Hotel Nigh

Chapter 24

The Fourth and Fifth Lodger's Exposed Secrets
Matt and Hilda Jordans: Revealed

Melina gaped at me. "The family who are on their honeymoon? With the kid? You know, I couldn't believe they were on their honeymoon with a kid." I distinctly remembered the conversation, but Melina continued anyway. "You don't bring a kid on a honeymoon. I don't care what people say."

Deciding against changing the topic into what could potentially be awkward, I didn't ask for any elaboration on why she thought kids should not go on honeymoons with their parents. Instead, I set off for the second-floor where Hilda and Little Jenny were staying in SAND.

As much as my morals were adamant against bombarding Hilda and Little Jenny with questions about Matt and what she meant when she was kneeling beside her dying husband, it was logical that we were to do this. There was no way that these few nights, with every room occupied in this hotel aside from one which is unavailable, that this is all a coincidence.

Kimberly Rogers – though I originally knew her as Eleanor Leigh – was here to meet with her grandson whom she didn't realise had died. Incidentally, her grandson, Jenson Rogers, was on the hunt for the necklace.

Gerald Braceford is an author who is writing a book about the necklace, though keeping what it truly is a secret, I presume, as he will be another target for the murderer. The Cursed Necklace.

Miles Woodley is on an "adventure" to investigate the hotel in the hopes that he can figure out more about this necklace and perhaps even locate its hiding location.

Betty Nicole – though I knew her as Betty Eastwick as she was hiding from Melina, her older sister – is here... because her dad and his girlfriend are arguing. She, with the exception of Little Jenny, perhaps, is the only occupant in this hotel who is not looking for the fame of fortune that comes with the territory of discovering the necklace.

Melina and I stood outside of SAND, and before either of us knocked, I inclined my head to the door. I could hear, what sounded as though, clothes being chucked aimlessly into a suitcase. Melina and I shared a glance just moments before I rapped my knuckles on the door.

When Hilda opened the door, her eyes were bloodshot and appeared almost swollen. Little Jenny was behind her, sitting on the edge of the bed, wide awake with the bunny in her hands. She stared at us before recognising me and hauling forwards, weaving through her mum's legs to hug my own.

"Hey, Little Jenny," I said to her, placing my hand awkwardly on her shoulder.

Her bunny had hit the back of my knee with her haste.

"Jenny, go back and sit on the bed."

Wordlessly, Little Jenny unwound her arms from around my legs and obeyed her mum's order. She gazed down at the bunny in her lap instead of gawking at us with her large beady eyes. Her dark hair, having been tied back, was slowly falling out. She looked like her mum with an oval face and dark hair.

"I'd like to speak with you, please, Hilda," I proposed softly, knowing I had to be soft with her as she was in a rather fragile state since her husband's murder.

"I'm busy," she breathed, "can't it wait until the morning? It's late, and Jenny should be in bed..."

"I heard you packing," I remarked, "and I can see you're packing."

I nodded my head to gesture at the suitcase which had been propped up on the table in the corner. The clothes weren't folded, and had literally just been discarded on the case. Sleeves and buttons were suspended over the edges of the case.