“What?” Christian sat down opposite the man. “Why?”
Harvey shrugged, struggling with his other boot.
“That’s half our janitors gone in the last two months,” he said. “Not to mention the floor staff. I don’t know what’s going on, but I can tell you something.”
“Yeah?” Christian leaned in.
“Yeah,” said Harvey. “I was walking my dog the other night and I bumped into Fred. He was one of the janitors who left. He was climbing into a brand-new Corvette — you know, notbrandnew, but new to him. Wouldn’t tell me how he got the money to buy it, but he did say he’s not the only one from Carroll’s who’s suddenly found himself with some extra cash. Told me that if I was patient, I’d get a bonus too.”
“A bonus?” Christian asked. “That doesn’t make any sense. Why would he get a bonus if he wasn’t staying? Were they trying to keep him on?”
“That’s just it,” said Harvey. “I don’t think he got paid to stay, I think he got paid to leave. I think they all did, all the staff who’ve left, all the janitors. Something strange is going on.”
“Yeah,” said Christian, frowning. “Somethingreallystrange.”
Harvey struggled up and Christian rushed over to help him.
“Thanks, kiddo,” the older man said. “I’m getting too old for this. I did the best I can, but I can’t clean the store by myself.”
“You did good,” Christian said. “Thank you.”
He watched Harvey shuffle away, the man’s words circling his head like vultures. Why were people being paid to leave the store? And who was paying them? It sounded like deliberate sabotage, and he would bet his bottom dollar that Margot and Mrs Cradley were the reason why.
Chapter 19
MERRY
It was the cold that woke Merry. She shivered, pulling the duvet over her head and wondering whether she could get away with spending the whole day in bed. Sadly, the answer was no. She peeked up over her quilts to see that it was a quarter past seven. Her shift started in less than two hours, and it was always a nightmare getting across town in the morning.
Groaning, and bracing herself for the freezing temperatures of her apartment, she threw back the quilts and dashed for the bathroom. She leaped into the shower, turning the water as high as it would go and blasting the chill out of her bones. Gradually, the events of the previous day settled into her waking mind — the flowers, the awful moment in the staff room where she thought she had lost Christian for good, then the rooftop, and the sex, and Mrs Cradley’s awful timing.
She snorted into the water at the memory of Christian running as best he could, given the circumstances going on in his jeans. Even with the awkwardness of almost being caught, she wouldn’t trade that rooftop moment for anything. She was going to enjoy whatever time she had with him and not get too attached.
Urgh, who was she kidding?
Merry rinsed her hair then drenched it with conditioner. She was frightened to turn the water off because it would be so cold in the bathroom, but she didn’t have a choice. She’d got home last night to another two bills withPAST DUEemblazoned on the envelopes. If she didn’t do something quickly, then she’d lose her heating altogether — and just in time for Christmas.
A feeling of despair opened up inside her like a big, black hole, and she had to fight from falling into it. She wasn’t surehow it had got this bad. She’d been working hard all year, and while the pay at Carroll’s wasn’t amazing, she’d been doing a lot of hours and should have had enough to survive on. But everything was so expensive in New York, and after her rent and utilities, not to mention the money she sent back to help her folks with her sister’s bills, she was left with practically nothing. If her dad knew how poor she really was, he would send the money right back to her. But he struggled to find work these days, especially now that he was older. Merry was the only hope they had.
Besides, she was young. She could handle the cold, and she knew it wouldn’t be for ever.
Well, shehopedit wouldn’t be for ever.
She shut off the water and hopped out, drying herself in record time and bundling herself into her jeans, then two sweaters, and an extra pair of socks. She fixed her hair the best she could, then slung on Christian’s jacket — with a quick sniff of the collar — and ran for the subway. The city was busier than ever, despite the weather — freezing cold rain lashing itself against the streets, buildings and anyone brave enough to be outside — and by the time Merry ran through the door, dripping on the carpet, it was already ten past nine.
“I’m late!” she said to Diane, who was on greeter duty. She hurried past, but Diane called her back.
“Did you manage to fix things with that guy?” she said. “The janitor? I can’t believe you said that!”
Merry’s stomach lurched uncomfortably as she recalled the awful moment. “I think so,” she said, a grin tugging at her lips as she remembered what had happened afterwards. “I’m pretty sure he’s not angry at me. We made up, you know? Anyway we’re not really . . . I mean, nothing’s really happening. Gotta run, D.”
She dashed up to the tenth floor, running to the locker room so fast she almost bowled over the figure who was standing in front of the door.
“Oh, sorry!” she shouted, her heart plummeting into her boots as she recognised Mrs Cradley.
“Miss Sinclair!” Mrs Cradley screeched. “I was waiting for you. Do you know what time it is?”
“I know, I’m so sorry,” she said. “It’s the traffic. The city is insanely busy.”
