A Question Of Honor. Mary Anne Wilson

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СКАЧАТЬ it and pushed the door open. A low chime rang somewhere inside.

      The front of the first floor was used for a large reception and sitting area, split by a staircase that led up to the second level. Dark wood and lovely furnishings made for a warm, cozy atmosphere. A huge Christmas tree stood to one side of the stairs, its lights twinkling with turquoise and silver decorations. Rugs in rich earth tones partially covered tiles that were worn and faded to a reddish-brown.

      “Hello there,” a voice said, drawing Faith’s attention to the reception desk that ran along the left wall and was backed by an old-fashioned cubby for letters. A swinging door by the cubby was still moving as a lithe, black-haired lady came up behind the desk flashing a brilliant smile. Narrowed eyes assessed Faith. “So you did decide to come,” the woman said.

      “I’m sorry?” Faith asked, approaching the desk.

      “Willie G. said you might be coming by.” She held out her hand and introduced herself. “I’m Mallory Sanchez and I’m guessing you’re Faith.” Her black hair was straight and fell loosely to her waist. Chocolate-brown eyes were warm against a creamy tan, and jeans worn with a heavy red sweater showed off her slender frame. A pretty woman by any standards, and her smile made her even more attractive.

      “Faith Arden,” Faith said, taking the woman’s hand when she offered it and met a surprisingly firm grip. “I didn’t expect Willie to call you about me.”

      “He was calling about something else, a big Christmas party, actually, but mentioned you might be coming by. He said you’re looking for a place to rest.”

      Faith felt uneasy at her words. The police stop had been bad enough. She didn’t want to be a topic of conversation for the town. “I need a room,” she said with more coolness than she intended.

      “Well, of course you do,” Mallory said and spun an old registration book around to face her, then handed Faith a pen with a bobbing Santa head on the end of it. “Just put in your information, and let me see your identification.”

      Faith handed the fake driver’s license to Mallory, who said, “The inn is peaceful and you can get a good rest here. No problem.”

      “That’s great,” Faith murmured while she quickly signed her name, then stopped. She was drawing a blank for her address. What was wrong with her? She’d used that address in Rockford at every stop so far, but she couldn’t for the life of her recall it right then.

      Mallory asked, “Is there a problem?”

      “Oh, no, I’m just so tired,” she said and yawned without having to force it. Then the address came to her and she quickly wrote it on the ledger. “I’ve been driving forever.”

      Mallory glanced at the information in the book, made a notation off her driver’s license, then handed it back to Faith. “I hope you didn’t drive all the way from Illinois nonstop?” She smiled at the absurdity of her question and didn’t wait for Faith to answer. “Do you want the first or second floor? Although, if you’re here to rest and take it easy, the second floor is probably your best bet. It’s more private, and there’s only one guest up there in a front room, a gentleman from Texas.”

      “That sounds good, second floor, in the back?”

      “We have a great room at the end of the hallway with its own bathroom. The other rooms up there have to share. It’s a bit more, of course, but it’s very nice.”

      When she mentioned the daily rate, Faith was okay with it, and although she doubted she’d stay more than a few days, she asked about the weekly rate. The figure was 20 percent less than the daily. “I’ll take it for two nights,” Faith said and paid for the room. When Mallory argued she should see the room first, Faith wanted to say, If it has a bed and a door to lock, I’m sold, but instead said, “I’m sure it will be fine.”

      Mallory selected one of the keys from the cubby and talked as she led the way to the staircase. “We have more choices if you need to change. We have two rooms down and four rooms up.” Faith followed her up the stairs onto a small landing that branched out in either direction. They went left and passed only one door as they walked toward the end of the corridor.

      Mallory unlocked the door to Faith’s room, flipped on a light, then stepped aside for Faith to go in first. “If this doesn’t work for you, I have another that might do.”

      Faith barely heard Mallory. The room was perfect. A huge poster bed fashioned out of what looked like stripped tree trunks stood by a window framed by lace curtains. The floor, worn wooden planks, was warmed by a braided rug in blues and lavenders that matched the bedding. An open door to the right exposed a small bathroom, and a closet on the opposite wall stood open and empty.

      “What do you think?” Mallory asked as Faith went to the window and looked down at a garden area dominated by a leafless tree that was almost as tall as the building itself. Snow covered the ground and chairs were tipped up on three tables. It looked right. No one would be out there in this weather.

      Faith could almost feel the knots in her body starting to dissolve. “This is fine,” she replied. Mallory crossed to a large armoire by the bathroom door and opened both doors. A TV sat on a top shelf over another shelf that flipped forward to make a writing desk. Faith had to fight the urge to just collapse on the big bed.

      “Why don’t we go down for your things, then you can settle in and get your rest?”

      Five minutes later, Faith had her bag and computer in the room and she was closing the door behind her and locking it. While she’d retrieved her things from the car, Mallory had put a pitcher of ice water along with a glass on a tray by the bed. A chocolate mint lay on the fluffy pillows piled against the headboard, and the scent of roses faintly drifted on the warm air.

      Faith felt weariness wash over her. She sank down onto the bed, tugged off her boots and pushed back until she was half sitting against the pillows. The chocolate fell to one side and slid to the floor, but she didn’t pick it up. She thought she’d rest for a few minutes, then set up the computer on the desk and pull up the files.

      The next thing Faith knew, she woke with a start, and for a second she couldn’t remember where she was, but then the world settled. One look at the bedside clock showed her she’d been asleep for over two hours. It was almost eight o’clock. She got off the bed, stretching her hands over her head. Should she just go to her car and get the leftovers she had from Willie G.’s place or see if there was someplace close by to get something hot to eat?

      She tugged on her boots, grabbed her jacket, her car keys and wallet, then went downstairs. A man and woman were relaxing in front of the fireplace. On the table in front of them were wineglasses, a carafe of deep red wine, and a platter of crackers, meat and cheese.

      If things had been normal, she would have said hello to the couple, filled a plate with cheese and crackers, poured a glass of wine and gone back up stairs. But since she’d left Chicago, she hadn’t been normal. She stayed away from people as much as possible to avoid contact, hopefully without looking odd or being remembered by any of them.

      No one was behind the reception desk, so she avoided seeing the owner. She quietly passed behind the couple, reached the door and cringed at the soft chime that sounded when she opened it. She quickly slipped out into the biting cold.

      She got into her car, started the engine and the heater, then put her things on the passenger seat and let herself relax for a moment. Slowly, she backed out onto the street and turned away from СКАЧАТЬ