Page 13 of A Princess, Stolen
I forced the corners of my mouth upward. I didn’t know how I managed it since my mind was completely blank, but I automatically reacted.
Delilah, who was still staring at me, suddenly nodded mechanically, and then she suddenly turned to my bodyguards Sander and Navid without letting go of the phone that was still against her ear.
This isn’t really happening! This can’t be!I felt as if reality was dissolving into an infinite number of colors.
“You’re going to take the hall’s side exit and go to the restrooms by the champagne bar right next to the foyer. You’re not going to speak to anyone but me, is that clear?”
I scanned the area but didn’t spot any guests on the phone since there were too many. I couldn’t tell if the man on the other end of the line was here, but one thing was clear: it wasn’t a joke.
“Okay.” As if in a trance, I hurried through the dancers, a whirlwind of flying ball gowns and silver light. When I reached the end, Penelope approached.
“Willa, hey, ‘Belle de Jour,’ where are you going?” she called out loudly over the music.
Paralyzed, I blinked at her and saw nothing other than her seaweed hair and face, which seemed like an empty oval.
“Who is that?” The man heard her too, of course.
“Pe-Penelope,” I stammered, trying to make it sound like I was speaking to her. “I’ll be right back. I…I just need to powder my nose.”
“Oh, I’ll come with you. I need to tell you what Lawrence…”
I shook my head frantically. “No, that’s not possible…I have to…I have to make a private call.” I demonstratively wiggled the cell phone near my ear.
She grinned knowingly. “Sweetheart, is that Mr. Lover-Lover?”
I could have formed a silentHelp!with my lips, but Penelope was Penelope. She would only give an uncomprehendingHuh?and Dad would probably be dead. So, I just looked at her reproachfully as if I was annoyed about Mr. Lover-Lover.
Her grin became indecent. “You make the call, sweetheart. I’ll get myself a martini in the meantime and then we’ll talk.” With those words, she made her way across the dance floor and was immediately swallowed up by the heated bodies.
As if on autopilot, I ran to the side entrance. My heart was pounding so hard, I was afraid I was going to faint.
“Is she gone?”
I didn’t know how I had managed to react so quickly. “Yes,” I said breathlessly.
“What about Sander and Navid?”
He knows the names of my bodyguards!I glanced over my shoulder in horror. Delilah was talking to both of them, gesturing wildly, and it occurred to me that she was supposed to distract Sander and Navid. This was all a setup. “Talking to Delilah.”
“Good, little lady. Very good. Go on and make sure no one follows you.”
“Okay.”
My head was still filled with a white fog. I ran down a baroque corridor and passed a woman in a red evening gown, obviously a hotel guest. I didn’t dare give her a sign. “I’m in the foyer now,” I said as I entered the reception hall.
“Well done, little lady. You’ll be there soon. Avoid reception.”
I made a wide arc through the posh reception area and reached the restrooms that belonged to the exclusive champagne bar.
“Go into the second stall, get the cell phone, the screwdriver, and the bag from the trash can.”
The demands came too fast. I had no time to think about how I could ask someone for help. I hastily locked the door behind me, knelt on the floor, and dug everything out of the trash.
“Dial the number I dictate to you, but don’t hang up your phone yet, understand?”
I did what he said. I heard a phone ringing on the line. “Hey, little lady.” Now I heard him twice and it seemed as if his voice was forcibly entering my brain. Feverishly, I began to think. Maybe I could leave a message with the eyeliner in my handbag; I could write on the mirror.
“Turn off your phone.”
