Web of Deceit Read online

  “No! You can’t do that. I won’t let you. He could be a serial killer for all we know.”

  “What other option do we have, Megan? Do you want to stay here in the dark, with him staring at us all night?”

  She heaved out a long breath. “If you go, I’m going with you. Safety in numbers and all that.”

  “No. I’ll leave my phone here. If anything happens, just drive off and call the police.”

  “How can I call the police with no reception? Plus his car is in the way.”

  Tina patted her hand. “You can squeeze past at a push. You’ll need to get out of here and find a good reception before you ring them. Anyway, it probably won’t come to that. Let me go and have a chat with him.”

  Megan’s eyes pricked. She wanted to burst into tears but held them back for the sake of her friend. “Stay aware at all times. Just ask him politely to move out of our way.”

  “I know what to say. Stay here with the engine running. Keep your lights trained on me. That’ll give me the confidence I need to confront this weirdo.”

  Tina got out of the car and walked towards the man. In her high-heeled suede boots, she toppled now and again on the odd loose stone on the driveway. As she approached the car, the man’s glare rose up to Tina’s face. Megan’s hands began to shake. She’d never found herself in such a bizarre and frightening situation before. The man stared up at Tina, apparently refusing to wind his window down to speak with her.

  Damn jerk. Ignorant little shit, open your bloody window.

  Megan opened her own window a notch to hear what Tina was saying to the man. She was begging with him to get out of their way. Continuing to stare, the man folded his arms stubbornly across his puffed-out chest.

  Obstinate fecker!

  Tina’s voice rose the more he ignored her, until finally, he relented and wound down the window. Megan strained her ear as Tina’s voice quietened down. She could see the man’s lips moving but couldn’t make out what was being said. He gave Tina the finger. At that point, Megan started to get out of the car, intending to find out what his problem was, but a few seconds later, the man started his car and drove away.

  Wearing a smug grin, Tina returned to the car, where she swiped her hands together. “That was easier than I thought.”

  “You’re a star. What did he say?” Megan asked eagerly.

  “He made up some kind of excuse about waiting for someone. I asked him kindly to move out of our way. He refused at first, said it was a free country and that he could park wherever he liked.”

  “Bloody cheek. Men are so full of bullshit at times.” Megan selected first gear and pulled onto the main road again.

  “He seemed to get the hint when I said that we had called the police.” Tina shrugged. “He had no way of knowing if I was telling the truth or not. Anyway, it seemed to do the trick. Let’s double our efforts to find this hotel now. I’m in dire need of an alcoholic beverage to calm my nerves.”

  “You’re very brave. I’m not sure if I could have got out and tackled him. Actually, I’m damn sure I wouldn’t have.”

  They took a left turn and ended up on a main road once again. Finally, Tina’s mobile picked up a good reception. She rang the hotel and asked for directions. Tina hung up and immediately thumped her thigh. “Bloody hell, Megan. We were a stone’s throw away from the hotel. Actually, I think we passed it at the beginning of our journey.”

  “Crap and double crap. Okay, let’s retrace our steps and see if we can find it. I wonder how many people who book a room at this place give up and go elsewhere.”

  “Who could blame them?” Tina agreed.

  Megan took the road she’d originally taken, and within a hundred yards, she stumbled across the hotel’s entrance. “Well, I’m not surprised we missed it. The sign’s facing the wrong way. There’s a light below it, but it’s not switched on. How bizarre. Don’t these people want the trade? Oh, ignore me. I’m tired and irritable.”

  Tina laughed. “You’re entitled to be. You’ve been travelling for over twelve hours now.”

  Megan eased the car to a halt in the thickly-gravelled drive next to the large Georgian house.

  A portly gentleman in his early fifties skipped across the driveway to greet them. “So glad you managed to find us in the end. Many people give up. I’m Peter, by the way.”

  “I’m Megan, and this is my friend, Tina. I have to admit, it was extremely difficult to find. Are you aware that your outside light—below the sign, I mean—isn’t working?” Megan asked, getting out of the vehicle to shake the man’s outstretched hand.

  “Oh, dear. I had no idea. The bulbs are supposed to be weatherproof, but I fear the dampness of the fog has prevented it from working. I can’t apologise enough.”

  “We’re here now. I just wanted to let you know in case you’re expecting other guests to turn up this evening.”

  “Oh no, dear. You’re the only guests booked in this weekend.” His eyes squished into tiny slits as he smiled.

  “That’s wonderful. Hey, Tina, I guess we’ll have the restaurant all to ourselves this evening.”

  The man cleared his throat. “Ah, well, you would if it was open. There’s not much call for me to keep the restaurant open at this time of year. If you’d told me in advance you wanted a meal, I would have willingly stocked up and laid on a feast.”

  “Oh, bugger. I’ve been travelling all day and was hoping to put my feet up this evening. Cheeky question, I know, but are there any takeaways in the area? Would you mind if we ordered one and ate it in our room?”

  “What do you prefer? There’s a superb Indian restaurant in town. Unfortunately they don’t do takeaways.”

  “Okay, we’ll dump our bags and head back into town. I hope we don’t get lost again.”

  “Let me take your bags. I’ll show you to your room. I think you’ll enjoy what I have in store for you. I’ve upgraded you to a double suite.”

  Megan winked at Tina, not believing their luck. “Have you? That’s really nice of you. Thank you.”

  The three of them entered the large wooden front door and walked up the wide stairway, which was painted at the bottom in an elegant dark-blue colour. However, as they proceeded, the walls showed signs of an old grey tinge; apparently the restoration was a work in progress. He pushed open the door to a large bedroom, where an ornate, carved, wooden headboard was the dominant feature. The two women followed the man through an alcove into the adjoining room, which was laid out as a second double bedroom with a comfortable seating area and a large pine cabinet housing a TV.

  “This is beautiful. Are you sure about the upgrade? I feel kind of guilty.”

  The man waved away Megan’s concerns and opened another door that led down into a huge en suite bathroom which included a claw-foot, roll-top bath and walk-in shower. The room also appeared to be in the process of being decorated. Nevertheless, it was decadent and beautiful.

  “Amazing. Have you been here long?”

  “Only six months. I’m in the process of renovating the place.”

  “I thought so,” Megan said with a chuckle.

  “I’m sorry. I tend to start one job, then another and another, when I really should concentrate on finishing one project at a time. This room is almost complete now. The whole house should be finished within a few months. That’s the plan anyway.”

  “You’ve done an amazing job so far. I truly wasn’t complaining.”

  “I know you weren’t. Right, I’ll leave you two ladies to it. The outer door will be left unlocked during the night so you can come and go as you please.”

  “Really? But anyone could walk in, couldn’t they?” Tina asked, looking perturbed.

  He dismissed her concern with a wave of his hand. “I have three dogs. You heard them when you pulled up. They’ll alert me if there’s an intruder around.”

  Megan let out the breath she’d been holding in. “That’s reassuring. We’ll just have a quick wash and shoot off, if that’s all right? I’m s
tarving.”

  He bowed his head, backed out of the room and closed the door behind him.

  “This place has definitely got the wow factor for me. Ready to go hunting again?”

  Tina nodded. “Better to go now. Once we sit down, we won’t want to get up again.”

  They quickly washed their hands and ran a comb through their hair before they set off. Half a mile down the road, they passed a familiar car.

  “Jesus, it’s that bloke again. Do you think he’s following us?” Megan asked, horrified.

  Tina laughed. “Hardly. How can he be following us when his car is stationary, numpty?”

  “I don’t mean following following. I mean, do you think he followed us and now knows where we’re staying?”

  “You really do have an overactive imagination, my dear friend. Less worry, more concentrating on where you’re going in this stupid fog, if you don’t mind.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  The meal they shared at the Indian restaurant was the finest Megan had tasted in years. She’d been unable to get an authentic curry in France, and that had always been a severe downside to living there. She hadn’t eaten that many Indian meals before leaving the UK, but things being out of reach like that, always tasted far better when they were attainable once more.

  In spite of their doubts, they managed to find their way to Swaffham’s town centre and back again without getting lost a second time in the dreary weather.

  “Okay, which room do you want?” Megan asked when they entered their suite. “Oh no!” She studied the large stripped oak door.

  Tina stood beside her. “What’s wrong?”

  “Haven’t you noticed anything?”

  Frowning, Tina shook her head. “It’s far too late to play games, Megan. What’s the matter?”

  Megan pointed, her hand shaking slightly. “There’s no lock on the door.”

  “Oh heck, I didn’t notice that. Do you want me to go and complain to the owner?”

  “I hate complaining when he’s been so nice to us, what with the room upgrade and all. But the thought of the main door being left open, and then us not having a lock on this door is setting off some dreadful thoughts in my mind.”

  “Okay, that’s settled then. I’ll have this room. I’ll put a chair by the door, if it’ll make you feel safer.”

  “That’s a great idea. We’ll just go ahead and do that now, shall we?” Megan agreed, relieved.

  “You get ready for bed. I’ll see to that. You must be dead on your feet by now.”

  Megan cringed. “Did you have to say it quite like that? Dead on my feet?”

  They both laughed.

  Megan walked into her room, unzipped her bag, and took out the long T-shirt she used as a nightdress. She sighed wearily. It had been a very long day, and she was dying to snuggle down in a comfortable bed.

  Tina came into the room, armed with a towel and her toiletry bag. “All right if I go first? I won’t bother showering until the morning. I’m shattered.”

  “Me, too. Go right ahead.”

  Megan pulled the curtains in both of the bedrooms while she waited. She peered out at the pitch-black surroundings and shuddered. “Where are the irritating streetlights when you need them?” she muttered as the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.

  “Why?” Tina said close behind her.

  Megan almost took flight. Hand on her chest, she turned to face her friend. “Jesus, you scared the shit out of me.”

  Tina chewed her lip. “Aww... sorry, hon. Why would you want the room flooded with streetlights? Don’t you appreciate the peace and quiet of the countryside? I know I do after my years spent living in London. Being out here is wonderfully relaxing for me.”

  “Oh, yes. Don’t get me wrong—the setting is quite beautiful—well, from what we’ve managed to see so far in the dark and through the thick fog. It’s just... after what happened earlier with that man in the car, I can’t help but feel jumpy. How do we know he didn’t follow us here from the restaurant? He could be out there now, waiting for us to turn out the light, biding his time before he swoops in on us.”

  Tina placed her hand over her eyes and chuckled. “Have you heard yourself? You, my dear girl, are going to give yourself nightmares.”

  “Do you think? Am I really reading too much into this? Don’t you feel nervous staying out here, knowing that the front door and our bedroom door are open to everyone?”

  “Look, if you feel that bad about the situation, then let’s pack up and leave.”

  “No, we’re both tired. I’ll kick myself up the backside a few times and think nice thoughts when I hop into bed. You won’t hear another peep out of me on the subject, I promise.”

  “Okay, if you’re sure. Goodnight, Megan. Sleep well. It was—is—wonderful to finally meet up with you after all this time. I hope we find you a new forever home tomorrow. I’d love to see more of you when you come back to the UK.”

  “Are you sure about that? Thinking about how extreme my reactions have been tonight, I would’ve thought you’d be glad to see the back of me.”

  Tina smiled. “Not at all. It must be hard coming back to the UK after living in France all those years. I think you’re entitled to feel a little wary, especially after our weird encounter earlier.”

  “Thanks for understanding. See you in the morning. Don’t hesitate to call out if you need anything during the night, all right?”

  “You, too, hon. Sleep well.”

  Surprisingly, that was exactly what Megan did. She woke up to the warming rays of the rising sun gleaming through the curtains and hitting her head on the pillow. She stretched, cocked her head, and listened for movement next door. She heard the rustling of the sheets and called out, “Are you awake, Tina?”

  “Yes, how did you sleep? Aggghhh!” Tina cried out.

  “What? What is it?” Megan ran into the bedroom next door and stopped dead in her tracks. She held a shaking hand up to her face. “My God! I knew we shouldn’t have stayed here last night.”

  Lying in the middle of the floor was a dead rabbit, its insides spilling out of the gaping wound to its stomach. The poor creature’s blood pooled around its furry body on the bare floorboards.

  “How the hell did that get there? The chair is still in the same place.” Tina cried. Fear spread quickly across her face as her gaze moved to the door and then the window before returning to the poor lifeless creature.

  “I don’t know. Quick, get dressed. We need to get out of here right away... before we meet the same fate.”

  “I need to shower first. I don’t go anywhere without taking a shower.”

  Megan couldn’t believe her ears. She bit down on the sharp retort that had leapt into her mouth. “Okay, whatever you want. I need to cover that thing, though.” She ran into the bathroom, picked up one of the pristine white towels, and placed it carefully over the dead animal, tears filling her eyes.

  “I’ll be two ticks. What about breakfast? Isn’t that included in the price of the room?” Tina asked sheepishly. For the second time in as many minutes, Tina had shocked her.

  “I couldn’t eat after seeing that. Could you?” All Megan wanted to do was go—and get as far away from the area as possible. The thought of trawling round the various estates, looking at new builds, had excited her all week, but it suddenly seemed a distant memory. What amazed her was her friend’s reluctance to leave the property swiftly.

  Tina seemed put out by the sharpness of Megan’s words. “I guess I’m not as easily upset by things such as this.”

  “I think you’re missing the point, Tina. How the hell did the rabbit get in the room? Someone must have put it there, and yet the chair is still against the door. And that doesn’t concern you?” Frustration made her voice rise a few octaves.

  “Oh, I see. But I’d still like to have breakfast, if it’s all the same to you.”

  Megan shrugged and went back to her room to make herself a coffee. Tina swept past her and into the bathroom. B
efore long, Megan heard the shower running and her friend humming to a popular song sitting in the charts. She shook her head in disbelief. For the first time, she wondered if she’d done the right thing by meeting up with Tina, her Facebook friend. Could you really know someone that well just through writing messages back and forth daily? She sipped her coffee and glanced out the window at the open fields beyond as the smell of bacon filtered into the room from downstairs. The smell made her tummy rumble. Maybe it would be foolish to leave without having breakfast after all. They had a long day ahead of them and might not be able to stop for something to eat until they reached the next hotel that evening. She blocked out the image of the rabbit, along with the disappointment she felt at her friend’s unsavoury behaviour, and reluctantly admitted that Tina was right—they should eat breakfast since it was included in the room rate.

  Tina’s voice snapped her out of her contemplation. “That’s a lovely shower. You should try it, Megan.”

  “I’ll pass. You’ve won on the breakfast front, but I’d still like to get away from here as soon as physically possible, if it’s all the same to you.”

  “I’ll just dry my hair and get dressed, then we’ll pack up the bags and go downstairs for some munches. It smells delicious.”

  Megan watched the younger woman breeze out of the room, acting as though she didn’t have a care in the world. She gathered her toiletry bag and walked into the bathroom, had a quick wash, cleaned her teeth, and pulled on a fresh pair of jeans and a T-shirt. By then, Tina had dried her hair and was packed, ready to go.

  After they hauled their bags down the stairs, they found the hotel owner standing in the doorway, dressed in chef’s whites, a huge smile on his face.

  “Ah, ladies. I hope you slept well. Come this way.” He turned and walked through the kitchen to a huge conservatory overlooking the rear garden. A number of small tables were scattered around the room, but only one was laid up, ready for use.

  “Good morning. Yes, we both slept well, only when we woke up, we found something strange lying on the bedroom floor,” Megan said, carefully wording the weird experience they’d encountered.