Eric nodded. “I’ll have my assistant get on this when I get back to my office.”

“Get back to me next week on the results.”

Eric stood and folded his papers before shoving them into his briefcase. “If there isn’t anything else you need, I’ll go ahead and return to San Francisco and meet with you before Christmas for the board meeting.”

Jack stood and shook the other man’s hand. “We’ll see you then. Thanks for coming all the way down here.”

“My pleasure.”

“And Eric?”

He turned toward Jack.

“In the future, speak up. I’m not going to can you if your ideas differ from mine.”

Eric nodded. “With the economy the way it’s been, everyone fears for their jobs.”

Jack understood his concerns. The hotels had gone through a couple of rounds of layoffs since the recession. The budget-minded hotel idea had bloomed because of the bad economy.

“The Morrison hotels are riding the storm. I don’t foresee any more layoffs.” It was the best Jack could do. He couldn’t promise the man he’d always have a job, but he wanted him at ease enough to offer insightful ideas on something as important as the name of a hotel.

“Thank you, Mr. Morrison.”

“Safe flight home.”

As Eric left the room, Jack stacked his market analysis papers together and placed them in his briefcase. His cell phone in his pocket rang as he headed out of the room.

Recognizing the number, Jack answered with a greeting. “Hey, Mike.”

“Good, you’re answering.” His friend’s frazzled voice turned Jack’s smile to a frown.

“What’s up?”

“It’s Dean. Has he called you?”

“Haven’t spoken to him since Vegas. The construction end of the new hotels is a ways off, so I didn’t think I’d hear from him for a while. Why?” Jack set his briefcase back down. Dean owned and operated a major western United States construction company that Jack planned to use to build the family inns. Dean was going to take on the oversight of the project personally.

“Damn. I thought he’d have called one of us.”

“What’s going on? Is he OK?” Jack rubbed a hand over his face and sat forward in his chair.

“Probably not. Maggie called off the wedding.”

Of all the things he expected to come out of Mike’s mouth, Maggie and Dean’s engagement ending wasn’t one of them. “Oh man. Dean must be devastated.” For better or for worse, Dean had adored Maggie.

“He’s disappeared.”

“Do you know what happened? Why did she call it off?” Jack stood and paced the room. Dean was his best friend, and he had no idea what was happening with him. Damn, what kind of friend was that?

“No idea.”

“Never mind, that isn’t my business. Where do you think Dean went?” Jack could think of a few places to check out. Places they would escape to during Dean’s early years in Southern California.

“He could be anywhere. He left on his motorcycle, according to Maggie.”

Being pissed on a motorcycle never ended well. Dammit! “I thought he sold the motorcycle.”

“Apparently not. Anyway, I don’t think he went far. Maybe up to Arrowhead or possibly Mammoth.”

“It’s December. Mammoth is covered in snow.” Dean could be wild, but he wasn’t reckless. “I’ll pick you up in the hour. We’ll head out and find him.”

“You read my mind, bro.”

Jack hung up the phone, thinking about his friend. Dean would be distraught. Probably didn’t want company, but if left alone, he might find himself drinking too much and having an accident. Jack and Mike could keep him safe while he wallowed for a few days.

Up in his suite, Jack tossed his case aside and stepped into his bedroom to change his clothes. Once he’d dressed down into jeans and a button-up plaid shirt, he plopped his hat on his head and started for the door.

“Damn,” he said, thinking of Jessie. He picked up his phone and dialed her number.

She answered on the second ring. “Hello?”

Her voice was honey to his ears. “Hey, Jessie, it’s Jack.”

“Hi.”

“Listen, I’m not going to be by the restaurant tonight. Something came up.”

“Oh.” Was that disappointment in her voice?

Jack smiled.

“I hope everything’s OK.”

“I’m not sure. Remember my friend Dean, the one who was getting married?”

“The blond guy?”

“Right. Well, his fiancée called off the wedding, and Dean’s disappeared.”

“Oh God, Jack, that’s awful. He seemed all goo-goo-eyed over her—what I saw of him, anyway.” The kindhearted sincerity of her words made him smile.

“He couldn’t have taken it well. Anyway, Mike and I are headed out to see if we can catch up with him…keep him out of trouble.”

“That sounds like a great idea. Is your work cooperating?”

His work? Oh, yeah, his “waiter” job. “They’re great here. You know, though, they aren’t great about personal phone calls. Let me give you my cell number so if you need to get hold of me, you can.” The last thing he wanted was for Jessie to call the hotel asking to talk to Jack Moore and learn the truth. It was probably best to keep her from the hotel as much as possible. Jack told her his number, made her promise to put it in her cell. “How is the car running?”