“Well, I can certainly find out for you,” Gracie responded. “What’s your friend’s name?” When Booth replied that his name was Hawk, Gracie shook her head. “John Hawk doesn’t stay with us when he’s in town. Maybe he told you to meet him in the dining room next door. I know he usually eats there when he’s here. My sister, Sophie, operates the dining room. If you don’t see him there, she can tell you if he’s been in.”

Jesse and Booth looked at each other, not sure if she was covering for him or not. “Sometimes he tells people not to let on he’s stayin’ here, but it’s all right to tell us. We’re friends of his.”

Baffled by his statement, Gracie said, “No, Mr. Hawk isn’t staying with us. I don’t know why you think he is. Now, if there’s nothing more I can do for you, I have work to do.”

“There’s one more thing you can do,” Booth said, and grabbed her by the arm. “I hate to think a pretty little lady like you could be lyin’ to save a no-account bastard like Hawk. So, we’re gonna take a little tour of your hotel to see who is in your bedrooms. He might be usin’ another name.”

“Take your hands off me!” Gracie cried indignantly. “I know what John Hawk looks like, and he’s not here.”

“We’ll see,” Booth said. “If you’ve got a master key, you’d better get it, else I’m gonna kick open any locked doors.”

Realizing how dangerous the two men were, she did as she was told, fearing for her safety. “All right, I’ll get a key, but please, can I at least knock on the occupied rooms, so we don’t terrify anyone else?”

“Yeah, you can do that,” Jesse said. “But if you say anything besides your name, give any kind of warnin’, it’s gonna cost you your life. You understand that?”

“Yes, yes,” she gasped. “I understand, but I’m telling you the truth, Hawk isn’t staying with us.”