Page 45 of The Haunted Hotel

I scrub my hand over my face tiredly and reach for light by the bed, flicking it on and blinking against the sudden brightness.

“It didn’t go…” I pause, resisting the urge to rub the sudden ache in my chest. “He didn’t want to talk to me.”

“What? Why the fuck not?”

I shrug even though he can’t see me. “I don’t know. He’s an old man, in his late eighties, and I’m not even sure how mentally competent he is. I mean, he didn’t even have pants on. He was just wandering around in his socks and slippers, a shirt and sweater, and tighty-whities that were practically pulled up to his armpits.”

“Seriously?”

“Is it weird?”

“What? Walking around in your underwear in front of your long-lost grandson? Yes, it is.”

“No, I mean, is it weird I don’t recognise this place? After all, I lived here for the first six years of my life, but I don’t remember anything at all, not even him.”

“Give yourself a break, Morgs.” His voice is low. “You were just a kid, and you lost your dad, moved to another country, and had to start over. It’s not surprising you’ve got repressed memories.”

“Ellis is taking me on a tour of the house today,” I say without thinking.

“Ellis?” Warren repeats sharply.

“Don’t,” I warn.

“What?” His voice drips with innocence, but I know him too well. I can hear the smirk in his voice. “Ellis is the cute little twinky blonde, isn’t he?”

“How do you know?” I ask suspiciously.

“Do you really think I didn’t go straight online and look up the website for your ancestral abode? I’ll give them their due, it was a very professional-looking site, although it doesn’t look like they’ve updated their staff page recently. There were only five people listed.”

“No, that’s correct. There are only five at the moment.” I nod even though he won’t see it.

“For a hotel that size?” he says in stunned disbelief. “How do they even keep that place running?”

“Barely, I imagine. Then again, I haven’t exactly looked too closely. It’s nothing to do with me.”

“Aren’t you your grandfather’s only living relative?”

I shrug. “As far as I know.”

“Doesn’t that mean you’ll inherit that place one day?”

“I doubt it,” I scoff, thinking about my grandfather’s scowl. He hadn’t been exactly happy to see me. “Besides, what the hell would I do with this place other than sell it?”

“You’d really sell it? Hasn’t it been in your family for generations or some shit like that?”

“How the fuck should I know? I practically know nothing about that side of the family and whatever Mom knows, she hasn’t exactly been forthcoming with the information.”

“I know, but still. Wouldn’t you want to keep it? Start your own little hotel chain of quirky British manor houses?” The amusement in his voice is clear even across an ocean.

“Trying to get rid of me already?”

Warren sighs. “You know that’s not true. If anything, it’s the exact opposite. I’ve been far too reliant on you over the years. You were always the practical, responsible one, and I think sometimes I took advantage of that,” he says soberly.

“That’s a little deep for you at three in the morning. What’s brought this on?”

“I guess I’ve just been thinking about things a lot since Dad died last year.”

“Warren, are you okay?” I ask in concern.