Long Weekend by SM Thomas

Author:SM Thomas [Thomas, SM]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: AR Hurne Publishing

Chapter Sixteen

Perhaps I should take up poker when I make it home, because somehow, despite the realisation that someone around me was a killer, I remain calm. At least outwardly. Inside my chest, my heart is beating so hard I’m sure it’s trying to escape, but my face gives nothing away.

​“Stephen?” I ask as I approach him, keeping my eyes diverted from Michael’s body. “Stephen? Do we have an update on the police?” I keep my voice calm and neutral, not wanting anyone to hear the shrill fear behind my words. With two deaths in as many days, the presence of law enforcement was more important than ever.

​“No. No. They haven’t relayed any updates yet. The water is still too choppy for them to travel.” He dusts off his knees as he stands regarding Michael for a moment. Bag of powder still in his hand, he looks down at it sadly. “It ruins so many lives.” I nod in agreement, the only way to keep up the pretence that I believe in this charade. For all I know, the killer is watching me at this moment, waiting to pick out their next victim. Maybe Michael got too close to the truth, or Lucas discovered what was about to happen. Who knows? Either way, they were both dead.

​“Michael had blood on his trousers.” I remember out loud. “Not a lot, but it was there when he attacked me.” It’s hard to say the word attack now that I have doubts. What if somebody had laced his food with something that had caused him to act like that?

​Something, or someone, had done something to him to cause that reaction. His pupils had been dilated, his movements jerky and his speech slurred. How had I not put the pieces together in the moment?

​Simple really. I was too afraid to focus on logic when faced with what I perceived to be a danger. So certain my fate was about to be sealed that I didn’t stop to see the full picture. Michael had been drugged. Somebody had needed him to lose his mind. To enable them to set up his death to look like a drug-induced accident. I might have bought into the story too if I hadn’t known so much about his political stances.

​The sky seems clear of any clouds or bad weather, but I guess it might be a different story on the other side of the complex’s walls. Stephen had no reason to lie about the police. Every death was a mark against Hotel Horizen’s reputation. If this weekend was marred any further, then Stephen wouldn’t be able to list this weekend on his CV for future employers. It would be too horrific to include. He’d have to rehash the memories at every job interview with an intrigued employer.

​“Perhaps we should go look in his room?” offers Fiona, now standing at my side. Her fingers brush against mine and I want to take her hand, but our kiss seems so long ago now that I don’t want to be assumed presumptuous.

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