cleaner than it had ever been before.

The small bronze fountain of the giant Swernbach logo at the side of the receptionist table could be seen from the transparent glass wall overlooking th