Christy Barritt - Squeaky Clean 04 - Dirty Deeds (21 page)

My heart dropped. “Some time?”

“Yeah, some time.”

He half-waved and walked away. The burden on his shoulders seemed to grow from Appalachian proportions to the size of the Rockies.

And I’d caused that heaviness to press down upon him.

Maybe I had been right. Maybe I was no good at relationships. I’d prayed that I would change, that I would turn over a new leaf. But maybe turning over new leaves was just some kind of fantasy. Maybe relationship failure was just in my blood, passed down from generation to generation.

I felt like I’d just failed some major test of my faith. I’d prayed that God would wash me clean. He had, but I’d gone out and wallowed in the mud.

Was there any hope for me?

I pulled my knees to my chest and leaned against the gazebo. Alone.

Just like I’d always known I was destined to be.

I couldn’t stand the thought of going back to my room and possibly running into Riley’s friends along the way, not to mention seeing Veronica in our suite. Instead, I collapsed into one of the rocking chairs along the front of the resort. The night sparkled around me, but instead of being filled with wonder, the blackness seemed ominous, a foreshadowing of what was to come with my so-called reformed life.

I’d always been a bit of a screw up. Why did I think things would change?

I sucked on my lip for a moment, trying to keep my tears from spilling over.

I shouldn’t have put off the inevitable. I’d known Riley would want to know about my job and my inability to keep my nose out of other people’s business. I’d avoided the subject, rationalized that we’d had no time to talk, insisted to myself that it was better if his friends didn’t know the truth. Was I ever wrong … again.

I closed my eyes, the exhaustion of not getting much sleep over the past couple of nights catching up with me. Not to mention that my head ached, throbbing right behind my eyes as I tried to hold off any moisture that wanted to push out.

How was I going to make things right?

Or the even bigger question … what if I couldn’t?

CHAPTER 26

“Ma’am?”

I jerked upright and searched for the source of the voice. My eyes darted around me. Darkness. A chilly breeze. An eerie calmness. Rocking chairs.

I blinked again until a man in a suit came into view. A gray suit, double-breasted, lined in burgundy.

A valet.

My gaze traveled to his nametag. Bill.

I ran a hand over my face and pushed myself up even farther. “I fell asleep.”

“I noticed. I was going to let you sleep, but you almost tumbled head first out of the chair two different times. I didn’t want you to get hurt. Plus, the storm’s getting closer.”

I nodded, raking a hand through my curls just as a big fat raindrop hit my cheek. “What time is it anyway?”

“Almost two a.m.”

I stood and wobbled as I tried to find my balance. A heavy haze from my sleep still hung over me, making me unsteady. My eyes felt swollen, almost like I’d been crying, even though I hadn’t been—unless I’d done so in my sleep.

“Rough night?”

“You could say that.” Everything hit me, each remembrance coming at me like a bullet from a machine gun. I closed my eyes, wishing I could shut out the thoughts. I couldn’t.

“Where you from?”

I opened my eyes just as another drop of rain splattered on my arm. “Norfolk.”

Bill nodded. “Nice area with all the military around—patriotic and all, you know? Not to mention the beach and the ports.”

I cast a sharp glance his way. “Most people don’t necessarily drool over the area because of the ports, but to each his own, I suppose.”

He chuckled. “My cousin works out there, so I always think of the ports when I think of Norfolk. One of the largest ports on the East Coast. That’s what he always tells me, with a lot of pride at that.”

“I’ve never really thought about it, but you’re probably right.” I got a better look at the man. He was on the shorter side, heavy set, and had blond hair that was shaved close. His round face made him look heavier than he actually was, and maybe even older. I guessed him to be somewhere in his late thirties to early forties. “You from this area?”

He shrugged. “From Roanoke, not too far away.”

I shivered from the chilly breeze, but immediately thought of Jackie. My shakes intensified as I remembered looking at her lifeless body. My job as a crime scene cleaner meant I worked with the aftermath after the body had been taken away already. Seeing dead bodies … that could shake anyone up.

The snoop inside just wouldn’t die. I supposed being nosy was just like breathing to me. I just
had to
fish for more information. Besides, if Riley and I broke up—the thought caused something hard and sharp to lodge in my chest—snooping would be all I had left.

That’s why I found myself saying, “This area seems so peaceful and safe, but I heard about that girl they found dead on the trail.”

He shrugged. “It’s still safe. I’m sure she just fell. That’s why you should never hike alone. There’s no one to get help for you if you need it.”

“Are you sure it was an accident?”

He cocked his head. “Did you hear otherwise?” Of course the hotel wouldn’t want people to know the truth. It would make them look bad.

“I heard she was murdered.”

One of his shoulders popped up. “Don’t believe all the tales you hear. This area is truly one of the safest around. I don’t even lock my doors at night. That’s how safe I feel.”

I nodded. “That’s good to know.”

I said goodbye and wandered back inside. Who had Clint said I should investigate? Doug Matthews, an associate of Jackie’s who was here this week, as well as Derek “Playboy” Waters. Both had known Jackie was going on a hike, both were here, and both had some type of disagreement with Jackie in the past.

I had no idea what Doug looked like, so I decided to leave him a message at the front desk. I asked him to meet me before breakfast down here in the lobby and that I was a friend of Jackie’s.

I suddenly got a second wind, so I decided to wander down to the wing where Deanna usually worked. I needed a friend. Deanna was the closest thing I had right now.

I remembered the masked man I’d seen last time I was down this way and shivered.

Just because things looked perfect on the outside didn’t mean they were. This hotel was a case in point. Something was going on here, something secret and sinister. Riley’s friends were Exhibit B on my list. By the world’s standards, they had everything. In reality, they each seemed to be hiding something.

As I walked down the hallway, I saw no sign of Deanna. No carts. No piney scents. No one mumbling, “I could get in so much trouble for this.”

My throat went dry when I spotted the elevator leading down to the breezeway where I’d seen the masked man last time. Did I dare?

I knew one thing: If I traveled down to the lower level, I wasn’t taking the elevator. I’d take the stairs.

With this whole area being under construction, I doubted very many people came down this way. Why would they? What had Deanna told me? That beyond this wing, there was only an old maintenance shed that wasn’t used anymore and miles and miles of woods?

Why had that masked man been down here, then?

I took each step slowly, carefully, trying not to make a sound. My throat felt dry and tight. I tried to ignore the tremble in my hand as it found the railing so I could steady myself.

This was not a good idea. When had that ever stopped me before, though?

I reached the landing and stared at the door that would lead to the breezeway. Maybe I’d just take a peek. I wouldn’t do anything foolish or to put myself in danger. I could do this.

Slowly, I pushed the door open, praying it wouldn’t creak. It didn’t. I stuck my head out, just enough to peer both ways.

Nothing.

I held my breath as I stepped out. I stood there a moment, listening for something, a sign that someone else was down here. All I heard was silence.

As I glanced at the plastic covering a couple of windows and the caution tape over a nearby doorway, I reminded myself that this was a construction site. Clint worked in construction. Was that just a coincidence? Perhaps he’d told one of his friends about how rich Jackie was, and they’d betrayed him. Come here to Allendale. Pretended to be working down here, all the while plotting on how to get Jackie’s money.

I shook my head. I didn’t think so. I had to keep my mind open to all possibilities, though.

I crept forward, and the breezeway came into view. My skin crawled just looking at it. I stayed close to the wall and crept toward a nearby window. I snuck a glimpse out of it.

Outside, I mostly saw the darkness. Beyond the well-manicured lawn surrounding Allendale stood the forest, mighty and strong. Just beyond that, I caught a glimpse of the old maintenance shed. I wondered why it was no longer used. What had Deanna said? Something about a fire several years ago and that as soon as they finished renovating this wing, they’d tear that old one down.

I watched for movement, for a sign of something outside. But I saw nothing. Only the wind swaying the tree branches. Thunder suddenly rattled the building, including the eerie breezeway. The glass panes seemed to clatter together at the booming sound.

As lightning lit the sky, I expected to see a figure appear down the hallway. There was nothing, no one.

I turned to walk away, and my foot hit a piece of the plastic. The rumpling sound made my blood freeze.

I stopped, as still as a statue, and listened. Still nothing.

Or was that a thump?

My heart pounded in my ears. Maybe I was just hearing my own heartbeat.

My lungs tightened. That was it. It was my heart thumping. Nothing else.

Another sound hit my ears. That wasn’t my heart this time. Someone was on the other end of the breezeway.

As lightning lit the sky again, something beneath the plastic caught my eye. I scooped down and picked up a small metal plate with some numbers engraved on it. The top of the piece was broken off.

What could this be? I didn’t know if it was a clue or not, but I stuck it in my pocket, opened the door to the stairway, and slipped inside.

As soon as the door closed, I ran for my life back to the main floor, not stopping until I reached my room.

CHAPTER 27

I’d snuck into my room last night and fallen into bed. I’d gotten maybe four hours of sleep before my alarm went off. The loud, echoing thunder outside hadn’t helped, but the smattering of rain against my window did.

I didn’t know how Deanna did this every day. My body was crying out for rest. Maybe I’d come back after everyone else was at the conference and take a nap. It could only help me to think more clearly.

I quickly took a shower and threw on the nautical outfit. I was going to have to go shopping again. I couldn’t ask housekeeping to keep washing these two outfits over and over each day. The thought of buying any more clothes here pained me, however. What I wouldn’t do for a mall to be nearby. I’d even take a thrift store to the shops they had here.

Thoughts of Riley and Jackie slammed into my mind. Anxiety began to ricochet through my gut. Would Riley seek me out today? Would he want to talk? Or did he need space?

Would he avoid me if I ran into him? I couldn’t stand the thought of that. But I’d told him I would give him some room, no matter how painful that might be.

I was sure Veronica had to feel really proud of herself. I took full responsibility for my actions, but Veronica had been looking for something—anything—to be the damning piece of evidence that sealed my fate. Certainly she didn’t want Riley back. I mean, she had Lane. So what was up with that? Was the woman simply vindictive? She’d even gone as far as to lie about her and Riley’s break up.

I ran a finger under my eyes. Maybe I should splurge and go down to the spa. Maybe they could help freshen me up a bit.

I sighed and grabbed my purse. I had to run and see if Doug was going to meet with me this morning. Before I stepped into the hallway, my phone rang. I paused and glanced at the number. I didn’t recognize the area code.

Hesitantly—and against my better judgment, most likely—I put the phone to my ear. “This is Gabby.”

“Ms. St. Claire? Gabby St. Claire?”

My spine muscles pinched. If I weren’t in so much trouble all the time, maybe I wouldn’t be gripped with worry every time I got a call like this. “Speaking.”

“This is Sue Smith. I work for the Medical Examiner here in Kansas City.”

My spine went from pinched to ramrod straight. “Yes, Ms. Smith. What can I do for you?”

“We got your application, and I wanted to let you know that we’d like to do a job interview with you. We’ve narrowed down our selection to just two people. You’re one of them.”

I blinked, dumbfounded. I’d applied for the job on a whim, not thinking I’d ever hear anything about it. It had happened on that first day when I’d found out I was being let go from my previously held position.

“Are you still there?”

I rattled my head back and forth. “Yes, I’m here. Thank you for calling.”

“We were very impressed by your credentials and by your endorsements. We’d like to set up a time for a Skype interview. Maybe next week? Wednesday is the exact date we’re looking at.”

“Wednesday sounds wonderful.”

She offered a few more details, and we hung up.

I stood there, still dumbfounded. Kansas City? Could I really move across the country? Did I even want to? Where would that leave Riley and me?

I shook my head. I couldn’t think about it now. I had to go meet Doug. Just as I stepped into the hallway, I heard Veronica’s bedroom door open. Thank goodness I was gone before she emerged. I really didn’t want to talk with that woman. In fact, if I had a car, I might toy with the idea of packing up and leaving. But I didn’t have a car, and Jackie’s murder still hung over my head. I hated leaving things unfinished.