“I always feel so out of place. As though I don’t belong at things like this. Fancy showbiz lifestyle, glam people.”
“So, why do you come here? Why accept Amelia’s invitations if you feel that way?”
“She’s a friend. There are so many famous people she could invite but every year she invites me. It’s a kind of tradition I suppose.”
Tradition. That’s the same word Amelia used to describe their holiday arrangement.
“I suppose a part of me is flattered, you know? That she still remembers who I am!” she continues.
“You were at drama school together weren’t you?” I ask.
“Yes, that’s right. Even back then she was always cast in the lead roles for the plays and projects we did. She was the one getting paid work on adverts when I couldn’t even get so much as a decent audition. I know she’s heaps more talented than me but still…it was disappointing. We all knew she’d be the one to make it to Hollywood starlet. It was obvious. She had the skills, the personality and the looks.”
“Do you mind how she’s done so well when your own career never really got very far? Even the nicest of people would feel some resentment in your situation, I reckon. It’s only natural.”
Jealousy. One of the top reasons for causing someone harm. Could Fran somehow be involved with this stalker stuff? We’ve decided it’s a man due to the nature of the notes, but it could be a woman pretending to be a man to throw everyone off the scent. Exactly how much does Fran resent her former drama school companion?
Fran contemplates her robe belt some more before eventually answering. “Yes, I resent it, but I’m also happy for her as well. I guess things just weren’t meant to be for me.”
“You’ve never been tempted to ask her for help? You know, introductions to casting directors or a priority slot at an audition on a project she might have some sway with?”
“No. Never.” She suddenly stands up, startling the beautician who was half way through painting the toenails on her left foot.
I watch as Fran drops her robe and walks down the steps into the swimming pool. That will ruin her half-done pedicure. The beautician sighs and tuts, clearly irritated by her client’s behaviour. Then she spots me watching her and throws me an apologetic look before scampering off.
As soon as I get back to my bedroom I grab my notebook and scribble down my conversation with Fran so I can go through it with Charlie when he returns from his skiing trip. I’ve just closed the notebook when my phone rings. I snatch it up wondering if it’s Charlie calling with an update or even just to say hello. It’s a rare occurrence but it does happen from time to time!
I see Debs’ name on the caller ID. Debs is my best friend back home in Derbyshire. When I used to do admin duties and make up horoscopes for the local paper as my day job and then serve behind the bar in the local pub at night, Debs spent her days serving coffee and cakes in Palstone’s only tea shop. She still does in fact.
“Hi!” I say, settling back against the pillows of the bed to get comfy for a nice long gossip. “How’re things back in Derbyshire?”
“Boring as ever,” Debs replies. “I’m hoping you can cheer me up by telling me all about your undercover stuff.”
“Boring? Why? Nothing happening with Handsome Harry yet then?” When I quit working at the pub and started my training with the Celebrity Crimes Investigation Agency a good-looking guy called Harry took over my job. Debs has been calling in even more often than she used to when I worked behind the bar there in the hopes of getting a date out of him.
“No,” she replies. “But I haven’t given up hope just yet. So tell me how glam this chalet is and leave nothing out.”
I’m in the middle of doing just that when the bedroom door opens and Charlie saunters in. He gives me a questioning look and I mouth ‘It’s Debs’ to him.
“Hi, Debs!” he shouts as he leans down to kiss me on the neck.
“Spy Man is back then I take it,” Debs says to me.
“Yes, just.”
“I’ll get going then and let you two have some alone time,” she says with a childish giggle. “In that huge bed of yours in that luxury mountain chalet.”
“How do you know it’s huge? Anyway, we’re working,” I say, pretending to be irritated by her little dig.
“Not all the time I hope,” she laughs. “See you soon.”
“What’s huge?” Charlie asks, eyeing me wearily as he pulls off his ski gear.
I get to my feet and cuddle up to him as he’s trying to remove his trousers, making us both topple over onto the floor. When we’ve finished laughing Charlie props himself up above me using his elbows, effectively pinning me to the floor. “You still haven’t told me what’s huge,” he says then starts nuzzling my neck.
“Nothing for you to worry about,” I say, giggling and pretending to squirm away as he tickles my ear with his tongue.
“So did you have a useful day?” I say as Charlie helps me to my feet.
“Micky hasn’t ruled himself off the suspects list, let’s put it that way,” he replies. “And as for Grant, that guy is so slimy he could have got from the top of the glacier to the bottom without needing any skis. He was bragging all the time about the company he’s managing director of. His flash car. His flash wardrobe. Basically he’s just a flash git.”
“What about Spencer and Tom? Any leads there?”
“Spencer was really quiet. Seems like quite a serious kind of guy. Tom was full of himself, but I’ll give him his due: he knows that glacier and that mountain inside and out. How about you? Find out anything useful from Fran?”
“She seems pretty quiet and serious most of the time too. I don’t think she’s our stalker but there is something she’s not telling me I’m sure of it. There’s such an air of sadness about her. I thought I could smell alcohol on her breath too this morning.”
I get off the bed and retrieve my notebook from the desk along with the list of ex-boyfriends Amelia gave me earlier from my bag. “Here’s my support officer update for the day,” I say, handing them to Charlie.
Charlie sits on the edge of the bed in just his boxer shorts and a T-shirt and reads through the printed sheet and my notebook. I watch as he does so. Eventually he puts them both aside, looks up at where I’m standing and beckons me towards him. I move closer and slip onto his lap.
“You did good today. You are an excellent co-worker.”
I smile. “Thanks, boss.”
Charlie grimaces. “Don’t call me that!”
“Why? It’s what you kind-of are.”
“No, I’m not.” He traces a finger lazily up and down my left thigh. “I’m your co-worker and agency mentor. I am not your boss. Calling me your boss creeps me out, especially as what we’re about to do wouldn’t be a good idea for a boss and employee!”
“Oh yes? And what did you have in mind, Spy Man?”
In one swift manoeuvre Charlie turns us both around so I’m lying on the bed and he is above me, propping himself up on his forearms again.
“Or should I not call you Spy Man either?” I giggle as he starts to kiss my stomach.
“No, that’s fine,” he mutters. “That name I actually quite like. It makes me come over all super-heroish.”
Mmm. Sounds like fun.
By the time we return from dinner that evening I am all talked-out. This chatting away to strangers is surprisingly tiring. We’re both shattered and dive into bed and switch the lights off. It can only be a matter of minutes before we’re asleep.
A deafening screech wakes me up at goodness knows what time. The light flicks on and Charlie is out of the bed in a second.
“Get dressed,” he instructs as fear grips me and I scramble out from beneath the duvet.
CHAPTER SIX
I grab a fleece from a nearby chair, quickly pulling it over my vest top and pyjama bottoms. “What is it? What’s happening?” I ask as Charlie yanks open the door and peers into the hallway.
“A fire. The smoke
is drifting up the stairs and setting the alarms off.”
“Is this the stalker again? Is he behind this?” I ask, joining Charlie in the doorway and reaching to pull the top of my fleece up to cover my nose. The acrid stench of smoke fills my nostrils before I manage to do so. “Huh! Yuk!”
“I need to check on Amelia,” Charlie says. “The fire exit for this floor is at the end of the corridor. You go, get out, on the way bang on the doors of the other bedrooms if people aren’t already up and out. Get as many of them out as you can but do not go downstairs to the other rooms. It looks as though that’s where the fire is.” He grips me firmly by the arms. “Promise?”
“Promise.” I drag on some shoes. The smell of smoke drifting up the stairs seems to be getting worse. As the fire alarm shrieks its warning through the chalet people start appearing on the landing, pulling on random items of clothing, panic in their eyes.
Greg pounds up the stairs and comes running towards us, shouting ‘Fire’ at the top of his voice.
“Where’s the fire?” I ask, as he draws level, gasping for breath.
“In the lounge,” he splutters, bending over, hands on his knees.
There are three other bedrooms on our floor and Pammie and Micky appear out of one of them now. She’s wearing a skimpy baby doll nightdress and looks completely oblivious to the circumstances. Is she high on something or just drunk? Micky, in black pyjama bottoms, grabs at her arm, trying to wake her up properly. “Come on, we’ve got to get out of here!” he shouts at her.
“Everyone stay CALM!” Charlie shouts, as Grant and Cara appear on the landing as well, both dressed in their nightwear. He turns to Greg. “There’s a proper fire escape through the window at the end of the landing isn’t there?”
Greg nods, looking slightly dazed.
Of course Charlie read the leather instructions book for the chalet in our room. He probably memorized the contents as well.
“Get everyone out via that escape,” Charlie says, taking charge. “Have you seen Amelia?” he asks Greg who shakes his head.
“I was just going to go upstairs to get her,” Greg replies.
“I’ll do that. You help Amber get everyone from this floor out the window and down the fire escape. What about the folks downstairs and in the staff quarters?” Charlie says.
“Bethan and Hannah are already out. The Dawsons were in the foyer being helped out by Fran and Spencer. Ennis and Siobhan too. They should all be out now. The smoke wasn’t so bad at that point.”
“Has anyone called the fire brigade?” I ask, noticing Micky is trying to hold up and comfort Pammie, who has started crying and is heading rapidly towards hysteria.
“Yes, I’ve called them,” Greg replies. “The fire is too big for me to tackle with the chalet’s extinguishers.”
“Right!” Charlie shouts above the din. “Out, the rest of you. Amber, help everyone will you?”
I grab at his arm, tears streaming down my face from the smoke. “Charlie?”
“I’ll be fine. I’m just going to make sure Amelia’s got out OK on her floor.”
“But…”
“The fire isn’t upstairs, it’s down in the lounge. I’ll be fine. Now, go!”
Greg hauls open the large window at the end of the landing and we start helping everyone out as I watch Charlie take the stairs two at a time in search of Amelia. She’s been having trouble sleeping lately with all the stress of the stalker business and Ty’s shooting, maybe she took a sedative and can’t hear the smoke alarm. What if Charlie can’t get her to wake up? I debate following him up but before I turn to sprint towards the stairs Greg tries to push me through the window. There’s only the two of us left now. Still no sign of Charlie and Amelia. I hang back, making you go first gestures at Greg. The smell of smoke is overwhelming and intoxicating. I can hear sirens getting closer.
Where is Charlie? Wouldn’t he have let me know they were both out OK?
Greg gets fed up of waiting and climbs through the window. Leaving me alone on the landing. A blast of cold night air reminds me I need to get out of here. Fast. The sirens are on the road up to the lodge now. I can tell by how loud they’re getting.
Come on, Charlie. What is going on up there?
I’m just about to dash across the landing and head up the stairs after him when a hand grabs me from outside the window. Greg, I assume, doing his fire warden duties.
“Amber, come on!”
I turn. It isn’t Greg. It’s Charlie. Outside. Charlie pulls me towards him and I scramble out of the window onto the narrow walkway. Everyone else seems to have disappeared. There’s just me, Charlie and Amelia.
“Are you OK?” I gasp, struggling to get my breath thanks to a mixture of smoke inhalation, freezing cold night air and gulps of relief.
Amelia shakes her head. “He did this. He was in my room.” She starts sobbing and I wrap my arms around her slender shoulders and hug her close. She’s shaking uncontrollably. I peer into the night. About eight feet away I think I see the fire escape ladder, disappearing over the edge of the chalet into the darkness. That’s where everyone else has gone then.
The night is illuminated by flashing lights and deafening sirens as the fire brigade arrive and spring into action.
“Come on, let’s get down and out the way before the fire brigade start doing their stuff,” Charlie says, ushering us both towards the ladder.
I go first and we both encourage Amelia, Charlie from the top of the ladder and me from the bottom of it.
Everyone is milling around in the parking area of the chalet, shivering in their pyjamas in the brisk breeze, all in a state of shock. I remember the First Aid bit of my CCIA training and how serious the effects of shock can be. We need to get people somewhere warm and get them a hot drink.
“Amber! Charlie!” Siobhan rushes towards us, closely followed by Ennis. “Thank goodness you’re both OK. We were so worried!” she gasps before enveloping first me, then Charlie in a fierce hug.
“Are you two both OK?” I ask as I turn to hug Ennis.
“We’re fine,” he replies, wrapping an arm around Siobhan and pulling her close.
“That was so scary!” Siobhan says, eyes wide, as she snuggles close to Ennis.
“It was,” I agree.
“It’s a relief nobody was injured,” Charlie chips in.
Amelia walks towards us and we excuse ourselves from Ennis and Siobhan.
“Amelia, we need to know what happened tonight. You said he was in your room? But the fire is down in the lounge. Did he set the fire and then come up to your room? Did you see him or hear something? Is there anything you can remember, anything at all?” Charlie demands.
“Charlie, she’s in no fit state for all this,” I chastise him, wrapping an arm around Amelia’s shoulders. “We need to get everyone somewhere warm, out of this freezing wind. Wait, I have an idea.”
Moments later there’s another sound piercing the night air. Car alarms. As the chalet’s guests are mostly in their pyjamas nobody has their car keys on them. Charlie and one of the firemen are systematically breaking into every vehicle parked out here. Charlie’s lock picking and breaking and entering skills do come in useful. I help Amelia into her car and then encourage all the others to seek shelter in whatever car is nearest to them while we figure out what to do next.
The local police arrive and look less than amused at being called out to yet another suspicious event at Amelia’s chalet. Charlie speaks to them in rapid French and then, as they go and check on the status of the fire with the brigade guys, he comes over.
“Amelia, the police are going to want to talk to you about this. What are you going to tell them? Are you going to mention about your stalker? Your suspicions about how he was the one who set this fire going?”
She sighs and shivers, trying to huddle further into the seat of her car. “What would you recommend?”
“I’d say don’t. Let them think it was just another accident. A stray spark from the logs on th
e fire set all this off. There will be an investigation from the fire department no doubt but let’s hope it doesn’t arouse their suspicions too much and make them think this could have been deliberate. I’d prefer not to have them getting involved in our investigation. Plus, if they think there’s cause for speculation about how the fire started, then obviously that will affect your insurance too.”
Amelia nods. “OK. I won’t say anything.”
“Do you want to fill Amber and me in on what happened tonight? You said he was there. In your room.”
“Yes. I’d taken something to help me sleep. A herbal supplement. Something, or should I say someone, touched my cheek and it woke me up. I wasn’t quite with it though. I opened my eyes and the door was just closing. I thought I was in some kind of dream for a moment or two. The noise, the alarm, I thought it was the police or the phone or something.”
She pauses to draw breath.
“And? Go on,” Charlie cajoles, earning himself a ‘be patient’ look from me.
“That’s when I saw the gift box and the note next to my bed.”
“What happened to them?” Charlie asks. “You didn’t have anything with you when I arrived in the room and you were out on your balcony heading for your fire escape.”
“I left them in the room. Once I was with it enough to realise it was the smoke alarm I panicked and rushed to get out of there.”
Charlie leans back against the side of the car and stares at the chalet. “Which means they’re still right where he left them next to your bed and the police and fire department are going to see them when they do their check through on the property once the fire is out.” He looks at Amelia. “Was the note in an envelope or just on the side? If it’s not inside something they’re going to read it and we have no idea what it says. It could set them off on an investigation we don’t want.”
“I don’t know,” Amelia replies, looking confused. “I can’t think properly right now.”
A fireman appears from the chalet and shouts something but my French isn’t good enough to understand what he’s said. I look questioningly at Charlie and Amelia. “Fire’s out,” Amelia says by way of explanation.
Forever Mine: A Fun and Flirty Romantic Mystery (Amber Reed Mystery Book 3) Page 6