Worst than I thought

"Where are you taking me to?" I asked Molly dragging my hands away from hers.

"Look Mar, the key to this puzzle is finding the stranger you had a one-night stand with."

I nodded,"so?" I asked.

"We can find him if we go back to the hotel. You do remember the hotel right," Molly said.

"Yes I do, but how is going back there going to find him? It is not as if he works there or his face is on the wall of the hotel," I said, walking back to bed.

"Mar, we can get the CCTV footage of that day," she said, eyes wide open.

"Oh, that makes sense, but it's a big establishment. Do you think they give their CCTV footage to just anyone that requests it?"

"There is no harm in trying, besides trust me on this," Molly said, dragging me once more.

I followed her not because I was sure the plan would work but because when Molly has an ideal in her head, nothing and no one can sway it away from her.

We drove in Molly's car to the hotel.

Molly and I walked into the hotel, the polished floors shining under the glow of the chandeliers. 

Everyone was busy with their business. At first, I didn't know what to do or where to go, but Molly's presence gave me the strength I needed.

She leaned in close to me, her lips brushing my ear.

“Let’s take a seat at the reception first,” she whispered.

We settled onto a cushioned sofa, looking at everyone walking about. 

Molly’s sharp gaze swept over the room, her demeanor calm yet calculating. 

“So, what’s the next plan?” I asked.

“For now,”, we are looking for someone among the workers who might be... receptive to us.” Molly murmured.

I nodded, my own eyes wandering across the room. 

A young woman behind the front desk caught my attention. She had a friendly smile and seemed approachable.

I nudged Molly and pointed her out.

“No,” Molly said immediately. Her voice was sharp. 

“For something like this, we need to speak with a man. I can work my magic on him.”

I looked at her surprised, but did not question her as we continued our quiet search. 

Over the next fifteen minutes, I suggested a handful of other workers, but Molly dismissed each one.

“He’s too serious.”

 “He doesn’t look trustworthy.”

 “That one isn’t handsome enough.”

 “His nose is too broad.”

I sighed, trying not to roll my eyes at her picky assessments. Then, suddenly, Molly straightened up, a triumphant smile on her face.

“Bingo,” she said softly. Her eyes locked on a tall man adjusting his tie near the entrance. “That’s our guy.”

Before I could say a word, Molly was on her feet, moving toward him with the confidence of someone who always got her way. 

I followed behind her like a shadow, my heart racing for reasons I do not know. 

Molly approached the man and struck up a conversation. At first, his face was all business, his brows straight.

But then, as she spoke, his features softened, and a smile crept onto his face. 

After a moment, he gestured for us to wait.

When Molly returned to me, I leaned in, whispering, “What did you say to him?”

“Nothing much,” she replied with a nonchalant shrug. “I offered to go out on a date with him.”

I blinked at her. “What? Are you actually going to do that?”

“Relax, Mar,” she said, waving me off. “As long as we get what we want, leave the rest to me.”

I stared at her, impressed and scared at the same time.

“Thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Nothing, probably,” she said with a sly smile.

Minutes later, the man returned and motioned for us to follow him. 

He led us through a maze of hallways until we arrived at a dimly lit room filled with monitors and so many computers. 

We met another man, stocky with a no-nonsense demeanor, sitting in front of the screens. He turned to us, his expression serious.

“So, what do you really want?” he asked, his tone brisk.

Molly stepped forward, taking control of the conversation with her usual poise. 

I watched as she explained our request. 

The man listened, but his expression remained serious.

“What’s in it for me?” he finally asked, leaning back in his chair.

Molly smiled, “Name your price.” she said.

The man’s eyes shifted to me, and he smirked. “Your friend,” he said, tilting his head toward me.

I bristled, anger flaring hot in my chest. 

“What—” I began, but Molly cut me off with a gentle tap on my arm.

“You see,” she said smoothly, her tone not missing a beat, “my friend is suffering from a contagious disease right now. So, unfortunately, she really can’t be involved with anyone.”

"What the hell?" I whispered and Molly smiled at me, giving me a wink.

The man’s smile vanished, replaced by an awkward look of sympathy. 

“Oh. I’m sorry,” he muttered, glancing at me with apologetic eyes.

Without further argument, he turned to his computer and began scrolling through the security footage. 

Molly and I stood close, watching the monitors with bated breath. 

The man paused, his brows knitting together.

“This is strange,” he said.

“What’s strange?” I asked, my voice tight.

“The footage from that day... it’s not here.”

I felt a chill creep down my spine. “What do you mean it’s not here?” Molly asked sharply.

The man hesitated before answering. “I think someone erased it.”

“What?” My voice came out louder than I intended, my gaze snapping at Molly.

"Are you sure we are in the right hotel?" Molly whispered in my ear.

"Yes, I said, nodding. I vividly remember staring at the name of the hotel when I went out to pick up my car the next day."

I looked at Molly, her face was usually calm.

"What are you thinking?"

"This only means two things," she said.

"The person you were involved with is a very powerful celebrity, and he paid for the footage to be erased to avoid any scandal, or you were involved with a very old man that is trying to protect his image and family."

Neither of what she said brought any relief to me. Instead, it increased the tension running inside of me.

"This is worse than I imagined," I whispered, getting into her car.