Chapter Twenty-Four
T he appointment with the estate agent wasn’t going well. Rico sat on the edge of his chair in a very plush office as Michael Keller leafed through the plans of the Lakeside Hotel and then the ones of Grande’s proposed casino, his frown deepening with every sheet he turned over. Rico squirmed. This wasn’t looking great, was it? Michael was in his late thirties, and the business where he worked was in the busy area between the lake and the old town. It all seemed pretty upmarket, so the guy would know what he was talking about. Problem was, right now he wasn’t saying anything. Rico clasped his hands to stop them flapping about.
‘Okay,’ said Michael at last, laying the plans down and sitting back in his chair. ‘Have I got this right – you’d prefer to reject Grande’s offer and sell to a private individual who’d run the hotel as a family business?’
‘Yes. But we don’t have a lot of time, because we have to let Grande know by next Thursday.’
Michel Keller scratched his head. ‘I’m going to level with you, Rico. There is no way on this earth you’ll find a private buyer with a foolproof, legal guarantee of what they’d do with the place before next Thursday. It could take years to find someone like that, or you could be lucky and find the perfect buyer in a few weeks or months. But in six days? It’s not going to happen. Most people buying that plot would want to demolish and start again, even if it was a family hotel they were building. I’m sorry.’
Rico gathered up the plans and stuffed them into his briefcase. It wasn’t unexpected, but it still gave him a nasty crawling feeling in the pit of his stomach.
‘So we have the choice of accepting Grande’s offer and getting a really good price, or limping along in the hope of finding someone who’d take it off our hands for a pittance in comparison. Or we continue to run it ourselves.’ But they couldn’t continue to run it with him in Berne and Dad in Lugano.
Michael grimaced. ‘That’s about it. I’m sorry, and if you want us to help you further we’d be delighted, but we’re estate agents, not magicians. And I imagine Grande know very well what choice they’re giving you.’
Rico could well imagine too. Grande must be feeling pretty pleased with themselves now, and sure of themselves, too. He stood up. ‘I’ll talk to my father, and we can take it from there. Thanks for your time, and your honesty. Tell Fabian I’ll be in touch.’
He wandered through the streets of Zurich in the vague direction of the main station, his thoughts whirling round plans and buyers and prospects. Dad was going to say there was no choice. There was nothing more Rico could do, except pray for a miracle.
His phone vibrated in his jacket pocket, and he pulled it out. Oh – Stacy. He hadn’t thought about her for the past half hour, which showed you how involved he was with the hotel and its fate. He tapped to open her message.
Have lost Emily and Alan. Can you call me when you have time?
** *
She was standing on the pavement outside the funicular station, looking like a lost soul. It was all Rico could do not to gather her in for the biggest hug ever, but he managed to contain himself and gave her a pat on the shoulder instead.
‘Hey, great to see you again – but what on earth’s going on with the others?’
Stacy’s lips were trembling. ‘I wish I knew. They were getting on so well, and Emmy was looking better than I’ve seen her since before the accident, but – suppose she’s fallen and done something to her knee, or – oh, I don’t know. Thank God I had your number. Emmy’s not answering her phone and I don’t have a number for Alan.’
Rico pulled his phone out. ‘I do.’ He tapped, and they waited, but no joy.
Stacy sniffed. ‘Surely they can’t both have run out of battery?’
‘You wouldn’t think so. Okay, how about this: you stay here in case they appear, and I’ll go up in the Polybahn and have a look around at the top. If she’s had an accident, someone up there will know. I’ll call you when I’m coming down.’
He leapt into the funicular seconds before the doors closed, buying his ticket online as the carriage moved off. At the top, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Rico jogged along outside the university, then went up to a little snack bar to ask if they knew anything. No one did, and he jogged back to the top station in time to see a funicular start back down. Oops. Better call Stacy.
He made his call – she wasn’t happy with the news that the others were still missing – then hung around for the next car down. Back at street level, Stacy was sitting on the step of the Polybahn station, her knees bent up to her chest and looking so forlorn Rico’s heart melted all over again.
He dropped down beside her. ‘Let’s think. Could you have missed them, somehow, if they came off the funicular?’
‘I don’t see how, but I suppose anything’s possible. That doesn’t explain the radio silence, though.’
‘No. But for argument’s sake, let’s say you did miss each other. What would they do?’
She glared at him. ‘If it was me, I’d have waited. And then I suppose I’d go back to the main station, because our luggage is in a locker there. I was bang on time, Rico, and I’ve been around here ever since.’
‘But not right here?’
‘I went across to look at the river, that’s all.’
Rico pressed his lips together as he thought. She hadn’t been watching the funicular all the time. And there were four lanes of street between here and the river, including the busy tram lines. It wasn’t impossible they’d all missed each other.
Rico stood up and held out a hand. ‘Okay. Let’s see what we find at the luggage lockers.’
She allowed him to haul her up, but reclaimed her hand immediately and tramped along beside him, her face glum.
‘We’ll find them, don’t worry.’ He tried to sound encouraging, and she gave him a tiny smile.
‘Did your meeting go all right? Alan said that’s why you were here.’
‘It went as I thought it might.’
‘That sounds ominous. Are you okay?’
She was looking straight at him, the blue of her eyes deepened by the paler blue top she was wearing. Rico turned his head away. Stacy was one of those people you couldn’t hide things from. Like Mum had been.
‘It’ll work out in the end, I guess. Business stuff is complicated.’
‘And sometimes nasty.’
They were snaking through the Friday evening rush hour commuters at Zurich Main Station now, so Rico was saved from having to answer. Stacy led the way to their luggage locker, but there was nothing to indicate Emily and Alan had been back.
She pulled out a tissue, her lips trembling again. ‘Oh no, Rico, do you think–’
‘Stacy! Rico! We’re here!’
Stacy wheeled round to see Alan charging down the stairs from the main concourse, Emily following more sedately on the escalator. The two girls hugged fiercely while Rico exchanged grimaces with Alan. All’s well, etcetera, not to mention every cloud… He’d had some time alone with Stacy.
***
Rico’s car was warm, and Stacy slid out of her jacket. After all that rushing around and the worry about Emily, she was ready for a seat for the next hour. And really – Emily and Alan and their phones provided the absolute definition of two people being as bad as each other. Stacy looked round at the other two, sitting closer than they might have done in the back of Rico’s car. Good, they were looking pretty cosy, so hopefully that was why they’d lost track of time.
The motorway was busy, and Stacy sat straighter as they sped on eastwards. They’d see the mountains in a minute… Yes, there was the Alpstein range, hazy in the heat with a couple of clouds clustered over the S?ntis summit. She glanced at her watch. They’d been driving for half an hour, surely th ey’d see the lake soon?
‘We’ll see it when we’re past St Gallen,’ said Rico, when she asked. ‘We’ll be home in half an hour. You’ve got the same room as last time, by the way.’
Home. The word jabbed into Stacy’s heart. Everyone needed a home, but – where was hers? Emily’s flat wasn’t a permanent home. Mum and Dad’s? Not any longer. Home should have been with David somewhere – she and David should be each other’s home. But they weren’t, and all at once it was an unsettling feeling. She’d messaged last night to tell him that she was going to Switzerland and would be in touch on her return. He’d seen the message, but hadn’t replied. Which meant – what?
Emily and Alan spent the entire journey chatting away about this and that, and Stacy wondered again if coming here had been the right thing to do. She pulled a rueful face. Thank heavens they weren’t here for a week, that was all. Emily could say what she liked, three was going to be a crowd sometimes. Emmy and Alan were obviously much more at home with each other, anyway – there it was again, home. And what about Rico? He had a complicated home situation too. Were they going to sell the hotel? What a pity that would be.
A few minutes later the lake appeared in the distance, and Stacy sat straight, her eyes fixed on the strip of blue in front of her. Soon they were speeding downhill, Lake Constance getting larger every minute until they reached the valley and it vanished behind trees and houses, only the odd glimpse reminding them it was there. And how fab it was to be back. It might not be home, but this was a pretty special place and she was going to make the most of every minute here.
‘Made it!’ Rico pulled into the car park at the side of the hotel and grinned round the car.
Stacy got out and stretched. Wow – the geraniums were much thicker now, spilling over their window boxes in pink and white waterfalls. The sun was hotter, too; she wasn’t going need the two light pullovers she’d packed. And oh, she was glad to be back. The hotel had a certain something that made you feel at home. Home…
She grabbed her things from the boot and walked into the front hall behind Alan and Emily, and oh, how lovely, they were hand in hand. Rico slid round behind the reception desk.
‘Welcome back to Lakeside!’
Stacy laughed. ‘From business meeting member to missing persons helper to chauffeur to receptionist – you have to be versatile to work here, don’t you?’
His eyes shone at her. ‘Women aren’t the only ones who can multitask, you know!’ He jabbed at the keyboard and booked her and Emily in.
He was smiling, but there was a worried frown nestled between his eyes and Stacy’s heart ached for him. There was probably a lot going on here that Alan and the rest of the staff didn’t know about, and it was none of her business, either. But poor Rico – if the hotel was to be sold, he would lose his home. Stacy shivered. ‘Home’ was turning up everywhere today. But Rico might consider his was in Berne now. He excused himself to phone his father, and Stacy pulled her case over to the lift to join Emily and Alan, who jabbed the button for them.
‘I’ll see you outside in the bar in half an hour,’ he said, as the lift arrived.
‘Being here has made me realise how much better my leg is,’ said Emily, on the way up. ‘Last time, I could only limp into the lift. Now I could easily go up and down the stairs.’
‘Not with that suitcase, you couldn’t,’ said Stacy, and Emily giggled.
‘I have a good feeling about Alan now, Stace. You might have been right all along.’
Stacy stuck out her tongue. ‘I never say, “I told you so” – but I did!’
Their room hadn’t changed, still with the huge pillows and flat summer duvets. Stacy went outside, a lump rising in her throat when she saw the view. In spite of her status as chief gooseberry, this break was a fab idea at a time when she was feeling down. It was comforting to treat yourself now and then, and brilliant of Mum and Dad to put in the extra work to allow her to abandon shop for a few days.
‘The geraniums haven’t half grown,’ she said, going back inside, but Emily was already under the shower.
***
Alan was waiting on the terrace when they went downstairs, and immediately signalled to his colleague, who brought over three glasses of cold and fizzing prosecco.
‘To a fab weekend,’ said Emily, raising her glass.
‘To a fab year,’ said Alan, clinking with them both.
Stacy searched for something to toast. ‘To all of us,’ she said at last. ‘May we flourish and – whatever.’
They clinked again, and Alan grasped Emily’s hand on the table top.
Stacy fixed on a happy expression. Three was a crowd already, but short of taking her prosecco for a solitary walk, there wasn’t much she could do about it.
‘I thought we could have food here tonight,’ said Alan. ‘We do all kinds of little snacky things in the bar on Friday nights, olives and cheese and so on, with crusty bread.’
‘Sounds amazing,’ said Emily dreamily, and Alan waved to the waiter again, not letting go of her hand.
By the time the food came, Stacy was feeling like the spikiest, greenest gooseberry in the world. She drained her glass and glanced across to the bar, where Rico was chatting to the barman.
He caught her eye and came over. ‘Ready for refills?’
‘Yes, please,’ said Stacy. ‘Bring another glass too, if you’ve time to join us.’
He came back a few minutes later with a tray and more cheese and olives, and Stacy relaxed. At least the conversation would be general for a while, then afterwards she would leave the lovebirds to it and have an early night.
‘Has your dad moved permanently to Lugano, Rico?’ she said, picking out a choice black olive and nibbling. ‘I think you said you have family there?’ Maybe he’d go there too, if the hotel was being sold.
‘He’s going to. He wants to take early retirement, and he grew up in Lugano,’ said Rico. ‘His brother lives there, and I guess it still feels like home. Nothing’s settled, though. So, what are you planning for tomorrow?’
Stacy swallowed her dismay. Oh no, poor Rico. His eyes were heavy, and his shoulders were rounded like a much older man’s. Time to change the subject.
‘We thought we might go to Mainau and see the flower gardens, or else go for a wander round St Gallen and do the shops properly, now that Emmy’s better at diving round boutiques and trying things on,’ she said.
‘I’m working tomorrow, but I’m off all day Sunday,’ said Alan. ‘We could do Mainau then? It’s a longer trip, especially if you go by boat. Fancy joining us, Rico? ’
‘For a trip to Mainau on Sunday, yes. I’ll pass on diving round boutiques in St Gallen, though,’ said Rico, and they all laughed.
Rico stayed with them until after nine o’clock, when he excused himself, saying he had bits and pieces to organise for the next day. Stacy went upstairs soon afterwards, leaving the other two in the gathering dusk on the terrace. She checked her phone on the way up, but the only message was the usual Have a good time her mother sent when she was away anywhere. Was she being stupid, thinking David might have replied to her message about coming here for the weekend?
Sighing, Stacy unlocked the door with the old-fashioned key and went into the bedroom. She would sit on the balcony for a while before having that early night. She lifted a glass from the table and took it to the minibar for some orange juice, her engagement ring glinting in the light from the little fridge. For a long moment, she stood still, staring at it, then she pulled it off and opened the safe to put the ring in beside their passports and spare cash. Right now, she didn’t feel engaged and she was damned sure David didn’t either.
***
‘I’m so glad you came, Emily.’
Emily’s heart melted as Alan raised their clasped hands to his face and kissed her wrist. Ten weeks until September sounded like eternity, but tonight, they were both here. She stretched out a finger and stroked his chin.
‘Me too.’
He leaned forward, and this time the kiss wasn’t just a brush of the lips. Emily’s body flamed as they broke away.
Alan laughed self-consciously. ‘Wow. We shouldn’t do that on a hotel terrace, even if it isn’t full.’
Emily craned her neck to see where the lake path came round from the other side of the hotel and disappeared into near-darkness along the lake bank. That looked quite romantic. ‘Shall we go for a walk?’
‘Drink up, then.’ He drained his glass.
Emily sighed happily as they strolled along by the water. How amazing it was to walk along here with two good legs. Okay, one and three quarters good legs, but in comparison to her last visit, it was phenomenal. And Alan’s arm was holding her diagonally across her back and hers was around his waist and he was going to be her guy, yes, and– Her train of thought came to an abrupt end as he pulled her closer and kissed her again, and oh, yes, this was it. Emily forgot everything else in the heat of the moment.
‘Emmy? This is going to sound incredibly corny – at least I hope it sounds corny and not too much too soon, but I – I…’
He was staring uncertainly, and Emily reached up and cupped his face.
‘Not corny at all, and not too much too soon either. Look at all the time we’ve spent not letting this happen. So yes, I would love to see your room.’
Were those tears in his eyes? Bless him. They wandered back to Lakeside, Emily fitting snugly into her new favourite place as close to his side as she could get while remaining decent. And yup – she’d found a keeper, hadn’t she?