CHAPTER ONE
‘SOPH, WE HAVE a situation.’
Normally those words from her extremely capable assistant hotel manager would have had Sophia Lambert on edge, but not today. Today, she needed the distraction. In fact, she’d take a month of situations just to get through January and keep the past at bay.
Taking a breath, she turned from her computer screen to give Andrew a smile and felt it freeze midway.
Whatever it was, it wasn’t good. Andrew was unflappable and yet his age-old wrinkles were creased tight, his warm eyes bright with concern.
Maybe this would be a distraction too far...
‘What is it?’
‘The McGregor child has gone missing.’
‘Missing?’ Her semi-smile became a frown. The McGregors were staying in the penthouse suite, one of the most luxurious suites London had to offer and as such rarely used. Only the richest of the rich could afford its extortionate nightly rate and the billionaire businessman McGregor was one such man.
A widower too. Not that Sophia knew this first-hand; the trusty grapevine of the hotel trade was responsible for that. His financial status and the tragic tale of a hit-and-run that took his wife three years ago, and almost took his child too, had spread far and wide thanks to the world’s media. She could just imagine how fast news of his child being missing would spread...
‘She came back with her nanny just after lunch and before they made it to her room...’ He shrugged, the move stilted with unease. ‘Poof—vanished.’
Sophia shook her head and pushed herself out of her seat. ‘A little girl can hardly vanish.’
Although, if she was honest, she’d disappear if she was in the care of that particular woman. She hadn’t had the pleasure of meeting the illustrious McGregor yet—he hadn’t arrived—but she’d met his little miss of a daughter and the battle-axe caring for her.
She approached him in the doorway. ‘We have twelve floors, one hundred and thirty rooms, cupboards, trolleys, luggage; if the girl wants to hide, she’s in the right place. There’s no need to think the worst.’
He scratched his brow. ‘I hope so.’
‘Come on.’ She started off down the corridor that led into the main foyer. ‘Where have you tried?’
‘The toilets, the public rooms downstairs, the lifts and stairwell.’
‘Okay, who’s on the search?’
‘Everyone who’s not needed out front. I even have the maids who were due to clock off hunting and Marie has taken Ms Archer back to the penthouse to calm her nerves.’
Marie was a good choice. Calm, efficient, matronly even, and a fabulous head housekeeper. ‘Good.’
‘But it’s been half an hour; we’ll have to call the police soon.’
‘We’ll find her.’ Sophia paused to rest a hand on his shoulder. ‘What about CCTV?’
He nodded. ‘We’ve checked. She was last seen heading towards the conference room on the second floor.’
‘And you’ve tried there?’
‘Of course—no joy.’
‘But there’s no sign of her leaving the building?’
He shook his head. ‘Absolutely none.’
‘There we go; she has to be here somewhere. We just have to think like a child and we’ll find her. I’m going to head up to the conference room; you carry on the search down here. Call me if you find her.’
‘Will do.’
They branched off and Sophia took to the stairs. She wasn’t ready to worry yet. Things and people went missing in hotels every
day and it was their job to see it resolved, to keep the guests happy. Which included Little Miss Trouble and her elusive father.
The conference room looked deserted, tables and chairs all stacked neatly to one side ready to be laid out for a company’s belated Christmas function. One table had already been set up, a red cloth covering it, with flowers, glassware and napkins all arranged to the organisers’ exacting standards. But no child.
She turned to leave and then something caught her eye. She looked back, eyes narrowing on the tablecloth. She could have sworn it had fluttered.
‘Hello?’ She took a tentative step towards it. Another flutter. Definite this time. ‘Hello?’