Suite surrender, p.17
Suite Surrender, page 17
Her heart clenched at the cryptic remark, a sense of unease washing over her. ‘What does that mean?’ she called after him, her voice trembling with anger and fear.
‘You’ll find out soon enough,’ Jake replied, ‘I’m going to pack my stuff. I’ll be out of your life soon enough.’
‘And Ben’s?’ Lauren’s voice broke as she spoke her son’s name, the thought of him growing up without his father a weight that pressed heavily on her heart.
Jake shook his head, his expression softening with a sadness that mirrored her own. ‘No, not Ben’s. He’s my son, and nothing will change that.’
With that, he left, the door closing behind him with finality. She sank onto the sofa, her mind racing with thoughts and emotions that threatened to overwhelm her.
The anonymous letter that had shattered their family flashed through her mind. It had accused Jake of having an affair with Fay, and without hesitation, she had believed it. Her family had too, their judgement swift and unrelenting. But now, as she replayed the conversation in her mind, doubt crept in, gnawing at her insides.
Her mother’s voice echoed in her head: ‘There are some things you don’t understand.’ Even her grandmother had hinted that Lauren wasn’t seeing the full picture.
Could Jake have been innocent all along? Had she been so blinded by her own fears and insecurities that she had destroyed their marriage based on a lie? The thought made her stomach churn, bile rising in her throat.
Lauren felt the weight of the truth crashing down on her, each piece of the puzzle falling into place with a clarity that left her reeling. If it wasn’t Jake who had betrayed her, then who had?
She sat there, the weight of her guilt and regret pressing down on her like a heavy shroud. She had spent months living with the belief that Jake had been unfaithful, letting it poison her heart and destroy their love. But now, as the truth began to dawn on her, she realised just how wrong she had been.
And as she sat there, staring at the closed door, she knew that her world would never be the same. The truth had been revealed, and it was a truth that she would have to live with for the rest of her life.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Rain climbed out of Clara’s car, her mind still racing with worry about Fay. She quickly glanced at her phone, hoping to see a missed call or text that would put her mind at ease, but the screen remained frustratingly empty.
‘I won’t be long,’ Rain said to Clara, trying to sound casual despite the gnawing anxiety in the pit of her stomach.
‘No rush, take your time. I need to get petrol anyway, so I’ll be back in about ten minutes.’
As Rain headed into her flat, the unusual silence made the hairs on her neck stand up. She’d expect to hear music blaring or the TV, but there was nothing. The place felt almost unnaturally still, like the calm before a storm.
‘Fay? You home?’ Rain called out, her voice echoing off the walls. She desperately hoped to hear her sister’s familiar voice, some reassurance that everything was fine.
But she was only greeted with silence.
Rain’s heart sank as she made her way through the flat, her footsteps sounding far too loud in the empty space. The eerie quiet was unsettling, amplifying the dread that had been building inside her.
‘Fay? Where are you?’ she called again, her voice wavering slightly as she entered the kitchen.
That’s when she noticed it. A full mug of tea and half-eaten sandwich sat on the counter sent a fresh wave of fear washing over her. It was as if Fay had been interrupted in the middle of her snack.
With a trembling hand, Rain dialled her mum’s number, clinging to the hope that Fay might be with her. After a few agonising rings, her mother answered.
‘Hey, Mum, is Fay there with you?’ Rain asked, trying to keep the panic out of her voice.
‘No. I talked to her earlier, but she said someone was at the door and she’d call me back. I haven’t heard from her since.’ Her mother’s words confirmed Rain’s worst fears, sending a chill through her veins.
Rain’s mind kicked into overdrive, spinning out increasingly terrifying scenarios. What if Fay had been taken against her will? What if she was in danger, or worse?
‘Did she say who was at the door?’ Rain pressed, desperate for any scrap of information.
‘No, she didn’t mention a name. I assumed it was you. Is everything all right?’ Her mother’s concern was evident, her voice tight with worry.
Rain hesitated, torn between her desire to protect her mother and her need for help. ‘I’m not sure,’ she admitted finally, her grip tightening on the phone.
‘Maybe she’s with that man she’s been seeing?’ her mum suggested, a hint of disapproval colouring her tone.
Rain considered the possibility, but something in her gut told her that this was different. This wasn’t just Fay hiding out again. No, there was something much more sinister at play here.
‘Yeah, maybe,’ she said, not wanting to worry her mother further. ‘Oh, I think I hear her coming in … sorry for worrying you. I’ll get her to call you later.’
After disconnecting the call, Rain stood frozen for a moment, her thoughts spinning in chaotic circles. She knew she should call the police, but what would she say? That she was worried because she hadn’t seen her sister for a few hours? As well as this, Rain didn’t want to overreact, to bring the authorities down on her sister if there was a chance this was all just a misunderstanding.
Trying to shake off the sense of foreboding, Rain made her way to Fay’s room. As she pushed open the door, she took in the familiar disarray – clothes strewn across the floor, drawers hanging open haphazardly. It was a mess, but it was a comfortingly normal Fay mess.
Nothing too unusual here, then.
Rain tried to rationalise the situation, to convince herself that Fay was just being Fay. Her sister was a grown woman. She was free to come and go as she pleased. It wasn’t like she was under house arrest or anything.
Knowing that Clara wouldn’t be back from the petrol station yet, Rain needed to keep her hands busy, so she started tidying up Fay’s room. She picked up the scattered clothes and folded them neatly. As she went to hang up Fay’s coat, something made her pause.
The coat felt strangely heavy, weighted down in a way that didn’t make sense.
Frowning, Rain ran her hands over the garment, feeling the lining. Her fingers brushed against something thick and crinkly, like wads of paper were stuffed inside. What the hell? Had Fay been hiding her diaries in her coat?
Curious, Rain laid the coat out on the bed and spread it open, searching for a way to access the hidden contents. There were no obvious zips or openings, so she grabbed a pair of scissors from the kitchen and carefully cut into the lining. As she pulled back the fabric, Rain let out an audible gasp.
Stacks of crisp fifty-pound notes were crammed into the coat, more money than Rain had ever seen. Where on earth had Fay got this kind of cash? Rain’s fingers shakily brushed over the banknotes, half expecting them to disappear like a mirage. But they were all too real, the weight of them heavy in her hands and even heavier on her heart. Fay, what have you done?
As she stared at the money, trying to wrap her mind around its implications, something else caught her eye – a corner of paper peeking out from beneath the cash. With a sense of trepidation, Rain carefully extracted what appeared to be a photograph.
It was a picture of Fay with a man, their arms around each other, smiling at the camera. Rain studied the image closely, her forehead creasing. This must be the mysterious married man Fay had been seeing, the one she’d been so secretive about.
There was no mistaking the intimacy of their pose, the way they leaned into each other. A wave of relief washed over Rain as it confirmed the mystery man wasn’t Jake or Jimmy. At least Fay hadn’t been lying about that. But the relief was short-lived as Rain focused on the man’s face, trying to place him. He seemed vaguely familiar, like she’d seen him somewhere before, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
Turning the photo over, Rain noticed a date scribbled on the back. It was from a few months ago, long before Fay’s recent disappearance. The gears turned in Rain’s mind as she tried to piece together the timeline, to make sense of what she was seeing.
She grabbed her phone and scrolled through her contacts until she found Lauren’s number. Her thumb hovered over the call button as she debated whether to call her, but the thought of facing this alone, of not knowing what had happened to her sister, was unbearable. Steeling herself, Rain hit the call button, her heart pounding as she waited for Lauren to pick up.
‘Please don’t hang up, Lauren,’ Rain blurted out as soon as Lauren answered, her voice shaking with barely suppressed panic. ‘It’s Fay. She’s missing, and I found a shitload of cash in her room. Like, a serious amount of money.’
There was a heavy pause on the other end of the line. ‘Where did she get it from?’ Lauren asked finally, her tone cautious.
Rain rubbed her forehead, feeling the beginnings of a stress headache coming on. ‘It has to be drug money. It’s the only explanation I can think of for why she disappeared the first time around. But this time...’ She swallowed hard, forcing herself to voice the terrifying thought that had been growing in her mind. ‘This time, I think someone’s taken her against her will.’
The admission hung heavily in the air, the reality of the situation crashing down on Rain. She sank onto the bed, her head in her hands as the enormity of it all overwhelmed her.
‘I can’t even go to the police. They’ll just arrest her if she’s involved in something illegal and who knows what will happen then. Fuck! When is she going to learn?’
Lauren let out a heavy sigh. ‘Maybe... maybe it’s time for you to take a step back. Let Fay deal with the consequences of her own actions.’
The words hit Rain hard, even though a part of her knew Lauren was right. ‘I can’t do that. She’s my sister, and—’
‘Come on, Rain,’ Lauren cut her off, her tone gentle but firm. ‘Do you honestly believe she gives a crap about you? She’s constantly getting you tangled up in her messes, putting you at risk.’
Rain chewed on her lip, the truth of Lauren’s words sinking in. She knew she was only looking out for her, trying to protect her, but the thought of abandoning Fay, of leaving her to fend for herself … it went against every instinct Rain had.
‘Yeah, I know. But what the hell am I supposed to do now?’ she asked helplessly, feeling torn in two.
‘You know exactly what you need to do. You just don’t want to face it.’
Rain closed her eyes, Lauren’s words echoing in her head. She knew she was right. She couldn’t keep bailing Fay out, couldn’t keep putting herself in danger for her sister’s sake. But the thought of cutting Fay loose, of letting her sink or swim on her own … it was almost too painful to bear.
‘Yeah. I guess you’re right,’ she said finally, her voice heavy with resignation.
There was a moment of silence on the line, both women lost in their own thoughts. Then Lauren spoke up again, her tone gentler now. ‘Syd said you’re coming to help out. The sooner we can put our heads together and come up with a plan, the sooner we’ll be able to get some answers.’
‘Okay,’ she agreed, a new sense of determination settling over her. ‘I’m on my way.’
Rain hung up and shoved her phone back in her pocket. She took one final glance around Fay’s room, her gaze lingering on the piles of cash and the photo before she reached down and grabbed them, stuffing them into one of Fay’s suitcases.
As she stepped outside and made her way to Clara’s car, Rain felt like she was moving in a daze, her body on autopilot while her mind raced with the implications of what she had discovered.
When she got in the car she switched on the overhead light and unzipped the case on her lap, revealing the stacks of cash. ‘Check this out.’
Clara leaned over, her jaw dropping as she took in the sight. ‘What the... where the hell did all that come from?’
‘Fay’s room.’
‘Where did she say she got it from?’
Rain let out a hollow laugh. ‘She didn’t. She wasn’t there.’
Clara’s face fell. ‘Oh no, what has she got herself into now?’
Rain shook her head, the same question that had been haunting her since she found the money. ‘I don’t know, but for her sake, I hope whatever it is doesn’t end with her winding up dead.’
The unspoken fear that had been lurking in the back of Rain’s mind finally given a voice. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Fay was in real danger, that whatever she had got herself mixed up in was far more serious than any of her previous misadventures.
Clara started the car, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. ‘We still heading to the hotel?’
‘Yep.’ Rain’s voice was firm, her determination to get to the bottom of this growing with each passing moment.
As Clara pulled away from the kerb and drove off into the night, Rain stared out the window. What if they were already too late? What if Fay was hurt, or worse? The thought made her stomach churn.
When they finally arrived at the hotel, Rain was a bundle of nerves, her heart pounding as she made her way to Lauren’s suite. Lauren took one look at her when she opened the door and frowned. ‘You look like crap.’
‘Stress will do that to you,’ Rain said, trying to force a smile. She briefly turned to introduce Clara, who held out her hand.
‘Nice to meet you,’ Clara said, her voice warm.
‘You too,’ Lauren replied, shaking her hand. But Rain couldn’t help but notice the hint of jealousy that flashed in Lauren’s eyes, the way her gaze lingered on Clara for just a moment too long.
Lauren ushered them inside, her hospitality instincts kicking in. ‘Drink?’
‘Yes, please,’ Clara said, sinking onto the sofa.
‘Not for me. I wanna keep a clear head,’ Rain said, too anxious to even consider alcohol.
As Lauren poured their drinks, Rain pulled out the suitcase, her hands shaking slightly as she set it on the coffee table.
‘Is that the money?’ Lauren asked, nodding towards the case.
Rain nodded, her throat tight. ‘Yeah, there’s gotta be at least a hundred grand in there. Maybe more.’
Lauren handed her a drink, her eyes wide with shock. ‘So why do you think someone took her instead of the money?’
‘Because they couldn’t find the money.’
‘So, what’s the plan?’ Clara asked, leaning forward.
Lauren took out her phone. ‘Syd was the one who came up with the idea. I’ll let her explain it.’
They sat in an awkward silence as they waited for Sydney to arrive, the tension thick in the air. Rain’s mind was consumed with worry for Fay, the question of Lauren’s jealousy barely registering. When the doorbell finally rang, she felt a wave of relief wash over her.
Lauren went to answer it, and moments later, Sydney walked in, her presence commanding the room. Rain introduced her to Clara, grateful for the distraction.
‘I really appreciate you doing this, Clara,’ Sydney said, handing her a small camera. ‘I promise you’ll be safe. My most trusted security guys will be watching you every second.’
Clara took the camera, turning it over in her hands. ‘So, what do you need me to do?’
Sydney laid out the details, her voice calm and confident. ‘Head down to the bar and grab a drink. There’s a bartender named Alex. Strike up a conversation with her and casually ask if she knows anyone who can help you have a good night. She’ll catch your drift.’
‘And then what?’
‘Once we’ve got her on camera, I’ll give her a choice. Either she spills the beans on who’s running the show, or I’ll call the police and hand over the footage. We’re ending this shit show tonight,’ Sydney said, matter-of-factly.
Lauren shifted uncomfortably, her worry evident. ‘That’s assuming she takes the bait.’
‘Oh, she won’t be able to resist,’ Rain said with a smirk. ‘Especially if you lay on the charm a bit, Clara.’
Clara grinned. ‘I can definitely do that.’
Sydney handed her a key card. ‘This is for your room. We’ll all be in there when you get back.’
As Clara started unbuttoning her shirt, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of cleavage, Lauren’s gaze flickered to Rain, searching for a reaction. Rain met her eyes and smiled, trying to convey without words that Clara had nothing on her, that Lauren had no reason to be jealous.
As Clara sauntered out of the room, exuding confidence and sex appeal, the women made their way to the decoy hotel room Sydney had set up. They gathered around her laptop, watching with bated breath as the live feed from the hidden camera showed Clara making her way to the bar.
‘Here goes,’ Sydney said, zooming in on the screen.
They watched as Clara leaned against the bar. Even without clear audio, it was evident she was laying on the charm thick, Alex leaned in close, hanging on her every word.
Rain’s pulse raced as she watched the scene unfold. Would Alex take the bait? Would they finally get the answers they needed to find Fay?
As the minutes ticked by, the tension in the room grew, each woman lost in her own thoughts. Rain couldn’t shake the feeling that they were on the brink of something big, that the next few hours would determine the fate of her sister.
She just hoped that whatever they uncovered, it wouldn’t be too late to save Fay from the mess she had got herself into.
Suddenly, Alex’s demeanour changed. She glanced around furtively before leaning in even closer to Clara, her lips barely moving as she spoke.
‘I think she took the bait,’ Sydney said.
Rain bit her lip, her eyes glued to the screen. Lauren reached over and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
They watched as Clara finished her drink and slid off the barstool, Alex blowing her a kiss before she walked out of the bar. The hidden camera bounced as she made her way back to the room, the first part of her mission accomplished.
Moments later, the door opened, and Clara strutted in, a triumphant grin lighting up her face. ‘Hook, line, and sinker, ladies,’ she announced, her voice filled with the thrill of victory.
