{scene} instead of salt air all we breathe in is sand
When Friday rolls around, James has to concede that they're about as organized as they're going to get. The hotel is booked, he's got at least the beginnings of workable information (it's not a foot in the door, but he's got to figure out where the door is before that), and he's ... got a suitcase he's being very careful with when he brings it back to the flat and Pelagia.
"Pela?" he calls, locking the door behind him; please let her not have buggered off somewhere in his absence.