Fractured Legacy: Aicil Paranormal Files #1

Chapter 5

Kaylyn

After three cups of stale coffee and four hours of pouring through every historical record the local library had on the Teague Hotel, the comfortable chairs of the office are a welcome sight. I drag myself upstairs and finally come across my sister in one of the small offices on the second floor.

I drop my research on her table and collapse into an armchair across from her. "My head is going to explode."

"Sorry, sis, wish I had time to be sympathetic, but I got a bite, and if I don't head out now, I'll be late for the meeting." Cole grabs her belongings and shoves a folder toward me. "Here's what I've got so far. Sorry, but it's going to be up to you to update Jonah."

I begin to protest, but the clicks of Cole's boots rang through the hallway before I could muster an appropriate argument. "Lucky me."

As soon as I open the file to familiarize myself with Cole's reports, Jonah knocks on the doorway and enters the small office.

"Afternoon, Kaylyn," he says, taking Cole's vacant seat at the table.

I stare at him—probably so wide-eyed he's already wondering what I did now.

"Sir. I was just going over everything so I could update you but—"

"Where's Cole?"

I clear my throat, waiting for my brain to stop spinning like the numbers on a slot machine. I figured Cole would have at least cleared her "fishing" expedition with him. "She went to interview someone."

"Who?" Jonah leans forward and extends his hand to take the folder that I'd just opened.

I bite the inside of my cheek. This conversation is already taking a turn for the latrine. "She rushed out and didn't tell me."

"Guess you're not the only one I have to worry about then," he sighs, raising one eyebrow. "What do you have?"

Not so bad. I finally take a full breath. "I went through all the records at the library. There were a few deaths at the hotel. In addition to the first owner dying, there was an unfortunate accident involving a patron, a couple heart attacks, but generally nothing out of the ordinary until 1986. Right before the hotel closed, there was a fire in one of the rooms on the second floor: 211. The reports were vague, but it seems like there was a woman in the room. Her body was never discovered. I'll need to dig into it more, a short article in a newspaper was all the information the library had."

"Who was the owner at that time?"

"Lester Arslow."

"Was Cole able to track him down?"

"Um," I nod toward the file in Jonah's hand. "I didn't have a chance to check, and she rushed out as soon as I sat down."

Jonah opens the file and spreads Cole's notes across the desk. "Here he is," he points and slides the paper around so I can see as well. "It looks like he died soon after selling the building. There's nothing in her report about the details of his death. What did you find on that?"

"I was looking through local files." I straighten and shift a little, unable to sit still under his gaze. "He moved to the west coast shortly after the sale."

"Alright." Jonah tilts his head. "Can you look into it?"

I nod, feeling slightly off kilter without him chastising me. I wish the man could at least humor me with a predictable reaction every now and then.

"Did you find any other details?" he asks, keeping his eyes lowered to the notes.

"Nothing of the insanely helpful variety, but while it was operational, a lot of wealthy and influential people owned the hotel."