Murder Motel by Nic Saint

Author:Nic Saint [Saint, Nic]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Puss in Print Publications
Published: 2018-12-18T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

Maya kicked the machine for good measure. Just what she needed: another crappy vending machine eating her money and refusing to disgorge the Snickers she’d selected.

“Can’t get that thing to work, huh?” a voice spoke behind her.

She glanced back and saw she’d been joined by a strikingly pretty female. She immediately recognized her as Tracy Hall, Hot Gangster’s wannabe wife.

“Yeah,” she said. “I just wanted a Snickers but the machine decided otherwise.”

“Let me handle that thing,” said Tracy, and stepped up like a batter stepping up to the plate. She then gave the vending machine—an aged contraption by the looks of it—a hearty shove with the heel of her hand. When that didn’t work, she grabbed the machine by the neck—or rather the sides—and gave it a vigorous shake.

For a moment a battle raged between woman and machine, its outcome uncertain, but then the machine finally gave up and disgorged the sweet treat, which fell into the bottom tray with a dull clunk.

“Hey!” said Maya, happily surprised. “You did it!”

“Experience,” said Tracy with a smile.

Maya fished the Snickers bar from the tray and peeled back the wrapper. “Want a piece? You’ve earned it.”

“Sure. Why not? My diet’s ruined anyway.” Tracy broke off a piece of the chocolaty treat and popped it into her mouth.

“You’re Tracy, right? I thought I recognized you. You’re, like, famous and stuff.”

A vague smile crossed the young woman’s lips. “I wasn’t before, you know. I mean, before I met Donny. Now? I can’t go anywhere without people recognizing me. It’s driving my dad crazy.”

“Must be tough,” said Maya, commiserating as she took a bite from the candy bar.

“My dad always prided himself on being able to go through life without anyone knowing who he was—except of course for the people who needed to know. Now our faces have been plastered all over the covers of every gossip rag in the country—the world, even.”

“You know, my brother found your boyfriend,” said Maya, and realized how crazy and inconsiderate that sounded even as she said it. “I mean… I’m really sorry for your loss.”

Tracy sobered. “Thanks. I heard a dog found him. Buried under a heap of snow?”

“Yeah, that’s our family dog,” said Maya. “My name is Maya, by the way. Maya Kelly.” Just then, her brother and Ralph came bounding down the stairs for some reason. They didn’t see her, though, and disappeared into the dining room.

Tracy, who’d followed her gaze, asked, “That the dog in question?”

“Yup. That was Ralphie. And my brother Scott. We’re stuck here, just like you guys, I guess.”

“We drove up here just to meet Donny, then got hit by that storm so now we’re just waiting for it to blow over.” She rolled her eyes. “And for the cops to arrive. I’m betting they’ll want to have a word with my dad about Donny. And me, of course.”

Maya wondered if she should say something about her family conducting an impromptu investigation but then decided against it. The fewer people who knew about their involvement the better.

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