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“I’m assuming Grace took your car by force, because you wouldn’t have given it to her willingly.”
“Of course not,” she says, frowning. “She took me by surprise. By the time I realised what had happened, she’d gotten my keys and was running away.”
She’s lying, I’m pretty sure. I sigh heavily. “We’ll find her, Maria. Let’s hope she tells the same story.”
As I turn to walk away, she clears her throat. “You should know,” she begins, and I turn back to her, “there was money in the back of the car.”
I arch a brow. “Money?” I repeat.
“A lot of money. Maxim asked me to collect it. He told me not to look in the bag, but I’m too nosy.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “And where is it now, Maria?”
“Still in the car,” she mutters, “with Grace.”
GRACE
My breathing begins to slow down as the adrenaline leaves my body. Sickness takes its place, and when I glance at myself in the mirror and see smeared blood, I almost vomit. I’m sure no one has followed me, but I need to dump this car because Maria would’ve told Ivan by now, or Maxim, depending on who that bullet hit.
Thinking of Ivan lying there dead doesn’t make me happy like it should. Instead, it sends a painful twist to my heart. A stray tear slides down my cheek.
I find a parking spot two streets away from the hotel where I was last before Ivan took me. I grab the diary and step out the car, aware that I look a mess with blood all down my body, bite marks, and no shoes.
I go to the boot and find a rain jacket and some rain boots, which I pull on, despite the warm weather. The boots are too big, but they’ll do until I can get to the hotel. As I lock the car, I see a bag on the back seat. I reach in and pull it out, unzip it, and gasp. There are stacks of bank notes inside, banded together in neat piles. “Holy shit,” I whisper, taking out a bundle and stuffing it in my pocket. I zip the bag and take it with me, locking the car and throwing the key across the car park before heading in the direction of the hotel.
Lenny is behind the desk, and when he looks up and sees me, his mouth falls open and he rushes around the desk to me. “Oh, Grace, I’ve been so worried about you. Where have you been all these weeks?” he whispers, holding me at arm’s length and looking me up and down. “What happened?”
Tears fall again. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, Lenny. I need help.”
He nods. “Anything.”
“I have money. I need a room.”
“Of course. And forget the money.”
I shake my head, pulling the bundle from my pocket. “No, I insist. But no one can know I’m here, Lenny. No one at all.”
He nods, moving back around the desk and tapping away on his computer. “Room 108 is free.” He slides a key towards me.
“And I need some clothes. And maybe a cap? Something to hide my face.”
“I can arrange that.”
I place the cash on the desk. “And trainers. Size five.”
“Of course . . . And Mr. Danny? Is he okay?” he asks.
A sob escapes me, and he eyes with concern. I give my head a shake before taking the key from the desktop and heading for the elevator.
I make sure to keep my head down so the security cameras don’t see me. Ivan has used this hotel before, and I don’t know who I can trust.
I get to my room and hide the money under the bed, then I shower. As I step from the warmth of the water, I catch sight of my bruised body in the mirror and gasp. Although my figure is fuller now than it was a few weeks ago, and I like how I look, I hate the marks left on my skin. They’re a reminder of everything that’s happened to me recently. I take the hotel robe and wrap myself in it, happy to hide the evidence. The softness of the material against my skin is a comfort, and I suddenly feel very tired. I call room service and order a steak sandwich, hoping food will ease the sickness and wake me up a little. I need to come up with a plan.
An hour later, I’ve eaten and I’m going through the bag of clothes Lenny had sent up to me. There are jeans, a shirt, some trainers, and a cap. I go back to the bathroom and pull my hair up onto my head, placing the cap over it. At least it will hide my face. Next, I dress and take some more money from the bag. If I want to make it out of here, I need a passport, and I know people on the streets who can help with that.
I go to the nearest clothes store and purchase underwear, a hooded sweater, and some toiletries. I’m on constant alert, expecting Ivan or one of his twisted men to pop up any second.
I walk half an hour to one of my old hangouts. It’s been a few months since I was last here, and now Danny’s no longer with me, it brings painful memories.
