They both turned and paced the other way. May felt hugely grateful for Owen’s support. He wasn’t shouting her down or telling her she was wrong. Instead, he was supporting her and respecting that she had doubts.
She felt incredibly lucky to have a partner who was able to offer so much empathy, and who was also not afraid to relook at a case with the possibility that they’d made a mistake.
“There’s something we’re missing. Something that’s sitting right in front of us, but we’re just not seeing it.”
May knew that very well. She knew how it felt to be so close to the answer but not see it. It was a horrible feeling. A feeling of powerlessness.
“So, what details do we know then? Where can we start? Perhaps we can look at what we know for sure, and then work out the bigger picture based on that?” Owen asked.
“They definitely do employ Eastern European workers at the hotel. So that’s correct. And Madeline definitely traveled to that country frequently, according to the law firm.”
“I remember that maid who served us tea. Her accent was definitely from that part of the world.” Owen nodded.
“I know she was terrified of something. And when she came in, the guard was leering at her.”
May remembered that woman clearly. She remembered the fear in her eyes as she’d brought in the tea. And most definitely, the way that the guard had ogled her had been out of line.
It had almost seemed as if she was just a thing, rather than a human being. That was what May had picked up. It had made her feel very uneasy, she remembered. She’d been about to mention it and say something angry, because she wasn’t the type to keep quiet, but then someone else had said something, and the maid had left the room, and she’d gotten sidetracked.
Now, she was wishing she’d spoken up because it might have somehow helped her understand what was really happening. If only she’d said something then, she might know more now.
She was wishing she had listened to her instincts and engaged with the maid.
“Yes. It’s terrible that this hotel seems to treat their workers that way,” Owen said.
“I wonder what the extent of it is,” May mused.
Owen narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
“Maybe they’re employing more of these illegal workers than we thought? Maybe it’s a bigger thing? Maybe they’re totally illegal and they’re being threatened or blackmailed, or somehow coerced into staying?”
May nodded.
“Given that staffing is their main cost, imagine if they could cut that right down? They’d be in a position to make a huge profit, even if the hotels weren’t fully busy.”
She thought back to what the article, and the business editor, had explained to her. Staffing was by far the biggest financial burden for a hotel.
“If there’s more going on, how do we find out?” Owen asked.
“I think we need to go back there,” May said.
“To where?” Owen asked.
“To the hotel where we met Mr. Reed. The Mount Amethyst is one of the places he owns. Let’s go and speak to the maid we saw there and ask her what the Reeds are hiding. I want to know, from her, what her situation is and if there are any problems with it. And I also want to know why she seems so scared.”