Murder at the Miramar (Augusta Burnette Series) by Dane McCaslin Page A
Authors: Dane McCaslin
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AJ,’ she added in a warning tone. ‘This place gives me the creeps and I’m not too sure if I even want to know what’s going on here or not.’
I hugged her. Ellie was nothing if not predictable. Before she could change her mind, I gave her a push, trundling her off to the suite in the hope that a quiet setting would help her concentrate. Not that I was a believer or anything, but if she was truly able read the future in the cards, I didn’t want her to be distracted one iota.
The second bunch of guests kept me hopping for a good half hour. I practically had to give a speech about the local attractions, which was funny, considering how new I was to the area. I know how to fake it, though, and managed to project a confidence I wasn’t really feeling. My mind had slipped its tether and scampered down the hall towards my room. I was antsy, waiting for Ellie to reappear, and I was happy to see the last of the guests exit the front door.
When an hour had come and gone, and there was still no sign of Ellie, I began to get edgy. With everything that had already happened, including my little adventure in the dark, I couldn’t shake the notion that something – or someone – was keeping her from returning.
I stood looking out at the sweeping views beyond the resort, uneasily chewing a thumbnail and debating whether or not to go and look for Ellie. Common sense told me I could just call her cell, but still I hesitated. My imagination had kicked into overdrive and created all sorts of scenarios. What if she were hiding in the closet or under the bed and her ring tone gave her away? I couldn’t take the chance. I’d just have to go there myself and see what was what.
I have no idea what possessed me to go to my suite alone, but I did. Call it stupidity or blissful ignorance: I suppose I wanted to prove that nothing was amiss, that Ellie would be seated at my little kitchen table, concentrating on getting the cards’ message.
The door was closed – no big surprise there. Ellie is always cautious about security when she goes to any big city. I jiggled the doorknob, but the automatic locking mechanism held firm. I had just lifted my hand to knock when I stopped short: I had to listen closely, but I could definitely hear the unmistakable sound of someone quietly moaning.
If you’ve ever found yourself in a ‘situation’, as my mother would say, complete with pounding heart and sweaty palms, then you’ll know exactly how I was feeling at that moment. Unfortunately, I am one of those folks who tend to freeze when confronted with any type of emergency, and I couldn’t get my mind to conjugate a single thought (at least not one that made any sense). I was like an ice sculpture, frozen in place and unable to move.
‘Miss? Are you OK?’ I turned my head to see the young girl who had brought our room service to us standing at the end of the corridor, a look of concern on her face.
‘Call Security,’ I managed to croak, backing away from the door. I grabbed for the wall just as my knees buckled.
It felt like an hour but I’m sure it was only minutes before I could hear the thump of running feet heading in my direction. In short order, three security guards had opened my door and had stepped inside, cautiously surveying the room. I felt a momentary sense of dread; what if Ellie wasn’t even in there, that I’d imagined it all and panicked for nothing?
When I saw what had happened to Ellie, I wished with all my heart that it had been a false alarm.
The Miramar doesn’t have a medical facility, per se , but we do have a first-aid station down near the entrance to the beach. It sees mostly sunburns, heat exhaustion, dehydration; things that didn’t require an immediate emergency room visit. I was fairly certain, though, that they had never treated injuries like those Ellie had: eyes completely swollen shut from repeated blows to her face, marks on her throat that were rapidly becoming bruises, and cuts at the edge
I hugged her. Ellie was nothing if not predictable. Before she could change her mind, I gave her a push, trundling her off to the suite in the hope that a quiet setting would help her concentrate. Not that I was a believer or anything, but if she was truly able read the future in the cards, I didn’t want her to be distracted one iota.
The second bunch of guests kept me hopping for a good half hour. I practically had to give a speech about the local attractions, which was funny, considering how new I was to the area. I know how to fake it, though, and managed to project a confidence I wasn’t really feeling. My mind had slipped its tether and scampered down the hall towards my room. I was antsy, waiting for Ellie to reappear, and I was happy to see the last of the guests exit the front door.
When an hour had come and gone, and there was still no sign of Ellie, I began to get edgy. With everything that had already happened, including my little adventure in the dark, I couldn’t shake the notion that something – or someone – was keeping her from returning.
I stood looking out at the sweeping views beyond the resort, uneasily chewing a thumbnail and debating whether or not to go and look for Ellie. Common sense told me I could just call her cell, but still I hesitated. My imagination had kicked into overdrive and created all sorts of scenarios. What if she were hiding in the closet or under the bed and her ring tone gave her away? I couldn’t take the chance. I’d just have to go there myself and see what was what.
I have no idea what possessed me to go to my suite alone, but I did. Call it stupidity or blissful ignorance: I suppose I wanted to prove that nothing was amiss, that Ellie would be seated at my little kitchen table, concentrating on getting the cards’ message.
The door was closed – no big surprise there. Ellie is always cautious about security when she goes to any big city. I jiggled the doorknob, but the automatic locking mechanism held firm. I had just lifted my hand to knock when I stopped short: I had to listen closely, but I could definitely hear the unmistakable sound of someone quietly moaning.
If you’ve ever found yourself in a ‘situation’, as my mother would say, complete with pounding heart and sweaty palms, then you’ll know exactly how I was feeling at that moment. Unfortunately, I am one of those folks who tend to freeze when confronted with any type of emergency, and I couldn’t get my mind to conjugate a single thought (at least not one that made any sense). I was like an ice sculpture, frozen in place and unable to move.
‘Miss? Are you OK?’ I turned my head to see the young girl who had brought our room service to us standing at the end of the corridor, a look of concern on her face.
‘Call Security,’ I managed to croak, backing away from the door. I grabbed for the wall just as my knees buckled.
It felt like an hour but I’m sure it was only minutes before I could hear the thump of running feet heading in my direction. In short order, three security guards had opened my door and had stepped inside, cautiously surveying the room. I felt a momentary sense of dread; what if Ellie wasn’t even in there, that I’d imagined it all and panicked for nothing?
When I saw what had happened to Ellie, I wished with all my heart that it had been a false alarm.
The Miramar doesn’t have a medical facility, per se , but we do have a first-aid station down near the entrance to the beach. It sees mostly sunburns, heat exhaustion, dehydration; things that didn’t require an immediate emergency room visit. I was fairly certain, though, that they had never treated injuries like those Ellie had: eyes completely swollen shut from repeated blows to her face, marks on her throat that were rapidly becoming bruises, and cuts at the edge
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