Wish You Were Dead

8

Half an hour later, Roy and Cleo went back to their room. Both were out of breath from the climb up the tower’s seventy-two steps. Roy gasped, ‘Happy holiday, my love!’

‘Some holiday! So far it feels more like we’re in some fly-on-the-wall film about the Holiday From Hell!’

Cleo knelt and unzipped her suitcase. ‘Poor Kaitlynn’s looking frantic. What are we going to do about Jack?’

‘If he’s not here by dinner time, I’ll nip down to the road in the car and hope to get a phone signal there. Jack’s a smart guy, I’m sure he’s OK. He’s probably stuck in a mighty traffic jam or broken down. Or he might have just got delayed in Paris with all that red tape the French police have. Don’t worry, he’ll rock up.’

‘If he can ever find this sodding place,’ she said.

‘True!’

‘Dinner — yuck — I wish I hadn’t stuffed myself with all that food — I’m full — need to do some exercise. Perhaps we could go for a walk?’

Roy peered out of the window at the falling rain, then gave her a naughty look. ‘Perhaps we could do some other form of exercise?’

She tilted her head and grinned back. ‘Oh, what did you have in mind exactly?’

He took a step towards her and put his arms around her, nuzzling her neck. ‘This sort,’ he murmured.

She eased herself away, gently, still smiling. ‘I like your thinking, but I vote we unpack first. Just our wash stuff and a change of clothes for tonight. Leave everything else for a quick getaway in the morning?’

‘Sounds like a plan. But maybe if Madame puts on a nice meal we’ll feel different.’

‘Really? What planet are you on? Or did you get abducted by Bruno’s aliens and have your brain messed with, darling? This place is not for us, don’t you think?’

‘Maybe it’ll grow on us.’

‘Maybe,’ she said, digging through her clothes. She pulled out a slinky black dress, then stood up and held it against her body. ‘What do you think — this tonight?’

He tilted his head one way, then the other. ‘I have a problem with that dress.’

‘You do?’

He nodded. ‘Yep — the moment you put it on, I’m going to want to rip it straight off and ravish you!’

She punched him, playfully. ‘OK, Mr Big Seducer, what about you, then? What do you have to wear tonight that’s going to make me want to rip it off without undoing the buttons?’

He grinned again and dug into his bag. ‘Let’s see what I can find!’

She walked over to him and kissed him. ‘Actually, Detective Superintendent, I like you best with nothing on at all.’

‘That can be arranged,’ he said.

‘Good.’ She glanced at her watch. ‘We have just under an hour.’

Eagerly tugging off his T-shirt, he put his arms around her. ‘So it will have to be a quickie!’

She gave him a very mischievous smile.