The Crooked Man (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 4

The girl whirled around, her eyes wide with surprise and fear. Her hands slipped, crashing down on the keys. "Ah..." her voice trembled meekly. "...I-I'm sorry...I just came in...and the piano looked so nice, so I, um..." She trailed off, staring at her shoes, and I let out a shaky breath.

"...S-Sorry I yelled at you. I'm not on staff for the hotel or anything. You just freaked me out." She looked up, her wide blue eyes giving her a child-like look of innocence.

Her voice grew stronger, almost taking on a defensive edge. "Who are you then?" She folded her arms across her chest, looking at me with a challenge in her eye. She reminded me of Shirley, in a faint sort of way.

I shrugged internally. What harm could she really do me? Or anything, for that matter? "I'm David. I'm sorta...looking for a guy. What about you?"

She hesitated before answering, all the while summing me up silently. "...I'm Sissi." 

For the first time, I noticed that she barely reached to my chin, though her deep, shining brown eyes and shock of short, messy orange-red hair hanging in her face. She was petite, but spunky. I liked her. 

"Huh...Sissi, then. What brings you here? It could be dangerous, you know."

Sissi shrugged. "I stayed at this hotel once, but I forgot something important. I came back to get it." 

I leaned back on the edge of one of the seat edges. "I see...Did you find it?" 

She shook her head. "No, I'm still looking. It's just this little box, decorated with rubies." She sat on the piano bench with a huff. "I'm not leaving until I find it." 

"Well, since I'm gonna be here for a while longer, I could help you find it!" 

Sissi stood up, a new light in her eyes. "Really? That would be great!" 

I walked up to her, and looked her in the eye. "Just do me one favor though." I hesitated for a minute, taking a step back. "If you see a man...about my age...would you tell me?" 

Sissi nodded, her eyes questioning. She smiled, and we shook hands, sealing our agreement. She turned, and called over her shoulder, "I'll be going, then. You be careful, David." She left the room, the door silently swinging shut behind her. 

I moved after her, leaving the room and walking down the hallway into the lobby. She had already disappeared, probably moving into one of the upstairs rooms. After a moment of deliberation, I moved behind the front desk, and pulled the small wire cutter out of my front pant pocket, clipping through the wire wrapped around the handle and lock of the door. I stepped hesitantly into the staff room, looking at the tall bookshelves, plush benches, and center table. I walked around, poking into the small spaces, seeing if I could find anything. Finally, I turned to the single book that lay on the table, and flipped through the pages, skimming. It seemed to be more of a room account book. Things that needed to be fixed, cleaned, eccetera. One of the pages fell funny when I flipped to it, and I turned back. There was a key between the pages. I picked it up, examining the handle. In small numbers, I saw 107 inside of a circle. It must have been the key to an empty room when it was put here. 

The page the key was on was nearly empty, save for something about how the door of the bathroom in Room 107 needed to be fixed. I pocketed the key, and closed the book, after flipping through the pages for anything else that might have stood out. 

As I turned, I saw something gleam in the wall for just a second. But it was enough to catch my attention. I inspected the wall, and saw that a part of the wall was actually a door, but with no doorknob. The gleam had just been the knob-holder against the light at the right angle.