Chapter 21: [21] A Smile and a Skeleton Key
The clerk returned with apologetic shoulders and nervous fidgeting fingers. His regulation cap sat slightly askew, as if he’d been running.
"I’m sorry, Ensign Rivers, but Captain Hardy is... well, he’s rather occupied at the moment." The young man’s voice cracked slightly. "There was an incident earlier today involving a red-haired individual who apparently disrespected the Captain’s name and..." He paused, cheeks reddening. "And inappropriately touched Lady Alyssa."
That lying bitch. Raven kept her expression perfectly neutral while internally cursing Alyssa Hardy’s name. Pierre had grabbed the spoiled brat’s wrist to stop her from hitting someone, not "inappropriately touched" her.
"Oh my." Raven’s voice took on just the right note of concern. "That sounds terrible. What am I supposed to do now? I’ve come all this way, and I don’t have anywhere to stay..."
The clerk’s Adam’s apple bobbed again. He glanced around the empty lobby, then back at her face, his gaze briefly dropping to where her uniform jacket stretched across her chest before snapping back up.
"Well, I... I suppose I could give you a tour of the facilities? Since it’s your first time here and all. Just until Captain Hardy is available."
Raven’s face lit up like he’d just offered her the moon. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him in an enthusiastic hug, pressing herself against his thin frame just long enough for his face to turn the color of a ripe tomato.
"Oh, thank you so much! You’re absolutely wonderful!"
The poor boy stood frozen, his hands hovering awkwardly in the air as if he wasn’t sure where to put them. When Raven finally stepped back, he looked like he might faint.
"I... uh... yes, well..." He rubbed the back of his head, disturbing his carefully combed brown hair. "We should probably start with the administrative wing?"
"Lead the way!" Raven beamed at him.
As soon as he turned around, her smile vanished. During the hug, her fingers had expertly searched his pockets, his belt, even the inside of his jacket. Nothing useful.