Rocco waited until the last car had passed before he slid under the plastic tarp and into the building. The sun was almost set and in the long shadows he was sure no one could see him. He moved quietly through the dust and darkening rooms. On cold nights, the Alta Viso building was his secret spot, at least for now.
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The second night he'd slept here, Rocco overheard two contractors discussing the pending renovation of the Alta Viso. The old business plaza had approval pending as an historical landmark. This meant that any renovations were on hold until the approval passed. From the way the contractors had talked, it sounded like the process would take months. Rocco had slept here every night since.
As he snuck through the lobby and past the scaffolding he noticed the doorway to the basement hung ajar. The fetid odor of rot and sewage drifted up through the open door. No renovations there yet, he thought. He rushed up the stairs.