The Haunting at Sebring Hotel (A Riveting Haunted House Mystery Series Book 13)

by J. S. Donovan

  Asher said, “Whatever, bro.”

  Justin poured another glass and deftly slid it across the countertop. It stopped an inch from Asher. “Drink.”

  Asher chuckled nervously.

  “Come on,” Justin said. “Drink.”

  Asher’s smile fell away. He stared at the glass. His palms started sweating.

  A hand reached out beside him and grabbed the glass.

  Asher skittishly jumped aside, seeing his mother. He didn’t hear her enter.

  She wore a white t-shirt, sweats, and tennis shoes. Her hair was in a loose bun. “You two should be working.”

  Asher was too terrified to speak. She was going to ground him for at least a year. Even Justin seemed nervous.

  Anna said, “School is starting soon. I don’t want you to getting behind on your hotel responsibilities.” She downed the glass in a single gulp. Wincing, she put it back on the counter. “I have to finish the rest of the paperwork. I want every room perfect, just like I showed you. Spit shine the floors if you have to. The hotel opens tomorrow.”

  She headed for the door.

  Asher and Justin traded looks. Did they just get away with it?

  In the doorway, Anna looked over her shoulder. “You get one drink. Period.”

  She exited the room.

  Asher pulled out his inhaler, shook it, and blew a jet into his mouth. The cool air calmed him.

  Justin poured another glass. “You in?”

  Asher shook his head.

  “Suit yourself.” Justin downed it like a shot.

  He put the bottle back on the shelf and sealed the glass cabinet. He grabbed his custodial cart and pushed it out of the room.

  Asher got bored waiting on the wash to finish and decided to explore. He walked through the ballroom and craned back his neck. The portraits of angels, clouds, and ladders captured his interest. His imagination ran wild. What if this place was hiding a large sum of gold? It seemed implausible, but he read about something like it in a book before.

  He hurried back to this room, opened his backpack, and grabbed his lock-picking tools. His father had taught him how to pick locks years ago.

  Asher went upstairs and reached the door to the fourth floor. As he expected, none of the keys on the ring worked. He used the lock-picking tools instead. It took a lot longer than he expected. He was about ready to give up when he heard that final satisfying click.

  He entered the charred hallway and pulled the neck of his shirt over his mouth to protect him from dust. He turned on the flashlight on his phone. The light shined over broken walls and the burned floor. He traveled carefully and peered into a few of the rooms. The metal bedframes rusted on the ground. Chucks of woods and sharp nails were haphazardly strewn across the floor.

  He found a broken mirror in one room. Behind it was a skinny corridor that ran the length of the wall. Secret passage, he thought. He peeked his head into the hidden corridor. Jagged wood and broken furniture packed the inner walls, as if someone had intentionally clogged the way.

  He continued his expedition down the normal hallway. Double doors at the center of the hallway opened into a lounge. The leather on the furniture had burned away. Broken glass littered the minibar. Decrepit seats and circular beds were placed throughout the lounge. Strange. He returned to the hall and continued farther away from the elevator.

  Unburnt and painted red, the door to the final room looked new.

  Asher cautiously approached it.

  He turned the knob.

  Locked.

  He checked the keys on the ring. One matched the room’s number - Suite 440.

  It worked.

  “What the heck?” Asher mumbled. He turned the doorknob and let the door open on its own.

  A nicely-furnished suite presented itself before Asher. Nothing was burnt. The bed was unmade, as if someone had recently slept in it.

  Asher walked inside. “Hello?”

  He flipped the light switch. No power. There were electric lanterns scattered throughout the room. Asher turned one on. It glowed. He found men’s clothes in the dresser and an expensive watch on the lampstand. He went to the bathroom and tried the sink. Clean water poured out of the faucet. It must’ve been connected with the rest of the plumbing. He lifted the toothbrush. His eyes widened. The bristles were damp.

  He faced the closed shower curtain in the mirror’s reflection.

  Asher gently put the brush back and bolted out of the suite.

  The shower curtain parted. Someone stepped out and watched the boy race down the hallway.

  4

  Scrutiny

  Anna waited outside of the hotel while the cops entered. One of the officers was a tall, dark-skinned man and the other was a short and wide white male. Both were middle-aged and checked Anna out the moment they saw her. She smiled politely. Her boys stood beside her. Asher looked especially nervous. Anna didn’t believe his tall tale until she saw the room for herself. She called the cops soon after. From what she knew, the stairs were the only way to the fourth floor. She wondered if the previous concierge knew anything about the uninvited guest.

  A long twenty-five minutes drifted by until the officers returned, chatting quietly.

  “Well?” Anna asked nervously.

  “We didn’t find anyone,” the short cop said.

  Anna said, “Can’t you run a DNA test or something?”

  The officers traded looks and laughed.

  “What’s so funny?” Anna asked.

  The dark-skinned cop said, “This isn’t a homicide case.”

  “Or even a robbery for that matter,” the short cop added.

  “We open tomorrow. What if the squatter comes back?” Anna asked.

  The dark-skinned cop said, “I suggest you change your locks.”

  The short cop stepped closer to Anna. “You want us to go the extra mile, you got to go the extra mile with us.”

  He looked her up and down.

  Anna had no words.

  Justin stepped between the cop and his mother. He stared the cop down.

  The short cop taunted, “Come on. Hit me.”

  “Justin,” Anna said firmly. “Back off.”

  Fuming, Justin stayed put. The vein in his neck bulged.

  The black cop said to his partner. “Let’s just go, man.”

  “No no no, I want to see what this kid is made of,” the short cop replied.

  Justin balled his fists but kept them at his sides.

  “I’m for real, man. We don’t got time for this,” the black cop said to his partner.

  His short cop stood inches from Justin. “Mind your temper, boy.”

  Justin glared. He held his ground.

  The short cop smirked. He walked forward, bumping shoulders against Justin on the way to the police cruiser.

  The black cop followed, saying to Anna, “Get new locks… and some security cameras while you’re at it. Call us if you have another problem.”

  They drove away.

  Anna mumbled, “A-holes.”

  Justin set his jaw.

  Asher asked, “They aren’t going to do anything?”

  Justin replied, “For a nerd, you aren’t very smart.”

  “Justin, that’s enough,” Anna said.

  Justin’s expression turned bitter and he returned inside.

  Anna said to Asher. “Let’s take a walk.” They toured the hotel. As they passed through the corridor, Anna asked, “Why did you go upstairs alone?”

  Asher shrugged. “I was bored, I guess.”

  Anna said, “Next time, ask me, okay? I don’t want anyone going up there alone.”

  Asher lowered his head. “Yes, Mom.”

  “Now, tell me what else you found while you explored.”

  Asher’s mood took a one-eighty turn. He smiled. “This way.”

  He showed Anna the various Freemason symbols hidden within the wood trimming and in paintings hanging on various walls. Anna wasn’t too surprised. The place got the name Club
Blue from somewhere. If the owners were Masons, why should she care? True, the hotel had a vague history, but Anna was more concerned about her uninvited guest. She left Justin in charge while she and Asher went to the hardware store. They bought new locks for the fourth floor. At Anna’s command, Justin took all the furniture from the unburnt room and tossed it into the dumpster.

  In the meantime, Anna tried contacting the concierge. His number had been disconnected. Annoyed, she sent an email, inquiring about someone living upstairs. She made it sound urgent.

  Over the next week, a number of guests arrived. The first was a dapper-dressed old man. He had combed-over hair, a temperate demeanor, and a kind smile. His name was Andrew Warren and he acted like a gentleman from a bygone era. He claimed to have stayed in Club Blue many years ago and happily signed an extended-stay agreement. The next guest was a trucker who stayed only for a night. He wore a cap, a stained shirt, and Wrangler jeans. He’d come from the south to deliver food to various supermarkets.

  “Not many people come up this way, you know,” he said as he got his key. “You would’ve done better to have a hotel closer to the city.”

  “But it wouldn’t be this charming now, would it?” Anna joked.

  The trucker said, “Yeah, but you’d actually make money.”

  Anna kept her smile, choosing to forget the offensive statement.

  The honeymooners arrived after the trucker left. The beautiful buxom woman wrapped herself around the tall, handsome man as they planned out their weeklong stay.

  “You’re beautiful,” the vixen said.

  “Aw, thank you,” Anna replied.

  The vixen looked Anna up and down. Getting the room key, her husband swept her off her feet and carried her to the elevator. She giggled the whole way as her man whispered sweet nothings to her.

  Anna put all the guests on the second floor. It was easier to clean and keep track of who was where.

  She checked the fourth floor daily, making sure no one had taken residence in the unburnt room. It was empty.

  She sent more emails to the concierge. He didn’t reply.

  The boys were well-behaved and played billiards frequently.

  While Anna was working at the desk one rainy evening, a middle-aged man wearing a windbreaker, jeans, and running shoes entered into the lobby. Water dripped from the corners of the jacket and splattered on the checkered floor. He had brown hair parted at the side, a strong chin, and deep brown eyes. He approached the counter, leaving droplets of water in his wake.

  He noticed Anna and mustered a smile. “Isn’t this a surprise.”

  “Have we met?” Anna asked politely.

  “Eight months ago,” the man said, “York Police Department.”

  Anna’s heart skipped a beat.

  The man said, “I was there when Detective Casey was interviewing you. It was in regards to your husband.”

  Anna eyed the man. She kept her composure. “I think you might be mistaken.”

  “Anna Hall,” the man said, calling out her lie.

  Anna’s kind smile faltered. “Are you a cop?”

  “FBI agent. I deal in homicides mostly. There was some strange circumstance about your husband’s drowning. Passed out drunk in the bathtub. What are the chances of that?”

  Anna's heart raced. “This is my husband you’re talking about.”

  “Whoa. Calm down. I’m just making an observation,” the man replied. “I was hoping to rent a suite.”

  Anna wanted to turn him away, but she set her feelings aside. “Can I see your ID?”

  He pulled out his wallet and drew out his driver’s license. “Cameron Ryder. It’s good to meet you, Anna.”

  The man was strange. There was a small threat behind his grin.

  Anna put him on the third floor, as far away from her suite as possible. “Suite 315. There’s a cable channel list on the nightstand. How long do you plan on staying?”

  Cameron replied, “I don’t know yet. Probably a few weeks.”

  “Can you be more specific?” Anna asked.

  “Put me down for two weeks. I’ll let you know if I plan to stay longer,” Cameron said.

  “Alright, Mr. Ryder,” Anna said. “One of my boys will help you with your luggage.”

  “I got it. Thanks,” Cameron said. “Enjoy your night, Anna.”

  He walked out into the rain and returned holding a single suitcase. He nodded at Anna as he went to the elevator. The moment the elevator door closed behind him, Anna felt like she could breathe again. He thinks you killed your husband. Who wouldn’t? You were the one who put him on that life insurance policy. You were the one who purchased this hotel with his fortune. Anna nibbled on her fingernail.

  Lightning flashed outside.

  The power in the lobby flickered out.

  Thunder crackled.

  Her laptop screen became the only source of light.

  A moment later, the lights turned back on. She added faulty electric to the list of things that needed to be fixed.

  She searched Cameron’s name on the internet. He had a weak web presence. All of his social media accounts were private. She found a picture of him with a few other men. After researching them, she discovered they were FBI agents. Cameron was the real deal. Why the hell was he here?

  5

  Terror

  Anna drove to Sebring High School. It only had six hundred students, and most of them had spent their whole life in this little town. The line of cars neared the flag pole. The morning sun was still low in the sky, and the clouds were a steely gray. Justin was in the front seat. His headphones blasted dirty music into his ears. His backpack slouched between his legs. He eyed the students exiting the bus in front of him. Asher was half-asleep in the backseat.

  Anna reached the drop-off area. “Have fun.”

  Justin grabbed his backpack and left the SUV quickly. He slung the strap over his shoulder and started for the school’s double doors.

  Anna noticed Asher hadn’t moved. “Is everything okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m… I’m fine,” the fourteen-year-old said, enviously watching the other children joyously greeting each other after a short summer break.

  Anna leaned between the two front seats. “In a few weeks, none of this will be weird anymore.”

  Head down, Asher opened the Kia Sorento’s sliding door.

  “Oh!” Anna exclaimed. “You have your inhaler?”

  Embarrassed, Asher’s face turned blood red. “Yes, Mom.”

  He closed the door.

  Anna rolled down the window. “Stay safe! I love you!”

  The boy was already halfway to the door.

  She wished she could hold him in her arms and tell him everything would be okay. He wouldn’t believe her. He hated school.

  A few cute girls eyed Justin. He smirked at them and kept walking.

  Like a ghost, Asher was completely ignored by everyone he passed.

  The driver behind Anna pressed their car horn.

  “All right!” Anna shouted and started accelerating. The school shrank in the rearview. The start of the new school year worried Anna. She remembered how nervous she used to be at their age. Nevertheless, she quickly became head of the yearbook committee and made a lot of friends. In contrast, Justin was an expert at burning bridges and Asher could be crippling shy at times. Around Anna, he was a chatterbox, but he was as silent as a church mouse among his peers. Anna wanted him to sign up for after-school clubs, but Asher rejected that idea. Even the anime club didn’t appeal to him. Clubs didn’t interest Justin either, but Anna didn’t know half the stuff Justin liked.

  She returned to the hotel and spent most of the morning conducting interviews. She needed a hotel cleaner and a good handyman. It was a daunting task, but she found a few good candidates. Most of them were shocked to have found the job listing. According to them, Club Blue hadn’t hired new employees for decades. Anna told them that a lot was going to change around here. She found most of her interviewees to be youn
g and inexperienced. She needed someone she didn’t have to train. Eventually, she found an elderly woman who’d been in the hotel cleaning business all her life. Her name was Lilith.

  Anna hired a plumber named Harry to be her handyman. He was a chunky man and kind of smelly, but his resume and references said that he was the best for the job. Best of all, he was a jack of all trades. Once Anna started to make some more money, she planned to hire a marketing specialist. She’d be her own PR person until then.

  Anna returned to school in the afternoon. Exhausted, Justin and Asher tossed their backpacks in the SUV and dragged themselves inside.

  “How was it?” Anna asked as they put on their seat belts.

  “Fine,” Justin said.

  “Sucks,” Asher replied at the same time.

  “Did you meet any nice kids?” Anna asked.

  Justin put on his headphones.

  Asher silently looked out the window.

  Anna decided not to push them into a conversation.

  The hotel was mostly quiet for the rest of the day. The honeymooners spent their day out and about. The finely-dressed old gentleman took a walk outside and read a book on the bench out back. He sprinkled bird feed on the stone pathway and waited. One crow arrived and then another. Before he knew it, a murder of crows was waddling around his feet, caw-ing and eating seeds. The old man grinned softly.

  That night, Anna ordered Chinese takeout. She and the boys ate in the large ballroom. Soft instrumental music echoed off the walls. They were the only people in the massive room. The dim lights reflected off the checked tile floor. Asher dug into his Kung Pao chicken. Both his elbows rested on the table. Justin ate pork and broccoli. Anna twirled noodles around her chopsticks. Like most family meals, the three of them ate in silence. Anna wanted to break the status quo.

  “Do you guys want to play cards?” She asked.

  Asher perked up. Justin kept eating.

  Asher moved his plate away. “I’ll play, but I’ll probably have to destroy you two.”

  Anna raised a brow. “Oh really?”

  “Yep. I’m undefeated in gin rummy,” Asher bragged.