Shadow of Suspicion (Haunted by the Past) (5 page)

She picked up the key to her room and
grabbed her other case. Callie slowly struggled up the stairs. Her cases banged
against her legs and her bag slipped down her shoulder to dangle in the crook
of her arm. She had no idea how she made it up two flights of stairs but she
finally managed to locate her room at the far end of the corridor on the second
floor. She couldn’t help but notice the hideous carpet and wallpaper ran
throughout all of the hallways. Callie longed to strip the ugly stuff off the
walls and floors.

Callie slipped her key into the lock
on the door of her designated room and twisted. She grabbed the doorknob and
opened the door. Her heart hit the floor as she scanned the space. Her stomach
rolled. She closed her eyes for a second and wished she had the magic wand
Jason had teased her about. She should have taken him up on his offer to drive
her to another B&B. So much for Mr Cunningham’s reassurance that the place
was very habitable. No wonder he’d booked himself in somewhere else!

A dusty, damp aroma assaulted her
nostrils. She wondered when the last time was that the room had been aired, if
ever. The wallpaper, although different from the hallway, was just as horrible
with its loud ostentatious pattern. It clashed with the pattern on the carpet
that screamed up at her from the floor.

Callie struggled to drag her cases
into the room and shut the door behind her. She glanced at the bed. There was
no way that mattress would be comfortable. Callie sat on it gingerly. It sagged
down and poked her up the backside with an errant spring. She didn’t need to
lie down to know it was lumpy. Prisons probably had better beds in them.

Callie sighed and trudged to the
bathroom. She clicked the light on and promptly wished she hadn’t. The bathtub
held a yellow cast to it. Callie could see hairs scattered all over it, which
she was sure wasn’t from someone’s head. She hated to think how many other
guests had used that tub without it being scrubbed clean. The heavy scent of
mould clung to the air. Although not the worst place she’d ever seen, it was
certainly the worst one she’d ever stayed in. Callie’s skin crawled at the very
idea of putting one foot in the tub, let alone her whole body.

She glanced at the shower that hung
like a dying swan on the wall. The heavy build-up of scum on the head didn’t
leave her feeling optimistic that any water would come out of it. Callie sighed
again. She resigned herself to a sponge bath using free running water from the
tap on the sink. Something told her it would be cleaner than using the bath,
which she simply couldn’t bring herself to do.

She trudged back into the bedroom and
glanced around her slowly. Depression dogged her heels and she swallowed hard
to hold down the tears that choked her.
Don’t let it bring you down
, she
told herself. All she had to do was force Mr Cunningham to change her
accommodation. How hard could that be?

Nothing would persuade her to stay in
this dump. She would never survive in this place for the length of time it
would take for her to turn it around and she saw no reason why she should.
Images of the hallway rose up in her mind. She glanced around her room again
and wondered what state the rest of the place was in.

Kathy’s words came back to haunt her.
If this was the best room, what the heck were the others like?

Jason leaned against the smooth
wooden surface of the bar and waited for the barmaid to bring the drinks he’d
ordered. The noise in the pub rose around him like a swarm of bees. The press
of so many bodies in such a confined space was almost more than he could take.
It had been a bitch of a day, and Jason craved some peace and quiet. He’d
suggested dinner at his place, but Lucinda had insisted on eating out. If it
hadn’t been for yesterday evening, he wouldn’t have relented.

Jason rubbed the back of his head
with one hand. He’d managed to drop Callie Price’s car at the garage before
he’d trudged back to the flat to freshen up. An image of her rose up in his
mind’s eye and his lips twitched. He had to admit, the air of sophistication
had swiftly departed by the time he’d left her at the B&B. She’d been more
of a drowned rat than anything else. He wondered what she’d made of the Lazy
Boy. From the expression on her face when they’d entered the place, he imagined
she was far from impressed.

“Here you go, Love.”

The woman behind the bar flashed him
a flirtatious grin. She slapped his drink order on the bar in front of him.
Jason smiled his thanks and grabbed the drinks. He pushed his way through the
crowd to reach the table that Lucinda had managed to secure for them. They’d
been very fortunate. The Fox and Hound usually filled up quickly on a Sunday
night.

“Here you go,” he said, setting her
glass of wine down in front of her. He slid into the seat opposite her.

Lucinda glanced up briefly. Her
fingers flew over her keypad. “Great.”

“Who are you texting?” He made a grab
for her phone, but she quickly pulled it out of his reach. Jason frowned. Was
that a flash of guilt he saw in her expression or was he imagining things?

“Oh, just Sue.” Lucinda cast him a
peeved glare. “She was all for stringing you up after last night. I told her
how you kicked me out and frankly, she was disgusted.” She stuck her phone in
her bag. “I texted to tell her that you’ve taken me out to dinner tonight. To
be honest, she thinks it’s not enough……….considering.”

Jason slowly unzipped his coat and
attempted to hold on to his temper. He knew Lucinda always told her friend
every little detail, but he hated it. He couldn’t stand Sue. She was forever
sticking her nose into their relationship; all to stir up trouble he was sure.
Lucinda never noticed the conniving character Sue possessed and that drove him
crazy.

“I don’t see what it has to do with
her,” Jason growled. He slipped his coat off and hung it over the back of his
chair.

“At least she has my best interests
at heart. And I think she has a point.” Lucinda leaned forward and poked Jason
in the chest. “Yesterday just proved that I am nowhere near the top of your
priorities. It’s always your family first. I’m your girlfriend. I should be top
of your list.”

Jason rolled his eyes and rubbed the
spot where her nail had dug in. “You are important, Luce, but I can’t ignore my
sister when she needs me. Fay is having a hard time lately. I wish you would
cut her some slack.”

“Like she does for me?” Lucinda
cocked an eyebrow at him.

“You’re the adult here. She’s only
fifteen, Luce.”

Lucinda threw her hand up in the air.
“You would say that. Fay can do no wrong in your eyes. I am sick to death of
coming in last with you. I think it’s about time you proved that I matter.” She
paused. “I want a stronger commitment from you.”

Jason choked on the mouthful of beer
he’d just gulped. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and regarded her
through watery eyes. He did not like the sound of this.

“Meaning what, exactly?” he forced
out of his tight throat.

“Meaning, I think we should move in
together.”

Jason stared at her for a sign that
she was joking, but her face remained serious and determined. “What the hell
has brought this on? You’ve always maintained that you like your own space.
What’s changed?”

“Sue made me realise that your family
will never take me seriously, and you will never put me first, if I’m only ever
a casual girlfriend.” She leaned forward and stabbed the table with her finger.
“We’re a couple, Jason. It seems ridiculous to me to have separate places to
live. It makes perfect sense to pool our resources and live in one location.
Don’t you agree?”

Jason slowly sat forwards. He folded
his arms and rested them on the table in front of him. He glared into Lucinda’s
eyes. “Would you be asking me this if Sue hadn’t stuck her oar in?”

“What has that to do with anything?”
Lucinda pouted. “She has a valid point. I want to be taken as family. Moving in
together will accomplish that.”

“I disagree. You and Fay aren’t going
to magically become best buddies just because we live together.” He held up a
hand to stop her from speaking. “Being family is about give and take. You
haven’t made enough effort with mine for them to accept you. That needs fixing
before we take the step you’re suggesting.”

“You’re saying no?” Lucinda’s hands
curled into fists and her face hardened.

“I am for the time being. I won’t
have Fay feeling like she can’t come to me when she needs me. She’s lost far
too much and I won’t have her feeling like she’s lost me as well. I’m sorry. If
things get better between you both, then we can discuss this again.” Jason sat
back. As far as he was concerned, the discussion was at an end. “Now, do you
want to order dinner?”

He grabbed a menu from the stand at
the side of the table, without waiting for a reply. Lucinda snatched it from
his hands. “You can’t think to leave it like that. I deserve better.”

He slowly picked up a second menu,
his gaze never leaving her furious face. “If you are serious about us living
together, show me. Make a considerable effort with my sister and I will
reconsider.”

“And what about her? Are you going to
say the same thing to her?” Lucinda’s mouth had gone white around the edges.
The fury in her eyes didn’t stir him in the slightest.

“Fay is only fifteen. I expect her to
behave childishly at times.” Lucinda grabbed her bag and jumped up from the
table. “Where are you going?”

“To powder my nose! What do you
care?” He grabbed her wrist as she passed him.

“Do you still want dinner?”

She stuck her face into his. “I’ll
think about it while I’m in the ladies.”

She twisted her wrist out of his grip
and stomped through the crowd. Jason sighed. He kind of hoped this evening
would simply come to an end. He’d bet anything that Lucinda had left the table
to call Sue. Whatever the poison gnome advised her, Lucinda would do.

Jason ran a hand through his hair and
sipped at his beer. He hated the fact that his relationship now had three
people in it. Things had been so much better before Sue moved to the area. When
he’d first met Lucinda, he’d been in a dark place. She’d brought fun back into
his life. Her company had lifted his depression and helped him move past the
disintegration of his family and his brother’s death.

He tapped his finger against the rim
of his glass, lost in distant memories. Things had changed so much since
Lucinda hooked up with Sue. He no longer enjoyed her company the same way that
he once had. He wondered if they still fitted each other. Was it enough to
stick with someone, just because they were familiar? The answer eluded him.

Lucinda swept past him and slid into
her seat. She glared down her nose at him. “I bumped into Andrew Cunningham on
the way to the Ladies. I’ve asked him to join us for dinner.” She stared at him
stonily, a warning glinting in her eyes. “He is on the brink of offering me a
really great new job. I want you to be nice to him. It’s the least you can do.”

“Shouldn’t we settle things between
us?” Guilt tugged at his heart as he observed the slight redness around
Lucinda’s eyes.

She sniffed and dabbed at her nose
with a tissue. “I think you’ve made yourself perfectly clear.” She gazed over
his shoulder with a bright, false smile and waved her hand. “Over here, Andy!”

Jason turned to see Andrew Cunningham
gliding through the pub. The crowd seemed to part as if they were the red sea
before Moses. Cunningham grinned with arrogant confidence, nodding his head
here and there in thanks as he passed people. Behind him, a glass of wine in
hand, followed Callie Price. Her gaze collided with Jason’s and she tripped.
Jason bit back a smile as she caught herself and muttered something under her
breath.

Her lips pursed and a glint of
displeasure lit her features before she resumed her path to their table. A
small frisson of disappointment niggled at Jason. Gone was the drowned rat he’d
left at the B&B and in her place was the sophisticated, city business woman.
He had to admit, he’d liked the messed up version of Callie better. She’d
seemed more human and approachable.

“So nice of you to ask us to join you
for dinner.” Cunningham swept his suit jacket off and placed it on the back of
the chair beside Lucinda. He hiked up his trousers slightly and sat down.

Callie stared at the chair beside
Jason for several seconds before she gingerly settled herself next to him. She
placed her wine on the table and flicked a glance in his direction.

“Nice to see you again, Miss Price.
You seem well recovered.” He shot her a wicked grin. Callie’s cheeks flushed
red.

“Do you two know each other?”
Cunningham asked, curiosity alight in his clear blue eyes. Lucinda sat forward,
her expression deadly as her gaze swept over Callie.

Callie cleared her throat. “Not
really. I told you I broke down today. Mr Hawkes was the guy that towed my car
and dropped me at the Lazy Boy.”

“Oh.” Cunningham dismissed the
explanation with a flick of his wrist. “I suggest we order right away. I’m
famished.” He picked up the menu that Lucinda had discarded earlier. “What do
you suggest?”

He leaned towards Lucinda. She smiled
and edged closer, her gaze flicked briefly in Jason’s direction. He gritted his
teeth. He could read the calculated edge that had crept over her as if it were
a neon sign above her head. If she thought to use jealousy to manipulate him,
she could think again.

He gritted his teeth and grabbed up
his own menu. He ignored the flirty exchange carrying on in front of him. His
lips pursed at the burst of overdone laughter that exploded from Lucinda’s
lips.

“It would appear that your girlfriend
isn’t quite as enamoured of you as you thought.” He glanced at Callie.
Amusement lit her features. He should have known she would remember his glib remark
from earlier! The woman had a quick mind.

“She’s just mad at me, that’s all.”
He refused to explain things to someone he’d only just met.

“How could that possibly be?” She
grinned at him and sipped her wine.

His lips twitched, despite himself.
“I have no idea. I’m usually so charming.” Her throaty chuckle washed over him.

A hand slapped his arm and he glanced
in Lucinda’s direction. Her eyes darted between them and her mouth thinned. “If
you can tear yourself away, perhaps you could order for us now?”

Jason narrowed his eyes at Lucinda.
She had the cheek to berate him when she’d done nothing but flirt with
Cunningham since the man sat down. She stared back at him with a silent warning
written all over her face. She cocked an eyebrow at him.

“Sure.” He slowly rose to his feet
and gathered everyone’s requests.

Jason headed to the bar and pushed
his way to the front. Anger burned in his chest. He didn’t appreciate Lucinda
ordering him around, but he didn’t want to cause a fuss in front of Cunningham.
He’d been able to feel the man’s gaze on him like a branding iron. One glimpse
of Cunningham’s expression had told Jason just how much the guy was enjoying
the discord he was witnessing. Jason refused to feed that enjoyment by creating
a scene.

He ordered their food and reluctantly
headed back to the table. Cunningham grinned at him as he slipped back into his
seat.

“You’re a lucky man to have such an
ambitious girlfriend. A beautiful one at that. I think she has a bright future
ahead of her, given the right encouragement.” Cunningham smiled, charm oozing
out of every pore.

Lucinda practically preened at the
compliment. “I keep telling him how lucky he is to have snared me.” She cast a
triumphant glance in Jason’s direction. “He just hasn’t fully realised it yet.”

“Perhaps I value different things in
a person,” Jason replied grimly. “Business orientated people have never held
much appeal for me.” He gripped his pint glass tightly as he regarded them
both.

“Maybe that’s why you stick to one
small garage in a tiny town, when you could own a chain.” Lucinda turned to
Cunningham. “I’ve always said he wastes himself, but he never listens to me.”

“I don’t think anyone is wasting
themselves if they love what they do.” Jason turned in surprise at Callie’s
remark. She cast him a wicked grin. “Besides, I think mechanics manage to
procure a rather good living. There are plenty of us poor souls who know
nothing about cars. It’s like another language. Who knows how much extra labour
gets added on every time our car is in the shop?”