The Playboy's Assassin

White Whale Island: Enrique.

“Wait here,” Scarlett said and went into the convenience store to get supplies for our journey. I took out my phone and sent a quick text to Diego.

Help. I’ve been kidn*pped. Don’t call back.

Going with Scarlett had been convenient at the time but I wasn’t stupid. Sooner or later she’d decide to kill me. She was probably just stringing me along so she could hand me over herself. Diego was the only one I could trust. I turned on my data and notifications flooded my phone. I checked my email. I hadn’t gotten any important mails but there was one mail from a hotel in South Carolina and another one from my sister. I skipped them both and checked my i********: feed.

“What are you doing?” I heard a voice behind me and I turned. My phone slipped out of my hand and fell. Scarlett had a thunderous look on her face as she glared at me.

“I–I didn’t see you there. When did you come up behind me?”

“You took the phone after I threw it away? Are your brain cells that small that you couldn’t understand that throwing away means unwanted?”

I picked the phone up. “I saw something on it and I was checking it out.” I clicked on my email and showed her the message from the hotel. “You said we needed to go someplace they’d never expect us to go. Well, this is it.”

She glanced at the phone but her expression didn’t change. “And why is that?”

“They’ve been trying to get me to come to the island for months now and I’ve never replied any of their messages. It’s an old island in South Carolina. It’s off the radar and I don’t exactly do small hotels. I was thinking we could go there.”

“Give me the phone.” She stretched out her hand.

If she checked, she’d see the message I sent to Diego. “I have to confirm if we’d be going. You can’t break it.”

“What makes you think I want to break it?”

“Because you look like you’re going to break it.”

“Fine. Confirm our arrival and then give me the phone. I won’t break it.”

I deleted the text I sent to Diego and sent a mail to the hotel, confirming my arrival. Then I handed the phone to her. She took it, smashed it on the floor and stomped on it. “You don’t need a phone anymore.”

“Where are we going now?”

“To the airport. You did tell them we’d be coming, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did but it’s not that simple. I need to check in with them about my flight details and the activities I’d be participating in, my room too and you just smashed the only way to do that.” I bet now she’d wish she didn’t just destroy my phone.

“We’d buy our own ticket and all that would be finalized when we get there. Let’s go.”

I stared at her in surprise. It had been so easy to convince her. Too easy. It didn’t matter. I’d contact Diego once we got to the island and he’d bring the cavalry. She’d get arrested and then it’s bye-bye death threats.

The rain started as soon as we stepped out of the airport and by the time we made it to White Whale Island, we were soaked to the bones.

“It’s so nice to finally have you, Mr Capone,” Harrison, the hotel manager said as we shook hands. He was a rail-thin man with a receding hairline. Dressed in a simple black shirt and a cardigan with jeans and– oddly enough– multi-coloured sneakers that clashed with his whole outfit. “It came as a surprise to us that you accepted our invitation yesterday. We weren’t expecting you to arrive so suddenly. We haven’t quite made preparations for you but don’t worry, we have the best room available for you.” He frowned. “All the rooms even,” he said to himself.

“If you haven’t noticed, Harrison. It’s raining and we’re freezing,” Scarlett said.

“Oh! I’m so sorry. How rude of me. Please come in.” He stepped aside for us. “Are your luggage in the car?” He eyed our bags.

“No. I didn’t have time to pack much,” I said and Scarlett gave me a look.

“You didn’t have time?” he asked, seeming confused.

“Yes. With my injury and all.”

“Oh! I heard about the unfortunate incident. It would be a pleasure to have you convalesce at our hotel.” He smiled. His teeth were perfectly aligned and pearly white. Despite his bad fashion sense, it seemed he had a great dental plan. “Come with me, I’ll show you to your room.”

He collected a key from the receptionist then paused. “May I ask who your companion is?” he eyed Scarlett curiously. “Have I seen you somewhere before? You look familiar.”

“I must have one of those faces,” she replied.

“She’s my nurse.” I smiled.

“Oh!” He was taken aback. He looked her over. Scarlett with her sour disposition and her affinity for dark leathery outfits looked nothing like a nurse. “We weren’t expecting you to bring a companion but I guess it’s all the better for us. More publicity.” He motioned to the receptionist to get another key but Scarlett stopped her.

“I’ll be staying with him. I’ll have to keep a close eye on him. Wouldn’t want him falling out of bed and hurting himself.”

“Right, of course.” He smiled politely. “Come with me.” We followed him out of the lobby and up the stairs. “I apologize if you’re not used to taking the stairs but the hotel’s structure doesn’t leave room to install an elevator.”

The hotel was wooden in structure. It was made out of oak and the décor was minimalist. The stairs creaked as we went up it. Despite my earlier reluctance to visit the place, I would admit the hotel was different from all the others I’d been to. It was homely. It reminded me of a cabin I used to vacation at as a child and my mood dampened. Harrison stopped in front of a door and unlocked it.

“This is your room,” he said as he stepped aside for us to enter. The walls had grey wallpaper. A large bed stood in the middle of the room with a white fur rug at the base. The floors were made of dark wood and every other piece of furniture in the room was made of the same wood. There was a cabinet close to the bed with a mirror facing the bathroom. For a building made entirely of wood, it didn’t look like it.

“It’s beautiful,” Scarlett said, surprising me. I turned to face her but her attention was on the room. She had a faraway look in her eyes.

“Yes, it is,” I said and she looked at me then swallowed. Just like that, she was back to her moody self.

“I’m glad you like it.” Harrison smiled. “To be honest, it’s been quite a while since we’ve had anybody visit the hotel. Now that you’re here, hopefully, things would change. If you need anything, you can ring up the reception,” he said and walked away. I closed the door after him and faced Scarlett again. We were both dripping water onto the floor.

“Would you like to take a bath first?” I asked, hoping she’d say yes and I could use the phone.

“You go first.” She turned away and moved to the window. She pulled the curtains aside and stared out at the streets. I couldn’t tell what it was but something was strange about her. I dropped my bag and went into the bathroom.