Deception Love & Murder

by K O'Hanlon

  “Guilty as charged on that one. I saw a beautiful woman and took a photo. Don’t hang me for it, Toni. I’m only human.”

  Now it was her turn to have the red face. She felt a bit stupid. He obviously wasn’t a threat and he had just paid her a compliment. She suddenly saw him in a whole new light and was touched by his honesty and the fact that he didn’t care that she had been sneaky and looked at his phone.

  “Anyway, I need to get a drink. You’re welcome to join me if you want to.”

  “No. It’s getting late, but thanks for the offer, Sam. I need to get back to my hotel and pack some of my stuff.”

  “Right you are. See ya.”

  Toni couldn’t wait to get back to her hotel so she could look up the country club that was ten miles in the opposite direction. A quick phone call should tell her which room or rooms her husband and Pauline were staying in.

  Spike had been following Sam and stood in the shadows out of view when he saw him bump into the attractive blonde woman. They obviously knew each other. Spike thought she looked familiar but couldn’t say where he might have seen her before. She was of little interest to him. Once their talking ended he carried on down the street and watched his prey enter a crowded bar. The time was approaching 8.30. The night was still young.

  James had been poking about in his hotel. He still needed to know exactly which room Sam was staying in. The construction team that stayed there usually arrive together each evening after work in a small van driven by a big guy who they called Frank. Sometimes it was just two in the van and sometimes it was three. He guessed that some were needed on site all night and would use the mobile units that he’d seen set up there. Sam was the only one who used a car. He had seen it parked round the side all covered in mud.

  If he was to finish what he came here to do he needed to act quickly. Sam could go back any time now the meteorite was out of the ground and the workforce was continuing with their bridge building. His photography skills might not be necessary now and he’d probably have other work already booked for when he got back.

  With all the excitement over, the hotel was starting to empty out. Soon it would just be James and the crew staying here with maybe a handful of other people passing through. He wanted the place to be busy so he had less chance of being spotted. He also needed the lobby area to have enough people so at least a handful of them heard the gunshot recording on his phone. His cast iron alibi was worthless if nobody was there to witness it.

  James made his way down in the lift to reception. Maybe he could trick someone into telling him the room number. If Sam was to arrive and see him he might not recognise who he was with his beard that now covered half his face. He hadn’t shaved it off after leaving hospital. Most people with beards all looked the same. There were basically four or five colours to choose from that were common, black, brown, grey, ginger. His was dark brown, probably the most common colour of all.

  The lobby only had a handful of people sitting around in the comfy chairs. Two of those had cases by their side obviously waiting for transport away from this place. The bar area closed early every evening so those who needed a drink had to go into town or take a bottle to their room. It was starting to look like James wasn’t going to accomplish what he’d come here to do.

  The young lady at reception looked bored to death. She sat there playing with her phone.

  “Hi. Looks like the place is emptying out now the excitement is over?”

  “Yes, it was fun while it lasted. It’s dead most of the time. I’m surprised this place hasn’t closed down.”

  “Have you worked here long?”

  “I’m on placement. I’m learning all about hospitality. I finish next week.”

  “Shame you couldn’t have chosen a better place but from what I’ve seen of this area there isn’t much to choose from.”

  “You can say that again.”

  “No nice young men here to sweep you off your feet then?”

  “Not really. There’s one who’s staying until tomorrow but I’ve not had much time to talk to him because he’s been busy working in the daytime.”

  “Really? I’ve not noticed any young people here, most are middle aged like me.”

  “He’s a photographer. My mum and dad would go bonkers if he was to ask me out.”

  “Why?”

  “He’s 26 and I’m still at school.”

  “Is he any good? As a photographer I mean?”

  “I think so. He said he has his own studio and does weddings and prom nights and all that kind of stuff.”

  “That’s interesting. My daughter is getting married in about six months and she’s been looking for a photographer. Most of the people she tried are already booked up. Do you know the man’s name? Maybe I could leave a note under his door.”

  “You can leave one here if you like. I’ll see that he gets it in the morning when he checks out.”

  “It’ll be easier if I just slip it under his door then he might contact me this evening. That might give me time to talk to him before he leaves.”

  “Well I can’t give it to him tonight unless he returns in the next fifteen minutes because my shift is nearly over for today.”

  “That’s a shame.”

  She looked over her shoulder to make sure the manager wasn’t in his office.

  “His name is Fairchild, Samuel Fairchild. Room 114, 1st floor right at the end near the fire exit. Don’t tell anyone or I’ll get in trouble.”

  “Thank you. And don’t worry, I won’t tell a soul.”

  James walked away back towards the lifts. The people with the cases had gone. Only three people remained in the lobby area. A man and woman were sitting together looking through their digital camera photos.

  Another man immaculately dressed in his dark suit sat on his own reading the paper with an empty wine glass on the table in front of him. He must have been sat there for some time as the bar closed ages ago. If he was hoping for a refill he’d be disappointed.

  Sam arrived back at the hotel just after midnight. He hadn’t taken his car because he knew he’d probably have a skinful if he met up with some of the crew on his last night. He got a cab back which he’d charged to his brother. He hadn’t seen the cab behind that followed his all the way to the door.

  As he made his way over to the lifts through the empty lobby the manager called out to him.

  “Good night, Mr Fairchild.”

  “Night.”

  The lift was waiting at the ground floor that time of night so the doors opened as soon as he pressed the button. He got in and pressed 1.

  Spike paid his cab driver then stood just outside the hotel entrance. He could see the floor number that it stopped at before returning to the ground.

  Sam had left the pub earlier than the rest of the crew. There were a few things he had to take care of and he wanted time to pack before turning in for the night so he could have extra time in bed in the morning. He knew a hangover was likely after having four or five pints of strong ale. It was a case of getting back to the hotel while you can still walk upright. The pub was serving drinks after hours while they had a chance to make extra money from all the people in town. Tomorrow night they would probably be empty.

  He stood outside room 114 leaning his forehead against the wooden door for support. The smartcard key he used kept giving a red light. After several more attempts it flashed green and he opened the door. Thank heavens for that, he could do without a trip back down to reception. He didn’t need to slip the key into the slot to activate the ceiling fan or lights because he’d left a piece of card wedged in it. The door automatically clicked shut behind him.

  The room was in total darkness. Did he leave the curtains pulled? He must have done. He ran his hand along the wall to find the light switch and pressed it. All the lights came on at once. It was too much for his alcohol filled brain. “Who the fuck are you?”

  There was a well dressed man stood directly in front of him wearing a very expensive loo
king black suit and white shirt. He looked to be in his mid to late fifties. “I’m your worst nightmare, and I’m here to kill you.”

  “You’re crazy. Get the fuck out before I throw you out! And take your phoney American accent with you!”

  The man produced a gun from behind his back and pointed it directly at Sam’s face. It had a silencer attached to the short barrel. “I ran a nice hot bath for you so take off your clothes and enjoy it.”

  “If this is a joke it’s not funny.”

  “It’s no joke, Sam.”

  “Did the guys from the construction site put you up to this? They know I’m leaving tomorrow.”

  The man clicked the gun ready to fire and pressed it against Sam’s temple.

  “Ok ok, I’ll get in the bath, just be careful where you point that thing.”

  “Strip off!”

  Sam started hopping about, first on one leg then the other as he tried to get his jeans off.

  “Hurry up or the water will be cold.”

  “I’m trying as best I can but I’ve had a few beers so it’s not easy.”

  “How about I count to ten?”

  “Then what?”

  “Then I shoot you. One…. Two…. Three…. Four.”

  “Stop! I’m almost there!”

  “Five…. Six…. Seven.”

  Sam ripped his shirt off. The buttons flew in all directions.

  “Eight…. Nine….”

  “There. I’ve done it! Now go and tell the others so they can all have a good laugh.”

  “Get in the bath and relax.”

  “Look mister whatever your name is. It’s over and I’ve got an early start tomorrow so piss off.”

  “You’re not taking this seriously, Mr Fairchild.”

  Sam put one hand in the water. “The water is freezing for Christ sake!”

  “You took too long getting ready. It’s your own fault. Now get in it!”

  Sam got in. He was starting to think this wasn’t a joke. If he hadn’t drunk so much he could probably take the gun from this nutty old bastard. “Who are you? Why are you doing this?”

  “You can call me Luca, Luca Costa. I believe you know my nephew Joseph.”

  “I don’t know anyone called Joseph. You’ve got the wrong guy mister.” The relief showed in Sam’s voice. It wasn’t him he wanted to kill.

  “But you do know Joseph. Some people call him Joe.”

  “I don’t know him for Christ sake!”

  “Does the name Joe Costa ring any bells?”

  “No. None. Oh fuck!”

  “See. I told you.”

  “Please mister, I’m really sorry. I liked Joe he was a nice guy. I even let him win a couple of games. I’ll give back all the money. I’ll tell him I’m sorry. It won’t happen again I promise.”

  “It’s ok, Sam. Relax. I know it won’t happen again and I’ve got a plane to catch first thing in the morning so I’ll go now.”

  Sam breathed a sigh of relief. Luca reached for the hotel’s complimentary hairdryer that was fixed to the wall. He switched it on and dropped it into the water.

  “Check Mate!”

  Chapter Eighteen

  T oni had rushed back to her hotel. She wanted to find out more about the country club that Sam mentioned. Once settled in her room she kicked off her shoes and started searching for it on her phone. It looked very posh, very up market. All the reviews gave it five stars. She dialled the number and waited.

  “Bella Vista Country Manor Hotel. How may I help you?”

  “I’m trying to contact Mr Michael Fairchild and Miss Pauline Jackson. I believe they’re staying in your hotel until tomorrow morning. Could you tell me their room number please?”

  “I’m sorry but we don’t give out information about any of our guests but if you care to leave a message I’ll see that it gets passed on for you.”

  “Oh no, don’t worry. It’s not important and I’ll be seeing them soon.”

  “If you give me your name and number I could ask Mr Fairchild or Miss Jackson to call you back.”

  “Thank you, but no, it’s not urgent.” Toni ended the call. There wouldn’t be much point going to their hotel and asking any question. The staff were probably all trained as Rottweilers to protect the guests. What better place to take your lover?

  She would just phone Mike and ask what time he’ll be leaving in the morning. Then she would know how long she’d have to get back home.

  He picked up on the second ring. “Toni. What’s up?”

  “I just wanted to know what time you’ll be leaving tomorrow and if you’re coming home or going straight to your office?”

  “I plan on leaving after breakfast but we’ll wait around a while if the traffic here looks congested, and I need to see my foreman before I leave. I’ll probably go straight to the office when I’m back to sort out some paperwork for another job that’s due to finish next week.”

  “Ok. See you. Got to go.”

  Toni had already left before the news of Sam started to spread the next day. Her aim was to get home and sort a few things out before packing her bags. After seeing her husband with Pauline at the site when the meteorite was lifted from the ground she knew their marriage was most likely over or would be some time soon. It was obvious that he still had strong feelings for his university girlfriend, he probably always had. Deep down she had known from the start that it couldn’t last. She would receive a decent settlement from Mike then hook another wealthy partner while she still had the good looks and figure to attract one.

  Mike arrived at the site the next morning just before mid-day to check on the work and see Frank Morris before going back. As he walked towards the mobile unit his foreman came out and stood watching him with a really sad look on his face.

  “What’s up, Frank? Please don’t tell me we have another problem.”

  “You obviously haven’t heard, Mike.”

  “Heard what?”

  “The hotel manager and the police have been trying to contact you. I thought they might have told you by now.”

  “Just tell me what’s happened.”

  “It’s Sam. They found his body in the bath this morning. He’s dead, Mike.”

  “Dead! Did he drown? Was it weed? I thought he was clean at the moment. I haven’t seen him use that stuff for a while. I best get over there.”

  “I’m so sorry, Mike. If there’s anything I can do just ring me.”

  He walked back to the car and got inside. Pauline could see he wasn’t right. “Mike, what’s wrong, you look terrible?”

  “Sam’s dead.”

  “Oh God! What happened?”

  “I’m going to his hotel now to find out.”

  They drove in silence. Neither of them knew what to say.

  Two police cars were parked outside the hotel and a small group of people were being questioned in the car park.

  “I’m Michael Fairchild. Who’s in charge here? I need to speak to whoever’s in charge.”

  An officer came over and gave his name but Mike wasn’t listening.

  “Sam is my brother. I need to know what happened.”

  “People have been trying to contact you, Mr Fairchild.”

  “Yes I know. What happened?”

  “Your brother, Mr Samuel Fairchild was found this morning by a member of staff just before 10.30. From what we’ve seen it looks like he killed himself. Whether intentionally or by accident we don’t yet know. His body was found in the bath full of water.

  “Did he drown or what?”

  “We’ll know more when the coroner gives his report on the cause of death. A hairdryer was found hanging from its lead in the water.”

  “Can I see him? Is Sam still in there?”

  “Forensics are in there at the moment so you can’t go in.”

  “When can I see him? It might not be Sam. It could be someone else.”

  “His work colleague from the room next door has already identified the body as that of your brother, Mr F
airchild. I’m terribly sorry.”

  Mike walked over to one of his work crew who he recognised.

  “Mike, I’m so sorry.”

  “You’ve seen him? It’s definitely Sam?”

  “Yes. We were out late last night in the town. He had a few too many but he got a cab back before me because he wanted to pack his bags for the morning.”

  “So he was drunk?”

  “It was his last night.”

  “It sure was.”

  “Sorry, I meant it was his last night with us guys, you know, work and that.”

  “I know what you mean. You don’t need to explain.”

  Pauline came over and stood next to Mike. Her eyes were bloodshot. She tried to hold herself together but failed.

  “Pauline, why don’t you go inside and get a coffee or something from the bar.”

  “Are you coming in?”

  “No. I still need answers.”

  “I’ll stay with you.”

  “Go inside.”

  He didn’t want to talk at the moment unless it was with someone who could explain what had happened.

  The officer came back over and called Mike. “Mr Fairchild, come with me. Please don’t’ touch anything until I know if forensics have finished” They went up the fire escape and entered the building. Mike kept his hands in his pockets.

  “We know that the construction crew from your site always use this entrance when they arrive covered in mud. At other times they use the main entrance. This door would normally be secured from the inside but it has to be left unlocked for your crew to get in every evening. If anyone was in the room with your brother we have no idea how long they were there.”

  “So if it wasn’t an accident you think someone came in this way?”

  “That would be my guess but nothing is certain that’s why we must wait for the relevant reports.”

  “Can I go in now? I want to see him.”

  The police officer stuck his head in room 114. “Are you guys finished?”

  “Yes, it’s all yours.”

  “Ok, Mr Fairchild. If you’re sure you want to do this you can go in now but please don’t touch the body.”

  Mike nodded and entered the room. The sight made him want to vomit. The bath plug had been pulled so the water was now gone. Sam’s body lay there limp and lifeless. Mike had tears in his eyes that spilled over and ran down his cheeks.