Page 13 of Locked and Loaded

This is not how life was supposed to be.

She was glad her father was gone. There was no way he could face this, but it would have been nice if her step-monster could offer support. She was off trying to find yet another husband. When Lennox had told her Chloe was missing, she’d said it was nonsense and that Chloe was just off having fun. And that she, Lennox, should try it some time. Then she hung up.

Lennox’s own mother offered the support she could, but she was busy with her own life, and Lennox didn’t blame her for keeping her distance from this. Chloe was the reason her husband had walked out the door. It had taken her mother years to get over it. It wasn’t fair to ask her for help now.

Lennox took a long breath, put the picture back in her bag, and stood up.

Feeling sorry for herself was never going to be an answer. She was determined to get her sister back one way or another

Her stomach growled. She couldn’t do much of anything on an empty stomach.

A few nights in a five-star hotel was not something she should feel guilty about. She reasoned she’d been punishing herself enough and driving herself as hard as she could, but lack of sleep, good nutrition, and comfort were taking their toll. A few nights in luxury wouldn’t solve that, but it might put her back on solid footing.

It was late afternoon. Dinner wasn’t for another few hours, but she knew there was a rooftop pool and bar area. They were bound to have something.

Lennox hadn’t brought a bathing suit, but she had brought a few sundresses. She pulled one out and quickly changed. She slathered herself in sunscreen and popped a hat on top of her head, then headed up to the roof.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t busy. Of course, it was excruciatingly hot, so perhaps it wasn’t all that surprising.

She found a shady spot, and a waiter brought her over some water immediately. She didn’t want to drink alcohol in the sun, so she asked for a mocktail.

The waiter smiled.

“And what sort of mocktail would you like, miss? If you look in the menu, we have a wide variety to choose from.”

Lennox glanced at the menu, but it seemed like way too much effort to read the whole list.

“Why don’t you surprise me?” she said.

He nodded at her. “Very good, miss.” Then he turned and hurried back toward the bar.

The rooftop was stunning, with its pool and seating area filled with high-end loungers and shade canopies. The sun was blocked out by fabric strung across the area. It made it quite cozy.

The waiter approached again, bringing her mocktail.

“This is a Medina Breeze,” he said, setting it in front of her.

“Lovely,” she commented.

“Would there be anything else?” the young man asked.

“Yes. Do you have any sort of snacks I could have right now? I know the kitchen isn’t open.”

“Of course, miss. We usually don’t offer anything at this hour, but I’m sure I can find something.”

“That would be delightful. Thank you.”

The young man nodded again and whisked off toward the far corner of the roof.

Lennox leaned back in her chair and took a long sip of her mocktail. It was tasty, tastier than she’d thought possible. Orange, pineapple with a hint of cardamom and black licorice. If all the mocktails were like this, she could see why people had switched to booze-free drinks. She’d read articles where alcohol was becoming less popular, and now she understood. She certainly didn’t want to drink in the sun, but this mocktail was very refreshing.

She let her gaze roam across the pool area. It really was lovely. If only she were here for a different reason.

There was a laughing couple in the corner. They were the only other people about. The waiter had walked over to them and was chatting.

Lennox leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.

A loud pop made her jump.