‘I know,’ he snapped. ‘We need to find Fay before her sister does. Before anyone does.’
He hung up the phone and tossed it onto the passenger seat. This was getting more complicated by the minute. Not only did he have to worry about Fay exposing him, but now he had her nosy sister to deal with too.
He needed to think, needed to come up with a plan. But first, he needed a drink.
Chapter Sixteen
Rain pushed the cleaning trolley along the corridor, her eyes scanning the door numbers as she navigated the hotel’s labyrinthine layout. The endless corridors seemed to stretch on forever, making her feel like she was in a maze. Up ahead, she saw Sarah standing outside a room, her eyes glued to her phone. Rain offered a tentative smile as she neared.
‘Hi, Sarah.’
Sarah glanced up briefly, her expression unreadable. ‘Hey.’
Just as Rain was about to pass by, Sarah suddenly grabbed the handles of the cleaning trolley, bringing Rain to an abrupt halt.
‘I heard you’ve been asking questions about Fay,’ Sarah said, her voice sharp and accusatory.
Rain furrowed her brow, feigning confusion at Sarah’s pointed question. ‘Fay?’ she repeated, her voice carefully laced with innocence. ‘I’m sorry, I don’t know who you’re talking about.’ She held Sarah’s gaze, hoping her acting skills were enough to mask the truth that lurked just beneath the surface.
Sarah’s eyes narrowed, her suspicion evident as she studied Rain’s face intently. ‘The cleaner you replaced.’
‘Oh yeah. Mr Larkins mentioned she’d just up and left. I just wondered why.’
‘Well, let me give you a piece of advice. Mind your own business.’
Whoa, what’s her problem? Has she had a personality transplant?
‘Are you serious? Why can’t I ask questions about her?’
Sarah fixed Rain with a cold, calculating stare.
‘Because your job is to clean, Rain,’ Sarah said, her words dripping with condescension. ‘That’s all. Remember that, and you’ll stay out of trouble.’
With that, Sarah removed her hand from the trolley and walked away, leaving Rain standing there, stunned. This is getting weirder by the minute.
A sense of unease settled over her like a suffocating blanket. Sarah’s cryptic warning echoed in her mind as she continued her way down the corridor.
Finally finding the first room on her rota, Rain pushed open the door and walked into the spacious hotel room. Her heart sank as she took in the scene before her.
The room was a disaster zone, a chaotic whirlwind of scattered plates, discarded rubbish, and general disarray. In that moment, Rain realised that Fay’s tales of the back-breaking work and endless challenges of being a cleaner were not mere exaggerations, but a stark reflection of the reality she now faced.
I suppose I’d better get on with it. A wry smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she imagined Mr. Larkins returning to check on her progress. Wouldn’t want to give him any reason to doubt my abilities on my first day.
She started with the king-sized duvet cover. With great effort, she managed to wrestle it off the duvet, beads of sweat already forming on her forehead and she had barely begun.
Just as she was about to tackle the sheet, Rain’s phone buzzed in her pocket. Fishing it out, she glanced at the screen and saw a message from Lauren staring back at her.
Lauren wants to meet me. Her forehead creased in confusion. I wonder what for? I thought I’d made my feelings perfectly clear.
No matter how she felt about Lauren, she would not succumb to being anyone’s second best.
But even as she thought the words, a traitorous voice in the back of her mind whispered seductively. What if it’s important? What if she’s ready to leave her husband, to choose you?
For a moment, Rain’s thumb hovered over the keypad, temptation warring with common sense.
Rain shook her head.
Stop it. She’s married. I have to stick to my decision. Not act like a lovesick teenager. I’m just as bad as Fay!
As Rain wrestled with her conflicting emotions, she heard voices outside in the corridor. Wondering who it was, Rain stepped over the discarded bedding strewn across the floor and approached the door. Opening it slightly, she peered down the corridor, catching sight of Alex talking with a hotel guest. She could just about hear what she was saying.
‘Here you go, mate. Looks like you’re gonna have a hell of a party tonight,’ Alex said.
Rain saw Alex take something from her pocket and hand it over to the man, and in return, he handed her money.
‘Let me know if you need anything else. I’m around until midnight,’ Alex said before sauntering down the corridor.
Rain was dumbstruck.
What the fuck! Alex is a drug dealer. No wonder she stays in the job, she’s got a great customer base.
Rain closed the door with a soft click, her mind working overtime. This new revelation explained why Alex had warned her to keep her head down and not ask questions.
Was there a possibility that Fay had been caught up in Alex’s scheme? Could that have been the reason she left the hotel, and it was nothing to do with her affair?
I wonder if Lauren knows. Don’t be stupid! Of course, she doesn’t. Fuck. Do I tell her?
Rain leaned back against the door, suddenly exhausted. All she’d wanted was to find Fay. She hadn’t signed up for this – the secrets, the lies, the constant feeling of being in over her head.
