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Several toll roads slowed their pace, but it didn’t take long until the taxi was twisting and turning through the narrow roads of Monaco. The land of the rich and famous.
‘Are you sure you’re going the right way?’ Holly said as they weaved past designer shops and luxury cars, and closer to the sea.
‘Only one heliport in Monaco.’
She was about to question him again as they were heading right towards the water, and it didn’t seem as though there would be enough space for a decent-sized car park, let alone a full airport, and yet, as the car slowed, the rust red and cream building came into sight.
‘This is you.’
Holly’s heart flipped in her chest.
‘Do you want me to wait for you?’ the taxi driver said, as Holly paid for the fare and opened her door.
‘No, I’ll be fine.’ She could just imagine him keeping his meter running for the half hour it took her to find Evan and get back outside and then charge her extra, too. This taxi driver had got enough money from her. Besides, Evan might not want to head straight back to the villa.
With a deep breath, she straightened her dress, combed her fingers through her hair and stepped through the double doors.
52
The air-conditioning inside was a stark contrast to heat of Monaco, and cold enough to raise Holly’s arms into goosebumps. She stepped inside, scanning from one end of the building to the other. A queue had formed in front of a coffee shop, while people wheeling designer handbags – some of which had small dogs in – were heading towards the check-in counters. Which, she decided, was where she needed to go.
It took far less time than expected to reach a desk, where a woman with bright-red lipstick and perfectly applied winged eyeliner smiled.
‘Good afternoon,mademoiselle, may I have your passport for check-in, please?’
Holly reached into her handbag where her passport was stowed, though she didn’t retrieve it.
‘I’m not actually here to check in,’ she said.
‘Oh?’ The woman’s red lips formed a perfect circle. ‘If you need to purchase a ticket, you will have to go to one of the counters over there.’ She pointed to the far side of the building, where chairs were placed in front of sleek, wooden booths.
‘Thank you, but I don’t actually want to buy a ticket either. I want to know if someone has already checked in. Evan. Evan…’ It took her a minute to recall his surname. ‘Evan Roth?’
A thin line creased the skin between the woman’s perfectly plucked brows.
‘You want to know if someone has checked in?’
‘Yes, is that possible?’
‘No. No, it’s not. Madam, our passenger lists are entirely confidential.’
‘I get that, I do. And I don’t want to know about anyone else. Just him. Just Evan Roth. I think he might still be waiting to fly. Can someone check? Please?’
The woman’s lips were now tightly pursed as she pressed her shoulders back.
‘Madam, I cannot tell you any details about other passengers.’
‘He knows me. I’m a friend. Please.’
‘Madam this is the check-in. You do not have ticket so you cannot check in. If you wish to purchase a ticket, you can do so from one of the counters at the other end of the building, but right now, I must ask you move away from the desk.’
She wasn’t smiling any more. In fact, she was doing the exact opposite. Her dark eyes had diminished into small, angry ovals. Holly opened her mouth, ready to try again, only to close it again immediately afterwards. There was no way this was happening. Not at this desk at least.
‘Thank you. You’re right. I should go. I apologise.’
She stepped back and noted several men rolling suitcases to the far end of the room. With a glance at the wall above them, Holly saw the sign. Departures.
She wanted to run. She wanted to sprint, the same way she had done leaving the airport, but this wasn’t the place to do that. The woman from check-in had moved on to the next passenger, so as stealthily as she could, Holly stepped towards the departure lounge.
