Page 90 of Hospital for Immortal Creatures

She hesitated for a moment. “We may be regular chambermaids, but we follow the rules. We don’t steal. We work hard for our livelihood. We may not earn a lot but we’re happy with what we have.” A hint of pride marked her tone. “Except in recent times… Mary was acting strange. She kept murmuring about how she’s tired of this job and how she wanted more, and had her ways of getting it.”

“More?”

“Money,” she whispered.

“Did she tell you what those ways were?”

Dara shook her head. “I don’t know, but she was very secretive. She didn’t come to our room for hours sometimes, long after her shift ended. She was always out somewhere.”

“Anything else?”

Dara glanced up at Stella, searching for support. The woman nodded.

The chambermaid gave a long sigh. “Mary was receiving phone calls. From a hidden number. When I asked her who it was, she said it was an old friend.”

“But you didn’t believe that?” Zacharia prompted.

“No. Nobody locks themselves in the bathroom when they’re talking to an old friend. And a lot of times, she would rush out after their conversations. She always said it was for work, but sometimes she didn’t even put on her uniform.”

Zacharia leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. “Did Mary have a boyfriend?”

“Oh, no! She was very picky. She couldn’t find a man who ticked all her boxes. And she was way too busy for love.” Dara smiled a little at that.

“I see. Did anyone with greasy hair, a sweaty forehead and a tendency to stutter hang around her recently? Works in the lab,” Zacharia asked.

Dara blinked. “No. I don’t recall anyone like that.”

Zacharia pulled the bag he’d snatched from the lab assistant’s room and untied it in front of Dara. “Would you do me a favour and check if any of these belonged to Mary?”

Dara threw a questioning glance at Stella.

“It’s okay, dear,” the housekeeper assured her.

Dara dug into the pile. It was filled predominantly with female underwear, but there were also the occasional male boxers and a toothbrush. “I can’t be completely sure, but I don’t think I’ve seen any of these in our room.”

Zacharia waited, giving her another moment.

She rifled through the items some more, then shrugged. “Most of these things, I’m almost certain I’ve never seen before. But some things – like these black panties… Whether they’re Mary’s or not, I can’t know for sure. All I can say is I don’t think I’ve seen any of these in her laundry.”

Zacharia figured she was right. “Okay, Dara… Has Mary ever mentioned a tall, skinny man with a mohawk? Short hair on the sides, long at the top?”

“Of course!” Her eyes lit up. “That’s our best friend, Daniel.”

“And what does Daniel do in the Hospital?”

“Nothing permanent.” She waved her hand. “He helps where help is needed. Today, he could be a nurse; tomorrow, a chauffeur.”

“I see. Has he ever been intimate with Mary?”

An indecipherable emotion twisted Dara’s features for a brief second. “Mary and Daniel? Of course not. They were just friends… Like me and him.”

Zacharia inspected her thoroughly, and she fidgeted and avoided eye contact under his intense stare. Then he asked in a casual voice, “Tell me, Dara… Do you think Daniel could have killed Mary?”

She gave a slow headshake, mouth dropping slightly open in disbelief. “Never! Never, absolutely never ever would he do such a thing!”

“Even if he discovered where Mary keeps her secret money stash and decided to get rid of her, take it and scram?”

“He’s our friend! He would never do that.”

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