Read Online McGrave's Hotel by Steve Bryant - Free Book Online Page B

know,” Fawn said. For the first time during the meal, a dark look crossed her face. “I hate it. We’ll have to move back to Europe. Dad will be sooo busy.”
    “I don’t understand how it works,” said James, worried that he might be treading on sacred ground. “With your dad. I mean, for everyone who dies, does he—”
    “Like Santa Claus?” Fawn laughed. “Everyone in the world? He would be very busy indeed. No. He’s quite busy, of course. His job is mostly ceremonial. He appears for special cases. I don’t mean famous people, but people whose lives have been special, often in little ways, or who need extra help getting to where they are going. Still, a war, or a plague, those create special situations.”
    The image of the black figure billowing across the Grand Lobby floor was still vivid in James’s mind. The image was still maddeningly familiar.
    “And, ah, his look?” he said. “Does he always—”
    “Everyone’s mom or dad is beautiful, don’t you think? But no, he doesn’t look like that all the time. When we are alone, way alone, he … alters. I’m not sure how to describe it. He becomes sort of normal, with a sweater and slacks and slippers. You might even think him handsome. But that’s only an hour or so a day, even on a good day. I see him so much the other way, in his ‘man in black’ guise, that I love him like that, even more than when he changes. It’s the look I am most used to. Of course, I tell him all the time that the dark spooky robe look is so old-fashioned.”
    Over his left shoulder, James noticed that Abasi, the largest of Queen Siti’s guards, had entered the room and was hurrying over to Mohammed Bey’s table. He appeared agitated.
    Meanwhile, someone was tapping him on his right shoulder.
    It was Roderick, of all people. “Hey, sport.”
    James gave him an incredulous look. Surely Roderick wasn’t here to tell him his dinner break was up. This dinner was more of an official assignment.
    Roderick bent down and whispered in James’s ear. “You know that young lady I took up to Mr. Lesley’s suite? There seems to be some sort of problem. Mr. Nash is getting complaints that it’s too noisy in 3913. Like some sort of catfight going on in there.”
    James was about to tell Roderick to take care of the problem himself when Roderick added, “I’d give it a look-see, sport, but Mr. Lesley gave me a huge tip to leave him alone. I wouldn’t want to queer a good thing.”
    Walter Quinn, in his trench coat with his camera slung over a shoulder, bolted into the room and elbowed his way past Roderick. “Jimmy, me boy,” he said. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t notice that you was squiring a young lady. Greetings, miss. So, Jimmy. I get a call from my friend down at the fifth precinct, and he tells me a squad car of New York’s finest is on its way to this address on account of a body being found in what can only be construed as peculiar circumstances. Such as, the body is missing a head, and the head is nowhere to be found. I am here to ask your angle on this development.”
    James was standing and already putting his cap back on as he noticed all the Egyptians running out of the room with Abasi in the lead. What in the world was going on?
    “No comment,” he said to Mr. Quinn.
    He turned to Fawn.
    “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. We have to go. I wish you could finish the dinner. Chef Anatole’s desserts are incredible. The bee’s knees. But we have to get you back to your father. I don’t know what’s happening.”
    She picked up James’s milk shake and took a sip on its only straw, then planted the shake firmly back onto the table.
    “Oh, no, James Alexander Elliott,” she said, rising from the table. “Oh, no. You aren’t taking me back to my room just as things are getting interesting. I’m coming with you. Think you can stop me?”
    James considered the consequences. He desperately wanted to spend more time with the girl. But he also worried about what