She smiled and shook her head.
"You can use my jacket." He removed his dove-gray coat and placed it around her shoulders. His fingers slipped over her arm slightly, and she felt tingles shoot through her body.
"Better?"
"Yes, thanks." She closed her eyes and smelled the faint fragrance of his cologne from the jacket.
"The cameras don't show any movement whatsoever." His bright blue eyes met her light-blue ones, and she held his gaze longer than she ought to.
"What does this mean, Gabriel?"
He studied the screen once more as if to make sure. "Have a look."
He was right again, and she got a bad feeling about this. Could it really be that someone was trying to ruin things for her?
"Somebody has been tampering with the cameras. I can't find any other explanation." Gabriel gave her a worried look.
She felt her stomach tense up and touched her head, not feeling well at all. "Let's return to my office."
"Are you okay, Miranda?" He put his hand on the small of her back and guided her through the door.
"I'm not sure."
He closed the door to her office, and they sat on the sofa for a long time without speaking, but it wasn't an awkward silence.
"Do you suspect Vidar?" She looked at his handsome face, trying to find the answer.
"I usually don't judge people without having evidence. It might not be your husband. Do you know of anyone who objects to the hotel or you personally?" He split a vanilla truffle with his teeth and gave her one half. It was an intimate act, like between sweethearts, and she lost the thread.
"Sorry, come again?"
He repeated the question.
"I'm sure several of the locals don't like the new hotel. Either because its appearance doesn't fit with the rest of Solvik, or because of the increased competition it represents."
"You mean the town's eateries and the guesthouse?"
"Yes. I've met Bettina who owns the guesthouse and Sara from the bakery. I'll see them tomorrow at the knitting café. They wouldn't dream of doing something like this. It's inconceivable."
"I guess you're right. What about Café Solside and Lombardi's?"
"Ricco and Vera were here for the opening. Both were friendly. Saying that, though, we do have a few challenges in our restaurant. I'd hoped for more local guests this week."
"I agree. It's a sizeable restaurant with many employees, and the expenses are high. The locals are part of the equation, in addition to the conference guests."
"Anyway, we don't have any proof. Should we report it?" She still had his jacket around her shoulders and didn't plan on giving it back anytime soon. Not only did it keep her warm, but it also emitted a delightful scent of the attractive man sitting by her side.
"I don't know. I doubt the local police will be able to solve this. A burglar who wants to hurt you is smart enough to use gloves. We've both ruined any potential fingerprints on the PC, the door handles, and the coffee maker."
She looked at him, discouraged. "How foolish of me. I should've thought of it."
"It's not the first thing that comes to mind in a situation like this," he said comfortingly. "I didn't remember it either."
"Tell you what. Vidar isn't smart enough to disconnect the cameras without anyone finding out. Nor use a keycard that doesn't exist." It felt right to defend him. She refused to believe he could be the one behind this. He wasn't that evil. She'd never witnessed those kinds of personality traits before.
"I tend to agree. On the other hand, Vidar had plenty of time on his own this week. No one watches what he does, and he plans his own schedule."
"And his tasks are done in a hurry," she added, becoming unsure once more. Truth be told, Vidar was the only one gaining something if things didn't work out for her at the hotel. Then he'd have proof that he should have been the hotel manager.
"What do we do now? Except for me having to talk with Vidar, that is."
"Go home and talk, while I check the back-ups and examine the PC. A friend of mine knows this stuff. If he can't help, you're gonna have to buy a new PC. It's Saturday morning, and the shops are still open."
"Thanks, I'll get a move on." Reluctantly, she handed him his jacket and fetched her coat.
"Take my car, if you like."
She shook her head sadly. "I need to clear my mind. Don't eat all the truffles while I'm gone."
He winked and grinned. "Don't bet on it."
Miranda walked quickly toward the marina. Several people were preparing their boats for the summer season, and some had already launched them. But Miranda barely noticed the activity in the harbor. Her thoughts went in all directions. One minute she felt sure Vidar was to blame, the next moment, it was Vera or her sister Harriet, the chef at the café. But what if it was someone else altogether? The obvious suspect was never the offender, was it? Could it be somebody who bore a grudge against her father? Or someone who had been passed over in the hiring process? It was useless to speculate when she didn't have anyone to consult. She realized the case was almost impossible to solve unless the guilty person came forward.
Vidar was wearing his customary bike pants which made his legs look way too thin. He was heading out, and she needed to talk with him before he disappeared for the rest of the day.
"Do you have a minute?"
"Not really."
She tried to suppress her irritation. All she was asking for was a couple of minutes. "I've had a break-in at the office."
"Oh?" He was tying his shoestrings and didn't look in her direction.
"Someone spilled coffee all over my PC."
"What a pity."
Miranda made a concentrated effort at not getting agitated. She didn't have a temper and was known for her calm and relaxed behavior. But she wished the response from Vidar had been different. More compassionate. Not a "you'll fix it" attitude.
"Do you know if anyone's been in my office?"
He looked at her like she was a complete idiot. "How am I supposed to know?"
"I thought you might have seen something suspicious. You're the janitor," she said.
"So, it's my job to make sure no one breaks into your office? What'll be next? Security guard? Or bodyguard?"
She didn't know why he was so insensitive. "Aren't you even going to ask about my PC? Or me?"
"Are you hurt?" He gave her a quick glance.
"Of course not. If I were, I'd have known who the guilty person is." She was annoyed and wondered if he was teasing her. "When was the last time you were in my office?" She hadn't planned on asking so directly but had to know.
He looked upset. "Are you blaming me?"
"I haven't accused anyone. Someone has disconnected the cameras and messed with the keycard. I'm trying to find out who it is. The alternative is to report the break-in to the police." Maybe that was what she should do.
Vidar got moving and pulled open the door. "Don't involve me."
Miranda sank onto the bench, more confused than ever. What now? She hadn't made any progress whatsoever. Interpreting Vidar's behavior was impossible. Then she remembered the beautiful necklace she'd discovered. She'd expected him to invite her out for dinner tonight since the children were away. A belated birthday dinner and a birthday present. But she'd waited in vain. Vidar obviously had other plans.
Miranda returned to the hotel and found Gabriel at her desk. He was just finishing a phone call. She opened the small fridge and took out a bottle of sparkling water.
"How did it go?" He looked at her expectantly.
"Not sure. Vidar refused to talk, of course, and was upset by my questions."
He nodded and accepted the glass she was offering. "I've spoken to my mate. There's nothing to do but get you a new PC. This one's dead."
"Oh no. Did I lose anything, do you think?"
"I'm afraid you did. There's a back-up every morning when you log in. It means you've lost everything you worked on yesterday."
Miranda bit her lip. "Don't
even say it. I was working on a large document all day. It was a lot of work..."
"I'm sorry, but there's nothing more we can do. Would you like a new laptop? Or do you prefer a desk top?"
She shook her head. "Laptop, definitely. I must be able to take it home occasionally."
"I see. We do have a supplier, but being Saturday, we won't get a new one delivered today. Let's go and buy one right now. Are you ready?"
"You bet. But I don't want to take up more of your time. I've already wasted half your day off. I've got my car at home and can manage on my own."
"I'll certainly come along, Miranda. I suppose we'll have to go to one of the neighboring towns to find a wider selection."
Deep down, she was grateful. Not only did she know next to nothing about the technical aspects of PCs, but it also felt good to be with a friend right now. She wasn't anxious because of the break-in, but she didn't like the idea of someone wanting to hurt her.
"Thank you."
They packed up and fetched their jackets. "We can't leave the truffles. Almond brittle or passion fruit, which one do you fancy?" She looked at him.
"It makes no difference."
"Wrong answer. You prefer one or the other. That's just the way it is."
"You choose."
She started laughing. "I refuse to argue about truffles at work, there's enough bickering at home."
"Okay, almond brittle."
"Ah, a true chocolate lover. I knew it."
A smile emerged on Gabriel's lips. "And you?"
"I like both."
13
"Volvo? I thought only families with kids drove that kind of car in our part of the world." They were in the garage where Gabriel had his designated spot at the employees' parking. The charcoal-colored car was the latest model. Miranda got in.
"Don't I look like a family man?" Gabriel gave her a playful look.
"Are you?"
"Maybe not, but it's not from lack of desire. I'd love to have children of my own, it's just never happened."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to pry." She didn't regret asking, she'd always been a curious person. It was, in fact, a good quality. To know more than necessary was always an advantage.
"No?"
She hadn't expected that question. People never retaliated when she got pushy. Evidently, Gabriel wasn't like anyone else.
"Okay. I admit I like to know who I'm dealing with." It was slightly embarrassing that he'd caught her out like that, but at the same time, she approved. It meant he wasn't merely playing along with her.
"It's often useful to know more than you need to."
She might as well inquire some more then. Gabriel was thirty years old and didn't have a family of his own. When she was his age, she already had children. Admittedly, she'd been very young when she had Sofie. It wasn't common to have children that young nowadays. Most people preferred to wait and get an education before starting a family.
"Have you never been married?" She peeked at his face in profile. Straight nose, pronounced jawline, and smooth skin. With such looks he could have anyone.
"I came close. I've had two long-lasting relationships."
He didn't elaborate. She'd have liked to know more but restrained herself. There was a limit to how much she could probe. After all, she was married and should be spending her time planning on how to revive her relationship with Vidar. They seemed to have got stuck, and neither of them was able to find a way out of the rut.
"Have you lived in Solvik long?" This subject should be safe enough.
"No, but I commuted for a while. I started working as a handball coach last fall. Handball is my hobby. I applied for jobs here until I got the one at the hotel."
"I didn't know that." So that was why he was so fit. He probably trained a lot on his own too. "My daughter plays handball. And tennis."
He looked at her, taken aback. "I haven't seen her."
She smiled slightly. "We're trying to figure out what to do. After moving here, Sofie never makes the training sessions in Oslo. She still goes to school there."
"We could do with more players. She's welcome to join us."
"It might be worth considering. Sofie isn't the most motivated pupil right now, but she still enjoys handball."
He parked outside a sizeable electronics store in the next town. "It would be nice for her to get a few friends in Solvik," he said.
"Absolutely. I'll ask her."
They went inside to have a look at the selection. "Are you familiar with this stuff?" She looked at him hopefully, while she took off her jacket.
"Yes."
"Good. Otherwise, I'd be in trouble."
"Thought as much." He smiled warmly, and she felt a tingling in the pit of her stomach. It wasn't at all uncomfortable, but it was the dangerous kind to be fought before it could take root. All of a sudden, she felt dizzy and touched her head. This trip hadn't been thought through. She noticed his hand on her arm, and her heart started beating even faster.
"Miranda, are you okay? You look warm."
She pulled herself together. "Sure, I'm thirsty, that's all. Let's find the computer department."
"Have you eaten anything today?" He looked at her, worried.
"Truffles?" She laughed it off. "I've had breakfast and a cinnamon bun."
He wasn't impressed. "But that was hours ago. Let's find a place to eat afterward if you have time."
She thought of the teens, who were both busy, and Vidar, who had neglected to invite her to a romantic dinner tonight. He'd mumbled something about a meeting at the bike club, and she didn't expect to see him at all this evening.
"Sounds like a good idea."
With the new computer safely stored in the car, they sat down at a Spanish restaurant in the cozy town. They'd ordered tapas, and numerous dishes filled their table. Garlic and cayenne marinated shrimps, meatballs, baked baby potatoes, shellfish salad and freshly baked focaccia.
"This is both lunch and dinner." She was hungry and helped herself right away.
"So it seems. Would you like wine or something else to drink?"
She shook her head. "Sparkling water will do nicely." She'd make sure her head was clear. They had a romantic table overlooking the lit fireplace where dry birch logs crackled. This was where she should have been with Vidar tonight. While eating dessert, he could have given her the silver necklace, and she'd have snuggled up to him and got lost in a dream. Not that it was difficult to fantasize at present, but she didn't have any right to. Gabriel was a stranger whom she'd only known for a week or so. The fact that he'd supported her this strenuous day was in no way extenuating circumstances. Vidar should have been there for her today, but he'd thought it more important to go biking. He should have offered to accompany her to the office, to investigate what had happened. He didn't know that she'd received help from Gabriel. She felt a stab of conscience. She wasn't much better herself. It was Vidar she should have called when she noticed the ruined PC. Instead, she'd contacted Gabriel.
"How do you like living on the coast?" Gabriel's blue eyes had caught an orange tint from the blazing fire.
"It's very different from living in a big city. So far, it's been so busy I haven't had time to explore Solvik, nor the surrounding areas. I've heard of some picturesque hiking places behind the school. And on the other side of the town center too."
He tore off a piece of the focaccia. "Yeah, I often run there. The Hiking Association has prepared trails everywhere."
"I've never exercised, but I should. It's so time-consuming driving and picking up the teens at training sessions several days a week. And then there are a million other things to be done, grocery shopping, making dinner, do the laundry, clean the house, dusting..."
"You can't do it all by yourself. Can't you put your husband and teens to work?"
She smiled vaguely. "Easier said than done. They used to help more often. After they entered their teens, practically everything's a struggle. It's faster to do it myself than keep nagging. B
ut Vidar used to drive them, when he wasn't exercising himself, that is. That part is much easier here in Solvik, where they can walk to the sports center."
"Do they both play handball?"
"Only Sofie. But both of them play tennis."
The waiter cleared away the plates. She looked at her watch. It was half past eight already. They'd been here for more than two hours.
"Fancy some dessert, Miranda?"
"Can I take a rain check? I'm so full, there's no room for more."
"Fine by me." He asked for the check and took out his wallet.
"Put it on the "sabotage" account, Gabriel. We don't have one, but it looks like we need it." She felt sad when realizing that was precisely what this incident was all about. Someone was trying to ruin things for her. She didn't like it one bit.
"Cheer up, Miranda. I know it's tough on you, but I'll do everything in my power to find out who's behind this."
"Thanks." She was touched by how much a person she hardly knew was willing to do for her.
"I should get back to the office with the new computer. There's a lot of work to do before I can continue where I left off." She headed for the exit.
"Let me take care of it. I know the server and what files and application programs to download. It's quite a job."
She nodded, grateful. "I guess I don't have a choice. I honestly don't know enough to fix it myself. You're simply indispensable."
***
Miranda sat on the sofa with a glass of wine. There wasn't a sound in the house. The children wouldn’t come home until tomorrow, but where was Vidar? He'd said he had a meeting at the bike club. Who met for training on a Saturday evening? It sounded odd, but biking was his passion, and she was happy he had his sport, especially when his job wasn't fulfilling. She felt her eyes drooping after the exhausting day and awoke several hours later, feeling cold. Half asleep, she went to the bedroom and undressed. When she slid under the comforter silently, as not to wake Vidar, she noticed the bed was empty.
Miranda enjoyed a lengthy breakfast by herself the following morning. She was comfortable in her own company, and a good book made it even better. She loved to read, and the sensation of escaping into another exciting world was indescribable. Her greatest dream was to write a novel, and she'd even started working on it. But after moving to Solvik, she hadn't written a word. The evenings had been spent unpacking and getting settled, but she planned on continuing soon. Luckily, the manuscript was stored on her laptop at home. How sad it would have been if she'd lost it all.
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