Chapter 24

Two days later, Lauren swung the car into the long term parking space, the effort registering on the muscles in her arms which still ached from carrying the suitcases to the car and her swimming the day before. Their flight was at four thirty that afternoon, and they had arrived with several hours to spare. She made sure she had locked the car and (to her own surprise) wrote down the number of the space for her return.

The coach whisked them (at a leisurely San Falino pace) to the international departure terminal and dumped them on the kerb. After twenty minutes in the check-in queue, she presented their tickets and passports, took the boarding cards and nonchalantly swept through passport control as though she flew every day.

Gustav met them, as arranged, at the cafe next to the departure gate. They chatted during the hour-long wait about Venezuela, the hotel and what they expected to see during their stay. Lauren was pleased to find a copy of Bild magazine and although it had nothing about Switzerland, she felt reassured just holding something so familiar. The plane left almost on time and banked immediately to the left. The now familiar noise came from below.

"That's the wheels coming up" said Lauren.

Emma nodded. "Daddy, will we see the Ambassador?"

"I doubt it honey. He's very busy at the moment talking about what's happening in San Falino." replied her father.

After showing them a miserable duty free selection, the stewardess returned with their dinners. Lauren wondered if the rolls had their own frequent flier accounts. They were rock hard and must have been a week old. Gustav broke his in two, and the girls giggled as he tried valiantly to spread butter on the resulting crumbs. Lauren looked past Emma and watched the lights of San Falino fading into blackness, thoughts of home drifting through her mind. She wondered how Jim was, realising that she hadn't talked to him or thought about him for weeks. Perhaps he had a girlfriend now. She hoped so. That would make life easier when she returned.

The remainder of the flight was uneventful and the plane taxied to a halt on time. They collected their baggage, avoided eye contact with the officers who lined the customs hall and then emerged into the arrivals hall. Their taxi took them right up to the massive front door of Le Centrale hotel, it's white columns towering up to the second or third floor. A red-coated doorman helped them into the lobby, smiling at the two girls and nodding at Gustav knowingly. He checked in, pleased that the hotel expected them, and had allocated two suites to the party. Lauren and Emma would be on the fifth floor, while Gustav would be on the third. Two bellboys took their luggage off into the depths of the building.

"I'm going to call the Ambassador. I expect I'll have to have dinner with him. Why don't you two eat in the restaurant down here."

"Oh, Daddy, can't we come with you?" whined Emma in a mocking voice.

"Don't be silly. Tomorrow night we'll go out together. Be good. You're on the fifth, right, room 507? I'm in 302. Remember that?"

"Sure, we'll call you in about five minutes" said Lauren, pressing the elevator button.

The golden doors of the elevator opened on the third floor and Gustav waved good- bye. The two girls smiled as the doors opened again and they made their way to their room. As the door opened they looked in astonishment at the corridor which led to the lounge. Paintings hung on the walls, and the thick carpet stretched in every direction. On both sides of the corridor were bedrooms. There was a small bathroom at the end, just before the door to the enormous lounge.

Even with all the furniture the room was still gigantic, and seemed to be divided between a contemporary dining area and traditional lounge. Shades of green reigned supreme, with heavy dark green curtains, pale wallpaper, a big old sofa and armchairs, plus a full- sized glass dining table with eight modern chairs, a television and a beautiful antique writing desk. A classic chandelier hung from the ceiling over the dining table.

"Oh wow, look at this place. It's enormous!" shouted Emma, falling onto the sofa.

"Hey, up!" whispered Lauren as the bellboy brought in their luggage. Lauren motioned towards the bedroom and he placed both suitcases on the bed. She gave him a small tip and he left, bowing silently as he closed the door. They hurried back to the bedroom, opening the drawers and looking inside the wardrobes. Both bedrooms were approximately the same with bathrooms leading off. The small bathroom off the corridor was really just a toilet and washbasin. They explored the lounge, finding fresh fruit by the television and all sorts of writing paper and envelopes in the desk.

Emma took her suitcase and dragged it through to the other bedroom, somehow realising that Lauren had decided where she would be staying. The girls unpacked, testing the beds, showers, televisions and every other facility that was on offer.

"Hey, look at all these little soaps and things that you get!" shouted Emma.

"I know. Have you seen inside the medicine-chest-thing yet?"

There was temporary silence. "Hey, I found allsorts of things. Toothpaste, a nail file. And even you know what!"

"Condoms!" said Lauren.

The phone rang and they both talked excitedly to Gustav. He had called the Ambassador and would indeed be having dinner with him, and then asked them to eat in the hotel and charge it to their room number. Also, would they leave him a message saying they were going to bed so that he knew they were allright.