Page 44 of Miki

“Nothing’s wrong, it’s just hormones making me feel unwell,” I told him, shaking my head and offering a weak smile. I prayed he’d take my response for embarrassment at admitting my female hormones were interfering with my mood rather than nerves.

Crossing my fingers, I hoped the excuse would be enough for him.

Heat crept up my neck as he assessed me, but thankfully, my pinkened cheeks appeared to do the trick and he nodded.

“Okay, sweetie, no need to be embarrassed. Do you want me to stop and get you some chocolate or something?”

Martin smiled at me sympathetically.

“No, I just need to get home. I can’t wait for the shift to be over,” I said truthfully.

“Well, we are done here for the day, so we’ll head back to the station, and I’ll arrange for the statements to be typed up, and you can disappear off home a bit early then,” he replied.

“Great, thanks,” I said, relief washing over me.

As soon as we returned to the station, I made my excuses and got the hell out of there.

My concern that my colleagues might be on to me meant I needed to step up my plans.

As soon as I got home, I pulled on some dark clothing, I grabbed a sandwich and some water, stuffed it into the bag I used when out on surveillance, and within less than half an hour, I was in my car and headed back to the station.

Parking at a good vantage point, I waited.

Not long after, I saw Martin’s car leaving the car park. I followed behind, keeping a suitable distance between us since I no longer had my rental car.

The way he’d looked at me today had me on edge. Although I knew I should probably steer clear of him and focus on one of my other colleagues tonight, for some reason, I felt compelled to get back out and follow Martin instead.

We sped along the motorway for a while, and I expected him to take the next cut-off and head home, but he didn’t. He continued on before taking the exit that I knew led to a small hotel instead.

As he pulled into the carpark, I slowed to a stop and waited until he got out and headed inside carrying a holdall.

Once he’d disappeared through the door, I parked my car around the corner where he wouldn’t see it. Jumping out, I ran to the entrance and peeked inside just in time to see him go through a set of double doors towards the Spa and gym.

Hurrying back to my car, I pulled out my backpack and headed back inside. I had a friend who worked in the Spa here as a beautician, and I knew my way around and had used the gym several times before as a guest, so it was easy to look like I belonged there.

After removing my jacket, I left it in the changing room. Thankful that I had a sports top, leggings, and trainers on, so I looked the part.

Stepping into the gym, I ducked behind some equipment, trying to avoid being noticed as I checked around the room, but Martin wasn’t there. In fact, for the early evening, it was very quiet. There was only an older couple working out together by the weights and a young man running on the treadmill. Shit!

Maybe he was still in the changing room?

Heading back into the corridor, I stopped outside the men’s changing room and listened at the door. It was useless. I couldn’t hear anything, so I quietly opened the door a crack and peered in.

Nobody was in the immediate area, but I could hear voices from somewhere inside. Praying I wasn’t about to come upon some unsuspecting guy in his birthday suit, I ducked inside and crept towards the voices.

They were hushed, but I recognised Martin’s voice as one of them.

“I need you to watch, and if I am right, then we have a problem that will need to be sorted,” he said.

“Just how sorted are we talking?” the other voice asked, emphasising the word sorted.

“Depends on just how much of a problem we have. Find that out first, then get back to me, and I’ll deal with it myself,” Martin said.

The other voice responded, but I couldn’t make out what he said. Hearing footsteps coming my way, I ran to a toilet cubicle and hid behind its door, holding my breath.

The changing room door opened and closed, but I remained where I was, straining to hear anything else.

Within seconds, another person exited, then there was silence. I waited a little longer, then crept out of the cubicle and rushed for the door.

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