Christy Barritt - Squeaky Clean 04 - Dirty Deeds (26 page)

I glanced at the clock. It was twenty minutes past noon. I rubbed my eyes. I had been tired.

I jumped in the shower, trying to wash some of the grime off myself. After I dried off, I realized I had no clean clothes, so I pulled on some of Riley’s shorts and a T-shirt.

I glanced in the mirror. This was not a good look. Not in the least.

Stepping outside the room, I fully expected Riley to be gone. I expected him to run for his life, truth be told. That’s what any normal person would do.

Instead, I saw him sitting on the couch, his elbows propped on his knees, and staring off into space.

He looked up when I stepped out. That same tortured look remained in his eyes. “Morning,” he mumbled.

“You’re still here. I figured you’d be off with your friends.”

“There’s only one person I want to spend time with.” His gaze was intense on me. “You.”

“Where’s Lane?”

“He never came in last night. Probably stayed with Veronica, if I had to guess.”

I plopped down beside him and pointed to my Georgetown T-shirt. “I don’t have any clothes. Again.”

That got a small smile out of him. “How about if I go get you some downstairs?”

Something in his hands caught my eye. “What’s that?”

“I found it on the floor.”

I looked more closely. It was the metal plate with the numbers on it. “That’s mine. It must have dropped out of my pocket. Do you know what it is?”

He flipped it over and over again. “I’m not sure. If I had to guess, this is a VIN for a car.”

“VIN for a car?” I closed my eyes, knowing I knew what that was, but I couldn’t for the life of me remember at the moment.

“The serial number that’s assigned to each car by the manufacturer. Every car has one. It’s how they’re identified.”

I hooked a hair behind my ear, trying to think this through. “Why would that have been downstairs in the construction area?”

Riley flipped it over in his fingers. “You found this inside the building?”

I nodded. “That’s right.”

He set it on the table. “Your guess is as good as mine then. I have no idea.”

I leaned back into the couch and nibbled on my thumbnail a moment. The bigger picture was starting to come into focus. I just needed to hammer out a few details, including the
who
.

Riley stood. “How about if I go grab you some clothes and some food? As cute as you look in my workout clothes, you probably want something a little more … fitting. You’re going to stick out like a sore thumb wearing that around here today.”

The strain in his eyes was enough to make my soul ache. Riley was hurting just as much through this situation as I was. Were relationships supposed to be this hard?

I nodded. “I appreciate that.”

As soon as he opened the door, I heard Deanna’s voice sound from the hallway. “Have you seen Gabby? Rumor has it that she came in here last night. You didn’t hurt her, did you?”

“What? Me? No, of course not.”

“Where is she then?”

Riley turned back to me, confusion clearly written on his face. “Gabby … ?”

I nodded, and Riley stepped back. Deanna flung herself inside the room and rushed toward me. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I heard what happened last night. All of it. You’ll never believe what I saw last night.”

I had no idea. “What?”

“I saw Ajay walking down my wing in the middle of the night. I hid, of course, because I didn’t want him to realize I was a maid. But then I got curious and started to follow him.”

“Is that the guy from India you’ve been hanging out with?” Riley asked.

“The gorgeous, handsome one who’s destined to be my husband one day?” Deanna nodded enthusiastically. “That’s the one.” She turned back to me. “He went down to the breezeway.”

My blood felt ice cold at the moment. “Really?”

She nodded. Deanna continued, going sixty miles an hour and waving her hands in the air. “I couldn’t stop myself. I kept following him. He walked through the construction area and out the back door.”

Tension squeezed my spine. “What then?” I didn’t think this was the time to mention how unsafe what she’d done might be. Of course, I would have done the same thing.

“He pulled a ski mask over his face and kept walking.” She swallowed, visibly shaken. “He went outside to that old maintenance shed located in the woods back there. I got close enough to peer inside the door.”

Her dramatic pauses were really starting to get to me. I shifted and tried to keep my voice even, despite the anticipation that coursed through me. “And?”

“There are cars inside. Lots and lots of cars. Nice ones, too. I’m talking high-end Mercedes and BMWs.”

I shook my head and began to pace. “What sense does that make? Do the valets use that for some kind of overflow parking?”

Deanna shook her head. “The building is condemned. I hope not.”

I reviewed what I knew about Ajay so far. This new information didn’t fit. “He said his wife died here a few years ago. That she was killed after being run off the road by a truck while driving up a mountain road.”

Deanna shook her head. “That never happened.”

“How do you know?”

“This is a small community. We remember things like that. The whole staff would have been alerted. It never happened.”

Was Ajay the one behind all of this? Was he the masked man who’d followed me in the hallway? The man who’d attacked Riley and me last night?

“I need to talk to Clint.”

Deanna shook her head. “You’re practically a fugitive.”

My shoulders pulled up in confusion. “What does that mean?”

“It means that the manager showed your picture to everyone on staff and told them to keep a lookout for you. We’re supposed to immediately report you if we see you on the premises.”

I glanced back at Riley and sighed. “Well, I need to get out of here somehow.”

Deanna tapped her finger against her mouth. “I can help. Just give me fifteen minutes.”

“Deanna, I don’t want you to lose your job.”

“Are you kidding? This is the most excitement I’ve had around here in years. Besides, I know there’s no way you took that necklace.”

I pulled my arms across my chest. “I was set up.”

She nodded and stepped toward the door. “I know. I’ll be right back.”

As the door clicked shut, I pulled my eyes up toward Riley. “I didn’t do it.”

“I know.” His words sounded soft, believable, soothing. “How about if I go get you something to eat and I’ll pick up a few other items for you down at the market. Okay?”

I nodded, feeling at his mercy. At everyone’s mercy, for that matter. “I appreciate that.”

“Don’t open the door for anyone, not even my friends, okay?”

His words chilled me. He thought one of them could be involved also. “Got it.”

He closed the door, and I turned both locks and pulled the chain across it. Then I sank onto the couch and tried to sort out my thoughts.

CHAPTER 33

Thirty minutes later, I glanced in the mirror and frowned. “This is your best idea?”

Deanna nodded, a little too much excitement in her eyes. “It’s perfect. No one will ever know it’s you.”

She’d brought me what I could only consider a muumuu—a large, billowing dress with no shape or form to it whatsoever. She’d also brought me a large straw hat and oversized sunglasses. I’d pulled my trademark red hair into a bun and stuffed it under the hat. I kept the shorts on underneath also.

Riley pulled on a ball cap and kept it low over his eyes. I couldn’t see his gaze, but I was sure he was amused by this costume.

“I figured you could just be pretending to escort your grandma or something,” Deanna told him. She extended her hand. “By the way, I’m Deanna.”

His fingers connected with hers. “I’m Riley.”

“You’re Riley? I’ve heard a lot about you. You two are both so fortunate to have each other. I would love to be in your shoes.”

My throat tightened as I remembered everything that had transpired between me and Riley over the past two days. If she knew the whole truth, Deanna wouldn’t be so quick to want to be in our shoes.

I straightened my oversized potato sack. “What happens when we get out of this hotel? I can’t exactly hop on the shuttle, and Riley’s car is in the shop.”

“I can fix that.” Deanna pulled out her phone and dialed. She took a few steps away, mumbled something, and then came back. “All settled. Let’s go.”

I had to swallow a lot of pride to leave the room wearing the get up Deanna had provided. At best, the outfit looked like something Maria from
The Sound of Music
had made out of leftover curtains. At worst, I looked like a pincushion, all the way from the shapeless, puffy dress to the straw hat on top. I only hoped that wouldn’t give the killer any ideas to poke me with something sharp.

Deanna’s phone rang again, and she held out a hand to stop us. She talked into the mouthpiece, her words clipped and tight. Finally, she hung up and turned to us. “Mr. Allen is in his office, so the path should be cleared. But we should move fast. He will call the police on you and have you arrested if you’re caught.”

That probably wouldn’t look great for future job opportunities. I nodded, grabbed Riley’s arm so he could escort me, and we took off toward the opposite end of the building. We moved quickly unless we saw someone, then we slowed to a normal pace.

Deanna’s phone rang again. After she hung up, she informed us, “Mr. Allen is on the move. I repeat, he’s on the move, headed toward the back of the hotel. We’ve got to pick up our pace.”

I pulled my hat lower. More than getting caught myself and getting in trouble, I feared what might happen to Riley or Deanna. Riley, he’d probably be okay. I mean, I didn’t think there was any law against harboring a hotel fugitive. He’d probably be asked to leave, at the most. Deanna, on the other hand, she could lose her job.

Our exit came into sight at the end of the hallway. Just as we reached it, a deep voice called behind us. “Deanna?”

Deanna paused and whispered for us to keep going. I didn’t argue; I knew whose voice that was.

Bentley’s.

Deanna hurried toward him. Meanwhile, Riley and I kept our pace steady so we wouldn’t aggravate Bentley’s suspicions. We reached the door, and Riley casually opened it for me. I took my steps slowly, trying to look like I belonged in this outfit and that I was supposed to be here.

As soon as we stepped outside and the door closed behind us, I breathed a sigh of relief. I only hoped that Deanna was okay inside. I wanted to turn around and check on her, but I knew I couldn’t.  We kept walking until we reached the street behind the resort.

When I stepped on the sidewalk, I heard the door open and someone come running out. I held my breath. Bentley? Security? The police?

“You guys, wait up.”

My shoulders sagged with relief. Deanna.

“What was that about?” I asked her as she joined us.

“Mr. Allen was just reminding me to be on the lookout for you. I don’t think he suspected a thing. He asked me why I was here since my shift was over, and I told him I left something in my locker. He seemed to buy it.”

“He seems awfully uptight,” Riley said.

“Uptight is an understatement,” Deanna told us. “He’s impossible to please sometimes. Of course, my theory is that if he didn’t live in such a big house or drive such a nice car, maybe he would have money to buy this place back. But he’s all about image.  I heard he lives from paycheck to paycheck, but he would never admit that to anyone.”

“It’s the American way,” I mumbled. Of the many vices in my life, image wasn’t one of them. At least, it hadn’t been until this trip. I was pretty content with my apartment, which was nothing fancy. I liked wearing jeans and T-shirts. Fun for me didn’t involve spending lots of money. It meant being around good friends and occasionally maybe helping out someone who was down on their luck.

Deanna stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. “Well, this is it.”

I glanced around and saw nothing. Not a car, not a van, not a truck. I looked back at her. “This is what?”

She pointed at a mailbox in the distance. “Your ride.”

“Huh?” What was I supposed to do? Put a first-class stamp on myself and pray that I got to the police station by morning?

Riley moved me over until a red moped came into view. It was so tiny that I couldn’t even see it behind the mailbox.

“Shirley said you could use it. I’d let you use my car, but I don’t have one.” Deanna held out a key. A little yellow troll dangled from the keychain. “It’s all yours.”

I glanced at Riley quickly. Just as I thought. Amusement danced in his eyes. Finally, I grabbed the troll and started toward the moped. “Thanks for your help. I’ll return this just like I found it. Promise.”

Deanna nodded. “I know. I’m waiting for you to prove that Ajay is innocent.”

“What if he’s not?” I stared at her, watching carefully for her reaction. This whole plan could backfire majorly if I wasn’t careful because Ajay
could
be guilty. Then what would Deanna do? Turn on me? Report me to Bentley?

She shook her head, not even a hint of doubt in her eyes. “He will be. You’ll see.”

I didn’t argue. Instead, I handed her my straw hat and gave Riley the keys. “Let’s go find some answers.”

We climbed on the moped, and Riley cranked the engine. Trickles of our conversation crept into my mind, and my heart twisted with each remembrance. I squeezed Riley’s arm, trying to push away the guilt pounding at me. “You sure you want to do this? It’s not too late to back out.”

“Why would I want to do that?” He took off, and my arms slipped around his waist.

This was Riley. My Riley. We were meant to be together … weren’t we? I mean, how much did the man care about appearances if he was willing to be seen with me in this outfit? Maybe I’d been too hard on him. Maybe my emotions were getting the best of me. It wouldn’t be the first or the last time.

I leaned into him and inhaled the scent of leathery cologne. I felt the ripple of his muscles beneath his shirt. I remembered our conversation about how the little things in life were the most important.