‘Lost and found?’ she repeated, trying to make the entire situation add up, especially when she was pretty sure she really did recognise the voice from inside. ‘But—’
‘OK. Good luck.’ And just as she’d anticipated, the door closed with a resounding thud, leaving her once again alone in the hallway, holding the stray glove.
She sighed, defeated afresh.
After considering her options, of which there were admittedly few, Beth decided her only hope was to follow the man’s – Yuri’s – directions, and head back down to the lobby. Did the Waldorf even have a lost and found department? And if so, just what was turned in? Diamonds, furs, tiaras? Or single black cashmere gloves, perhaps?
She shrugged in confusion, and pressed the button for the lift again. As she rode down she realised that the anxiety and anticipation that she had felt while riding up to the twenty-third floor had not yet left her. If anything, it was worse.
Beth didn’t feel any further along in the hunt, though she knew she must be somehow. The glove had been placed there on purpose – likely by the Russian man – and she was even beginning to believe that as much as the man had looked spooked when their conversation was close to being interrupted, she was supposed to have been privy to that. She was supposed to have witnessed it all.
The name Yuri, the woman he was with, the fact that he’d directed her to lost and found – these were all part of the riddle, and an answer to… something… was playing on the edge of her brain. Tempting her, cajoling her, teasing her; close – but still frustratingly out of reach.
Reaching the ground floor, she wandered back out into the main lobby, scanning the area and wondering what would constitute the Waldorf’s ‘lost and found’.
Spying the concierge desk behind a black marble monolith, she turned in that direction, all the while keeping her eyes peeled for anything or anyone who might be party to this whole thing, and associated with this clue.
Unfortunately, no one nearby was wearing a single black cashmere glove and waving at her with purpose, so by the time Beth reached the concierge station, she figured that turning in her findings was her only course of action.
She sighed heavily and thought about just how she was supposed to explain – to the Waldorf Astoria concierge, of all people – that actually no, she was not a guest here, she just happened to be cruising the hallways of the twenty-third floor and had found this single glove. Then she had been encouraged by a guest, whose name was Yuri and who had no doubt actually placed the glove outside his hotel suite door for her to find, to turn in said glove to the hotel lost and found.
And, oh yeah, on top of it all, I’m on a mysterious treasure hunt and do you happen to have my next clue for me, please? No, it’s not an episode ofThe Amazing Race, honestly. There are no cameras that I know of. I have no idea who is behind all of this and what it’s about. I just need help.
Beth rolled her eyes as she mentally ran through her spiel. They’re going to have me locked up, she thought.
She sidled up next to the desk. A broad-shouldered man, apparently the concierge, was turned away and talking on the phone. Beth went through what she was supposed to say once more in her head, trying to figure out a way to make it sound somewhat less crazy, but she lost her train of thought when the concierge ended his call, hung up the phone and turned to face her.
Immediately recognising him, Beth’s eyes widened. ‘Oh my goodness. It’s you!’
Maybe explaining all this wouldn’t be as tricky as she’d thought.
Chapter 25
Sipping on her second drink, Jodi felt mounting dread in her chest. She stared intently out of the bar’s front window, considering every passerby who entered the subway. None of them was Beth. But all the same, she justknewher friend was getting one over on her. And she was going to get herself in trouble.
She decided that she could no longer sit here – drinking, waiting for something to happen. She scrolled through the contacts in her iPhone and found Beth and Danny’s home number. Without a further thought, Jodi pressed dial.
Holding the phone to her ear, she listened, mentally willing Beth to pick up. She wasn’t sure why she felt so strongly about this, but she was certain her friend was heading into dangerous territory with this treasure hunt, especially now that she knew that Beth didn’t suspect it was Danny behind it. Jodi didn’t want to see Beth compromise herself with a guy like Ryan after a seven-year relationship. That was something that you couldn’t get around, that you had to live with the rest of your life – just like Frank, the nasty rat that he was. And while it seemed nothing had happened yet, Jodi felt confident that this treasure hunt – if created by Ryan or even some other secret admirer – would lead to something bad.
Jodi listened intently: Beth’s home phone rang once, twice, three times. She wasn’t there – Beth had given her the slip.
Suddenly, though, the ringing stopped.
‘Hello? Harper/Bishop residence,’ chimed a young woman’s voice.
Jodi’s brow furrowed. That definitely wasn’t Beth.
But then she realised who it was. ‘Courtney? Is that you?’ She knew that a young neighbour and her family took care of Brinkley while Beth and Danny were at work.
Gum snapped on the other end of the line. ‘Speaking. Who is this?’
‘It’s Jodi. Beth’s friend. Is she there?’
The girl answered immediately. ‘No, she hasn’t gotten home from work yet.’ There wasn’t the slightest hesitation, which suggested she was telling the truth.
‘Are you sure?’ Jodi pressed, wondering if maybe Beth had popped in and back out again, without Courtney knowing.
‘Yes, I’m sure. I’ve been here for the past hour or so playing with little Brinkley. She hasn’t gotten home yet. Neither has Danny,’ she continued, as if anticipating Jodi’s next question. ‘Maybe they, like, met up after work and went for dinner or something?’
