Tobias Weiss.

Chapter 38

When Tobias arrived, the sun was up high in the early afternoon sky.  And the atmosphere he saw around him had a certain holiday feel about it.  Even some miles out he met campers dragging everything from motorboats, to motorbikes, to power skies; some flying proudly their country flags, or some form of identification where they had swarmed up from in the United States –or elsewhere, even. 

Two boys in their late teenage in a camper, who looked like they had come off the set of Bay Watch, waved and smiled at Dr Jillian Cooper, as she overtook them on auto.  The Doctor smiled back and gave them likewise a wave.  He sensed though, the good doctor felt anything from sexy, after her long drive –and desperately with every part of her being, was crying out for a nice long luxurious  bath.  Her hair had even taken on a wet look from sweat.  Her face more red than was natural from exposure; as her shades hadn't given any protection to that?

All those Tobias saw, were like migrating birds, leaving dull lives for the more beautiful coastal locations, and nice to rocky beaches, which hugged New England.  Some would though be passing through the town he was stopping at in the State of Maine.  This was after all Stephen King country, with an openness and sense of timelessness; where you could almost imagine the Founders living their lives around you, after they stepped off the Mayflower. 

This was the feeling Tobias always had about the town.  It been so open and friendly –the true reality being more like a Venus fly trap.  Not so much by its citizens –as they were the average when it came to connecting with strangers.  Most taking a few minutes of their time, to stop too point someone in the way of some place, if he asked directions?  The foreboding sense derived from it being the birth place of the man he sought. The near scrapes he had with this person.  Getting shot to death the last time he had tangled with him here in this town –or the Electrician he had occupied at the time, getting shot to death, more accurate.  (All which went against the protocols he lived by!  Not having expected that outcome till it was too late!)

He wasn't intent on going into town just yet.  He needed to book into a hotel.  He knew Jillian was feeling lousy after the drive, and wanted to relax. 

Ahead he saw the Royal Oak hotel, on the left.  It's flagpoles on the outside rising high up with various world flags.  The highest flag flying proudly in the light breeze was the American flag, lower down from it, the Canadian one, and lower still the world flags, fanning out like children to either side of the adults.  He spotted very quickly, the British and French flag, next to the German flag, as they were the nearest to the American and Canadian ones.  Farther off down the line, he took the colours to be flags from the rich African Arabic countries. 

His host gave herself a big stretch, after she got out, glad of the bit of summer wind on her face.  And after a bit of recuperation, allowing her body like a sail to cool down a fraction, she popped the boot and got out her small suitcase.  She had the day Tobias occupied her.  Which she had being heading to her parents with.  In it were cloths, toiletries –bathing salts, bubble baths –which she took everywhere, because she never trusted places she went to have exactly what she wanted.  Tobias knew this instantly about her.

And with that, with some people coming and going around them, he walked to the entrance.  Passing him, as they went through the revolving door of the Four Star, were a French couple with three children?  The children were talking wildly, two girls and a boy in their native tongue, while their parents were similarly occupied in theirs.  They were so transfixed, they only came out of conversation momentary, to say good day, in French, to the woman entering, with smiles, in Tobias's control, before going back into their own world.  They could have been French Canadians.  He didn't know.  Or for that matter didn't care.

The lobby was spacious.  Had nice relaxing instrumental playing, people sitting about in comfortable seating to the side, drinking beverages, reading newspapers, or just sitting and talking in various tongues.  He ordered the lady he was occupying to go to the desk.  "Yes," the man smiles, in a wine uniform.

"A room please."  He could see he was looking at Jillian with a little wonder, with her sweaty hair, red face. She laughed, under his control, and said under instruction from him, "I feel such a mess.  Oh, after my long drive.  Must remember in future to bring sunscreen?  All I want now in to lie in a bath for eternity."   She smiled longingly afterwards, also on instruction."

The lad, twenties, answered in an educated English voice, with a practised smile, as if he might be doing this work in the States, to pay for college fees back home, "Quite.  So how will Madam be paying for the room?" His accent was educated British –possibly hailing from the southerly part of England?

"I have a credit card."

"Is Madam single? Or is Madam awaiting her family to join her?"

He said it, liked he expected any minute for the family from hell to come running in through the revolving door and for six kids to start pulling at the woman, while her husband tried to keep order holding a baby in a carrier cot, while he/she also screamed.

"Single," she smiled.

"Quite," he said, like a deacon, spotting the diamond ring alongside the engagement ring on her hand, as she rested both over the counter while in discourse.

"We have three singles facing north giving a nice look towards the sea.  The best view is naturally on the third floor.  These are thirty dollars more expensive than the rooms we have south facing or easterly, due to scenery." 

Tobias thinking the boy was sounding like a weather report on the radio, instructed the girl to say, "I'll taking the single you mentioned on the top floor."  He was thinking anymore of listening to this pitch, and he'd have exited, even before he got as far as getting a room!

"How many nights will madam be staying with us?"

"Three." He assumed three nights was sufficient to plan and carry through everything.  

He eyed her, and made it known with body language, that if things were to progress farther, he needed her credit card.

"Sorry," she replied, as Tobias searched her bag.  Luckily, he had familiarized himself with it, and moments later withdrew it from a pocket next to where she kept the cash.  Handing it over, he smiled.

Tobias watched as he printed out the receipt, moments later.  Then passing it to her with the words, "I wish you a very pleasant stay," he instructed a bellboy, to take them to their room.