The pleasant mask the driver had been wearing dropped, and a malevolent look entered his eyes. She took a step back, her false bravado from a few seconds ago faltered, but she drew it back close to her. Narelle feared he was going to grab her.
“My suitcase. Or I scream.” She didn’t know if the threat was going to work. If he would laugh at her for her comment. Or if he’d take the risk thatshe’d follow through and snatch her anyway, because she was convinced that’s what he wanted to do.
He was going to take her. She took another step back.
A flash of lights from an approaching car propelled him into action. He muttered something she didn’t quite catch, but she thought sounded likebitchbefore he tossed her case on the ground, got into his car, and sped off.
Narelle remained frozen to the spot for a second before she began shaking violently.
What the hell just happened?
Was she about to have been kidnapped?
She had the presence of mind to grab her suitcase before the car that had saved her ran over it.
How she made it back to the hotel lobby without collapsing on the ground, she didn’t know. She crumpled into one of the lobby chairs and gripped her suitcase handle tightly. Her eyelids drifted down, and she focused on settling her breathing.
“Miss Hennessy? Are you okay?” A gentle male voice sounded, and Narelle opened her eyes to find one of the hotel employees standing in front of her, a concerned look on his face.
Nothing about him triggered her “beware” radar, so she relaxed a little. “Yes, I’m fine.”
Should she tell him what had happened?
It would be wise if she did so they could be on the lookout for something like that happening to another unsuspecting guest, but it also had a surrealness about it. Had she imagined it? Or had she overreacted to what was a genuine offer to drive her to the airport?
No, she hadn’t. The whole thing was off and suspicious.
“Are you sure? You look a little stressed.”
Narelle mentally shook off what had happened and smiled up at him. “I’m fine.”
“Okay. I can get you a drink if you need anything.”
As much as she loved a shot of alcohol to settle her nerves, it wouldn’t be the wisest thing to do. “No, I’m fine, thank you. I ordered a car to take me to the airport. Do you know if it has arrived?”
If he said, yes, then she’d made a complete fool of herself in front of the person who was going to take her. If he said no, then her questions were answered, and if she hadn’t listened to her instincts, she would be in a far worse situation than she currently was.
“Let me check for you.”
“Thank you.”
She glanced out the double glass doors of the hotel and blew out a relieved breath when she didn’t see the car she’d been about to get into. Not that she thought she would.
“Miss Hennessy, I’ve spoken to your driver, and he advised that he received a message that you’d cancelled the request.”
The dark blob of dread bloomed again in her belly. Something was really wrong, and she had escaped something dreadful. “That’s strange because I didn’t cancel. I guess there was some sort of mix up. Is it possible to arrange for another ride to the airport?”
Like how she’d been able to walk into the hotel, she managed to keep her voice calm and even, almost cheerful. When she felt anything but calm and cheerful.
“Absolutely, I will arrange for the private service we use to be here in a moment. They are always on call.”
“Thank you, I appreciate it.”
He gave her a nod and walked away. At least she should be safer in a car ordered by the hotel.
The sooner she got out of this place, the better.
No way was she going to visit Bali again. After having her suspicions confirmed that she was the target of a possible kidnapping, she didn’t want to experience that again.
