Page 18 of The Summer Inn on Plum Island
“You are a star as always, Mary,” Liam told her as they walked into his office. “I just need a quick shower and to change.”
“I’ve drawn up a form which I’ve printed, and I’ll hand those out to the guests to write down what went missing,” Mary told him.
“That’s great,” Liam nodded. “I won’t be long.”
As Liam closed the door behind Mary and stepped into the small bathroom in his office, his mind switched from the warmremnants of his interrupted moment with Dawn. His hands still tingled from the connection with her, and the scent of her hair still lingered around him. Liam allowed himself a few moments to reflect on it as he stepped into the shower.
When he was done and toweled dry, Liam forcefully pushed thoughts of Dawn from his mind, grabbing the spare shirt and slacks he kept in his office for emergencies. The fabric felt crisp and oddly formal after the casual warmth of the morning. Liam quickly combed his hair and put some deodorant on, making sure he looked professional before heading out to address the guests.
The lounge was buzzing with the low murmur of upset voices as he approached. Liam straightened his shoulders, preparing to shift into his role as the hotel’s steadfast leader.
“Good morning,” Liam greeted, grabbing the guest’s attention, his voice carrying a calm he didn’t entirely feel. “I understand there are concerns this morning. I’d like to address them individually inside my office, please.”
Mary stepped up beside him. “If you haven’t yet completed the form I gave you and handed it back to me, please could you do so.” She waved the document in the air. “Once I have them all, I will call you in alphabetical order to see Mr. Gains.”
Liam turned and walked back to his office. A steady flow of guests took up the next ninety minutes. The number of whichstartled Liam. Nearly all the guests in the same wing as Dawn had been hit by theft. One by one, Liam listened to their stories—more valuables missing, items that held not just financial but deep personal value. Each account added weight to his shoulders, and the pattern of the thefts pointed to it as an inside job.
After the last guest had been heard, Liam sat back in his office chair, blowing out a heavy breath. His next step was to call the local police. Liam’s jaw clenched as he dialed the station, requesting immediate assistance at the hotel. As he hung up, he realized the gravity of what the hotel was facing. This wasn’t just a string of bad luck or coincidental losses; it seemed targeted, not to mention invasive, and it threatened the very heart of the Summer Inn’s reputation.
The worst thing was that Liam was now suspecting one of his staff members after listening to the stories of one minute the valuable being there, and gone the next, identical to the thefts in Dawn’s room. It couldn’t be anyone else. Only the staff would know how to avoid the security cameras. That would explain why nothing showed up on the video feed. Or they knew how to delete the parts of the security feed if they did. A call from the hotel security team earlier, in the middle of an interview with one of the guests, had confirmed that the recording hadn’t been tampered with.
Questions burned through Liam’s mind. How were the thieves, or thief, moving in and out of the rooms undetected in an almost ghostly manner? The more absurd question was: was the hotelreally haunted? Because that would explain a lot about these bizarre thefts.
With the police en route, Liam made his way back to the lobby. He was stopped every few steps by staff and guests alike, each interaction a delicate dance of reassurance and promises of resolution. By the time the officers arrived, Liam was ready with a detailed report and a list of the missing items compiled from the guests’ testimonies.
The investigation was thorough. Officers spoke with the guests, took detailed notes, and assured everyone that they were doing all they could to track down the missing items. The police officers went into each guest room to look around. At the same time, Liam stayed on hand, facilitating the conversations with the guests. He personally oversaw the room inspection while also trying to keep the hotel’s daily operations running smoothly despite the disruptions.
By the time the initial statements had been taken and the police had set their investigation in motion, Liam glanced at his watch as he’d walked the last of the police officers out of the hotel. It was past ten, and a knot formed in his stomach. He was supposed to meet Dawn to see her start her day in her new role as the temporary manager to get closer to the staff.
Liam rushed back toward his office, stopping when he saw Dawn sitting with Mary.
“Hey,” Dawn greeted, a soft smile on her face. “Mary said you told her I was going to fill in as a favor to you as the relief manager and to get experience in order to authenticate my script.”
“Hi.” Liam’s heart jolted, and a warm smile spread across his lips. “I did mention it to Mary.” He nodded and glanced at Mary. “Can you get Dawn everything she needs to get started?”
“Already done,” Mary told him with a smile and looked at her wristwatch. “Now that all that’s over, I’m going for breakfast.” She stood, looking from Dawn to Liam. “Can I get either of you something?”
“I would love a tropical smoothie, please,” Dawn said.
“I’ll have the same,” Liam said.
“I’ll have them sent to your office,” Mary said before leaving them.
“Let’s go to my office,” Liam suggested.
Dawn stood and led the way, taking a seat in front of his desk while he sat on the opposite side.
“I checked on Harper and Lila,” Dawn told him. “They’re fine.” She smiled. “Lila is teaching Harper how to surf under the watchful eye of two of the lifeguards.”
“Was it a brother and sister?” Liam asked.
“Yes,” Dawn said and nodded. “Lila told me that the twins were keeping a close eye on them.”
“That’s Jack and Jill,” Liam told her, smiling as her eyebrows shot up.
“Seriously?” Dawn looked at him in disbelief. “A parent named their twins Jack and Jill?”
“Yup!” Liam nodded. “They’re sweet kids, and you know the teens are safe under their watch. They are also champion swimmers and triathletes.”
