Dead Gorgeous (10 page)

Liam stood outside the toilet cubicle listening to the sounds of someone inside being violently sick. He shook his head, his frown cutting into his cheeks as he listened. It
was like clockwork. Within half an hour of every meal time, she’d be in here, making herself vomit. He could set his watch by her – if it’d been working instead of permanently
stuck at 10.37.

What was the matter with her family? Couldn’t her mum and dad see what was going on? Didn’t they notice the pattern to her eating? Insisting on certain foods with every meal and
always eating them first. Always guzzling orange juice or fizzy drinks after eating. Disappearing after every meal and then reappearing a little while later to look listless and sombre. Being tired
all the time. The signs were all there. And then there was the bingeing on snack foods. She’d sneak up to her room with two or three packets of crisps or a packet of custard creams or fruit
shortcake biscuits, followed half an hour later by the famous disappearing act into her favourite toilet cubicle. Liam was sure that if he were her dad or one of her brothers, he’d have been
very suspicious about her behaviour. OK, so her mum and dad were busy running the hotel, but that was a reason, not an excuse.

Liam shook his head again. The toilet was flushed and the sound was followed by a racking cough. Then came the sound of more retching. Liam turned away in disgust. He couldn’t stay there
all day listening to her cough her guts out – he had things to do. There had to be some way to solve his problem without involving her. But how? Liam faded out slowly, shaking his head.

Time was running out.

‘Can I get you anything else, Andrew?’ asked Raye.

‘No thanks,’ Andrew smiled. ‘And please say thanks to your mum and dad for such a delicious meal.’

‘Yes, it was,’ Mr Stanley chorused.

‘It was lovely,’ Mrs Stanley agreed after a pointed look from her husband.

‘I’ll tell Mum. It’ll make a change, someone actually enjoying her cooking!’ said Raye.

Andrew’s smile was warm as Raye gathered up his plate. She stood beside him, returning his smile with interest as they regarded each other.

‘Raye, I think we’ve finished as well,’ said Mr Stanley gently.

Raye forced her eyes away. ‘Yes, of course.’ Reluctantly she moved away from Andrew and continued round the table.

‘Any chance of us getting our dessert before I’m too old to have the teeth left to chew it?’ Miss Eve called from an adjacent table.

‘There’s no hurry.’ Miss Dawn smiled sympathetically at Raye.

‘I’ll be right there,’ Raye promised. Very professionally, she gathered up the rest of the plates on Andrew’s table and turned to head for the door.

‘Remind me to come back as a boy next time,’ Miss Eve grumbled. ‘Then I might actually get some pudding from that girl this side of Christmas.’

Raye turned to glare at her, before she carried on out of the dining room. Andrew leapt up and ran across to her.

‘Let me get that door for you,’ he said.

‘Thanks.’ Raye’s smile was dazzling.

Andrew held open the dining-room door, despite the fact that it swung open with the lightest push.

‘Thanks again,’ said Raye, wishing she could think of something more scintillating to say.

‘Would you like to go for a walk with me some time tomorrow?’ asked Andrew.

‘Where?’

‘Maybe down to the beach?’

‘That’d be lovely,’ Raye enthused. Her face fell. ‘But I’ve got to help around the hotel in the afternoon and then I’ve got to finish my homework so I can
probably only get away straight after breakfast.’

‘That’s fine with me,’ Andrew nodded. ‘I’ll meet you just outside the hotel?’

‘It’s a date.’ Raye’s smile shone out.

‘It’s a date,’ Andrew agreed and headed back to his mum and dad’s table.

Raye did her best not to grin from ear to ear. If Mum saw she’d instantly start asking questions. Raye bustled into the kitchen, her tray stacked with dirty dinner plates, most of which
were surprisingly empty. Nova was at the table, preparing more desserts while Mum refilled the coffee machine with fresh coffee grounds.

‘Your pie is going down well,’ Raye told Mum.

‘It is, isn’t it?’ Mum looked dubiously at the two slices of pie she had left in the baking tray. More often than not, she made two trays-worth of food and at least one tray
was still left over at the end of the evening. She’d have to try that tinned lamb as a pie filling again.

‘Miss Eve wants her dessert,’ said Raye.

‘Over there on the counter.’ Mum pointed.

Raye picked up a clean tray and placed two bowls of peach and raspberry strudel on it – one with custard from a tin, one with soft scoop vanilla ice cream.

‘Nova, can you manage that coffee for Mr Jackman?’ asked Raye.

‘No problem.’

‘He’s in the alcove,’ Raye told her.

‘Why d’you put him in there?’ Mum turned to Raye.

‘I didn’t seat him. Nova did,’ Raye defended herself.

‘Before you have a go at me, he asked for it specifically,’ said Nova. ‘Said he wanted some privacy.’

‘There’s a surprise,’ Raye muttered.

Nova shook her head. ‘I wonder what’s wrong with the poor man. I feel sorry for him.’

‘Why?’ Raye was scornful. ‘It’s his choice not to make friends with anyone.’

‘Maybe it’s not that simple —’ Nova began.

‘Oh, Nova, don’t start!’ Raye begged. ‘You’re always trying to create mysteries around people. He’s just an anti-social loner, so let’s leave him
alone.’

‘I was only saying,’ Nova huffed. ‘No need to jump down my throat.’

Raising her eyebrows in exasperation, Raye gathered up a number of dessert menus and headed out of the kitchen, followed by her sister. They both entered the dining room and split like a fork in
the road to hand out their various items. Nova concentrated on the coffee on her small tray, determined not to spill a drop. A quick glance up to make sure she wasn’t about to trip over
anyone’s leg or bag, and she made her way to Mr Jackman’s table. The dining room was L-shaped, with a secluded booth at the end of the alcove that formed the shorter section of the
room. Mum liked everyone to mix and mingle and never seated anyone in the alcove unless nothing else was available. But Mr Jackman always asked for the alcove table when he ate in the dining room
with the other guests, which wasn’t often. Nova kept her head down, her eyes still focused on her coffee. She turned the corner and made her way down to the last table. It was only when
she’d dodged past the only other unoccupied table in the alcove that she glanced up again – and stopped dead in her tracks.

Liam was sitting opposite Mr Jackman at his table.

‘Liam, what. . .?’ Nova’s lips snapped together. She had to remember not to talk to him in front of other people.

Mr Jackman stared at her. ‘What did you say?’

‘Nothing.’

Mr Jackman sprang to his feet. ‘What did you say?’ he urged.

Nova stared at him. She glanced at Liam, who vigorously shook his head. ‘I just said . . . erm . . . what. . . what did you order to drink? I just wanted to check I’ve brought this
coffee to the right table.’

Mr Jackman slowly sat down again. ‘Oh, I see.’

Nova was glad he did, because she didn’t. ‘Is something wrong, Mr Jackman?’

‘I thought you said . . . something else.’

‘What?’

Mr Jackman shook his head. ‘It doesn’t matter. The coffee is mine.’

‘There you are.’ Nova put the cup and saucer down on the table, adding a small jug of milk and a tiny bowl of brown and white sugar cubes. It was so hard to carry on as if there was
nothing unusual happening with Liam sitting there watching her every move.

‘Nova, I need your help. You can’t let him leave the hotel tonight. You must find a way to stop him,’ Liam urged.

‘What?’ Nova wasn’t sure if she’d heard correctly.

‘I didn’t say anything,’ said Mr Jackman.

‘D’you understand me, Nova? He plans to leave the hotel as soon as he’s finished his coffee. You mustn’t let him,’ Liam pleaded.

‘How am I meant to do that?’

‘Who’re you talking to?’ Mr Jackman turned his head to where Nova was looking. ‘Who’s there?’

‘I—’

Mr Jackman grabbed Nova’s arm. ‘It’s him, isn’t it? I know it’s him. I
can feel
him.’

‘You’re hurting me.’ Nova tried to pull away.

‘Tell me who you’re talking to!’ Mr Jackman demanded.

‘Let her go!’ Liam sprang up, furious.

‘Liam . . .’ Mr Jackman immediately let go of Nova’s arm. He stared directly at Liam, his eyes huge, his mouth open and slack with stunned surprise. ‘Liam . .
.’

Without warning Liam swept the coffee across the table into Mr Jackman’s lap.

‘Ahh!’ Mr Jackman yelled and sprang up like a scalded cat, pulling his hot, soaking trousers away from his skin and hopping from foot to foot.

‘What on earth . . .?’ Raye appeared round the corner and took in the situation at one glance. ‘Nova, what on earth d’you think you’re doing?’ she asked
furiously, rushing over. ‘I’m so sorry, Mr Jackman. Nova, how could you be so clumsy?’

‘I didn’t do it,’ Nova said indignantly.

‘I suppose Mr Jackman did it to himself,’ Raye fumed.

‘Don’t worry about it,’ Mr Jackman said through gritted teeth, pulling the fabric of his trousers away from his thighs.

‘We’ll pay to have your trousers cleaned,’ Raye said quickly.

‘I didn’t do it,’ Nova repeated, glaring at Liam.

Liam wasn’t looking at her though, or at Mr Jackman. His eyes were on Raye, with the strangest look on his face that Nova had ever seen. Liam waved a tentative hand in front of
Raye’s face. Raye didn’t bat an eyelid. She obviously couldn’t see him. His expression changed, swinging between acceptance and disappointment like a pendulum. Mr Jackman looked
around, looking straight through Liam, looking past him, looking without any real focus. And Nova realized that Mr Jackman could no longer see him.

‘Is he still here?’ Mr Jackman asked.

Nova regarded him. How should she answer? She didn’t want to answer. Mr Jackman had called Liam by his first name. How did this man know him? Who was he? And why was Liam so frightened of
him? Or was it frightened for him? It was hard to tell.

‘Is he here?’ Mr Jackman insisted.

‘Is who here?’ asked Raye.

Nova looked across to where Liam was standing. Liam shook his head frantically at her.

‘Is he?’
Mr Jackman asked Nova again, ignoring her sister.

Nova nodded. ‘Yes.’

‘Where?’

Nova pointed.

‘Prove it.’

‘How?’

‘Ask him who owned our house,’ Mr Jackman suggested intently.

‘Nova, what’s he talking about?’ frowned Raye.

Nova turned to Liam, but he had eyes for no one but Mr Jackman. Raye looked from Nova to Mr Jackman in turn, completely baffled. ‘Would someone please tell me what’s going on?’
she asked.

‘It was my house,’ Liam said at last. ‘Mum left it to me.’

‘Liam says it was his. His mum left it to him,’ answered Nova.

The silence that followed was only broken by the merest of sighs from Mr Jackman.

‘Who’s Liam?’ asked Raye, irritated. ‘The boy I met earlier?’

‘You’ve met him?’ Nova asked, astounded. ‘So you
saw
him?’

‘Of course I saw him, but he’s gone now.’

‘I’ve wanted so much to find him. I’ve waited so long. But I never gave up hope. I always knew I’d find him – one day’ Mr Jackman didn’t look happy at
the prospect though. Far from it.

‘My turn now,’ said Liam suddenly. ‘Nova, tell him I saw the letter he was writing this afternoon. Tell him he won’t succeed and all he’ll do is put himself in
danger if he goes through with it.’

‘Through with what?’ Nova asked.

‘Just tell him!’ Liam roared.

‘Excuse me all over the place!’ Nova glared, before turning back to Mr Jackman. ‘Liam says he saw what you were writing earlier. He says that you won’t succeed and all
you’ll do is put yourself in danger – so don’t do it!’

Mr Jackman turned in what he thought was Liam’s general direction. ‘It’s the only way I’ll be able to find you,’ he said.

Nova could tell that Mr Jackman couldn’t see Liam and was just guessing at his location, but his expression was indescribable. Such hope and misery and joy and despair warring with each
other for dominance on his face.

‘Liam, I have to find you. I can’t think of anything else.’

‘Nova, tell him to go home. Tell him I don’t want him here,’ said Liam, adding to, and for, himself, ‘He can’t do anything for me. No one can.’

‘Look, what am I? An answering machine?’

‘Please, just tell him,’ said Liam, suddenly looking dog tired.

‘Mr Jackman, he wants you to go home. He thinks you should leave here now,’ Nova said, unable to keep a trace of resentment from creeping into her voice.

‘Have you all gone loopy or what?’ said Raye belligerently. ‘Nova, if you’ve got together with Mr Jackman or that stupid Liam to wind me up for a joke, then I can tell
you now, I’m not laughing.’

‘Raye, I never—’

‘Save it!’ Raye turned and strode off without another word.

‘I’m not leaving, Liam. Not without you,’ said Mr Jackman, looking in Liam’s approximate direction.

‘And that, Nova, is why I didn’t want him to know I was here in the first place,’ Liam told her bitterly.

‘Don’t blame me.’ Nova tried to defend herself.

‘Whose fault is it then? If you weren’t such a Mouth Almighty, he might’ve given up and gone home.’

‘You’re the one who just poured coffee in his lap.’ Nova couldn’t believe her ears.

‘Liam, what happened? I need to know,’ urged Mr Jackman.

Casting a look at Nova that could kill, Liam faded from view. Nova sighed. So much for trying to help.

‘He’s . . . he’s gone, hasn’t he?’ Mr Jackman said slowly.

‘Yes,’ Nova replied.

‘I mean it,’ Mr Jackman told her fiercely. ‘I’m not leaving this hotel without him. If he wants to get rid of me, he’ll have to tell me what I want to know. Next
time you see him, you tell him that.’