Read The Girl in the Yellow Vest for Free Online Page A

hook. ‘I’m going out.’
    Will watched in resignation as his boss headed for the door. As luck would have it, however, as Caesar opened it, there was someone standing on the other side, barring his path.
    Charlotte Templeton, Will noted, as he always noted whenever he saw her, was a very good-looking woman. Definitely the prettiest landlady he’d ever had. A little too old for him perhaps and when set alongside Emily she faded from memory. But he was sure other men would not have the same experience.
    She was at least ten years his senior, with porcelain skin and wavy auburn hair – a classic Nicole Kidman lookalike. She stood there, hands on hips, foot tapping.
    ‘So you
are
here!’
    Caesar frowned warily, his hand still on the doorknob. ‘What do you want?’
    ‘Perhaps, Mr Crawford, if you had bothered to answer a single one of my emails or phone messages you would know that by now.’
    As she took a few steps forwards, Caesar took a few steps back, as though her proximity was too close for his liking. Will watched with interest slightly mixed with satisfaction the way she shut the door and advanced on Mark like a spider picking its way across its web.
    Unafraid.
    Irritated.
    And totally in command of the room.
    Given the man she was addressing was Caesar, this was completely unexpected and definitely worth watching. She seemed to feel his eyes on her and momentarily looked up.
    ‘Oh, hi, Will.’
    ‘Er, hi, Charlotte.’
    ‘This won’t take a moment,’ she assured him. ‘So sorry to interrupt your meeting.’
    ‘That’s okay. We were done anyway.’
    Caesar noisily cleared his throat. ‘Ms
Templeton
–’
    ‘Mr
Crawford
,’ she responded just as imperiously, ‘I have a number of items, a whole list in fact, which I need to discuss with you regarding the use of my resort, the primary place of accommodation for your men.’
    ‘I can’t discuss your list right now,’ Mark returned tightly. ‘I’m busy.’
    ‘All right, can I come and see you tomorrow?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘How about after work?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘I could drop by your unit; it’s not far from my reception office.’
    ‘Definitely not.’
    Charlotte’s lips pulled into a thin line and her delicate hands were back on her hips. ‘Then how am I supposed to address the issues I must raise with you?’
    Mark’s closed expression did not change as he shrugged into his safety vest. ‘That’s the thing. You’re not.’
    ‘But –’
    ‘Ms
Templeton
–’
    ‘Call me Charlotte.’
    He seemed to baulk at her suggestion. ‘Ms
Templeton
, if you are looking to raise your rates, you’re barking up the wrong tree. I can’t offer you anything more.’
    ‘Now just hang on a second there –’
    ‘Are you sure you only want a second?’ he drawled dryly, snatching his hat from the corner of his desk and determinedly putting it on. ‘In my experience it is always much longer.’
    Charlotte looked furious and Will sucked in a deep breath, hoping she wouldn’t, praying she wouldn’t . . .
    She did.
    ‘
Mr Crawford
, I do not want your money. I do not want your disregard. And I most certainly do not want your mockery. What I want is respect! Respect from you and respect from your men for the services provided by Silver Seas resort. On numerous occasions I have asked your men for more care and I am constantly ignored. These units have been in my family for more than forty years and your men have inflicted more wear and tear on them in the eight months they’ve been here than they’ve experienced in their whole existence. Frankly, it’s unacceptable.’ She was practically panting by the time she came to the end of her impassioned declaration.
    Caesar sighed. ‘There, you see? More than one second. It was inevitable.’
    Charlotte gasped. ‘Do you intend to continue to make fun of me, Mr Crawford?’
    ‘Was that what I was doing, Ms Templeton? I was under the impression I was listening to you with unprecedented patience.’
    ‘Then I