Page 10 of Hidden Gem
The silence in the hallway told him Kathleen hadn’t hit the panic button, which would have issued the white-shirted Parliament staff. They’d come running. So, she’d either lost track of time, or she was unconscious. Or she’d decidednotto raise the alarm. Hiding a health condition was a serious breach, one that could cost her position.
Jason shifted closer to the door, but the buzz of the crowd in the banquet hall drowned any softer sounds. He hoped nobody else happened upon them. Not that he minded having witnesses on Kathleen – they were necessary – but he desperately wanted to steal a private moment with the woman whose mere presence had distracted him for a moment. Who was she?
Chapter 6
Marnie stepped intothe disabled bathroom, her pulse skyrocketing. She wasn’t the right woman for this mission, but how could anyone say no to a face like that? He’d peered into her eyes like no one else existed. She’d embarrassed herself by not knowing the minister he was talking about – she didn’t follow politics, beyond watching a couple of debates around election time – but he hadn’t displayed a hint of annoyance. Those steely eyes had only softened, letting her imagine a connection that probably wasn’t there. He must have been a politician. Someone famous. The name Jason didn’t ring a bell, but there’d been something familiar about him.
The door leading to the toilet was closed, but not locked. It must have been empty. Who would go into the toilet and leave the door unlocked? What a relief. She could just tell Mr Gorgeous that nobody was here and get on with her night.
But that’s when Marnie’s bladder reminded her why she’d come here in the first place. She might as well quickly pee before returning to the corridor.
She opened the door and yelped. A woman lay on the floor, her shoulder against the back wall, eyes open, her breath coming in short gasps. Blond hair, pantsuit. Kathleen Rush?
“Oh, my God! Are you okay?”
The woman moaned.
Marnie sprang into action. She hoisted the minister off the floor and propped her on the covered toilet seat.
Kathleen supported herself against the handrails, attempting to focus on Marnie, a hint of clarity flickering behind her blurry gaze. “Who’re you?”
“Marnie ... Browne.”
“Who do you work for?”
Marnie stared back at her, eyes wide. Surely her part-time job at the community house had nothing to do with this. “I’m ... nobody,” she whispered. “Are you Kathleen Rush?”
“You’re not from around here?” The woman’s expression softened, and she tried to straighten her back, planting her sensible heels against the floor.
“No, I’m from Hamilton.”
Kathleen smiled. “Bless you, Marnie Browne from Hamilton. Is there any way you could keep this between us?”
“Are you sure you don’t need help? What happened?”
Kathleen shook her head. “I slipped and fell. Could happen to anyone. But in my position, people like to read into things. Do you understand what I mean?”
