13. Hazel

Chapter 13

Hazel

M y cheeks hurt from smiling too much. I hadn't laughed this hard in a while. It was the most inappropriate thing to do in the most inappropriate place and with the most inappropriate person.

What was I doing laughing in Emily’s hotel room with Ian?

The question rang loudly in my head, but it wasn’t enough to take away from this moment. Ian and I were standing inside the hotel room. He’d pulled me in after the old man from next door glared at me. I shouldn’t have found it funny, but it only added to my amusement.

When I’d finally sobered up, Ian was still standing in front of me, his eyes watching me with keen interest. It was as if he was trying to figure something out, figure me out. My breathing was still a bit frantic from the laughing, or maybe it was from Ian. Having him so close to me was doing things to my body that it shouldn’t be doing.

Thankfully, I was able to think clearly. Whatever this was, it could never happen, and certainly not in the hotel room where we were supposed to be looking for clues. I coughed slightly and Ian blinked as if he’d just been pulled out of some trance.

He looked at me before turning to look at the hotel room. I followed suit. It was the first time I was really taking a look at the room. From the moment we entered, I was so fixated on Ian that I couldn’t see anything else. It was scary how quickly he could obscure my view.

I pushed that thought away and continued my assessment of the place. From the laid bed and spotless bedside table I could tell the room had definitely been cleaned since after Emily was here. I wasn’t surprised. The room was likely cleaned immediately after Olivia checked out.

Still, according to Kevin, no one else had used this room so there was still a chance we could find something. I still felt so angry at the man. I couldn’t believe that after turning me down several times, he said a quick yes the second Ian Carter was involved. It was wrong on so many levels.

But like Ian said, I should just be grateful we were getting a chance to look at the room. He was right. I’d never tell him that though. His head was big enough already. If he got any more compliments, he’d likely float up into space.

I couldn’t help laughing at that thought and Ian turned back to look at me. “Still not done?” he asked, referring to my recent bout of laughter.

“No, I’m done.”

He nodded. “The room was cleaned pretty thoroughly.”

“You think someone was trying to hide something?” I asked. It wasn't a far-fetched thought. Someone who worked in the hotel might be responsible for what happened to Emily.

“Maybe.”

“We could ask Kevin if there’s anyone here who seems suspicious. After all, the man would do anything for you.”

Ian rolled his eyes. “You have to let that go.”

I laughed again before returning to my search with more focus. The cream-colored curtains were pulled back, and they welcomed the bright afternoon sun. The light spilled over the white bedding, making them look almost angelic. Whoever cleaned this room was very thorough indeed.

Olivia’s description of the room suddenly came to mind. During the many times we met up to discuss Emily, she’d described this room to me. She spoke about the fluffy blue rug that sat on the floor outside the bathroom, the light brown headboards that matched the bedside table, the closet filled with ten hangers and so much more.

I walked up to the closet and pulled the doors open. I counted the hangers, and I realized they were ten, just as Olivia had said. Actually, everything in this room was exactly as she’d described. From the curtains to the rugs, to the headboard. Even the position of the telephone. It was as if she committed every detail into memory.

At the time I didn’t think much of it. I just assumed Olivia was so spooked by her friend's disappearance that she tried to learn everything about the room so she could help the police in every way she could.

That was probably the reason. Olivia had proven time and time again that she was a truly good friend. Her absolute dedication to finding Emily was proof of that. When she went to the police, they turned her down at first but she didn’t give up.

I wouldn’t give up either. I continued searching, pulling open the drawers of the bedside table but not finding anything there. I also checked the drawers of the closet. There was nothing there either. I sighed as I moved to the bathroom. I wasn’t sure what I expected to find there, but it was worth a try.

Like the rest of the hotel room, the bathroom was sparkling clean. White-tiled walls shun brightly, and they looked clean enough to eat on. There was nothing here that could lead me to Emily. Even if something was before, it was long gone now.

Everything was gone. This room had been cleaned so well that there was nothing left. Nothing that could help me find Emily. Ian and I were probably just wasting our time here. Was there even any point in coming to this hotel room?

I felt myself becoming increasingly frustrated. Every time I thought I was getting a step closer to finding Emily, I realized that I was still exactly where I started. Every step I took was just a step in the wrong direction. Maybe I just wasn’t cut out for this. Maybe Olivia made a mistake by coming to me. She should have approached someone more capable, someone who reached a wider audience. Maybe then we would have gotten some information about Emily.

My frustration poured out of me in a loud groan. Ian turned to me, worry coating his features. “Are you okay?”

“What are we even doing here?”

“We’re trying to find something that could help us find Emily,” Ian answered as he approached me.

“We’ve been at this for over an hour and we haven't found anything. There’s nothing here! We just wasted a whole hour searching an empty hotel room while Emily was out there, God knows where, and she could be hurt. She could be…”

My voice trailed off. I lifted a hand to massage my temples, then I brought it lower so I could massage the sides of my eyes. “We… We’re wasting time and I’m scared. I’m scared something might have already happened to her. So much time has passed. What if… What if Emily is already dead?”

“You can't think that way, Hazel.” Ian was standing in front of me now and he placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. I felt warmth spread through me the moment he touched me. Despite the barrier my sweater provided, it still felt like he was touching my bare skin. “You can't think like that,” he repeated.

“It’s hard not to.”

“I know but you have to remain positive. You have to believe that we’ll find Emily and she’ll be alive. Just stay positive.”

My mind pointed out the irony of Ian giving me advice on staying positive. I’ve known him long enough to know that he was more of a realist than an optimist. Ian clung to logic and facts. He wasn’t one to preach positivity.

It was strange to hear him say it. And even stranger to be the one on the receiving end of his advice on positivity. I was always the more optimistic one. Jade and I were similar in that way. Ian, on the other hand, not so much.

“I can't believe you’re giving me a lecture on positivity. You of all people.”

“Hey! I can be positive,” Ian said, putting on a mock offended look.

I laughed and he joined me. We were standing so close that I got to see the moment his eyes lit up when he laughed. I’d seen it only a handful of times and it always took my breath away. I loved watching his eyes take on that unique sparkle. I loved seeing his wide perfect smile and the way the laughter contorted his features.

It was beautiful and for a while, all I did was stare. Ian and I remained like that, a smile still plastered on his face. The aftermath of his laughter was just as breathtaking as the action itself. I knew I shouldn’t be feeling all these things, but I couldn’t help myself.

His hand was still on my shoulder but suddenly it fell away and so did his smile. His brows knitted together in confusion, and he squinted his eyes. Something had clearly caught his attention. I stepped aside but stood close by as he reached under the bed and picked something up.

He stood and turned to face me with his open palm outstretched. “It’s a wedding ring.”

“A wedding ring?”

“Yes.”

Ian placed the ring in my hand, and I assessed the small gold jewelry. He was right. It was a wedding ring. A woman’s ring, most likely, due to the delicate size of it, the small diamonds inset along the metal.

“Do you think it belongs to Emily?” he asked.

I shook my head. “I don’t think so. Emily wasn’t engaged or married. At least Olivia never mentioned a husband to me.”

“Is Olivia married? Maybe this belongs to her.”

“No, she’s not married either.”

I was certain the ring didn’t belong to either of them. From what Olivia told me they were both single. My first guess when Olivia told me about Emily’s disappearance was that an ex or current boyfriend was responsible for it. That idea was thrown out when Olivia told me Emily had been single for a while. “I’m pretty sure the ring was left here by some other guest.”

Ian took the ring from me and shoved it in his pocket. “I’ll hand on to it. Just in case.”

I shrugged in response. There was no point holding the ring. Olivia already told me that neither she nor Emily were married. The ring wasn’t a clue to finding Emily which meant we really didn’t find anything at all. We spent our afternoon here, but it was all a waste of time.

I felt my frustration rising again, but I reminded myself to stay positive. There was no point in thinking negatively about this. It would only hinder my progress if a part of me believed there was no point. I had to keep believing there was hope. Soon we would find Emily. She would be alive and all of this will become a distant memory.

She’d probably be thrilled to know that Ian was part of the people looking for her. She’d get to meet him and it would make her so happy. Everything was going to be okay.

It had to be.

The door opened slowly, and Kevin popped his head inside. “Hi, Ian. So sorry to bother you but we have new guests, and they need the room. The cleaners will need to come in and get it prepared so…”

“That’s fine, Kevin. We were just leaving. Thanks again. You really are a lifesaver.”

“Could you write that on my shoulder pads?”

I thought Kevin was joking when he said that but when he pushed the door further open and I saw the blue shoulder pads in his arms, I knew he wasn’t. He handed Ian a marker and Ian graciously signed the shoulder pads.

I had to give Ian credit for being able to tolerate all this. It took real strength not to laugh in that moment and I wasn’t even the one doing the signing. It must be so much harder for Ian. I couldn’t possibly sign someone’s shoulder pads with a straight face.

Kevin stared at the place Ian signed, and he smiled brightly. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Actually, if you’re not busy, I have a helmet that I—”

I cut into the conversation before Kevin could make Ian sign his entire collection of safety gear.

“Okay! Sorry, Kevin but we have to go. Like right now.”

“That’s true. We have a… dinner to get to. Again, thank you.”

We rushed out of the hotel and into Ian’s car. “Thanks for the save,” he said with a soft smile. He rested one hand on my chair and placed the other on the steering wheel as he pulled out of the driveway.

Seeing him reverse his car shouldn’t be so sexy but it was. “Y-You’re welcome.”

I wanted the chair I was sitting on to swallow me if that was possible. Thankfully, Ian didn’t seem to notice my stuttering. I tried to pull myself together and focus on the road but every once in a while, my gaze was drawn back to him.

It was as if there was a force pulling us together and I was getting tired of fighting it.