Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
My ex used to say I made her feel like a mistress. Like I was married to my job. After the divorce, I resigned myself to the notion that I just don’t have time for a full-time woman.
The dead ones take up too much headspace.
Chapter Six
Holly
The party begins to thin out around two o’clock in the morning. All that remains are about half the girls and a few elderly stragglers.
I’m trying not to stress over the fact that Kenzie isn’t back yet, but it’s impossible not to. She’s been gone for four hours; far longer than she said she’d be. She should be back by now, shouldn’t she?
I’ve spent most of the night waiting for her, parked on a leather couch, sipping club soda, and trying not to freak out. Steph’s been avoiding me since Kenzie left. The one time I did manage to corner her in the dining room, I asked her where Kenzie had gone, and she told me to chill out.
I haven’t seen Jack anywhere. I shouldn’t care where he is, but I do. I wonder if he’s gone off to be with another girl.
A dark-haired man with a pointed nose stands by the bar chatting up two of the girls I came in with. I think he might be the host. I overheard him chewing out some guy earlier over letting somebody in who shouldn’t have been here. I hope to God he wasn’t talking about Kenzie’s driver.
I tap my fingernails against the side of my glass. A girl dozing at the opposite end of the couch opens her eyes and frowns.
I just want some kind of confirmation that Kenzie’s all right. It’s hard to know whether Steph’s refusal to tell me where she went is because she thinks it’s none of my business, or because she doesn’t know. I’m honestly not sure which excuse is more unsettling.
As the grandfather clock ticks closer to three, a group of women file in from another part of the house with buckets and vacuums, garbage bags, and caddies full of cleaning supplies. One of them points to my empty glass. I hand it off to her, and she thanks me in Russian. Having worked in housekeeping for a while, I’m used to working alongside people—mostly women—from other countries.
Steph motions for the girls who are left to congregate around her. “Once I’ve given you your cash, you can head outside to the van.”
My throat closes. If the van leaves now, then how the hell is Kenzie supposed to get back to the motel?
I cough softly and ask, “What about McKenzie?”
“What about her?” Steph snaps.
My anxiety spirals into anger. “She isn’t back yet.”
“She isn’t?” Steph scans the faces eyeing her expectantly. “Well, she probably agreed to spend the night. Happens all the time. I shouldn’t have to explain this to someone in your position, but a wealthy gentleman taking a liking to your friend is a good thing.”
She hands a wad of cash to a girl who quickly takes it and heads for the foyer.
“But how is she supposed to get home?” I ask.
“Someone will drive her,” Steph says.
“What if they bring her back here?” I ask. A few of the girls scowl at me for holding up the payment process, while others seem like they’re trying not to look concerned. “Maybe I should stay and wait for her.”
“That’s out of the question,” Steph says. “Your job here is done.”
“They look like they’re staying.” I point to the two girls sitting at the bar with the presumed host.
“They’ve been invited to stay. Just like McKenzie probably has.”
My pulse jumps. “Probably?”
“Definitely. Why the hell else would she still be there?” Steph groans, clearly annoyed to still be having this conversation. “I wouldn’t normally do this, but here, take McKenzie’s share.”
She pushes two wads of cash into my palm.
“I don’t care about the money,” I say.
“Then you’re not gonna make it very far in this business, honey.”
“I just want to know where McKenzie is.”
Steph rubs her temple as though merely speaking to me is giving her a headache. “McKenzie is spending the night with a very wealthy gentleman. She will be brought back home, safe and sound, later this morning or this afternoon. Now, take your wages, go outside, and get in the van because it is time to go.”
I stare at the folded bills in my hand. Two hundred dollars for Kenzie, two for me. Four hundred dollars in total. Just like Steph originally promised.
Maybe this is all standard procedure and I’m just being paranoid.
Reluctantly, I head outside to the van where the short, raspy driver who picked us up holds the black garbage bag open and tells me to take my stuff. I rifle around until I find my purse, grabbing Kenzie’s too. Before climbing inside the van, I take one last glance around the circular driveway, willing Kenzie to appear.