Page 4 of Storm Warning
Nicholas followed, but halted and turned back.
“Ms. Danvers, I ask for your discretion regarding this matter while we investigate.”
“Of course.” The writer in her was desperately curious—this was the kind of real-life drama that could fuel a dozen plot lines—but she understood the need for privacy.
But as Nicholas walked away, she found herself speaking up. “Mr. Ivory?”
He paused, eyebrows raised.
Kate twisted her hands, feeling foolish. “This might be out of line, and I’m definitely too tired to think straight, but... you might want to look into her finances. Ms. Evans’s, I mean.”
Both Nick and David focused on her with absolute attentiveness, and Kate’s cheeks warmed.
“I’m an author,” she explained. “I study details. Notice things. Ms. Evans is wearing Versace with Louboutins, a Cartier watch, and those earrings look real—at least two carats each. Her entire outfit cost at least five thousand dollars. Unless you pay front office managers extremely well, I can’t imagine how she could afford that as daily work attire. It just... it doesn’t add up.”
She rubbed at the back of her neck. “And in my experience, when things don’t add up, it’s worth asking why.”
The silence stretched, and Kate wished she could take the words back. Who was she to offer investigative advice to a man who ran a global hospitality empire?
But surprise flickered across his features,settling into something resembling respect. “That’s quite observant, Ms. Danvers. Thank you. We’ll look into it.”
The appreciation in his tone made warmth spread through Kate’s chest like honey dissolving in tea.
David grinned at her, a wicked, dimpled smile that probably got him into and out of trouble in equal measure. “Damn. Remind me never to commit crimes around you.”
Despite everything, Kate smiled. “Sounds like I should make a note to keep an eye on you.”
Nicholas inclined his head to her and strode toward the elevators. David gave Kate a friendly wink before following.
As they disappeared into the elevator, Kate released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. The adrenaline drained away, leaving her shakier than before.
“Ms. Danvers?” Lena’s voice sounded soft, tentative. “Thank you. For what you said. About me doing my job. You didn’t have to do that.”
Kate shook her head. “You were being honest and helpful. You shouldn’t be reprimanded for that. And please call me Kate.”
Lena’s smile was tremulous but genuine. “Still. Thank you.” She turned back to her computer.
She bit her lip, looking worried. “Oh, no, I can’t select the suite. It’s grayed out.”
After a moment of clicking, Lena’s expression cleared. “Oh! There’s a box with a key icon. Mr. Jones said it needed senior authority…” She trailed off, glancing around. “Ah, he left his access card.”
Sure enough, a sleek black card sat on the desk where David had been standing. Lena swiped it, and in less than a minute produced two key cards. “Here are the keys to the Princess Suite, as well as a map of the resort. Mario will assist you.”
A cheerful-looking older man with kind eyes and a weatheredface appeared with her luggage cart. “I’ll be outside whenever you’re ready, ma’am.”
Kate accepted the items, her fingers clutching the smooth plastic of the key cards. The crisis was over. She had a place to stay, a quiet place to work, and she could finally sleep.
But as she straightened, she paused and studied Lena. The young woman who’d stood her ground when threatened, who’d been honest when it would have been easier to lie.
“Lena?” Kate said softly. “For what it’s worth, I think you’re going to do well here. You have exceptional customer service skills, and you’ve got integrity. That matters.”
Lena’s eyes went bright, and she blinked rapidly. “Thank you, Ms. Danvers, Kate. That... that means a lot.”
Kate nodded and headed toward the entrance where Mario waited. As she crossed the marble floor, passing the grand piano, she realized something had shifted.
For so long, she’d been invisible, drowning and nobody noticed. But tonight—exhausted, disheveled, at the absolute end of her rope—she’d been seen. Heard. Valued.
Nicholas Ivory had listened to her observations and thanked her for them. Taken her seriously. Given her his personal number.