Page 76 of The Stranger

“My name is Laura, I’m Mr Prescott’s receptionist.”

I stand and take her outstretched hand. “Oh, hey. It’s lovely to meet you.”

I swear to God, if Spencer has sent her down here to get information about tonight, we are going to have words.

“It’s lovely to meet you too,” she replies. “I’m sorry to bother you, and I know I could’ve just called, but I thought it would be easier if I came down here in person.” She holds out the notebook in her hand. “Firstly, thank you for all the notes you left me, it’s been really helpful, but I’m trying to log into the Mitchell file and it keeps coming up with incorrect password. Is that a lowercase ‘l’ or a capital ‘I’? I’ve tried both, but neither worked.”

I take the notebook from her hand and when she points to the password in question, I wince. “It’s actually a one.”

“Oh, silly me. I didn’t even think to try a number.”

“I should have made it more legible. I’m sorry.”

“No harm done. How are you finding your new position? Marcy is lovely.”

“She is. Mr Prescott said you recently had a baby, I bet it was tough to come back to work when you have a small child at home.”

“I’m struggling. I wasn’t due back until the end of the year, but when Mr Prescott offered me a large bonus to come back early, I couldn’t refuse.”

It takes a second for her words to sink in, but whenthey do my heart drops into the pit of my stomach. “He offered you a bonus to come back early?”

She grimaces. “Maybe I shouldn’t have disclosed that, but since my husband is currently out of work and home to care for our child, it made sense to accept his offer. We needed the money.”

I try to swallow the knot that has now formed in my throat so I can answer her, “I completely understand.”

Boy, do I understand.

Spencer Prescott is a lying sack of shit.

He was so desperate to see the back of me, that he had to bribe someone with cash to get me out of the way.

I’ve been sitting at my desk staring at the adjoining wall for the past hour. I can’t concentrate … I can’t think straight. I feel like a gullible fool … completely blindsided.

I’ve been played yet again.

Is this why he’s been so nice to me lately?

Why he went out of his way to make me feel so special on my birthday?

Was it out of guilt for deceiving me?

I was led to believe that Laura approached him about coming back … not the other way around.

With trembling hands, I open the top drawer and retrieve my bag. I pull out my phone and shoot off a quick text.

Me: Hey, it’s Delilah. Is that room still available?

James: It sure is, pretty girl. Do you want it?

Me: Please. Can you send me the address? Is it okay if I move my stuff in this afternoon?

James: Of course. I have a shift tonight, but Travis should be there. I’ll let him know you’re coming over.

Me: Thank you.

I stand on shaky legs and cross the room to knock on Marcy’s door. “Come in.”

“Hey, it’s just me. I’m not feeling the best. Would you mind if I took the rest of the afternoon off?”