Christy Barritt - Squeaky Clean 04 - Dirty Deeds (12 page)

Veronica giggled. “I just thought he was cute as he stood there and started talking about all of his calculations of an upcoming election. I knew he had a good head on his shoulders.”

“I couldn’t believe she’d give me the time of day,” Lane continued. “I mean, look at her. Do women get any more gorgeous than this?”

I felt liked chopped liver sitting over in my wingback chair—alone and obviously not as gorgeous as Veronica. I couldn’t even bring myself to glance at Riley. Surely he’d see the resentment in my eyes.

“See, isn’t he sweet?” Veronica crooned.

They rubbed noses and giggled for a moment until I thought I would barf.

I had to get out of here. I stood and yawned. “Man, as much as I’d love to stay out here and chat, I’m just exhausted. A long day at a resort will do that to you. Anyway, good to see everyone.” I nodded toward my bedroom. “But I’m going to have to say goodnight.”

I offered Riley a little wave before stepping inside my room. I didn’t even bother turning on the lights. Instead, I closed the door and stood there for a moment, breathing in a moment of peace and tranquilly.

Until I heard the door open behind me. I twirled around, wondering who was interrupting my moment.

It was … Riley?

Being in a bedroom alone with me was definitely against his rules. He was all about being proper and pure and avoiding temptation, which I appreciated—and I needed.

“What are you doing?” I whispered.

He quietly closed the door behind him and stepped toward me. “I had no idea she was going to be here.”

“I had no idea I was ever going to see her again.” I’d
hoped
I’d never see her again.

“I’m sorry, Gabby. Just when I think things can’t get worse, they do.”

“Tell me about it.”

His hand brushed my cheek. “This isn’t going to change anything with us. We’re just going to have to deal with this whole situation the best way we know how. That’s all we can do.”

I started to say something. Instead, I decided to rest my forehead against his chest and enjoy the feel of his arms around me. I soaked in his familiar scent, and I realized that I couldn’t wait for the day when we didn’t have to say goodnight and go our separate ways. I wanted to be Mrs. Riley Thomas.

I loved the way he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close, and the way my skin tingled still like it was our first date. I loved that my heart still raced when he was near. Most of all, I loved the fact that he could so easily see through the me everyone else saw and see the real me—flaws and all.

Veronica was not going to ruin anything for me.

Like she’d almost done the first time we met. She’d shown up and somehow Vernoica and Riley had decided to give their engagement another try, effectively becoming whom I called “Viley.” It had taken a long time for me to get over the trust issues I’d had with Riley after that. I had trust issues
before
Veronica showed up the first time. Feeling like Riley had betrayed me back then only compounded my issues.

Riley pulled back from our embrace, and his lips found mine. His kiss pulled me into some kind of vortex. Maybe it was the darkness. Maybe it was the stress of everything that had gone on. Maybe it was just me getting the best of me.

But our kiss deepened. It was filled with heat and intensity that scared me. It scared me because it took me back to an old part of my life, a part I was desperately trying to move past. I put my hand firmly on his chest and pushed him back. It took every ounce of willpower in me to do so.

Riley stepped back, but my world was still spinning. My soul felt like it was reeling. What had just happened?

“What was that?” I whispered. I stepped back, ran into the bed, and immediately jumped back to my feet.

“I just wanted to let you know that I love you.”

“I love you too, but … ” I raked a hand through my hair, waiting for my brain to settle down, and every other part of me, for that matter. “We can’t do that again.”

He rubbed my arms. “I know, I know.”

“Is this about Veronica?”

He shook his head, his features soft as my eyes adjusted to the darkness around me. “It has nothing to do with her. I just can’t wait to marry you one day, Gabby.”

I nearly reached up and kissed him again.

But I knew there was no way I could do that, not unless I wanted to get myself into some serious trouble.

I backed up, careful not to fall back on the bed this time. “You should go.”

He nodded. “I’ll meet you for breakfast in the morning, okay?”

“Yeah, for breakfast.”

He clicked the door shut behind him. I left the lights off still as I listened for any telltale signs that Veronica and Lane were still out there talking. I heard nothing.

I fell back in bed, trying to control my thoughts. In the very least, I needed to try and sleep.

But all I could do was toss and turn.

***

At 1 a.m., I realized sleep was futile and a waste of time. I was already dressed, thanks to not having any other clothes, so I grabbed my cell phone and my keycard and quietly opened my bedroom door.

No one was in the living area. Thank goodness. Because I couldn’t take facing Veronica right now. Maybe she was a perfectly nice woman. That didn’t mean I wanted to room with her.

God, are You trying to teach me something?

Probably. Because I still had a lot to learn. Like
a lot
, a lot.

But at least I knew that now. At least I wasn’t filled with the same arrogance that I had been at one time. I knew I didn’t know everything. Simply knowing that was definitely a step in the right direction.

I quietly tiptoed to the door, opened it, and snuck into the hallway. Five minutes later, I was down in the same wing where I’d been last night. I wondered if Deanna was down here again. I kept my ears open for the telltale sound of someone else stirring at this hour but heard nothing.

I started down farther than I went last time, past the area where I’d spotted Clint and his friends talking. I never did find out what that was about, and I had a sneaking suspicion that his friends were somehow involved in all of this. Tomorrow, I’d ask more questions and hopefully figure out some answers.

At the end of the hallway was an elevator. I paused in front of it and read the sign there. If I went downstairs, I’d find a breezeway and then the pools.

Why not explore some more?

I hit the down button, and a moment later the elevator dropped me off.

I paused at a glass-enclosed breezeway before me. It was long and narrow. In the sunlight, I bet the area was beautiful. But right now, the expanse looked exposed.

Most likely, my imagination was just working overtime. I was convinced there was nothing scary here except what my mind could conjure up.

Despite that, my throat felt tight as I started walking through the enclosure. Why was I doing this again? Looking for Deanna? Just being nosy? I wasn’t sure, but I’d already started the journey, so I might as well finish my exploration.

Halfway down the breezeway, the already dim lights flickered. I paused, my heart pounding in my ears.

Then everything around me went black. Pitch black.

What in the world?

My eyes adjusted to the change, and I was able to make out a table and a plant.

I blinked down at the end of the hallway. A man stood there.

Or did he? Maybe that was an artificial tree or my eyes playing tricks on me.

I rubbed my eyes.

No, that was a man down there. He stood in the center of the breezeway staring at me but not moving.

Blood pulsed through my veins when I noticed the all black clothes he wore.

And the ski mask.

I tried to scream but couldn’t. Instead, I ran the other way.

CHAPTER 15

My fingers fumbled with the elevator button. “Hurry!”

I pounded the buttons. On second thought, knowing my luck, the man would get in the elevator with me. I looked back. He slowly walked toward me, like one of those people from a horror movie. Only in those movies, the bad guy always ended up catching up with you when you least expected it, even though they were moving at a snail’s pace.

I jerked the door beside me open and saw a staircase. I jetted up the steps, taking them by two.

Was the man following me? How close was he?

I couldn’t afford to look back.

Finally, I reached the next floor. My hands trembled as I pushed the door open and practically fell into the hallway.

Behind me, I heard nothing.

Had I imagined the man? No, I knew that I hadn’t.

Someone had been there.

And he still could be coming.

I dragged myself back to my feet and began running again. The farther away I could get, the better.

Just then, a janitorial cart wheeled out in front of me. Before I could put on my brakes, my waist hit the edge. My speed propelled my upper body to keep going, even though the cart stopped my lower extremities. My head flipped downward, into a sea of old sheets and towels. All the breath left my lungs in a
whoosh
.

I kicked my legs as I tried to right myself, but I couldn’t move. The narrow confines of the cart trapped me.

Something wet rubbed against my cheek.

Dirty towels, I realized.

Ew …

I fought against them, punching, flailing, clawing as I tried to get away. Panic nearly seized me. Was the man still chasing me? Had he almost caught me? What would he do when he did?

“Oh, my goodness. Are you okay? I didn’t see you coming,” a voice muttered above me.

“Help me! Please. Someone’s chasing me.” I swatted away a washcloth.

“Chasing you? Oh, my.”

Suddenly, the cart jostled. We were moving, I realized. Kind of fast, for that matter.

One of my flip-flops slipped off as my legs dangled in the air.

This would only happen to me. Seriously.

Two hands gripped my ankles. “Let me get you out.” The woman pulled, tugged, squeezed.

My legs throbbed, ached, pinched.

“This is hard. The cart is so high, and you’re wedged in so well.”

I braced my hands on the bottom. “Try once more. I’ll help this time.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry about this. I hope I don’t get in trouble.”

I froze. “Deanna?”

“Do I know you?”

“It’s Gabby.”

“Gabby!” Her voice warmed. “How did you end up in my cart?”

“It’s a long story. I’d love to tell you about it … after I’m out of here and my face isn’t pressed into someone else’s filth.” Death by airborne pathogen. Was this how it would happen?

“Point taken. Here goes.” She pulled again with enough force to pull my ankles out of socket. But I didn’t move.

“Can you tilt the cart over, and I’ll crawl out?”

“Oh, no. I can’t do that. The base is too wide, designed that way so the cart
won’t
tip over. Let me grab Shirley. She can help.”

Awesome. Before I could argue, the door opened and shut. I was left doing my handstand and breathing in germs in my contamination chamber. I thought of the figure I’d seen at the end of the hallway, and my pulse quickened. I was in a room now. He couldn’t find me here. He probably wasn’t even looking anymore, for that matter.

My heart rate didn’t slow, though.

The door slowly creaked open. I wanted to hear a familiar voice letting me know Shirley was here with her. Silence crawled by without another sound.

“Deanna?” I finally asked.

Silence.

My breath caught. “Deanna, is that you? Did you find someone?”

Nothing.

Alarms were sounding at a furious rate in my head. I wished I’d stayed quiet. I should have simply pulled my feet into the cart and pretended not to be here. Now I was a sitting duck—or maybe more like a cow waiting to be butchered. I was destined to disappear like Jackie … or worse.

How was I going to get out of this one?

I listened for the sound of footsteps or a gun cocking. I waited to feel the undeniable feeling of someone’s eyes on me. I braced myself for the rip of a knife blade or the sting of a bullet.

Oh, Lord. Here I am again. A screw up. I don’t even deserve to ask You for help. But I’m asking anyway.

I could hardly breathe, and my heart beat so fast that I felt like a locomotive rushed through me.

That’s when I heard the first footfall. Someone
had
opened the door. They’d walked in the room. Coming toward me.

I was helpless to do anything about it.

CHAPTER 16

“Gabby, I’m coming!”

Deanna’s voice sounded down the hallway.

I held my breath, unsure whether to tell her to run or to help. The footsteps in the room quickened. But they were going … the opposite way? Another door clicked, just as I heard Deanna again. “Shirley is here with me. We’ll get you out of there. Strange, I don’t remember leaving this door open.”

“There’s someone in the room, Deanna,” I whispered. The laundry around me muted my voice.

“What?”

My muscles tightened. I didn’t want to speak louder and trigger the intruder. “Deanna, can you hear me?”

“I hear you, Miss Gabby. What did you say?” Her voice sounded closer to my head now, like she’d bent down so she could hear better.

“Someone else is in the room,” I muttered.

“That’s right. Shirley’s here.”

“No, someone else. He’s either in the closet or the bathroom. He’s somewhere!” I said it in the loudest whisper possible.

“You mean—?” Her voice caught.

“I mean, get out of here!”

The cart jostled again before taking off at a breakneck speed out of the room. We turned with enough force that my neck ached in protest, and I nearly lost my other flip-flop. My stomach dropped as we went down a little hill—most likely the handicap ramp, I realized—and finally we stopped and another door slammed.

Two sets of hands grabbed my ankles. It wasn’t pretty, but they managed to manhandle me until I sprawled on the floor.