Chapter 344

The Five Star Motel was a study in false advertising. Three of the stars in the neon sign were blown out, the restaurant offered an all-you-could-eat fish buffet that from the parking lot reeked like a salmonella extravaganza, and the pool hosted a thriving community of algae.

"I would have ponied up for an extra star," I said, stepping over a broken bottle outside our scratched motel room door.

Oh, look. The outside was the nice part.

I eyed the brown, stained bedspread which complemented the water stains running down the stucco walls. "It doesn't match, but it goes."

Rohan smoothed the plastic tarp that we'd purchased on our way over and now covered the bed. "Isn't this better than a chocolate on the pillow?"

"I wouldn't trust that anything we found here was chocolate. You want first crack at the prison shower?"

Rohan eyed the bathroom dubiously. "Sure?"