Clouds Below the Mountains (8 page)

“Oh, I couldn't accept that from you,” said Jean, peering around the bathroom door. “It would be far too expensive and I could never repay you in any way.”

“Call it your birthday present then. I haven't got you anything yet for your birthday on Friday, so that will be it.”

“And I'll treat you to a manicure,” said Milly, not to be outdone.

Jean closed the door quickly, as tears of emotion began to well in her eyes.

“While she's in there, Milly,” Doreen whispered. “I've ordered her a cake and a bottle of champagne to be presented to her in the restaurant on Friday evening. We have to make sure that we are in there for seven o' clock, because the chef and his team are going to sing
“Happy Birthday”
to her.”

“Oh, when did you sort all that out?”, asked Milly, surprised.

“I booked it as an extra package on the Internet through Periquito travel, but you know when I went to get an extra towel, I mentioned it to the receptionist and she said she would arrange for the chef and his team to come and sing for her.”

“Wow, I know they do that on cruise ships, but I didn't know they did it at hotels as well. Is she having 55 put on the top of her cake?”

“No, I just asked for
Happy Birthday Jean,
I didn't want to embarrass her. Shh, it sounds as if she's coming out of the bathroom.”

***

“Eh I'm glad yer remembered to bring the travel kettle, Mavis,” said Fred, as he poured hot water onto the coffee in a plastic picnic mug and added a spoon of dried milk.

“Well, don't forget to make me one,” replied his wife as she disappeared into the bathroom, “ and there's some sachets of sugar in that Asda bag as well. I got them from the cafe when we were there last time.”

“It doesn't look too clever out there,” Fred observed, when Mavis appeared in the bedroom again.

“Let's hope them dark clouds over there doesn't mean were in for a downpour.”

“Well if it rains, we'll be scratting around for something to do, won't we? That Welcome meeting isn't going to take all day.”

“Oh, it might change by dinner time and if it doesn't, we'll put our macs on and take a slow walk down the sea front,” Fred replied, sipping at his coffee, thinking he should have put some more Coffee Mate in. “ Hey, you're not going back into the bathroom again, are yer? I need ter sit on toilet. Yer know coffee always makes me want ter go.”

“And comb your hair while you're in there,” said Mavis. “ It's growing like a brush on top of your head.”

Fred laughed and said, “You're joking aren't yer? There's more hairs on a coconut than there is on me bonce. I'll see yer in a bit, you're coffee will have cooled by now.”

Mavis pottered about, making the bed, though she knew it was the maid's job, tidying up the clothes that Fred had left scattered, then looking in her wardrobe to see which cardigan she was going to wear. She had put on a short sleeved cream coloured blouse with pintucks down the front and a pair of brown light weight trousers, but with the thought that the Sunlight Bar might be a bit draughty, if they had pulled the curtains back for the Welcome meeting, made her decide to take a cardi' with her just in case.

“Yer know they'll only be trying to flog excursions at this meeting, don't yer?”, said Fred later. “It's a waste of time really for those of us that have been ter Tenerife all these years.”

“But we've never done any of them, have we? No, I tell a lie, we once went to that island, what was it called, La Gomera with George and Ethel? Do you remember? Ethel was seasick, it was about ten year ago.

“Aye, yer don't have to remind me, that's why we've never been since. Any road, we won't be signing up for anything today, we'll just go and see what they have to say, eh, Mavis?”

***

Lucy switched off her travel alarm as it suddenly invaded her dreams. She felt she had only been asleep for a couple of hours, as Jenni had been restless in the next bed. Lucy felt mildly irritated, as she was used to sleeping alone.

Jenni murmured something unintelligible from under the covers, then suddenly sat upright as if she'd had a fright!

“Oh, I wondered where I was for a moment,” she said apologetically. “I feel so groggy, I could sleep for another couple of hours.”

“Well, you were very restless Jenni, but you must have managed a few hours at least.”

“I was worrying over Simon, wondering how he was coping in a Spanish jail.”

“You'll find out this morning,” Lucy said firmly, getting out of bed quickly, as she didn't want to have to go through a post mortem of the night before.

“I'll use the bathroom first, because I need to telephone the office when they open at eight o' clock. Kath will go spare if I don't warn her about what went on last night.”

“For what it's worth, I'm sorry for causing you problems,” Jenni said, looking very young to Lucy in her borrowed T' shirt. “I should have gone back to the bedroom and made it up with Simon. It was just, I was so upset over how he treated me.”

“I wouldn't have gone back if I'd been you,” said Lucy, as she passed her by to go to the bathroom.

“He doesn't deserve any pity from what you've told me. Anyway, get yourself a drink while you're waiting, there's a kettle and some tea bags if you look around.”

Lucy left Jenni later, dressed in her uniform once again, but unfortunately with the same blouse she had discarded the day before. Her only time to catch up with her washing, was on her day off and three blouses for six days wear, didn't add in. She hurried her steps as she crossed the courtyard from the annexe, it looked as if it might rain like she had been told it might. That didn't usually make for happy holidaymakers.

She had left Jenni looking for something in Lucy's wardrobe that might fit her, though she wouldn't hold her breath, because the girl looked to be three sizes smaller. She had instructed her to meet in the foyer at around half past eight, by then Kath, should have made an appearance and hopefully had made a decision on what to do.

“We can always get the master key from Housekeeping,” Lucy had assured Jenni, when the girl had taken a cursory look through her stuff. “Still you look very pretty in your beautiful dress, so that might have to do.”

The receptionist called Dania, was taking a ‘phone call when Lucy dashed in, she proceeded to tell her that the owner was on his way.

“Oh dear,” Lucy grimaced. “I'd better get through to Kath and tell her what has happened. She'll have to get over quickly if the owner is on his way. Did the night porter tell you what happened?”

“Si, he told me to telephone Senor Sanchez and give him the information. He should be here in around half an hour. You had an exciting evening, I hear.”

Lucy nodded, already tapping out Kath's number on her mobile. It rang for a few moments, then the senior rep' answered her ‘phone.

“Kath, it's me, Lucy. We've had a bit of a problem and one of the guests has been carted off to the police station. Yes, I know I should have rung you at home, but what was the point when it was late and you couldn't have done anything about it? Who was it? Someone called Reeves, Simon Reeves. He came with his girlfriend from Manchester yesterday. Yes, the pretty girl, you saw her when you were ticking her off the list. Do you want me to tell you what happened now or when you get here, only the owner is on his way and I could tell you both at the same time? Yes, the owner. Dania telephoned him after the night porter told her the story. No, I haven't forgotten the Welcome meeting. Do you want me to put a notice on the Sunlight Bar door to say it's been cancelled? Oh, wait until you arrive, then we'll think what to do. See you later then.”

Lucy looked at her watch to see what time it was. It wasn't eight thirty yet, so the restaurant wouldn't have opened for breakfast. Guests were already hanging around the foyer, or were getting their towels from Reception to place on the sun loungers in an effort to reserve them, but from what she could see through the automatic doors there wasn't going to be much sun today. She nodded pleasantly to a couple of people who passed her by, some looked curiously at her as they were not used to seeing a travel rep' so early on.

“Looks a bit gloomy,” said a man, who had come on the Manchester flight, as he walked past her to walk down the stairs. Was that Mr. Cooper?, she thought, trying to remember all the names. Oh yes, he was the one who was sitting with Mr. Lewis last night, before all the palaver had started.

***

“I think I'll go for a bit of a run,” Paul had said, after he had showered and pulled on a long sleeved polo shirt and beige cut off trousers. “You'll be all right with the kids, won't you, Cheryl? I felt so hot in here last night that I need to go and get some fresh air. I thought I'd have a run through the complex and down to the sea front. I'll be back in half an hour and you can meet me outside the restaurant.”

“Yes, I'll see you down there, Paul. The kids will be fine while I have my shower. I'll probably have to drag them away from the cartoon channel anyway. I think I've got a bit of a hangover from last night, probably the bar man giving out double measures. Still, if we put the children into Kid's club while the Welcome meeting is on, we should have a restful morning.”

“I don't want to go the Kid's club,” Annabelle protested, still in her nightie and ostensibly watching the T.V, but ear-wigging just the same.

“But you'll find it boring, listening to grownup people talking about the facilities and excursions, Darling,” said Cheryl, pulling a wry face at her husband.

“I'm off,” said Paul. “See you later. You can sort it out between you, I'll see you at the restaurant door.”

He jogged along the corridor, peeking through the corridor window as he did so. The clouds had come way down the foothills, blocking out the shape of the mountains, showing only the tips. It'll be mist, he thought to himself reassuringly. It will have cleared by lunch time and the sun will come out again.

***

“My turn today?”, asked Greg, as Sonya opened her bedroom door to admit her parents. “Yes, if you want to go first looking after Evan, Mum and I can do some sun bathing.”

“I don't think there will be any sun today, Sonya,” Kate said. “And I suggest you put on something warmer than that boob tube and shorts. It's looking cloudy and dull.”

“Am I going to the Kid's club today, Granddad?” asked Evan, bouncing up and down in his eagerness.

“If you want to, though it is Granddad's turn to look after you today.”

“Oh,” the child replied, looking a little downcast, as he was torn between going to see Jack or staying with his other best friend.

“Let's see how you feel after breakfast, though I've just remembered we have the Welcome meeting today. So yes, you go to the Kid's club, Evan and we'll do something together this afternoon.”

Evan cheered up at his granddad's words, then dashed past through the door.

“Hey, where are you going?,” shouted Greg, about to run after him.

“I'm going for my breakfast and to see Jack too.”

***

Jenni looked about her nervously as she came into the foyer. She was still dressed in her pale green frock, though she had thrown a white cardigan belonging to Lucy around her shoulders.

Lucy was standing by Reception with a dark haired man in a navy pin striped business suit and the woman who had directed them onto the coach at the airport.

“Ah, here she is,” said the woman to the business man. “Come over here, Jenni, we'd like to speak with you.”

Jenni did as she was told, though her legs felt as if they had turned to jelly and there was a bit of a humming in her ears.

“This is Mr Sanchez, the owner of the hotel. This is Miss Woods, can we call you Jenni?”

Jenni nodded and felt a bit at ease when the owner of the hotel smiled at her.

“I was suggesting that we all go down to breakfast, Jenni,” he said in perfect English, but with an obvious foreign accent. “None of us have eaten yet and perhaps we would feel better if we relaxed in each other's company.”

Jenni nodded again, but her stomach felt in knots and she wondered if she could keep any breakfast down?

“Perhaps just a croissant?,” Lucy said gently. “It's just that Mr. Sanchez is a busy man and we do have the Welcome meeting later.”

Again Jenni nodded and followed them down the stairs, where guests were streaming into the dining room.

“We'll tuck ourselves over there,” said Kath, going to the same table that Jenni and Lucy had dined at the previous evening.

“Perhaps we will get one of the waiters to bring a selection of cold food to our table,” said Mr. Sanchez. “It will save us time than going to the buffet separately.”

He clicked his fingers and Juan hurried over. Mr Sanchez spoke in rapid Spanish, the waiter nodded and sped away.

“So Jenni, Lucy has told me some of what occurred in the Sunlight Bar last night, but the question is what are we going to do with your boyfriend, Mr. Reeves? I cannot have a reoccurrence of his conduct in my hotel. The other guests are my first concern and I believe one of them had to intervene and take over the situation. That isn't good for the reputation of the Hotel Valia. It is probable that he and other guests will not want to come here again.”

“Have you heard whether Simon is going to be released today or not?”, asked Jenni, as the man paused in what he had to say.

“That will depend on whether the waiter wants to press charges for assault, I haven't spoken with him yet.”

“He only pushed the waiter, he thought that Miguel was coming onto me.”

“Which Lucy, who witnessed the incident says that was not the case.”

“No, he wasn't, but it looked that way.”

“What about yourself, do you want to press charges against your boyfriend? I believe he mistreated you in a way that is beneath gentlemanly behaviour.”