Page 32 of Saltwater Sweets
“Okay. I guess that’s fair.” Hugh tucked into his sandwich.
“And then what do you plan to do once you have it?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe contact the authorities?”
That didn’t sound like a well-thought-out plan, and Gina was afraid that Hugh might be up to something. She didn’t really care about that, but what if whatever he had planned got her involved in this mess somehow? She didn’t trust Mark Richardson and had to make sure Hugh handed over that document to the police so Mark would be out of the picture.
Should she take Ellie into her confidence about Hugh being at the motel and get her advice? Before she could think that through, Jules’s voice rang out from the lobby.
“Gina, where are you?”
“Hey, is that your cousin Jules?” Hugh asked.
Gina rushed to the door, turning and hissing at Hugh, “Quiet. Don’t make a sound.”
Gina slipped out into the lobby. “Jules! So great to see you. What are you doing here?”
Jules looked confused. “I’m here to help run the motel. It’s what I do.”
“Right. I know. But it’s slow. I’m handling things fine. Why don’t you go off with Nick? Isn’t the bank closed today? He must have the day off.”
Gina kept the smile on her as she stood in between Jules and the storage room. Maybe she’d overdone it because Jules frowned and glanced over her shoulder toward the door. “Were you talking to someone in there?”
“Talking? No. Talking to myself. Bad habit.”
How in the world was she going to get rid of Jules? Her cousin didn’t look like she was going to budge.
“Would you like some pie? I baked fresh apple.”
“No, I don’t need any pie. Why don’t you take off? Do some shopping or something.” Jules was definitely here to stay.
Maybe Gina could come up with some task that would get her out of the lobby. Cleaning the rooms, perhaps, or—
Whoosh!
But just then, the unmistakable sound of the toilet flushing rang through the lobby. Stupid Hugh! Didn’t he realize they could hear that?
Jules’s frown deepened.
“Was that the toilet? But I thought we were alone…” Jules’s expression took on a smirk. “Oh. Now I see why you were trying to get rid of me. You have a guy here.”
Gina made a face. As if. “No, I don’t… oh yes, yes. And I’d like some privacy.”
“Who is it? Are you hiding him in the storeroom? Is it that cute guy, Dean, from the restaurant? Or is it that landscaper, Kyle?” To Gina’s horror, Jules headed toward the kitchen.
The bathroom that Gina used was in the hallway between the kitchen and the back door to the storeroom. Hugh must have used the back door that led to that hall. Gina ran after Jules but couldn’t stop her. The bathroom door opened, and Hugh stepped out.
The look of disbelief on Jules’s face was almost comical. “Hugh? Your secret boyfriend is your ex-husband?”
* * *
“You expect me to believe you had nothing to do with embezzling from the company?” Jules glanced from Hugh to Gina.
They were back in the storage room, filling Jules in on how Hugh had come to be hiding out there. Jules had been surprised to learn about the embezzling and that Gina and Hugh hadn’t had an amicable divorce, but she didn’t make a big deal out of it, much to Gina’s relief.
“It's the truth.” Hugh sounded offended that Jules didn't believe him.
“It doesn't really matter,” Gina cut in. “That’s Hugh’s problem to deal with. I just want my half of the money, and then he’s on his own.”
