Chapter Twenty-Three

  Rain moved around her living room with a big grin on her face. Tonight was the night she’d been waiting for – the chance to finally have Lauren all to herself, to share a piece of her world, her life, her heart.

  She fluffed up the sofa cushions and lit scented candles to set the mood. The place was already pretty tidy, but Rain wanted everything to be perfect. She even put on some soft music, the kind of stuff she thought Lauren would like.

  In the kitchen, Rain got to work on dinner. Nothing too fancy, just a simple roasted chicken and salad. With the chicken in the oven, Rain headed to the bathroom and turned on the tap, making sure the water was warm before pouring in a generous amount of her sea salts.

  As Rain undressed and climbed into the bath, she could barely contain her excitement. She couldn’t wait to have Lauren all to herself. No interruptions from the outside world. Just the two of them.

  Rain closed her eyes, letting her mind wander to thoughts of Lauren and the intense encounter they’d had earlier that day. She imagined what it would be like to have her in her bed, skin on skin, tasting her, touching her . . .

  The sound of her phone beeping snapped her out of her daydream. She grinned, reaching for it on the floor.

  Please let this be Lauren saying she’s gonna be early.

  But as she read the message, her smile faded.

  Lauren was cancelling.

  Just like that.

  Rain’s heart sank, disappointment washing over her in waves. As she stared at the message, something in her shifted. A quiet, firm realisation. As much as she cared for Lauren, as much as she wanted to be with her, she knew she would never be Lauren’s top priority. And it wasn’t just because of her son. There was also her husband, her demanding job. How could Rain ever compete with all that? Deep down, she knew she couldn’t. As painful as it was to admit, they were from different worlds.

  Rain was about to toss her phone aside when it started ringing. For a split second, she thought maybe Lauren had changed her mind.

  But it wasn’t Lauren. It was Clara. Rain hesitated, not really in the mood to chat. But what else was she gonna do, sit around moping? She hit the accept button.

  ‘Hey, Clara.’

  ‘Hey yourself. Listen, I’ve got some free time tonight. Thought maybe we could get together, brainstorm about how to find your sister.’

  Rain thought about the dinner she was preparing. No sense in letting it go to waste.

  ‘Yeah, sure. Why don’t you come over here? We can talk it out over dinner.’

  ‘Sounds perfect.’

  ‘Great. I’ll text you the address.’

  Rain disconnected the call and quickly typed out her address, hitting send. She glanced at the clock – Clara would probably be there in about half an hour.

  ‘I’d better get my arse in gear,’ Rain muttered to herself, climbing out of the bath and reaching for a towel. She dried off quickly, then dressed in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt.

  Sometime later, the doorbell rang. Rain padded to the front door, opening it to find Clara standing there with a bottle of wine.

  ‘Hey, come on in,’ Rain said, stepping aside to let her pass.

  ‘Something smells amazing,’ Clara said as she walked in.

  ‘I made roast chicken. Hope you’re hungry.’

  ‘Starving.’

  After plating up and pouring the wine, they settled at the small kitchen table and, for a few minutes, ate in comfortable silence.

  ‘So,’ Clara said finally, setting down her fork. ‘About ways we could try to find your sister.’

  Rain looked up.

  ‘What if we set up a social media page for her? We could post her picture, some info, and ask people to share it. Maybe someone’s seen her or knows something.’

  Rain nodded slowly. ‘That’s actually a really good idea. I never thought of using social media like that.’

  ‘It’s worth a shot,’ Clara said with a shrug. ‘The more people who see her face, the better our chances of getting a lead.’

  Rain felt a surge of gratitude. ‘Thanks, Clara. Seriously. It means a lot that you’re helping me with this.’

  ‘Stop saying thank you. I’m more than happy to help.’ Clara hesitated for a moment, then asked casually, ‘So, have you seen Lauren?’

  Rain looked down at her plate, pushing a piece of chicken around with her fork. ‘Yeah.’

  ‘From the expression on your face, I take it things didn’t go as planned.’

  ‘Nope. I think I’ve just got to accept we’re just . . . in different places right now.’

  Clara nodded, a look of understanding on her face. ‘I get it. Sometimes, no matter how much you care about someone, it just doesn’t work out. Maybe . . . she just isn’t the one for you.’

  Rain glanced up, catching something in Clara’s tone. ‘Clara, I . . .’

  ‘I’m here for you, Rain,’ Clara said softly, reaching across the table to cover Rain’s hand with her own. ‘In whatever way you need me.’

  Rain swallowed hard, gently pulling her hand away. ‘I appreciate that, Clara. I really do, but I’m not looking for anything else right now. With everything going on with Fay, and the mess with Lauren . . . I just need a friend right now.’

  Clara sat back, a flicker of disappointment crossing her face before she masked it with a smile. ‘Of course. I understand.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Right,’ Clara said briskly. ‘Once we’ve finished eating, let’s make a start on the social media post . . .’

  Clara rolled off a number of other things they should concentrate on, and to Rain’s surprise, she actually felt better having her mind focussed on something other than Lauren.

  After all, that was her sole purpose for being there, to find her sister, not fall in love with a married woman.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  He sat at the hotel’s bar, scrolling through his anonymous social media feed. It was late, the bar almost empty, but he couldn’t make himself leave. Not when the anger was still eating at him. Suddenly, a post grabbed his attention. It was about Fay, asking if anyone had seen her or knew where she could be. He combed through the comments, hoping for clues. But there was nothing useful. Just a bunch of worried friends and family, all asking the same questions he was.

  He scowled, his brain going into overdrive. If even Fay’s closest friends didn’t know where she was, how the hell was he supposed to track her down?

  But then, an idea started taking shape. He paused for a second, then started typing a response.

  If you wanna know where she is, I’d take a closer look at her building manager.

  He hit send and leaned back, waiting for a reply. The account that made the post was anonymous, so he couldn’t tell who it was. But if they were tight enough with Fay to be posting about her, he figured it was probably her sister.

  A few minutes later, a notification popped up. The account had responded to his comment.

  The building manager? Why do you think he knows something about her disappearance?

  The bait was set. The next message would lead him straight to Fay’s sister.

  He took a sip of whisky, then started typing again.

  I’ve already said too much.

  He sent the message and waited, but not for long. Another notification popped up quickly.

  We’ll check him out. Thanks for the tip!

  Bingo!

  He grinned, feeling triumphant. All he had to do was stake out Fay’s building and wait for her sister to show up. Once he knew where she lived, he’d bide his time. Fay would turn up sooner or later.

  If there was one thing he knew about Fay, it was that she was predictable.

  Totally unlike him.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Lauren walked into the cold, sterile hospital room, which felt emptier than ever now that the monitors were silent. The steady, rhythmic beeping had been replaced with an unnerving silence. It all seemed so surreal. Just hours earlier, everything in her life had been almost too perfect – she had been looking forward to the night ahead with Rain, imagining falling asleep in her arms and waking up next to her, knowing what they had was real, that they were finally together in every sense of the word. Instead, now . . . now she was here, staring at her gran’s still form on the bed, trying to wrap her head around the fact that she was really gone.

  She stepped closer, her legs weakening with each step. It was like a bad dream, seeing her like this – pale, lifeless, so different from the vibrant, lively woman she’d always been. Lauren’s eyes filled with tears as the reality of it all crashed down on her. Memories flashed through her mind – the frantic rush to her gran’s apartment after Sydney’s call, the terror that had gripped her when she saw her unconscious on the floor, and the desperate attempts to revive her. The paramedics rushing in, the agonising wait for news. And then . . . then the devastating truth.

  Lauren sank down onto a chair at the side of the bed, her hand reaching out to touch her face. Her skin was cold, so different from the warmth Lauren had always associated with her. A sob tore from her throat, raw and painful. It felt as if her heart was being ripped out of her chest.

  Her gran, her rock, her guiding light . . . she was gone. And nothing would ever be the same.

  Tears streamed down Lauren’s face as she clung to her hand. She wanted to say so much, to tell her how much she meant to her, how lost she felt without her.

  But it was too late. She’d never get the chance again.

  Even in the depths of her despair, Lauren knew that her gran would always be with her. Her love, her wisdom, her unwavering support – those things would live on in Lauren’s heart forever.

  ‘I love you, Gran. Always.’ Lauren brushed a stray lock of hair from her gran’s forehead, her fingers trembling. ‘I’ll make you proud. I promise.’

  She clutched her lifeless hand, her heart heavy with the finality of it all. Tears streamed down her face, and she couldn’t bring herself to let go.

  The door opened behind her, and Lauren turned to see Oliver standing there. His eyes were red and puffy, a testament to his own grief. He looked hesitant, as if unsure if he should intrude, but determined all the same. He walked in slowly, each step deliberate.

  ‘Hey, Lauren,’ he said softly, his voice thick with emotion. ‘How are you holding up?’

  Lauren shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. ‘Not good. I . . . I can’t believe she’s gone.’

  Oliver nodded, his gaze moving to her gran’s still form. He took a deep breath.

  ‘I wanted to tell you . . . Syd can’t come back in. She’s too distraught. She just can’t face it.’

  Lauren felt a fresh wave of sorrow crash over her. She had known Sydney was struggling, but hearing it confirmed was still a blow.

  ‘I understand,’ she said quietly. ‘It’s okay. Really.’

  Oliver stepped closer, his presence warm and comforting. He reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder.

  ‘I’m here for you. For both of you. Whatever you need.’

  Lauren looked up at him, her tears blurring his face. ‘Ollie, I’m sorry for the way my mum has treated you. You don’t deserve that. Not after everything you’ve done for us.’

  Oliver shook his head, a sad smile playing at the corners of his lips. ‘It’s fine, Lauren. Honestly. I can endure anything as long as Syd is happy. She means the world to me.’

  The sincerity in his voice broke something inside her, and she reached out, taking his hand and squeezing it tightly. ‘You’re a good guy, Ollie. I don’t know what we’d do without you.’

  He squeezed her hand back, his grip steady and reassuring. ‘You don’t have to do anything without me. We’re in this together, all of us. And your gran . . . she knew how much you loved her. She was always so proud of you.’

  Lauren looked back at her gran, the tears spilling over once more. ‘I hope so.’

  ‘She was,’ Oliver said firmly. ‘She absolutely was.’

  Lauren got to her feet, leaning over to kiss her grandmother’s forehead one last time, and whispered a final goodbye, knowing that her spirit would always be with her, guiding her through whatever challenges lay ahead.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Rain sensed something was up the moment she walked into The Mayfair Heritage Hotel. It was way too quiet. Staff members walked around as if they were in a trance. In the staff room, the usual chatter and laughter were nowhere to be heard. It felt more like a funeral parlour than the lively hangout it usually was.

  She spotted Jack across the room, looking like he was about to burst into tears at any moment. A sense of dread washed over her as she walked over to him.

  ‘Jack, what’s going on?’

  He tried to say something, but a sob escaped instead. ‘It’s Mrs Deville . . . she’s . . . she’s gone.’

  ‘Gone?’

  Jack broke down, his whole body shaking as he cried. ‘Dead. She’s dead.’

  Rain pulled him into a hug, trying to comfort him as best she could.

  ‘She was always so nice to everyone,’ Jack said between sobs. ‘She’d call me to sneak in her favourite wine, and we’d play cards together. . . She always won, but I didn’t care. I loved her like she was my own nan.’

  ‘I’m so sorry, Jack,’ Rain said, her own eyes welling up. Though she’d never met Mrs Deville, it was obvious how much she meant to everyone.

  And Lauren. She must be devastated. No wonder she cancelled yesterday.

  A flash of guilt hit her. And I was just wallowing in my own self-pity when she was dealing with this. Well done, Rain. Fuck!

  ‘Ms Thomas.’ Hearing her name called, Rain turned to see Mr Larkins, looking sombre in his black suit. ‘A word in my office, please.’

  ‘Um, sure,’ she said, giving Jack’s shoulder a heartfelt squeeze before following Mr Larkins.

  He held the door open for her, gesturing for her to take a seat as he settled behind his desk. Rain perched on the edge of the chair, her body tense with nervous energy.

  She had no clue what this could be about. Had Lauren forgotten to mention she was leaving with her yesterday? Before she could expand further on that thought, Mr Larkins dropped the bombshell, leaving her stunned.

  ‘I’m afraid there’s been a serious allegation made against you,’ he said. ‘Regarding drug dealing on the hotel premises.’

  Rain felt like she’d been slapped. Drug dealing? What the actual fuck? She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

  ‘That’s insane,’ she blurted out. ‘Who the hell told you that?’

  ‘I’m not at liberty to say at this time, but we will be conducting a thorough investigation into the matter. Until then, I’m suspending you from your duties as of now.’

  Her head spun. She knew exactly who was behind this – Alex, trying to save her own skin.

  Rain left his office without saying another word. Passing through the lobby, she thought about calling Lauren to offer her condolences but decided against it for the time being. She remembered how she felt after her dad died – she didn’t want to speak to anyone, no matter how well-meaning they were. She’d give it a day or two before reaching out by text, just to let Lauren know she was there for her whenever she needed her.

  Rain had just stepped out of the hotel when her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and saw Clara’s name flashing on the screen.

  ‘Hey, Clara. What’s up?’ she answered, walking towards the train station.

  ‘Rain, you’re not gonna believe this,’ Clara said, her voice tinged with excitement. ‘I got a DM from someone who saw our post about Fay. They reckon we should be looking at Fay’s building manager.’

  Rain stopped dead in her tracks. She knew there was something off about him. ‘I met him when I went there the other day. Did they say why?’

  ‘No, that’s all they said. But Rain, I think we need to check it out.’

  Rain chewed her lip, her mind whirling. ‘Yeah, you’re right. But I don’t think talking to him is gonna help. The man’s like a closed book.’

  ‘We could stake out the building in my car,’ Clara suggested. ‘See if he goes anywhere, gets up to anything dodgy.’

  ‘That’s not a bad idea. All right, let’s do it,’ Rain said, starting to walk again. It wasn’t like she had anything better to do with her time, now that she was jobless. ‘I’ll text you the address and meet you there.’

  ‘Cool. See you in a bit. My car’s a white Ford Focus.’

  Rain practically ran to the station, her thoughts consumed with guilt. Why hadn’t she pressed Billy harder when they’d spoken? Been more forceful in demanding answers?

  If he’s done anything to Fay, I’ll . . . Stop it! Wait and see before you start jumping to conclusions.

  Twenty minutes later, Rain spotted Clara’s car parked opposite Fay’s hostel. She pulled open the passenger side door and slid in.

  ‘No one’s been in or out of the building since I got here,’ Clara said as Rain settled into the passenger seat.

  Rain frowned. ‘He might not even be in there.’

  ‘Oh, he is.’ Clara held up her phone, showing Rain a recent social media post from Billy stating he was at work.

  Rain’s eyebrows shot up. ‘You found him on social media?’

  ‘Yep, though I can’t take all the credit. Whoever sent the message gave a link to his account.’

  ‘Can I take a look?’

  ‘Sure, knock yourself out. But trust me, there’s nothing interesting – probably why he’s only got one follower. I mean, who the hell has an obsession with pigeons?’

  Rain scrolled through Billy’s profile, her frown deepening with each post. Clara was right. There was nothing that gave any indication as to who he was. No family or friend photos. Just an endless stream of pigeon pictures.

  ‘Just when I thought my day couldn’t get any worse,’ Rain muttered, tossing the phone back to Clara.