One Night Only (121 page)

Polly
’
s
hea
d
wa
s
doin
g
burley
s
an
d
sh
e
couldn
’
t
even
thin
k
abou
t
Ruth
,
wh
o
wa
s
n
o
doub
t
snorin
g
i
n
a
deep slumbe
r
u
p
i
n
he
r
room
,
blissfull
y
unawar
e
o
f
ho
w
the nigh
t
ha
d
ended
.

Th
e
hote
l
foye
r
wa
s
peacefull
y
quiet
.
Sof
t
musi
c
played
ver
y
,
ver
y
subtl
y
an
d
th
e
fres
h
flower
s
tha
t
wer
e
arrange
d
in
lon
g
tal
l
vase
s
acros
s
th
e
Receptio
n
des
k
fille
d
th
e
ai
r
wit
h
a
beautifu
l
fragranc
e
tha
t
mad
e
th
e
girl
s
fee
l
eve
n
more
disgustingl
y
filth
y
a
s
the
y
walke
d
pas
t
the
m
toward
s
th
e
lift.
“
I
jus
t
wis
h
T
es
s
woul
d
lear
n
t
o
shu
t
he
r
mouth,
”
Polly
said
,
tryin
g
t
o
pus
h
th
e
butto
n
o
n
th
e
lift
.
Sh
e
kept
missin
g
it
.

Gin
a
trie
d
bu
t
sh
e
kep
t
missin
g
i
t
too
.
The
y
wer
e
both
stil
l
obviousl
y
a
lo
t
drunke
r
tha
n
the
y
wer
e
pretending
.

“
Ahaaaa!
”
sai
d
a
familia
r
bu
t
highl
y
unwelcom
e
voice
fro
m
behin
d
them
.
“Ca
n
I
hel
p
you
,
ladies?
”

Gin
a
looke
d
aroun
d
t
o
se
e
Pee-t
a
th
e
Porte
r
standing wit
h
on
e
han
d
o
n
hi
s
hip
.
H
e
looke
d
dow
n
hi
s
snooty nos
e
i
n
distast
e
a
t
th
e
sigh
t
tha
t
stoo
d
befor
e
him
.

“
T
el
l
hi
m
t
o
g
o
awa
y
,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
unde
r
he
r
breath,
refusin
g
t
o
loo
k
a
t
him
.
“
I
reall
y
can
’
t
cop
e
wit
h
hi
m
right no
w
.
”

“
W
e
ar
e
perfectl
y
i
n
control,
”
sai
d
Gina
.
“
W
e
would jus
t
lik
e
t
o
us
e
th
e
elevato
r
t
o
ge
t
t
o
ou
r
rooms.
”

Sh
e
mad
e
sur
e
t
o
sa
y
‘elevator
’
an
d
no
t
‘lift’
.
Sh
e
knew h
e
though
t
the
y
wer
e
commo
n
a
s
muc
k
and
,
eve
n
though h
e
di
d
hav
e
a
poin
t
judgin
g
b
y
th
e
wa
y
the
y
looke
d
right then
,
sh
e
wouldn
’
t
stoo
p
t
o
acceptin
g
hi
s
assistance
.

H
e
leane
d
hi
s
scrawn
y
bod
y
i
n
betwee
n
th
e
tw
o
of the
m
an
d
presse
d
th
e
‘Up
’
butto
n
wit
h
sobe
r
ease
.

“
V
oila
!
”
h
e
sai
d
a
s
th
e
elevato
r
door
s
opened
.
“Easy whe
n
yo
u
kno
w
ho
w
,
eh?
”

H
e
sniggere
d
an
d
Gin
a
thre
w
hi
m
th
e
middl
e
finger
whe
n
h
e
turne
d
hi
s
back
.

“
I
hat
e
men,
”
sh
e
said
.
“Al
l
o
f
them.
”

Poll
y
coul
d
fee
l
th
e
bil
e
i
n
he
r
stomac
h
burn
.
Her mout
h
wa
s
dr
y
an
d
he
r
lip
s
kep
t
stickin
g
togethe
r
a
s
i
f
she
ha
d
use
d
a
Prit
t
Stic
k
instea
d
o
f
th
e
ver
y
expensiv
e
lipstick
s
h
e
ha
d
i
n
he
r
handbag
.
Sh
e
caugh
t
a
sigh
t
o
f
their
reflectio
n
i
n
th
e
mirro
r
insid
e
th
e
elevato
r
an
d
i
t
frightened
he
r
.
Wha
t
a
differenc
e
a
fe
w
hour
s
made
!
Tha
t
evenin
g
they
ha
d
bee
n
freshl
y
made-up
,
turnin
g
head
s
everywher
e
they
wen
t
wit
h
thei
r
glamou
r
an
d
sophisticatio
n
an
d
beauty unti
l
th
e
poisonou
s
sin
s
o
f
to
o
muc
h
alcoho
l
seepe
d
under thei
r
ski
n
an
d
ruine
d
everything
.