Page 28 of Never and Always
He gave her a wicked, sly grin and straightened up in hischair.
“We have a room. It’s fifty bucks for two nights. I must warn you, it’s discounted because of themurder.”
“Murder?” She could barely get the word out of hermouth.
“Yes, sweetheart, happens in these parts all the time.” Helaughed.
She couldn’t believe that, but then she’d always been told to avoid this area oftown.
She opened her purse, took out fifty dollars, and handed it over to him. He then handed her somekeys.
“Thanks.”
“It’s room fifteen. If you get scared, my lap’s still available.” He leered at her and gave her a creepy smile that made her skincrawl.
She turned away and made her way up to roomfifteen.
Inside it was horrible. It looked like a scene from CSI with the chalk drawing of the person who’d been killed still on thefloor.
Mia had quite clearly entered the twilight zone. It was official. It had to be, because last month she’d had her dream job, was making money, and she had a beautiful apartment on the coast ofFlorida.
Last month, if she didn’t call Glenn every day, she’d get a message from him checking in on her to see if she wasokay.
Now he hated her and she hadnothing.
When she looked around the room and her eyes fell on the dirty bed sheets, fear clouded her mind and she thought of Nickagain.
She hadn’t meant to lash out at him like that earlier, but she couldn’t helpherself.
Looking around this awful place definitely made her want to kick herself at turning down his offer to take care ofher.
But this was best. Mia had to dothis.
She sat on the chair by the window to rest her legs from the long walk. In a little while she’d gear herself up to look at the bed. Hopefully all the sheets weren’tdirty.
Police sirens sounded, piercing through the silence that filled the room. She could then hear arguing in the streetbelow.
Was it going to be like this all night? She looked around the room again and decided she’d have to make do withit.
Bad as it was she didn’t have to worry about Glenn here. She stood up and cautiously made her way to the little bathroom, dreading what was inside. She imagined more dirt and it being like one of these horror stories you hear on hotels from hell. But, surprisingly it wasn’t toobad.
She turned on the cold tap and splashed water on her face. It calmed her skin and the coldness made it numb. At least this was okay. She would make this okay for tonight and tomorrow tops. Tomorrow it would be a good idea to find Nick and get her phone so she could speak to Claire. Knowing Claire, Mia was certain she’d find a way to send her whatever money she needed or get someone who had keys to open herhouse.
That would have been nicer because Mia knew Claire’s house like her own. A shuffling noise brought her attention back to her surroundings. It came from outside thebathroom.
When she heard it again, and felt for certain it sounded like footsteps she went out into theroom.
Damn it. That was the complete wrong thing to do because the minute she stepped through the bathroom door she found herself staring face to face with a tall, burly looking man wearing a black leatherjacket.
A crude, vicious looking smile lifted his face when he saw her, and it widened on seeing herreaction.
Mia screamed as her heart leapt into her throat. She ran for the door but that was a mistaketoo.
He grabbed her hard and shoved her up against the wall. The impact shook her and made her feel like something inside her broke. When she tried to scream again he covered her mouth and pushed her head back into the wall, making her feel like she would passout.
She screamed against his hand but it came out in muffled sounds no one wouldhear.
It had been a mistake coming here. Another mistake which might cost her life. Another stupid move. The cocky grin on the man’s face told her he had no intention of going easy on her. This guy had the criminal look with his shaved head and a deep knife scar going across the side of hisface.
