by Claire Adams
“She’s the one who realized the choker was missing in the first place,” Ben said. “She’s demanding the immediate dismissal of the employee she’s accusing.”
“Wait, she suspects someone specific?” I asked.
“She does,” Ben nodded. “And, she looks like she’s out for blood. They both do. In fact…”
“In fact what?”
“Well, I spoke to both of them this morning,” Ben said. “It actually sounded like they would both be satisfied if the person they’re accusing was fired immediately.”
I frowned. “And what?” I asked. “They would just forget about this choker that’s allegedly worth close to a million dollars?”
“It would seem that way,” he said.
“I don’t buy that,” I said. “There’s something wrong with this picture. If you lost an expensive piece of jewelry, would you just walk away without doing your best to retrieve it?”
“So, they’re lying about the worth of the choker,” Ben said. “It wouldn’t be the first time a guest has overvalued an item that they’ve lost. They’re probably trying to get a compensation package from us and need to drive up the price a little bit more so that they can cash in later… Not that they would need the money or anything, but it’s better than nothing.”
“Is that what you think they’re doing?” I asked uncertainly.
“What else would they be doing?” he asked. “The Beaumonts are wealthy—why would they fake a theft? I’m guessing they really did lose a piece of jewelry. They probably don’t care about it very much, but they’re going to milk it for all it’s worth.”
I frowned. “Has Molly been made aware of the situation?”
“She has,” Ben nodded.
“Good,” I said. “She’s the best person to handle it.”
He nodded. “She’s good in a crisis.”
“By the way,” I said, realizing that I hadn’t asked the most important question yet. “Who are the Beaumonts accusing of stealing this choker?”
Ben’s face soured a little and he looked slightly uncomfortable. “Alani Kama. She’s one of the assistant managers.”
“Alani Kama?” I repeated. “As in…Molly’s friend?”
Ben sighed. “That’s the one.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Molly
I was sitting behind the desk of my newly minted office. It was a small and modest room compared to Tristan’s, but it was exactly the right fit for me. Plus, it had a great view of the ocean. This was only the third day in the new office, and I was still getting used to the feel of sitting behind a desk in my own personal space. I’d only ever had a cubicle, so this was a step up.
I had already lined my desk with pictures of my family, in large part due to the fact that I missed them terribly and was not sure when I would see them next. Tristan was absent from my little photo collection, however. Somehow, I felt as though adding his picture would put unnecessary pressure on our relationship. Over the last week or so I’d gotten the feeling that Tristan was growing a little…distant.
He was still affectionate, polite, and always gentlemanly, but I just sensed a certain nervousness beneath the surface. He did his best to hide it, but I was sensitive to his moods and knew he had certain reservations about us that were only just beginning to rise to the surface. I tried not to over-think, but unfortunately, it kept me up at night.
The one thing that did help was my work. I had made strides in the hiring process, the restaurants were now working smoothly, and the staff came to me if they had problems with anything. Most days I loved the work, and it was enough to keep my mind off Tristan.
But today was a different story altogether. Today, I hated my job because it meant handling a situation that I would have paid to avoid.
There was a knock on my door, and I stood up immediately and walked around my desk to answer it. Alani was standing on the other side, looking pale and close to tears. I didn’t say anything; I just stepped aside to let her pass.
The moment the door had closed behind her, Alani turned to me. She opened her mouth to say something but got choked up, and tears started pouring down her cheeks. I rushed to her immediately and hugged her.
“Hey, hey,” I said soothingly. “It’s alright… Come on, sit down and talk to me.”
I led Alani to a chair and sat her down. Then I pulled up the second chair and sat down right next to her. “Can I get you something to drink?” I asked. “Orange juice? Maybe some water?”
“Water, please,” she managed to croak out.
“Of course,” I nodded.
I poured her some ice water with a slice of lemon in it and passed her the box of tissues, too. She took both gratefully and managed to give me a teary smile. Once she had composed herself, I patted her gently on the arm.
“Alani—” I started.
“I didn’t do it,” she said, interrupting me before I could continue. “I swear, Molly, I didn’t do what they’re saying I did.”
“I know that,” I replied confidently.
“You do?” she asked, sounding incredulous. “You really believe I didn’t steal that choker?”
“I do,” I nodded.
“Why?”
“Firstly, because you’re my friend, and I think I know you well enough to know that you wouldn’t do steal,” I replied honestly. “And secondly because you get paid a decent salary, and I can’t see you risking your job by doing something like this.”
“Exactly,” Alani nodded. I could see the relief on her face. “Exactly. Why on earth would I risk such a good job for a choker? Even if it is worth so much.”
I pursed my lips. There was much being said about the value of the choker, and I knew that the Beaumonts would not let this go easily. I would need to find some way to appease them if this choker was not found. I wondered what Tristan would suggest; I would need to speak with him first before I made a decision about anything.
“Have you spoken to them?” Alani asked. “Mr. and Mrs. Beaumont?”
“I’ve spoken to both,” I nodded.
“And?” she asked, sounding nervous to even ask the question. “What are they saying?”
“They’re convinced that you’re the one that stole this necklace,” I told her honestly.
“Both of them?”
I frowned. “Yes.”
Alani looked down, and I noticed she was wringing her hands together as though she were guilty of something. I started to feel a little uneasy and wondered if perhaps she was not telling me the whole story.
“I didn’t do it,” she said again.
“Unfortunately, we need to offer the Beaumonts proof that you didn’t do it,” I said. “Which we can do—we have extensive camera footage. Tristan was diligent about making sure to cover all his bases. But first, I need to get your story.”
“My story?” she repeated.
“Mrs. Beaumont claimed that she found you in their suite numerous times,” I informed Alani. “She said you always looked too comfortable there, like you knew your way around.”
“I know my way around all the rooms in this resort,” Alani said. “It’s my job to be familiar with the spaces so that I can show the guests around.”
“That still doesn’t explain why you were in the Beaumonts’ room,” I said. “Unless she was just flat out lying?”
“She wasn’t lying,” Alani said, after a long moment. “But I wasn’t in there for no reason; I wasn’t snooping. I went because Mr. Beaumont requested items for the room, and he requested me to bring them up for him. I was just doing my job—being the manager and making the guest happy. It’s what we’ve been trained to do.”
I frowned. “What did Mr. Beaumont ask you to bring?” I asked. “All the rooms and suites come fully equipped, and the mini bars are restocked every other day.”
“He wanted some books brought up to his room from the library.”
“And, he couldn’t go himself?”
“I didn’t ask why he didn’t go himself,
” she replied. “It wasn’t my place.”
I looked at Alani carefully, and my suspicions became certainty as I realized she was hiding something. I leaned in a little and put my hand on hers.
“Alani,” I said softly. “We’re friends, aren’t we?”
“Yes,” she replied. “We are friends. But we’re not just friends anymore, are we? You’re my boss now, and I’m your subordinate.”
“Which means what, exactly?” I asked. “We’re not really friends anymore?”
“That’s not what I said.”
“It’s what you implied.”
I saw tears prick at the corner of her eyes, and she gave a desperate sigh that told me she felt trapped and vulnerable. “I’m sorry,” she said. “We are friends, it’s just—”
“Do you trust me, Alani?” I asked. “Because I trust you. I think I know the kind of person you are, and I believe in my heart that you would never steal—even if you needed to, even if you had the opportunity to. That’s just my gut feeling.”
“I appreciate you saying that,” she said gratefully. “And I do trust you.”
“Good, then tell me the whole truth,” I said. “There’s something you’re not telling me because for some reason you’re scared, but I promise that if you come clean with me, I will do my best to protect you.”
Alani looked nervous, but I could tell she was going to tell me the truth. I gave her the space she needed and waited till she was ready to talk. After a moment, she closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she looked resolute.
“I do have the choker,” she said.
My eyes went wide, despite my effort to keep my expression calm. “What?”
“It’s not what you think,” she said. “Mr. Beaumont gave me the choker…as a gift.”
I understood almost instantly. “He was hitting on you, wasn’t he?” I said, remembering the incident a few weeks ago with Mr. Beaumont and Nakoma.
“It started out as an innocent flirtation,” Alani said. “It was never when his wife was around, but that was to be expected. I flirted back a little, too, but I never meant for him to go so far.”
“How far did he go?”
“He kept calling me up for the slightest little thing at first,” Alani explained. “It was always when his wife had gone down to the beach or to the spa. I would do my best to whatever he required of me, he would flirt a little, I would flirt back, and then I would excuse myself and get back to my job. But then, one day…he grabbed me.”
“What?”
“We were alone in the suite; he had called me up for some stupid trivial reason. I was about to leave when he pulled me towards him and kissed me.”
“That bastard,” I exclaimed, horrified.
“I tried to stop it; I tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t stop. I was really starting to panic when we heard someone at the door. He pushed me away just before his wife walked into the suite. I was freaking out, but I was also so grateful for the interruption. I was so scared he was going to… He was going to...”
“Hey, it’s okay,” I said gently, stopping Alani from having to complete the sentence. “It didn’t happen.”
“After that, I ignored Mr. Beaumont any time he summoned me. I was polite, but I ignored him,” Alani explained. “He was persistent, though. He approached me one day at one of the indoor pools. We were alone, and he managed to corner me.”
“Did he try to hurt you…or come on to you again?”
“He said he was trying to apologize,” Alani replied. “That was when he gave me the choker.”
I sighed. “He was trying to bribe you into sleeping with him.”
“I think he thought that if he gave me jewelry, then I would turn to putty in his hands and he could have his way with me.”
“What did you do?”
“I refused to accept the choker,” she said. “I told him point blank that I wasn’t interested in him and I could lose my job if I was found to be having a relationship with a guest. I also pointed out that if I got involved with him, we would be committing adultery. Not that he cared very much about either point, though.”
“What did he say when you refused the choker?”
“He insisted I take it,” she replied. “I refused again and walked away from him.”
I frowned. “Wait, if you refused to accept it then why did you tell me the choker was with you?”
Fresh tears slipped from Alani’s eyes. “After the accusation was made and Ben informed me of what the Beaumonts were saying I did, I went back to my room and… Oh, Molly, I found the choker in one of my drawers.”
“You mean—”
“I think he’s trying to frame me,” she sobbed. “He’s trying to get back at me for rejecting him.”
“Fuck,” I said, using the word I knew Tristan would have used in my place.
“You do believe me, don’t you?” Alani asked desperately. “I was so scared to tell anybody—especially one of my superiors. No one ever believes the staff. And, why would anyone believe me once the choker is found in my possession?”
“Is it still with you?”
“I wanted to get rid of it this morning—”
“Don’t,” I said. “I think I have a way to prove that you’re innocent.”
“How?” she cried. “The choker—”
“Was found in one of your drawers,” I said. “And if you didn’t put it there, that means someone did. And we’re going to find out who that is.”
“But—”
“Remember when I told you to trust me?” I said. “Now would be the time to start.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Tristan
I was in my office, discussing the situation with Ben when Molly walked in. Her expression was serious but calm, and I wondered how she felt about the whole thing.
“Tristan, Ben,” she said, addressing both of us. “I need to talk to you.”
“Where is Alani?” Ben asked.
“I asked her to sit outside for a moment,” she replied. “I wanted to talk to the two of you first.”
I came forward. “You spoke to Alani?”
“I did,” she nodded.
“And?” I asked. “What’s her story?”
“Her story is simple,” Molly replied. “She didn’t do it. And, I believe her.”
Her conviction made me believe, too, and I let out a little sigh of relief. However, Ben looked skeptical. “We need more than just your word,” he reminded both of us. “We need proof.”
“She’s been framed,” Molly said.
Ben and I exchanged a glance. “Framed?” I repeated.
“Someone planted the choker in her room.”
“Hold on,” Ben said, holding his hands up. “You mean, she’s admitting to you that she actually has the choker.”
“She has,” Molly nodded.
I felt my belief slip away in light of the new information, and I looked at Molly carefully. “Molly,” I said gently. “Do you think that maybe you’re letting your friendship with Alani cloud your judgment a little?”
“No, I’m not,” Molly insisted. “I know Alani. She wouldn’t do something like this. She wouldn’t risk her job for a chain.”
“It’s a valuable piece of jewelry,” Ben pointed out.
“So the Beaumonts say,” Molly said. “Personally, I don’t buy it.”
“What makes you so sure they’re trying to frame Alani?” Ben asked. “What’s their motive?”
“Mr. Beaumont certainly has a motive,” she said. “Revenge.”
“Revenge?” I repeated. “For what?”
“For the fact that Alani rejected him repeatedly,” Molly explained.
“He was hitting on her?” I asked.
“It was sexual abuse, plain and simple,” she said firmly. “He had her come up to his suite while his wife was out, then he grabbed her and kissed her. He might have done more had Mrs. Beaumont not walked in and interrupted him.”
“His wife saw all this?”
I looked towards Ben. “What do you think?” I asked. “Does it sound plausible that Mr. Beaumont might be framing Alani?”
“He’s rich, and men like him don’t handle rejection well,” he said. “It’s possible.”
“Mr. Beaumont tried to woo Alani,” Molly continued. “He cornered her by the pool one day and offered her the choker as a gift. Alani saw it as the bribe it was and turned him down. That was two days ago.”
“And then she discovered the choker in her drawers?” I asked.
“Yes,” Molly nodded.
“It could still be a story,” Ben pointed out.
Molly turned to Ben with fire in her eyes. “You know Alani,” she said. “Do you really think she’s capable of theft?”
He avoided eye contact for a moment. “I don’t… She doesn’t seem like the type.”
“Because she’s not,” Molly said strongly. “You need to show the people who work under you that they’re valued, that they won’t just be dismissed because it’s easier than standing up to a guest. Alani didn’t come to you or Tristan—or me for that matter—because she was scared we would take their side over hers. Because she’s dispensable to us and they’re not.”
I watched Molly’s fire and felt a surge of pride and respect for the woman she was. “We need to check the cameras,” I said, jumping into action.
“Not the resort surveillance system,” Molly said, stepping towards my desk.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“I’m talking about your own personal surveillance system,” Molly said. “The one that only the three of us know about. You have the feed.”
“Yes, but I don’t watch it,” Tristan said. “I added it on as an extra precaution, but I don’t have the time to filter through it every day.”
“Nor do you have to,” Molly said. “Until something like this happens. The whole resort will know about the surveillance system; most guests will assume there is one in place, too. Whoever planted the choker in Alani’s room will have been able to bypass the cameras if they were careful. But no one knows about your personal surveillance system.”