Hurricanes in Paradise by Denise Hildreth (best ereader under 100 .TXT) 📗

She heard Winnie’s fresh and dry denim pants swish together as she followed her. She was certain if her rhinestones rubbed together too hard, they’d have a fire on top of the hurricane.

“Mia!” Laine called out, her voice sounding almost hollow against the wind.

Mia turned. “Hey, oh, my goodness. You’ve got to get up to your friend Tamyra’s room right now!”

Winnie covered up a snicker. But she quickly tried to regain her composure.

Laine shook her head. “Well, she can wait a minute. Right now we need to talk.”

The sound of sirens began to filter through the wind and rain. Mia’s voice was loud and strained. “I can’t. I’m waiting on the ambulance.”

“Who’s the ambulance for?” Laine felt as if she were yelling.

“It’s for your friend Tamyra!” Mia was getting irritable. “I told you. You need to get up there now!”

Laine looked at Winnie. “Looks like our friend went a little over the top.”

“I’d say. Sounds more like a lie I would tell.”

Laine turned back to Mia. “Listen, I’m sure Tamyra will be fine. There is really no need for an ambulance. Honestly. You know beauty queens. They can be a little overemotional.”

Mia turned, her look one of horror. “I’m sorry. But if someone’s face has been pummeled until they are unrecognizable, I’d say they need an ambulance.”

Laine’s expression changed, and she stepped forward. “What are you talking about?”

“Your friend. A man attacked her in her room. He has nearly killed her. So I’d say our conversation can take place another time. Right now, I need to get the paramedics to her room.”

The screaming siren blared now as an ambulance pulled up in front of them. Laine and Winnie stood there stunned, watching as the passenger door flew open and a young paramedic exited.

“Oh, Lord, have mercy!” Winnie said.

“Come on, Winnie! Come on!” Laine didn’t wait for Winnie to follow. She took off down the hall.

* * *

“Oh, Jesus, help her! Help her, Jesus!” Winnie knelt by the bed. Her hands lay gently on Tamyra’s shoulder.

“They’ll be right here, Tamyra. You just hold on, okay?” Laine said, trying to keep from throwing up. She hadn’t seen a face so injured in her life. She fought back the thought that she had sent Tamyra up here. If she had just let her stay with them, if she had thought of something else, then maybe Tamyra wouldn’t have come up here.

As if she could read her expression, Winnie called out to her. “He would have been here no matter when she came to her room, Laine. Jason’s been looking for her. This is not your fault.”

Riley still wiped her face gently.

The paramedics came through the door, and the women all stepped back. The paramedics worked swiftly but gently with Tamyra’s pummeled body. She moaned a couple times, but Laine knew she was barely conscious. The women followed the stretcher downstairs and through the open corridors.

“You ride with her, Winnie. We’ll meet you at the hospital,” Riley said, patting Winnie on her shoulder as they followed the stretcher.

Wet streaks lined Winnie’s cheeks. “Okay. We need to call her mother. And the police. Tell the police to look for her ex-boyfriend—Jason something.”

“I will. I’ll take care of that. But her mother can’t get here until this storm has passed, and that won’t be until sometime tomorrow evening. I don’t even know when they’ll start letting flights take off again.”

The paramedics lifted the stretcher into the back of the ambulance, trying to keep Tamyra covered from the pulsating rain. Winnie climbed in with one of them. The other closed the doors tightly and disappeared around to the front of the vehicle. Riley and Laine stood underneath the building’s entrance, shock sweeping through them with each gust of wind that blew. The ambulance’s sirens came back to life as it sped from the resort.

“I can’t believe this,” Riley said, finally able to let her guard down. Her body began to tremble.

“What happened?” Laine asked.

“Apparently she came back to her room and a man was waiting on her when she got there. Thank God the housekeeper hadn’t cleaned her room yet. Because when she opened the door, he was on top of Tamyra, choking her. Honestly, Laine, if she hadn’t come in . . .” Riley’s voice broke.

Laine felt a surge of horror rush through her. Tears came hard against the brim of her eyelids. “But she did. She did come in.”

“It’s a miracle, Laine. Honestly, it’s a miracle. Of all the rooms she could have cleaned, she went to that one.”

Laine reached out and took Riley’s arm. “Listen, go on to the hospital. Go sit with them and I’ll be there in a little while.”

“You sure? You don’t want to come?”

“No, I’ve got something to take care of here, and then I’ll be right there.”

Riley nodded. Laine was grateful she didn’t press. “If you’re sure. I just need to go hear what the doctor says once he looks at her. Then I’ll come back here and make sure all of the guests are okay.”

“I thought you were fired.” Laine regretted saying it as soon as it came out, but she needed to get Riley out of here for a minute.

“I haven’t signed my termination letter yet.”

Laine breathed a sigh of relief.

“So legally I’d say I’m still responsible for my guests.”

Laine smiled. “You’d be responsible for them even if you had signed it. That’s just who you are.”

“I’ll call you if I hear something before you get there.”

“Sounds good. Now go.” She swatted at her. She watched as Riley made it to her car, the wind sweeping wildly at her petite frame and the rain beating against her. Laine would be grateful when Riley finally could feel the wind at her back and not beating her in the face. Speaking of beatings . . .

Laine turned back and caught sight of Mia’s blonde hair in the office. She took a deep breath and headed straight for the glass door.

21

Friday afternoon . . .

“Someone