‘Yesterday?’
‘Dunno.’
Rain bit back her frustration in response to his nonchalant attitude. If she was going to get any answers from him, she was going to have to keep her cool.
‘Look, we haven’t heard from Fay in a week. My mum normally talks to her every day, so you can imagine how worried she is. Can I take a peek in Fay’s room, make sure everything’s okay?’ Rain gave her most charming smile as she fished for his name. ‘Um . . .?’
‘Billy.’
‘Billy. You know what mothers are like. She’s doing my head in.’
Something she said must have resonated with him. After a few moments, Billy sighed and stood up.
‘Come on, then.’
He led Rain up a flight of creaky stairs to a small room at the end of the hallway and walked inside. Rain hovered in the corridor. She wasn’t about to make herself vulnerable to being trapped. As if sensing her trepidation, Billy moved further in and stood by the window. Only then did Rain take a cautious step inside, her eyes darting around to take in every detail.
The room was chaotic. Fay’s personal belongings were scattered everywhere – clothing strewn across the bed, toiletries lining the windowsill, and her treasured designer shoes piled in the corner.
Nothing seemed unusual about the mess. Fay wasn’t exactly known for being the tidiest of people when it came to housekeeping.
But what caught Rain’s eye were the porcelain figurines and a photo frame on the bedside cabinet which held a picture of Rain and Fay as kids, taken on a sunny day in the park. She remembered it vividly as it was the start of the school summer holidays.
Happier times.
Tears pricked at the back of Rain’s eyes as she picked up the photo, tracing her finger over Fay’s face. I didn’t even know she’d kept it.
‘Do you remember the last time you saw her?’ Rain asked, turning to Billy.
Billy’s gaze flickered as he shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. ‘No.’
‘Has anyone been round here looking for her lately?’
Billy shook his head.
‘You would tell me if you knew anything, wouldn’t you?’ Rain pressed.
He dropped his gaze to the ground.
‘Billy,’ Rain said softly, ‘you would tell me if you knew anything, wouldn’t you? I mean, you wouldn’t want to think of our mum sitting all alone being upset, would you?’
Billy turned away, shoulders hunched. Rain could practically feel the conflict radiating off him. He knew something, she was sure of it, but pushing harder would only make him shut down.
‘Okay,’ she said, relenting.
She grabbed a scrap of paper from the dressing table, scribbling down her number. As she went to put it down, a small diary caught her eye, peeking out from a half-open drawer. Rain hesitated for a split second before snatching it up and slipping it into her bag. Fay had always been one to pour her heart out on the page. If there were clues to be found, they’d be in there.
‘I’m leaving my number here. If Fay comes back, or if anyone starts nosing around . . . call me. Please.’
He looked over his shoulder and glanced down at the number for a second before giving a curt nod. Rain breathed a sigh of relief.
‘Thank you, Billy. Really.’
With one last look around the depressing little room, Rain headed outside, eager to escape the oppressive air of the hostel.
She walked briskly as she made her way back to the station, a tight knot in her stomach. Something wasn’t right. Fay might be impulsive, but she’d never leave behind her most treasured possessions. The porcelain figurines their grandma had given her before she passed – Fay cherished those. Rain had been tempted to take them for safekeeping but had decided against it. If Fay did come back, she’d be angry to find them gone.
Stopping at a café, she ordered a coffee and found a seat. Taking out Fay’s diary, she began to read.
Ugh, today’s been another rollercoaster of emotions. It’s like I’m stuck in this crazy loop of highs and lows, and I can’t seem to break free.
I saw him again today, you know, at our usual spot in the hotel. The way he looks at me, it’s like I’m the only one in the world. And those whispered promises? They’re like music to my ears, even though deep down I know they’re just empty words.
He keeps saying he’s gonna leave her, that we’ll finally be together without any drama, but let’s be real, how many times have I heard that before? Too many, that’s for sure.
Part of me knows I should just walk away, cut ties and move on. But then there’s this other part that’s totally hooked on the rush he gives me – like, I feel alive when I’m with him. And that’s what makes it so hard to let go.
I wish I had the guts to say enough is enough, but for now, I’m stuck in this crazy cycle, holding onto hope that maybe, just maybe, one day he’ll actually keep his word and we can be together for real. Until then, I guess I’ll just keep waiting and hoping for the best.
As Rain read through the rest of the diary, she was dismayed to see there weren’t any dates, or more importantly, names. Just page after page of lovesick ramblings and anguished indecision. But it was something. A clue, a place to start. If this mystery man’s wife had found out about the affair . . . or worse, if he’d done something to Fay . . .
Rain’s blood ran cold at the thought. She needed to find out who he was, and fast. Before—
The buzz of Rain’s phone made her jump. She glanced at the screen and froze.
Lauren.
For a second, Rain just stared, her heart fluttering erratically in her chest. After the way they’d left things, she hadn’t expected to hear from her so soon, if ever again. With a sense of trepidation, she answered the call.
