Twisted: A Tracy Turner Murder Mystery Novel (The Tracy Turner Mystery Series Book 1) (13 page)

“What? How did you…?” She sighed. “It was one of those on-again, off-again things. It’s just silly really when I think about it now and best left in the past.”

I sensed the sadness that lingered in her voice. So she’s not as tough as I thought. Maybe there is hope for me yet.

So in the first half hour since our meeting I had broken both of Nat’s rules. I couldn’t dwell on it. Tonight, there were more important things to do.

Nat had worked her magic and Katherine looked sensational as she walked into the room arm in arm with the relic of a man from the photograph the police had found in Frank’s room.

Katherine must have felt me looking at her because she looked up at me from across the room, touched her hair, tipped a glass of champagne in my direction, and smiled. Looking over my shoulder, I was unsure if was me she smiled at. She nodded and waved. I smiled in response. She was relaxed and glowing, oblivious of what the night had in store.

Since talking to Millie earlier that day, the fears and doubts in my mind made me conjure up visions of Katherine as a re-incarnation of Medusa. Seeing her here now, she looked lovely and normal. She didn’t look like a woman who had killed her husband hours ago, nor the sort of person who would kill a man over a bunch of photographs. Perhaps she was one of those cold-blooded killers who had no qualms about what she had done.

I found myself questioning my rationale. Was this my gut talking or was it my way of chickening out of my plan? I decided to ignore my gut. I had weighed the options and done the calculations. Katherine had to be the killer and the only way I could prove it was to find the proof.

Earlier that evening I had picked up a couple of sachets of Mylar confetti from our department’s storage bin and sneaked it into my satchel. Then, I slipped into the Housekeeping department and made a note of Catalina’s schedule. I figured that she was the one who was the most easily distractible.

I went to the west wing ahead of time, and when the coast was clear, I sprinkled the shiny metallic bits of confetti along three feet of the corridor. There was no way that she would miss it.

On cue I heard a loud “Santa Maria!” From a slot in her trolley, she pulled out her mini-vac, which she reserved for small clean-up jobs. Still swearing, she proceeded to suck up the confetti. I slipped out from behind the pillar where I had been waiting and crept toward her trolley.

I raised my head. She was still muttering and cleaning so I grabbed the key card which was waiting for me in its holder and ran to the elevator. Safe inside, I pushed it into my iPad cover and giggled at the thought of how easy it had been and the drama that would unfold once Catalina discovered her key card was gone. Then it struck me that if I had found it so easy, anyone could gain access to any room in the same way.

Now I began setting the last part of my plan into motion. I opened Nat’s clutch and peeked inside it. Glasses: check. Key card: check. Mobile phone: check. I excused myself, telling Brett that I needed to go to the ladies’ room. He was engaged in conversation with a turbaned entrepreneur from the Silicon Valley and I was not sure if he had heard me. I slipped away toward the elevator.

The elevators could be accessed only by authorized personnel, but people like Catalina who were responsible for keeping the place spick-and-span had access to almost every level of the resort. I swiped the card in the elevator, unsure if it would work. Holding my breath, I waited, and voila it worked like a charm. I took a deep breath and heaved a sigh of relief. I crossed my fingers. Maybe, just maybe I could get away with this.

The elevator stopped at level six, and I made my way to Katherine’s room. I waved my card at the device on the door and heard a single beep followed by a red light. My heart sank. I tried again, this time more deliberately. Two beeps, a green light, a twist of the handle, and I was in.

I dropped the card in the key holder and it illuminated the corridor and the air conditioning came on. My previous visit to the room had been short, so I had not been able to take it all in. The interior was still cool. A mixture of floral perfume and a musky cologne hung about and told me that Katherine and her partner may have just left the room.

A long corridor led into a double room which was more opulent than Frank’s or Gina’s. In the past, as a couple they would stay in the decadent suites on the upper levels. Their room choice may have been a testament to the financial hardships they now faced.

In the darkened interior room was the silhouette of a four-poster bed which dominated the space. I switched on the bedside light.

The bed was made but the covers were rippled, which reminded me that that the couple could come back at any time so I had to be quick. I looked around the room and wondered where I would conceal something that was important to me. I looked under the pillows and put them back with care. Maybe under the bed? I pulled up the valance, but it only revealed a solid box beneath.

On the table were a dozen red roses tied together in a bow with a lush satin red cloth. I flipped open the accompanying card. The sign off was illegible. A handwritten scrawl read:

The note made me more nervous. I dashed down the corridor and pulled out the key card from the holder. The room turned pitch-black and I opened my clutch and pulled out my phone. I switched it on and tapped on the torch app. By its light, I went back into the bedroom. I felt like a thief in the night and was comforted by the cloak of darkness.

I went to the writing table and opened each drawer and cupboard in turn. There was a bible and some pamphlets, but no photographs. A low battery alert filled the screen on my phone, I had to move fast.

Then I remembered the bag that she carried earlier that day. When I was helping her get her things, she looked annoyed when I picked it up. I closed my eyes and tried to recall if she carried it down to the party with her. No, it was probably somewhere in the room. Relief washed over me. The photos had to be in her bag.

I went across to the walk-in-robe that led to the en suite. I opened the first door and shone the light in. I poked my hand inside and felt a pile of lush bathrobes hanging inside. Stacked above was a cotton doona and extra pillows. There was nothing on the floor of the cupboard.

The room grew warmer, as did my frustration. I felt trickles of sweat running down my underarms, and I kicked myself for turning off the room’s mains. I opened the next door, but still nothing; it was empty. Yanking the third door open, I knelt down and poked my head inside scanning the bottom shelf. I spotted the handbag stashed away among hangers of pants and skirts.

I picked it up and my hands trembled. Pulling open the gold-colored metal zipper in one smooth motion, I heard a scraping sound at the door. Was it my imagination? The sound grew louder and I quickly shut the torch app. I heard footsteps and held my breath. Someone was in the room.

“Have you seen Tracy?”

“Well good evening to you too, my dear Brett,” said Millie. “I thought you two were together and you seemed to be having a wonderful time.”

“I have to agree, Millie. There’s something about her that… Anyway, it seems that I have lost her.”

“What do you mean lost her?”

“She was on her way to the ladies’ room, but that was about half an hour ago.”

“Seems like she’s given you the slip.” The old lady stifled a giggle. “You can’t pin that one down too easily, but she really is the loveliest girl.”

I swung my head around the room but couldn’t see her.

“Did you say something that hurt her feelings, child? She can be a little… sensitive. Certainly headstrong, but sensitive.”

“Honestly, it seemed like we were actually getting along. She was a bit strange at first, but she was fine. At least until she saw Katherine Walters.”

“Do you think she went to talk to Katherine?” Millie’s jaw tightened and her tone was severe. “I expressly told her that she is not to talk to that woman.”

“Perhaps I’m wrong. There’s Katherine now.”

“Where?”

“She’s alone.” I pointed at Katherine who was walking toward the ladies’ room.

The old lady looked relaxed again. “She’ll turn up, don’t you worry you. And when she does, make sure that you two enjoy yourselves. Tracy’s working far too hard these days.”

My first impulse was to get inside the closet and close the door from the inside, but my feet had other plans. I grabbed the bag and raced on my tiptoes behind the bed to the other end of the room. I edged my way behind the thick beige curtaining. My head yanked back and I was forced to stop. I felt my hair being pulled. I unhooked the hair clip that had got stuck in the layer of sheer fabric and slipped behind the curtain.

I flattened myself onto the glass balcony doors behind me and inched myself at snail’s pace toward the opening in the center of the curtain. I breathed a little easier now. I widened the slit in the drapes and peered out. The room was filled with light and there was Doug Mitchell looking around the room.

He opened drawers as I had done not moments ago. He lifted his head with questioning eyes and looked straight at the curtain and began walking in my direction. Had he seen me? I looked down and noticed my feet were in open-toed black shoes that stuck out under the curtain. I drew my feet back and stuck closer to the glass, standing high on the tips of my toes.

There was a loud
twoot-too
on my phone. It was a message. My throat was dry and sweat trickled from every pore. I heard a siren outside and had all but stopped breathing. My heart throbbed, and I hoped that only I heard it, as I waited for the inevitable.

A loud shrill ring filled the room. This time it was Doug’s phone. I breathed. He picked it up and said, “No shit.” I peeked through the opening in the curtain. He was headed for the window. Again, I heard a siren outside. I drew back and became one with the glass.

I heard muffled thumping on the carpet. With each step, the sound grew softer. I heard a loud bang. It was the door. Was he gone? I peered through the crack and once again the room was pitch-black. I sighed and shook the perspiration off my face.