Page 74 of Light of Day
That got Heather laughing even harder. “I did the same thing after you went to sleep.”
They were still laughing as the golf cart climbed the curving uphill drive that led to the inn. Despite the chilly conditions, all the Adirondack chairs on the front lawn were filled with guests wearing wool sweaters or puffer jackets. A badminton game was underway—the breeze playing havoc with the shuttlecock—and the sound of laughter floated across the grass.
“Thanks for the ride and the hot gossip,” Heather told Heidi as she hopped off the golf cart behind the inn. “And for confirming that I was right not to pursue a career in child care. Hey, do you happen to know if Room 232 is changing out today?”
“I can check for you.” Heidi climbed out of the cart and ran her fingers through her hair.
“No need, I’ll just swing by and check myself. I think I lost something in there the last time. My, uh, gym pass might have fallen out of my phone case.”
But there was no need to make up some dumb excuse; Heidi obviously didn’t care. She fluttered a wave in Heather’s direction and hurried inside the hotel.
A housekeeping cart was parked outside Room 232 when Heather reached it. Damn it. Was she ever going to get a chance to sneak in there alone? Maybe she could come up with a story about leaving something in the room.
And then she took a closer look at the woman currently cleaning the room. She sure looked familiar, with that pretty head scarf and glowing dark skin.
“Hi,” she said as she stepped into the room, causing the woman to turn in surprise. “I was here once before. My friend stayed in this room for a few days. Remember, you told me all her bags were gone?”
The woman watched her warily, not revealing whether any of that rang a bell.
“My name is Heather.”
After a moment, the woman said, “I am Safiya,” although she didn’t look any more trusting than before.
But Heather knew Gabby, knew that she always got to know the staff wherever she stayed, because they were often her best sources of information. She’d bet anything that Safiya remembered Gabby, and would want to help her.
“Hi, Safiya. Like I said, Gabby, the one who was staying here a few days ago, is a very close friend of mine.” She pulled out her phone and found her “Gabby x Heather” album. “See?”
As she flipped through the photos, she saw a smile flick across Safiya’s face. “Good friends,” she said softly.
“Best friends. She told me that she’d left something in this room. A flash drive.”
No reaction from the woman. How good was Safiya’s English? Did she know the term “flash drive”? Too bad she didn’t have the other flash drive with her to show her what it looked like, but she’d left it at her mother’s house.
“For computers.” She demonstrated its length with her fingers. “Gabby hid it and wanted me to find it for her. Have you seen anything like that?”
She caught a flash of warning in Safiya’s dark gaze, and turned around to find Judy, the fearsome manager, in the doorway, frowning at the two of them. With her navy silk scarf and blazer, she gave off mean flight attendant vibes. Heather was tempted to fasten her seatbelt and immediately locate the closest exit.
“What’s going on here? Heather, what are you doing here?”
“Oh hi, Judy, I…uh…I was just…” Remembering she still held her phone, she waved it at the manager. “I remembered how amazing the view is from this room, and I was hoping I could get a photo. But your superb cleaning staff is being very protective. Is it okay if I just snap a quick shot?”
After a long, frosty pause, Judy nodded. “Very quick. Then please let my staff get back to work.”
“Of course.”
She stepped to the window to frame up a photo. When she turned around again, Judy was gone, and Safiya was already pulling the cart out the door. Catching Heather’s eye, she jerked her head toward the freshly made bed.
And there it was, right there on the sage-green bedspread. The flash drive.
Thank you, Safiya.
Heather snapped it up and closed it inside her fist. If only she had her laptop with her so she could see what was on this thing. Heidi was working at the front desk; maybe she’d allow Heather to check out the thumb drive for a hot second.
Out the window, she caught sight of a sailboat heeling in the wind, its striped sails nearly touching the water. Beyond it, in the distance, she caught a flash from the lighthouse that gave Lightkeeper Bay its name. No keeper anymore. Just an automated computer that kept that beam of light sweeping around in a regular pattern all day and all night. Usually she found the sight of that faraway rock with its classic white lighthouse reassuring—it was such a constant presence, a beacon to sailors, a sentinel against the storms.
But right now, that flash of light felt like a warning.Watch out. Rocks below. Watch your back.
Maybe it was best if she got off this island now that she had both the flash drives. She’d deliver them to Gabby and they’d put their heads together and figure all of this out for the podcast. She had to make sure she didn’t lose the damn thing, or that no one stole it from her before she could reach Harbortown.
