The Nanny // Faye Yoko AU

Chapter 28 The other nanny

Rooftop Pool

Nicco moved to the lounge chair, lounging back with a drink in hand. After taking a long sip, he said, "Just kidding. Boss is with Val today. Apparently, the work's too subtle for my talents." He smirked, the mischievous glint in his eye hard to miss.

"You? Unsubtle?" Yoko responded with an exaggerated tone of sarcasm, a playful smile tugging at her lips.

Nicco feigned seriousness, his expression deadpan. "Very funny," he said, pausing for effect. "I'd be unnecessary intimidation. That's why I let Val handle information gathering."

"Information gathering. About the fire?" Yoko's expression grew more serious as she watched Mikey and Louis splash around in the pool, their carefree laughter a stark contrast to the weight of the conversation.

Nicco finished his drink, standing up as if what he was about to say carried more weight. "You may as well know." He lowered his voice, leaning in slightly. "Near as we can tell, it was an inside job." His words hung in the air, thick with tension.

Yoko blinked, her heart skipping a beat, her mind racing. "Inside?" she echoed, keeping her voice low.

Nicco nodded, his tone grim. "Someone in the family..." He paused for a moment, glancing around before continuing, "...or on the staff." He let that sink in, then casually walked away, leaving Yoko to absorb the implications.

An inside job, Yoko thought, her pulse quickening as the eerie familiarity washed over her. So similar to what happened to my family... Could this be connected? Could the same Malisorn be responsible for both? The idea gnawed at her, but she pushed it down, trying not to let her swirling thoughts show on her face.

"Um, Yoko?" Ana, the other nanny, spoke softly, breaking through Yoko's spiral of thoughts. Yoko snapped back to the present, blinking away the tension. "Could I borrow the room key?" Ana asked, her voice shy and apologetic. "The restroom up here is busy."

"Oh, sure." Yoko smiled, shaking off the darkness that had momentarily clouded her mind. She handed Ana the key, watching as she hurried away, leaving Yoko to her thoughts once more.

Yoko didn't have time to stay in her swirling thoughts as Mikey's voice rang out, clear and joyful from the pool.

"Yoko, come play!" Mikey called, her laughter infectious.

"Coming, Mikey," Yoko responded with a smile, pushing her concerns aside for the moment. She waded back into the water, but as she played with the kids, something felt off.

Meanwhile, back by the bags, Ana was slipping Yoko's card key into her pocket, her eyes darting around with a suspicious look. Her movements were deliberate, quiet, as though she was up to no good. Nicco, who had just finished refilling his drink at the bar, caught the moment out of the corner of his eye. He didn't react immediately, instead casually making his way back to his lounge chair, his expression thoughtful but unreadable.

In the pool, Mikey and Louis splashed around, blissfully unaware. "Can't catch me!" Mikey taunted Louis, swimming away with a mischievous grin. Louis laughed, already having tagged Yoko in their game of shark.

"Ha! Now Yoko's the shark!" Mikey declared.

Yoko chuckled, but her mind was elsewhere. "I've already been the shark," she teased, glancing toward where Ana had disappeared. "What about Ana?"

Her eyes narrowed. Ana had been gone for quite a while now. Yoko's instincts prickled. Something wasn't right.

"That's odd. It's been a while," she murmured to herself. She stepped out of the pool, water dripping from her as she turned to Nicco, who was lounging nearby. "Can you watch the kids for a moment?" she asked, her voice casual but tense. "And you have a key to our suite, right?"