Free Surrounded by Sharks by Michael Northrop

was an odd sound out here, the sort that would attract attention.

David and Julia had quickly worn out their welcome, but Drew’s family still hadn’t been able to shake them. Now they were all leaving the restaurant together. Drew gave her mom a quick, worried glance: Are they just going to follow us around all day? It seemed possible.
    Finally, her dad executed a daring escape move. He walked several steps past the elevator bank. David didn’t so much as look over at it. He didn’t break stride, and he certainly didn’t stop talking. He’d barely stopped once he’d gotten going. It was a mystery how he’d been able to clean his plate without spraying the table with egg bits.
    “Oops, just got to pop back up to the room,” said Big Tony.
    Drew smiled. Well done , she thought, and it was. David and his better half had already walked past the elevators. They couldn’t claim they needed to use them now, too. It was a clean break. Almost.
    “All righty,” said David. His tone was breezy but forced. He was struggling to come to terms with the loss of his audience. “We’ll just be at the concierge desk. We’ve got some questions for that lady.”
    Good, go talk her ear off , thought Drew. At least she gets paid for it .
    Julia flashed them a quick, slightly desperate smile. It was like she was secretly being held hostage and trying to communicate the fact with her teeth and eyes. She’d barely said a word during the meal. But now she surprised them all with some actual information.
    “Oooh,” she whispered. “That’s them!”
    She pointed over toward a group standing near the computer and printer set up along the wall for guests to use. She and her husband both made exaggerated bug-eyed expressions at exactly the same moment. How about that?
    She’s no hostage , thought Drew. And then, mercifully, they walked away. Drew and her parents stayed put, pretending to wait for the elevator.
    “Gah, I thought he’d never leave,” said Big Tony.
    “Thought he’d never shut up,” said Drew.
    “Still hasn’t,” said her mom. She nodded over toward the concierge desk, where David was already peppering a stylishly dressed young woman with questions. In sharp contrast to the scene a few hours earlier, the lobby was fully staffed now, bustling with activity.
    Their eyes landed back on the family of the missing boy, still waiting for the computer to free up. A quick look at their body language made it clear how impatient they were. A man with headphones on was seated at the lone computer, completely unaware. He was video chatting with what looked to Drew like a ball of frizzy hair in a dark room.
    Drew was the first to figure out what they were doing. “They’re waiting to print out a picture,” she said. “Like a missing person advert.”
    Kate gasped.
    “Shame, isn’t it?” said Big Tony.
    “We should say something,” said Kate.
    “Right thing to do and all that,” said Big Tony. “Should we, uh, should we all go, then?”
    “You go,” said Kate, waving him on. It had always been understood that he was the most social, the one to talk to strangers. He was the one who’d gotten them trapped at a table with David, after all. Now he had to make good.
    The elevator dinged and opened up. No one got out, and they let it close again.
    “Go on, then,” said Kate.
    He walked slowly over.
    Drew turned to her mom. “Bit awkward, isn’t it?”
    *  *  *
    Brando stared at the back of the man’s head. How clueless can this guy be? he thought. It was bad enough he was chatting away with this frizzy-headed, Muppet-looking woman. It was much worse that they had to hear him do it. Brando fantasized about walking over and plucking the man’s earphones right off. He couldn’t decide what he’d do after that. Strangle him with the cord, maybe.
    Brando looked around the lobby for what felt like the eighty-fourth time. This time, he saw a man heading straight for them. He was a big guy, and kind of