Page 48 of Unruly
“Whoa, check this place out. It’s like stepping into the past.”
“I agree. I wonder where we would find a hummingbird brooch.”
“What about over there?” Borja points to a room tucked to the left of the lobby. Above it a sign with the words “Hummingbird Lounge.”
“As good a place to start as any.”
We approach the room, finding that it’s a small museum of sorts, displaying the history of Samuel Brent and how he came to build this hotel.
“Look.” Borja’s standing under a large painted portrait of a woman. “This is Lady Brent, whose nickname was Hummingbird.”
I gaze up at the portrait, noting the brooch pinned to her bodice. “Does it say anything else?”
“Just about how she moved here from France to marry Samuel. They had three kids, all boys, who went on to become successful men in their own right.”
“Not helpful,” I mumble.
“Oh. Wait. The famous hummingbird brooch given to Lady Brent as a wedding gift by her father-in-law went missing shortly after her death until it was returned to the Brent Hotel in 1952 by an anonymous source.” He leans closer to the plaque. “The brooch is now displayed…” Borja pauses, glancing up and around the room. “It’s displayed in the glass case right over there.”
I hurry to the cabinet just to the left of the painting. Inside are various items, ranging from jewelry to sculptures and vases. And there, in the center, ensconced in black velvet is the brooch.
“We need to touch it.” I look for a door to open but find it locked. “I wonder if the front desk would allow access to it.”
“Probably not if they think you’re just a random tourist.”
“What would you do in this situation if I weren’t here?”
Borja grins. “On-the-job training. I like it.” He purses his lips in thought for a moment before glancing over his shoulder at the front desk. “Watch this.”
He walks confidently to the front and chats with the woman behind the desk. She looks unsure for a moment, but whatever he’s telling her seems to change her mind. She nods, reaching under the desk and motioning for him to follow her.
I remain quiet, simply watching the interaction.
“Thank you so much, Sherry,” Borja says. “My colleague and I appreciate it.”
“Sure thing,” Sherry says. “Just be careful, huh?”
“Of course.”
Sherry unlocks the case, slides the glass door open and gently lifts the brooch, then hands it to Borja. She hovers protectively, a nervous expression on her face. Borja hands the jewelry to me, but I don’t detect anything special or unusual about it.
“Does it have a case?” I ask.
“Yes.” Sherry lifts the velvet and pulls out a small wooden box. “Here you go.”
“Thank you.” I hand the brooch back to Borja and flip the box over, looking for an inscription or a clue of some sort.
“Uh, Farnsworth?”
“Yes?”
“Look at me.”
I glance up, then startle, astounded by what I see. Sherry is motionless, frozen in time, and many spirits swirl around Borja, their attention focused on the brooch.
“Hello.”
One of the spirits turns sharply to me. “Farnsworth. I had hoped never to see you again.”
