Read Bad Vibrations: Book 1 of the Sedona Files for Free Online Page B

profession?”
    “Out-of-work actress, from what I gathered. Not exactly someone in a position to assist much in world domination, as far as I can tell.”
    “No, I wouldn’t think so. Anything else?”
    “My client believed the change had come over her after a visit to a tanning salon.”
    “A tanning salon.”
    All along I’d been hoping maybe the story wouldn’t sound so crazy on repetition, but I reflected that it actually sounded worse. Paul’s expression didn’t change, but it didn’t need to. He gave the distinct impression of someone who was struggling to be polite.
    “The sort of place where they spray it on,” I said, my voice sounding strained even to myself. “Look, don’t you think I know how ridiculous all this sounds? Normally I would have brushed it all off as just one of the left-field things that happens to me from time to time, but this can’t all be a coincidence, can it? You coming into El Churro for directions, Otto telling me I had to come to this one hotel out of all the hundreds in L.A.?”
    “How do I know this Otto even exists?”
    “You tell him I most certainly do exist,” came Otto’s voice at my ear.
    I started, spilling some of my pinot. Luckily, I had just picked it up, so most of the wine splashed on my hand and on the little cocktail napkin, and not on my clothes.
    “What are you doing here?” I whispered fiercely.
    “Checking in.”
    “Well, don’t. This is hard enough as—”
    “Is he here now?” Paul leaned forward over the table that separated us, his eyes eagerly scanning the space above my head.
    “Yes,” I said. “But he’s actually behind me, on the left side.”
    “Fascinating.”
    “You see?” Otto demanded. “At least someone appreciates me.”
    “That’s because he doesn’t know you the way I do. Anyway, don’t you have better things you could be doing?”
    “Yes, but I thought I should warn you that you were followed here.”
    “Followed?” I squeaked.
    “Do keep your voice down. Yes, followed. If you look out toward the main lobby area, you’ll see a suspicious individual loitering near the elevators.”
    I did as Otto suggested and stared over Paul’s shoulder and in the direction of the bank of elevators that led to the tower rooms. People milled about, going this way and that, but I saw at once that one man wearing a dark suit and an entirely unnecessary black overcoat never moved, but only stood in one spot, apparently engrossed in some sort of brochure. I say “apparently” because his gaze kept flickering in the direction of the lobby lounge…straight at me.
    Immediately I looked down.
    “What’s he saying?” Paul asked. “Did I hear you say you were followed? By whom?”
    “How the hell would I know? I’ve never seen the guy before.”
    “What does he look like?”
    I sneaked a quick peek and then lifted my glass of pinot and took a sip with what I hoped was an air of complete unconcern. “I can’t really see his face too clearly. Tallish. Dark suit and a black overcoat.”
    “A black overcoat,” Paul repeated in flat tones.
    “Yes.” A sudden thought hit me, and I said, “You’re not telling me that this guy is a—a man in black, are you? Come on!”
    “What else? Maybe there’s more to this client of yours and his possessed girlfriend than you realized. At any rate, I think it’s a good idea if we can find a discreet way to get out of here.”
    Otto said, “Very sensible. I think you should listen to him.”
    “What, and not your sterling advice?”
    “ Go! ”
    There were very few times in my life when Otto had outright commanded me—one being the time his shout of warning had kept me from getting hit by a car just as I stepped out into an intersection my senior year of high school.
    I stood and wrestled a couple of twenties out of my wallet. “Otto thinks we’d better leave.”
    Paul rose as well, and began reaching for his own wallet.
    “Never mind that,” I said. “We can settle up