by Amy Cross
"Here at the Heights?" I ask, before I suddenly realize what he means. When I finally accepted Luke's proposal a few minutes ago, it didn't occur to me that I was committing to a life at the hotel. Then again, I guess I should have realized that this place is hugely important to all the Bannisters. Forcing a smile, I figure it's too late to renegotiate that part of the arrangement. I guess we'll be starting out married life at the Heights, although I'm hopeful that eventually we'll be able to move away and find our own place.
"I told you she was the one," Luke says, reaching out and putting a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "She made me wait, though. I was sweating it for twenty-four hours before she accepted my proposal".
"That's a woman's prerogative," Victor replies as he hurries turns and signals to one of the waiters. "We need champagne over here! Two bottles! Hurry!"
To be honest, I feel as if I'm in a complete daze, and although there are a few small doubts eating away at the back of my mind, I'm able to focus on the positives: for the first time in many years, I'm going to have a stable home, and I have a chance to build a new life with a man I hope, one day, to love unconditionally. There's no way I can throw this away simply because of a few minor doubts.
"Did you hear that?" Luke calls out as Edward enters the room. "I'm getting married! I told you I'd be the first one to find a woman!"
"Congratulations," Edward says, reaching out and shaking his brother's hand. "I couldn't be happier for you".
"Jealous?" Luke asks.
"Just happy," Edward says calmly, turning and shaking my hand. "For both of you. I'm sure you're going to have a wonderful life together".
"He's jealous," Luke says, putting an arm around my shoulder and steering me over to the table. A waiter is already filling champagne glasses for us, while Victor gives Luke a big hug before handing us each a glass. When I turn to give a glass to Edward, however, I find that he's already left the room.
Laura
Today
"I want every camera checked and re-checked!" Edward shouts, finally venting his fury as he storms into his office. "In fact, I want every tape pulled and brought to me. I don't care how long it takes, but I'm going to find out who did this!" He sends the coffee table flying across the room with a well-placed kick, knocking a vase of flowers smashing to the ground. "I'm going to sit here and personally go through every second of every camera inside and outside this hotel until I see who did this!"
"We don't have any cameras," Rachel says as she and I follow him into the office.
Edward turns to her, with an expression of ice-cold fury in his eyes.
"We don't have cameras," Rachel says again, sounding a little scared. "It's not something that anyone ever thought to install".
"Then get some!" Edward shouts. "I want a camera in every fucking corridor, every communal place, every external part of the property! And fetch someone to clean my fucking desk and pick up this table!"
"I'll get on it immediately," Rachel says, turning and hurrying out of the room.
Unsure of what to say, I stand and watch as Edward moves various items off his desk, where a puddle of blood had collected directly beneath the pipe that runs across the ceiling. It's a strangely sad and pathetic scene, and it's clear that Edward is struggling to stay calm. I don't blame him; whoever put those dead rats in the system, they were clearly sending a message.
"They think I don't know what they're all talking about," he says after a moment, looking down at his desk. "They think they're being subtle with their insinuations. They think they're making a little point and digging at my conscience, making me feel guilty for everything I've done, or what they think I've done". He pauses for a moment. "There's just one problem with their little plan. I didn't do anything. Someone here thinks I murdered my brother's wife and hid the body, but I swear to God..." Finally, he looks over at me, and I'm shocked to see that he seems to be on the verge of tears. "I'm going to find this person," he says slowly, "and then, finally, I just might commit a murder".
"I'm sure no-one thinks you killed anyone," I tell him. "I'm sure -"
"Of course they do!" he snaps.
"No, they just -
"Of course they do!" he shouts, before immediately pausing to regather his composure. "You've only been here a day, Ms. Kingston. You don't know what it's like. Ever since Elizabeth disappeared, I've had to put up with constant whispers behind my back. Even my own brother... They all think I'm responsible, or at least they have doubts about me, or they think that maybe I might have..." He pauses again, seemingly lost for words. "Even my own family. Do you know how that feels, Ms. Kingston? Do you know what it's like to realize that your own family, the people who know you best, can't shake the feeling that perhaps you're responsible for something so horrific? Do you know what it's like to see the suspicion and doubt in their eyes every time they look at you?"
"Kind of," I want to say, although I decide to keep my mouth shut. After all, the old Laura was accused of a lot of things over the years, but never murder.
"Still," Edward continues, "I didn't think anyone would stoop to some kind of cheap stunt". Carefully, and with great precision, he places the bloodied ring on his desk. "It's like a child's version of vigilante justice. Make your target look guilty by smearing him with blood".
Falling silent, Edward seems content to just stare at the ring. I can't even begin to imagine what's going through his mind, but it's clear that he, like everyone else at the Heights, is heavily burdened by the continued questions surrounding Elizabeth Bannister's disappearance.
"People just like to gossip," I say after a moment. "The police looked into her disappearance, didn't they? Surely they'd have realized if anything bad had happened..."
There's another awkward pause, which I eventually break by walking over to the upturned coffee table and setting it right. Next, I kneel by the broken vase and begin to pick up the pieces.
"That's not your job," Edward says, sounding tired. "A maid'll be along soon".
"It's not about whose job it is," I reply calmly. "It's about whether or not it gets done before someone cuts themselves on the pieces".
"I'm sorry you had to see me in such an unprofessional moment," Edward continues. "Despite the provocation, I'm ashamed of my behavior".
"There's no need," I say, carrying the gathered pieces of glass across to the bin. It feels strange to be the level-headed influence in a situation for once; I'm usually the one falling apart, yet I feel that I'm slowly taking charge and helping Edward to calm down.
"I'm sorry," he says eventually. "You must think you've wandered into the middle of a madhouse. Blood dripping from the ceiling, dead rats being stuffed into the pipes..." He pauses again. "You were right to call someone in to fix the plumbing. It's been a problem for far too long, and I shouldn't have ignored it. I also think your refurbishment plan is a good idea, although we'll have to do it in a way that allows the hotel to stay open. I know today hasn't quite gone as smoothly as it might, but rest assured that you have my full backing, Ms. Kingston. I won't let this hotel be dragged back to the past. I hired you to push us into the future, and I'm going to make sure you have all the necessary tools to do your job".
"If you need me," I tell him, "I'll be supervising the plumber and dealing with some issues in reception. Just call my cellphone if you want anything".
I wait for a reply, but Edward says nothing as he sits slowly in the chair by his desk and stares at the blood that has rained down from the pipe. Deciding not to disturb him, I turn and quietly leave the room, finally finding myself standing alone in the corridor. Although I desperately want a drink, I remind myself that this is just the ghost of the old Laura trying to break through; the new Laura is focused and professional. In fact, the days when I could have a glass of wine at lunch are over, and I'm determined to stick to my new regime. Still, I can't help feeling that the old Laura would have handled this chaos a little better, and that the new, sober Laura is struggling.
Struggling, but -
so far - just about managing. Still, there's a part of me that wants to run away from this place and never come back.
Elizabeth
Five years ago
"Are you going to live here?" Juliet asks during dinner.
"I think so," I reply. "At first, anyway".
"I won't be here," she says, scrunching her nose up for a moment. "I'll be at boarding school".
"That's okay," I tell her, "you'll still be home for holidays". I pause, watching the sad expression on her face. "I wish I'd gone to a boarding school," I add eventually. "It sounds like so much fun, living in a big house with all your friends".
"I don't have any friends," she replies. "I'm like Edward".
I want to reach out and give her a hug, but at the same time I don't want to attract attention from the other people at the table. "I'm sure that's not true," I tell her. "I bet you're the most popular girl in the whole school".
She shakes her head.
"I'm your friend," I add.
She frowns. "Are you?"
I nod. "Can't you tell? We'll hang out whenever you're home. I promise".
She stares at me, and finally a faint smile reaches her lips. "Okay," she says, "but don't tell anyone. I don't want to get into trouble".
"Why would you get into trouble?" I ask.
"You can't be friends with two people at once," she replies. "Don't you know that?" With that, she reaches across the table to grab some more food, at which point Victor calls out to me and starts asking me what kind of wedding I'd like. Luke and Edward, meanwhile, are talking in hushed tones at the far end of the table, and if I didn't know better, I'd swear they're arguing.
Laura
Today
"Rats in the vents," I mutter between mouthfuls of salad, as I sit at the bar over lunch. "It's kind of inventive, but it's also kind of... gross. I mean, just think of the mechanics of the whole thing. First, you'd have to collect together a load of rats and kill them, which would probably be quite hard to do without someone noticing, and then you'd have to kind of mash them up and carry them into that shed so you could stuff them into a bunch of pipes. Again, you'd think someone might notice".
"Looks like it did its job, though," Cole replies as he wipes the surfaces. "Did you see the look on Edward's face? The guy was out of his mind!"
"I saw the look on your face too," I say, eying him suspiciously. "You seemed to be enjoying his discomfort".
Conspicuously not replying for a moment, Cole continues to clean. "It's not just Edward," he says eventually, avoiding direct eye contact. "The whole Bannister family deserves shit for what they did to Elizabeth. It was more than just bad treatment. It was emotional torture. And for what? Bragging rights about who got to put a ring on her finger".
"Even her husband?"
"Especially her husband. Luke Bannister likes to act the hero and dress up as a soldier, but the guy's warped. He and Edward are constantly locked in this battle to prove who's the bigger man. I swear, one day one of them's gonna go too far and end up with blood on his hands". He pauses for a moment. "They fought over Elizabeth. Literally, on one occasion. They were bashing chunks out of each other in the office. Luke's the one who married Elizabeth, but Edward wasn't satisfied with that. He wanted her, and he wouldn't accept that she didn't feel the same way".
"You think he was in love with Elizabeth?" I ask.
"Totally. Why else would he have her photo on his desk?"
"That's her?" I reply, thinking back to the photo I saw earlier. It kind of makes sense now; Edward Bannister had a thing for his brother's wife, and now he exorcises that frustration by, to be blunt, banging Rachel in the basement. I don't know whether to be disgusted or horrified, but it's clear that Edward's problems run deep. "Did she know how he felt?" I ask eventually.
Cole shrugs. "I dunno. She never talked about it much. Not in detail, anyway. She used to come in here to get away from them, though. She'd sit right there, where you're sitting, and we'd..." He pauses again. "Well, we got to talking a lot. I think she felt like she could confide in me. I was the only one here who wasn't playing some kind of game. Even Victor was in on the whole thing, meddling with his sons' lives. There's a third kid, a sister named Juliet, but she lucked out by going off to boarding school. She hated the whole thing, especially after their mother died. You won't catch her round here for dust these days".
"Sounds like a real pressure cooker," I say as I finish the salad. I watch Cole for a moment, and I can see that something's bugging him, something that he's deliberately chosen to keep under wraps. "So you and Elizabeth Bannister," I start to say, "did you -"
"We were friends," Cole says firmly, as if he's been waiting for the question. "Nothing more, nothing less. She just needed someone to talk to, that's all, and I was the only person in this fucking place who knew how to listen. She'd sit there for hours, just telling me about the crazy stuff that was going on between her and Luke. Some of it would really make your blood boil. She kept talking about maybe leaving, and right at the end..." He pauses. "I was going to help her, but she obviously decided to go by herself. I guess maybe the Bannisters taught her she couldn't trust anyone".
I look down at my empty salad bowl for a moment. I've been around the block enough times to know unrequited love when I see it, and Cole obviously has, or had, feelings for Elizabeth. While I don't think that he was responsible for the rats in the pipes, I do think that Cole is hiding some pretty major resentment. After all, he obviously saw Elizabeth's torment close up, and it's clear that her disappearance still bothers him.
"Do you think she'll come back?" I ask eventually.
"Back to the Heights?"
"Is that why you're still working here?"
"I'm still working here because it's a decent job, and times are tough". He pauses for a moment. "As for whether she'll come back, I hope not. Asking me that is like asking me if I think she's dead. She's alive, though. I don't doubt it for a second. I just hope she's got the sense to never, ever come back to this place again. She's better off out of it. All that energy that Edward and Luke used when they were fighting over her... Now she's gone, it's directed inward, and it's eating them both up. I guess I can see why Luke went off to fight in Afghanistan. It probably seemed safer and more peaceful than being near his brother".
I smile. Something about Cole is very calming, as if he's the only person in this whole hotel who really has a handle on everything that's happening. With a clinching sensation in my chest, I realize that the old Laura would have fallen for this hot barman by now, and would probably have been halfway into his pants; fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, the new Laura is trying very hard to be more sensible around men. Besides, I'm starting to think that Cole still holds a torch for the elusive Elizabeth, and it's hard to compete with a dead woman.
"Well," I say, checking my watch, "I guess I'd better get back to work, but thank you for the fabulous conversation".
"Watch out," Cole says, looking over at the door. "Here comes trouble".
"Hey," says a voice nearby, and I turn to find Rachel approaching. "Edward wants to see you in his office," she says, with a glint of satisfaction in her eyes, as if she has some bad news to deliver and she's enjoying every second of the situation. In fact, it's pretty clear she can barely conceal a huge grin. "He's pretty mad about something. Don't quote me on this, Ms. Kingston, but I think you're about to get fired".
Elizabeth
Five years ago
"I'm really very happy for you," Edward says, as we walk away from the table and head over to the sofas by the window. "I've never seen Luke look so happy, and I'm sure he'll make a wonderful husband".
"Can I talk to you about Juliet for a moment?" I ask. "I don't want to stick my nose in other people's business, but there's something about her that makes me worried. She seems sad, and she says she doesn't have any friends at school".
"She'll be fine," he replies. "She struggles a little with social occasions, but she's a very bright girl. In man
y ways, I think she and I are cut from the same cloth. We take after our mother, whereas Luke is more like our father".
"But have you ever spoken to the school and asked if she's settled in?" I continue. "If she's away at boarding school for months at a time, she might be lonely".
"She needs to learn how to make friends," Edward replies. "If she hasn't quite worked it out yet, she simply needs to wait a while longer. She'll pick up the social niceties eventually. It's just a matter of time".
"But -"
"We've all been through similar experiences," he adds, interrupting me. "In fact, I myself experienced a rather difficult time at school when I was her age, but I consider the period to have been one of the most useful in my life. Most of my fortitude comes from the fact that I had to triumph over adversity, and I wouldn't be the man I am today if it wasn't for that period in my life".
Before I can argue with him, Luke comes hurrying over.
"Hey," he says, grabbing my arm and steering me away from Edward, "stop talking to Mr. Boring and come have another glass of champagne. You're my fiance now. We need to celebrate!"
I want to pull free and tell him I was busy, but his enthusiasm is infectious and by the time I have a chance to look back across the room, I see that Edward has once again slipped away, undoubtedly so he can go back to his office. Juliet is over in the corner, finishing her dessert, and she has that strange, sad look in her eyes again. I can't help thinking that someone needs to help her before it's too late.
Laura
Today
"Is there anything you want to say to me?" Edward asks a few minutes later, as he sits at his desk and stares at me with merciless fury. Since I entered his office, he's seemed barely able to contain his anger, as if a kind of rage is bubbling away just below the surface. I feel like a naughty child who's been called before the headmaster. "Anything you feel I should know?" he continues. "Anything you want to admit to?"
