But something in his eyes told me there was more. He avoided my gaze, and James had never been the kind of man who could hide things from me.
He stood up. “I need some air.”
And he left.
Something in his eyes told me there was more.
***
Over the next few days, I watched James carefully.
He’d been coming home late for weeks. Taking phone calls in the other room. Always on his phone, texting someone.
One evening, he called from work.
“Hey, I’m going to be late. Office party.”
“On a Wednesday?”
“Yeah. Client appreciation thing. I’ll be home by 10 or 11. Don’t wait.”
He’d been coming home late for weeks.
I hung up and sat there for a moment.
Something didn’t feel right.
Two days earlier, I’d hidden a GPS tracker in his car. I’d been suspicious for a while but hadn’t wanted to admit it.
I opened the tracking app on my phone.
The little dot wasn’t at his office.
It was at a motel 15 miles outside of town.
My heart started racing.
I’d hidden a GPS tracker in his car.
I grabbed my keys and drove to the motel.
It was one of those cheap roadside places. The kind you only go to if you don’t want to be seen.
I pulled into the parking lot.
James’s car was parked near the back.
I walked into the lobby. A young woman was behind the desk, filing her nails.
“Can I help you?”
“I need to know which room my husband is in.”
The kind you only go to if you don’t want to be seen.
I showed her his picture on my phone and gave his name. She looked up.
“I can’t give out that information.”
I pulled out my wallet and placed $200 on the counter.
“Please. It’s an emergency.”
She hesitated.
Then she glanced at her computer. “Room 214. Second floor.”
I took the stairs two at a time.
I showed her his picture on my phone.
When I reached the door, I could hear voices inside.
A man’s voice. A woman’s voice. And laughter.
I called James’s phone.
He cut the call.
I called again.
He cut it again.
I kept calling until he finally answered.
“What, Merlin? I’m in an important meeting.”
I could hear voices inside.
“Really? Because it sounds like you’re having a great time.”
“I’m busy with a client.”
He hung up.
A few moments later, I heard him call room service.
I had an idea.
I went back downstairs and waited near the staff changing room.
When a young woman came out with a trolley of drinks and food, I stopped her.
“Please. I need your help.”
I heard him call room service.
“Ma’am, I’m working…”
“My husband is in room 214. With another woman. I need to see for myself. Please.”
She glanced around, then looked at me with sympathy.
“I could lose my job.”
I pulled out some cash. “Please. I’m begging you.”
She took the money and led me to the changing room.
“My husband is in room 214. With another woman.”
Five minutes later, I was wearing a hotel staff uniform and a mask that covered half my face.
The woman handed me the trolley.
“Good luck.”
***
I knocked on the door of room 214.
“Room service.”
James opened the door.
He barely looked at me. “Great. Bring it in.”
I wheeled the trolley inside.
I was wearing a hotel staff uniform and a mask that covered half my face.
And that’s when I saw her.
The woman sitting on the bed. Mid-40s. Familiar.
I’d seen her before. At Lucas’s school.
She was Yuki’s mother.
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