Read Online Murder Unmentionable by Meg London - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Meg London
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wheels is a real luxury.” Emma smiled. She stood for a moment, taking in the warm Tennessee night. Stars sparkled in the midnight blue sky, and the air was perfumed with the scent of honeysuckle and pine. She paused by the truck and took a deep breath. Brian reached for the door handle, and his fingers accidentally brushed hers. Emma blushed and moved her hand away.
Brian held the door open, and Emma hesitated. The seat was a lot higher than she was used to.
“Put your foot here.” Brian indicated the running board.
Emma did as he suggested, and Brian put a hand under her elbow, giving her a boost. She slid onto the seat and her dress rose up. She tugged it down to her knees, conscious of Brian’s gaze on her legs.
As they headed away from town, the inky darkness of the night intensified. Emma thought she saw the occasional luminescent glow of an animal’s eyes as they sped through the countryside. She shivered and gave a sigh of relief when they spotted the entrance to the Beauchamp Hotel and Spa. It was a low-lying building, modern, with lots of wood and glass. An island in the center of the circular drive was thick with striped ornamental grasses.
The interior matched the outside, with soothing sage green walls, polished light-wood floors and scattered Oriental rugs. The reception desk was a slab of polished concrete mounted in a rock wall. Water trickled over the wall and pooled in a small trough lit with dozens of pinpoint lights. The air was gently perfumed with the aromas of lavender, vanilla and mint.
Emma inhaled the delicious scent and looked around. A room in this place must cost a fortune, but she supposed supermodels made plenty of money. She recalled one of them saying once that she didn’t even get out of bed for less than ten thousand dollars.
“May I help you?” The woman behind the counter wore a pair of black yoga pants and a white tunic, and had her hair pulled into a low bun at the nape of her neck.
“We’re here to see Ms. St. Clair.” Brian glanced at the piece of paper. “Room 251.”
“Let me see if she’s in.” She picked up the telephone, but before she put it to her ear, she glanced inquiringly at Brian and Emma. “Who may I say is calling?”
Brian hesitated, and Emma spoke up quickly. “Guy. Guy Richards.”
“And you are?” The woman tilted her head in Emma’s direction.
Emma shook her head. “Just an assistant. It isn’t important.”
The woman raised an eyebrow but proceeded to dial the telephone. She spoke briefly and listened even more briefly. She put the telephone receiver back in its cradle. “You may go up now.” She pointed across the lobby. “Take the elevator to the second floor and turn left.”
“I think Ms. St. Clair is going to be quite surprised when she opens her door and sees us,” Brian said as the elevator whisked them silently toward the second floor.
“I’ll be curious to see just how surprised she is.”
“Do you think she had something to do with it?”
“She was the only other person around who already knew him. Except for me.”
The elevator doors opened with a gentle ping, and Emma and Brian stepped into the silent, softly lit corridor.
They turned left and found room 251 halfway down the hall.
“Here goes nothing.” Brian smiled at Emma and knocked once.
He was about to knock again when the door was flung open.
“Oh.” Nikki stood in the doorway wrapped in a short silk robe that bared the better part of her long, colt-like legs. Shetried to look around Emma and Brian but then realized that no one else was there. Her hair was messy, as if she’d been lying down, and she wasn’t wearing any makeup, but she was still striking.
The look she gave Emma made her suddenly feel tatty in the dress and sandals that had seemed so perfect when she put them on earlier.
Nikki bestowed a glittering smile on Brian. She hooked her arm through his, her robe parting to show a little more skin than Emma was comfortable with.
Brian held the door open, and Emma hesitated. The seat was a lot higher than she was used to.
“Put your foot here.” Brian indicated the running board.
Emma did as he suggested, and Brian put a hand under her elbow, giving her a boost. She slid onto the seat and her dress rose up. She tugged it down to her knees, conscious of Brian’s gaze on her legs.
As they headed away from town, the inky darkness of the night intensified. Emma thought she saw the occasional luminescent glow of an animal’s eyes as they sped through the countryside. She shivered and gave a sigh of relief when they spotted the entrance to the Beauchamp Hotel and Spa. It was a low-lying building, modern, with lots of wood and glass. An island in the center of the circular drive was thick with striped ornamental grasses.
The interior matched the outside, with soothing sage green walls, polished light-wood floors and scattered Oriental rugs. The reception desk was a slab of polished concrete mounted in a rock wall. Water trickled over the wall and pooled in a small trough lit with dozens of pinpoint lights. The air was gently perfumed with the aromas of lavender, vanilla and mint.
Emma inhaled the delicious scent and looked around. A room in this place must cost a fortune, but she supposed supermodels made plenty of money. She recalled one of them saying once that she didn’t even get out of bed for less than ten thousand dollars.
“May I help you?” The woman behind the counter wore a pair of black yoga pants and a white tunic, and had her hair pulled into a low bun at the nape of her neck.
“We’re here to see Ms. St. Clair.” Brian glanced at the piece of paper. “Room 251.”
“Let me see if she’s in.” She picked up the telephone, but before she put it to her ear, she glanced inquiringly at Brian and Emma. “Who may I say is calling?”
Brian hesitated, and Emma spoke up quickly. “Guy. Guy Richards.”
“And you are?” The woman tilted her head in Emma’s direction.
Emma shook her head. “Just an assistant. It isn’t important.”
The woman raised an eyebrow but proceeded to dial the telephone. She spoke briefly and listened even more briefly. She put the telephone receiver back in its cradle. “You may go up now.” She pointed across the lobby. “Take the elevator to the second floor and turn left.”
“I think Ms. St. Clair is going to be quite surprised when she opens her door and sees us,” Brian said as the elevator whisked them silently toward the second floor.
“I’ll be curious to see just how surprised she is.”
“Do you think she had something to do with it?”
“She was the only other person around who already knew him. Except for me.”
The elevator doors opened with a gentle ping, and Emma and Brian stepped into the silent, softly lit corridor.
They turned left and found room 251 halfway down the hall.
“Here goes nothing.” Brian smiled at Emma and knocked once.
He was about to knock again when the door was flung open.
“Oh.” Nikki stood in the doorway wrapped in a short silk robe that bared the better part of her long, colt-like legs. Shetried to look around Emma and Brian but then realized that no one else was there. Her hair was messy, as if she’d been lying down, and she wasn’t wearing any makeup, but she was still striking.
The look she gave Emma made her suddenly feel tatty in the dress and sandals that had seemed so perfect when she put them on earlier.
Nikki bestowed a glittering smile on Brian. She hooked her arm through his, her robe parting to show a little more skin than Emma was comfortable with.
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