Girl, Lost: a gripping psychological suspense by Vikki Patis

Author:Vikki Patis [Patis, Vikki]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloodhound Books - crime, thriller and mystery
Published: 2020-05-17T16:00:00+00:00

28

Imogen

I manage to find a parking space right outside the hotel, the small car park surprisingly busy for a Wednesday evening. It’s almost seven o’clock, and I suddenly realise I’m starving.

Reaching in for the empty smoothie cup, I glance up at Emily through the windscreen. Her arms are folded across her chest, overnight bag dangling over one arm. Her mouth is pinched, eyebrows knitted in that way she has when she’s thinking about something. Overthinking.

I deposit the cup in a bin and lock the car before turning to her. ‘Shall we check-in then get some food?’

She looks up at me in surprise, as if she’d forgotten I was there. I watch her blink twice, three times, before responding. ‘Yeah, all right. Where should we go?’

I jerk my head to the left. ‘There’s a Lounge here, they do quite a good gluten-free menu.’

‘Oh yeah, we’ve been to one before. They’ve got them all over.’

I want to ask where, but I remind myself to be cautious. I raise an eyebrow instead. ‘You’re not one of those “gluten free for fun” people, are you?’

Emily gives a laugh before shaking her head. ‘People do that for fun?’

‘Yep.’ We step through the entrance to the hotel and press the button for the lift, watching the number count down. ‘What I wouldn’t give to eat an extra-large, greasy takeaway pizza.’

I see a question forming on Emily’s face, but as I press the button for the reception, the door starting to close, an arm appears, stopping it with a jolt. ‘Sorry.’ A man in a crisp white shirt and dark jeans steps inside. ‘Room for a small one?’

I smile and move aside, tucking myself behind Emily. As the doors close, I see her reflection, the darkness in her eyes. She suddenly looks younger, so much like the girl next door, the girl whose fiery nature was almost extinguished by her childhood. Not for the first time, I wonder how deeply Emily and Jamie were affected by their father. How much happier they were when he disappeared.

Her gaze meets mine in the mirror and I look away guiltily. But not before I notice the look in her eyes. They are those of a haunted woman, one who is slowly starting to unravel.

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