Page 60 of Caught in the Middle

Now, to crack what the fuck this note meant.

Although she was confused about Oliver, she was drawn to this note. She couldn't even be sure that it was made for her specifically - of course, it was sewn into her top, but this bag was meant to travel with her to Barcelona, it could have easily been for the person she was meant to meet.

Maybe it was their instructions to kill her.

Maybe. But Lucy could feel that familiar feeling bubbling up inside of her again. That feeling of fear and adventure, the adrenaline rushing through her veins at the thought of finding out.

Perhaps she just couldn't keep away.

The loud, elongated ring of a telephone made her jump out of her skin. She didn't even know she had a telephone in her room!

She stared at it, sitting on the bedside table, the exact style she had used to call her mother an hour earlier. It occurred to her that it could be Joey, so she leaned over and cautiously answered.

'Hello?'

'Hello! What ya doin? I'm super bored, wanna get a massage?' As Rachel's chipper tones bubbled down the line, Lucy smiled. She felt like she definitely was going to become friends with her.

'Oh, hey Rachel,' and then an idea popped into her head, 'no, actually. I was just about to head out for a run,' she stammered. It was worth a shot, she just hoped that Rachel didn't ask to come with her.

'Oh, gross. Not eating is so much easier than sweating. Yeah, there's loads of exercise gear in your dressing room, probably.'

She didn't know why Rachel would be able to crack a code from Oliver, but whatever.

'Okay, cool,' Lucy sighed, 'do I have to tell Joey I'm going?'

She laughed down the phone. 'No, but obviously you've gotta take a bodyguard. Just go knock on the outhouse at the rear of the property, that's where they set up camp. Ask Elijah, he's super cute.'

The blood drained from Lucy's body, as she politely said thanks and hung up as quickly as she could.

She wasn't the smartest tool in the box, but even she could figure out that it was definitely no coincidence that there was a bodyguard here called Elijah.

In a trance, she rummaged around in the dressing room for something she could wear on a pretend run - she'd never been on one in her whole bloody life - and fumbled out of the door as quickly as she could.

She galloped down the stairs and made her way to the rear of the property, through several dining rooms, living rooms, a games room and an indoor swimming pool, which then led out to an absolute park of a garden. Lucy loved wasting her time watching property shows, and now she knew the difference between garden or grounds. And this, this was definitely grounds.

On the right hand side of first perfectly mowed lawn, a small and square red brick building was hiding behind a sleepy willow tree.

Lucy eyed up the rest of the view, and felt that it was probably her best bet.

Her hands were shaking as she made her way past a gardener, down a little neat path that wound around a couple statues, and straight up to the front door.

She could hear music playing inside, and the muffled vibration of men’s voices. Hesitant to knock, she tried to peer into the small window next to the door, and shit herself to see a pair of dark eyes staring back at her.

'Argh!' she yelped, taking a step back.

The door of the cottage like building suddenly swung open, and Lucy jumped back in anticipation. You could say that the last week has left her pretty on edge.

A tall, dark skinned man with a shaved head loomed in the door way. Dressed in all black, his initial appearance threw her off kilter slightly, but that dissolved when his apathetic face melted into a huge grin.

'Good afternoon, Madam, one of the new girls, are you?' She was surprised that he had a strong Italian accent. Clearly, Joey liked to look after his own.

'Oh, hello,' Lucy smiled brightly, still shaking. She opened her mouth to explain why she was there, when she faltered. Well, what was she supposed to say? She'd had the intention to just knock and ask if Elijah was there, but it would seem very suspicious, considering she'd never met him...

The man in the doorway raised his eyebrows. 'Normally the girls are not this quiet.'

A combined chortle came from within the house.

'Sorry,' she stammered, her feigned confidence gone entirely, 'um, I'd like to go for a run please. Ra-Rachel, she said I would have to come here.'

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