Chapter 10

 Chairs scraped as a couple with two young boys sat down. The kids bickering. Then a quick slapped down type of look and a whispered word and silence. The kids looking at each other and smiling then giggling. The room large and square and more inviting than the rest of the hotel with wooden chairs with soft brown faux leather seats. Wooden tables nicely laid out though. An out of place flower in a small vase. Mike picked up the coffee pot and poured a fresh one into his breakfast mug. “You want more of this or are four cups enough for you?” 

“It’s enough and I still have some anyway,” said Eddie. 

“You want more toast or are six slices enough?” 

“It’s enough.” 

“Anything else? More eggs? Bacon? What about more cereal?” 

“Nope I’m just about done.” 

“Good I was in danger of thinking you were overeating. Not bad coffee, eh?” 

“Nope, not bad at all. What d’you think then? This place?” 

“Not bad. Looks like a dump from outside. And the owner’s a bit odd. I thought when we arrived…. well, you know. But it’s OK. Like the man said, the breakfast’s good. There's enough of it for you.... bed’s comfy. Don’t need much else, do we?”

 

 “Except the scenery and that’s nice,” said Eddie looking at the girl serving. 

“Now she is too young. You could be her granddad, Keep your eyes to yourself. We’re here on business not to get arrested for child abuse.” 

“Sure, Mike whatever you say,” said Eddie, still looking at the girl. “But…” 

“There aren’t any buts with this. We gotta find that blond lady. That’s the only priority.” 

 

Late Saturday evening and they had pulled up into a parking space in front of the hotel. Around the back of town a few streets away from the beach. The place had dive written all over it. It lacked paint. In fact, it lacked a whole heap of things. It had a rundown feel. Looked like a big storm had come and blown all the character away. It was just getting dark and the porch light was on. An oddly welcoming glow in a dark recess.  

Inside at the end of a short wide hallway with an old, tiled floor and stuck down carpet a square desk had a sign on it that said ‘reception’. The man on the phone with a Biro in his hand. Twiddling it a bit as he spoke. He looked up when they stood in front of him, and said, “hang on,” into the phone. Put his hand over the mouthpiece and whispered to them, “just a moment,” then went back to his conversation. Mike looked at Eddie and shrugged. Why whisper when the mouthpiece is blocked? Talking looking down like he did not want to look into their eyes. The top of his bald head shone under the bright glow of a fluorescent tube. His tired look matching the decor.  

He pulled his tie away from his neck and undid the top button of a creased white shirt as his conversation took off a bit. He sure had an unkempt look. Looking up with raised eyebrows he said. “So, you phoned because you were bored, is that what you are telling me?” 

The reply was just a garbled background hum in the earpiece stuck close to the man’s ear. 

“You’re bored, eh? I know what I’ll do. I’ll phone the old man. Is that it? Maybe your old man doesn’t like being called by a bored person. Even if it is his son. You ever thought about that?” 

Some more background but a bit louder. Mike could make out a but and a know. 

The man said, “no I don’t know. You can’t phone when you’re not bored but that’s when you’d mean it. When you're not bored you’re phoning because you want to. When you’re bored it’s just something to do, eh?” 

There was a very clear but… 

“No buts here. I tell you what. When you’re not bored you phone like you really mean it. Then I’ll talk. I’ve some customers come in so I’m hanging up. Try again on a good day.” And he hung up.  

“Sorry about that,” he said, “My son always phones on a bad day. Not his fault they’re all bad days these days. He phones and tells me he’s phoning because he’s bored. Anyway, my problem. How can I help?” 

Eddie said, “I phoned earlier and booked a room. Names Eddie Hanson.” 

“Yeah, that’s right. Had trouble hearing you with all the car noise and your radio flat out. Double or twin? The double’s a huge room. The twin’s small. I’d call it cosy.” 

“See I told you to turn down the radio, eh Mike? You heard him. The man says he couldn’t hear.” 

“We’ll take the twin,” said Mike ignoring Eddie, “we don’t mind cosy…. Bathroom?” 

“Sure. En-suite and it works.” That was said as though it was unusual. “Eighty pounds a night in advance. Breakfast between 7.30 and 9.30. Other than that, we don’t do meals.” 

The key had a six on it and the man pointed up the stairs and indicated left. Then said, “by the way my name’s Gary. You need anything just holler or see that big gong on the floor there give that a whack. It used to be for mealtimes. I got complaints from right down the street, so someone’ll hear it all right.” 

It was tight but the walls were far enough apart and the two beds were the wide sort. Halfway between a single and a double. “This’ll do,” said Mike, feeling the bounce in one of the beds, “beats sharing with you with all your tossing and turning.” 

Eddie did not reply. They had spent that much time together he knew the reason for not sharing a bed. The same reason why Mike avoided relationships. He would wait until the small hours. Then the talking would begin. 

They were proper mates. The sort that grow up together. Did everything together. Joined the army together and fought together. Eddie was down to earth. Things just swept him by.  Mike was the sharp one and that meant he carried the responsibility with him. Thought too much. And it showed. The shaking and the sweating. In the darkness reliving the trauma. The men down. The medivac blades booming. The bullets zinging. White flashing explosions shaking the earth. Feeling that responsibility really badly. Eddie knew what to do and he did it and in the morning nothing had happened and the day started as just any other day. No word. No look. Just another day starting. Refreshed and ready to go.       

 

The rack about four shelves deep stood towards one side of the reception desk. Mike was looking at the local tourist information. Flicking through the flyers. The places of interest. He pulled out a thicker one. One with a map and a list of the hotels. Scanned down the list. “What have we got then?” he said. 

Eddie was leaning on the reception desk looking through a few piled-up papers, “this place has bills. No wonder the guy’s tense. He’s losing money all over the place. Don’t know why he should he's got a good spot here. A short walk to the beach and town centre. Vamp it up and there’s money to be made. What d’you think Mike? You're the brains.” 

“At the moment I don’t. I’m looking at all these hotels. Where would our lady stay?” 

“She’s posh so start at the top and work down. She ain’t going to stay in a dive like this so most of those you can eliminate.” 

“Ok so there’s four in the real upmarket bracket. With numbers to call.” 

Eddie said, “you call them I’m going to poke around a bit. This place is well worn out except for that cheerful spark that serves breakfast. That’s her domain, that's for certain. You saw the flowers and nicely laid tables. Nothing of Gary there. I might have a word with her.” 

“You know what I said….” 

“Don’t worry I ain’t going to give her the old Eddie spiel. I want some inside info is all. I’ll catch up with you in an hour or so. OK?” 

“Sure. I’m in the room.” 

 

Three calls with the same, “Hi can you put me through to Jane Somerton….Yes I’m her brother and need to speak with her.” Two said the normal negative. The last one said, “I’m sorry there’s no reply from her room.” So, Mike said, “Can you give me her room number please so I can call by later.” Not expecting an answer and not getting one except the usual thing about security. 

As the door swung open, he said to Eddie, “She’s in the Grand Hotel. Down the other end of town up on that high bit that looks out to sea.” 

Eddie said. “That girl’s a real cutie. But you’re right she’s young and off my radar. She said the place has been going downhill for a while. Since Gary’s wife left him when he was out one day. Just walked out with another fella carrying her suitcases following along behind her. All she carried was her cat in one of those basket cages you take cats to the vets in. He’s not interested in the Hotel business anymore. That’s what the girl says anyway.” 

“That’s nice. You sound like you’re making plans. You fancy being a, ‘hello how are you today?’ sort of fella.” 

“Might do. Save that guy beating up his son on the phone, wouldn't it? Better than snapping photos of wives or husbands sneaking about the place or dumping fellas over a rubbish bin. One day a fella could get fed up with all that and want a change. He might want a partner with some brains as well. What d’you think?” 

“I think we need to get down to The Grand. That’s what I think.” 

 

“This is a nice town,” said Eddie as they strolled through the streets heading for the front. “Has some character. Some good-looking pubs and eateries. Everything a holiday maker could want. These buildings are old and some have some real age. Look at all these out here on the front facing the sea. What age are they? They’re old alright.” 

“Regency,” said Mike, “the place was built through the early eighteen hundreds. An escape for all those Georgians. Probably merchants from Exeter or someplace quite close. Londoners would come but for the summer. By coach and horses from there was a long haul. Quite a few days travel. The Victorians built a station so the place took off late nineteenth century.” 

“You know you’d make a great partner. You could give history lessons to all the guests on wet days. Think about that for a while. You could get a tweed jacket with leather patches on the elbows. And a posh pair of specs. Maybe corduroy trousers. The thick cord sort and brown. Hush Puppies. Remember them? You’d need them for sure. A smart look a history teacher look. The ladies would fall all over you looking all wise and handsome in your history teacher outfit. Paradise in Sidmouth in corduroy. What d’you think?” 

“You keep asking me that. I think I don’t like tweed or corduroy or flocks of ladies. Let’s leave the history lessons out of it.” 

“Sure. So, you’re interested then? If I leave out the history stuff.” 

“I didn’t say that. All I said was I don’t like history lessons. Give it a rest for now, eh.” 

“Ok... look at this place here? All this stuff. How many tubs are there? Gotta go in here. You want an ice cream?” 

“No, I don’t. I’ve just had coffee and eggs.” 

“Hang on a minute will you…. give me one of those honeycomb and chocolate ones will you please.” he said to the young guy with the white suit and peaked hat with a penguin on it. “A double. And I’ll have one of those flakes stuck in that. No, make it two. And chocolate sprinkles. Thanks a bundle. How’d you like this then Mike? What a place. We’re coming back here later.” 

“I don’t know how you do it. You just broke a world record for breakfast eating. Keep it up you’ll bankrupt the guy all on your own. And here we are…. you're like a little kid. All focused-on chocolate. Come on, step it up, we're being too slow.”  

“Yes papa. Thank you for letting me have ice cream.” Eddie said with a big grin. 

Shifting up a gear they crossed the road that ran parallel to the sea. Then fast walked along the esplanade heading west towards the large brick-built building sitting towards the front of the rising ground that was near the middle of the bay. Commanding a dominating position. A great location for a first-class hotel. 

The road bore round to the right as the esplanade reached the tall cliffs that protruded into the sea. A narrow walkway around this small promontory joined the east and west beaches. Crossing back over the road they walked on the pavement to the hotel and up the slope to the entrance where the tall doorman waited, shaded in the large covered drop off area. 

“Morning sirs,” Henry said in his fake posh voice and doorman grin, “reception is through the revolving doors.” 

Spinning through the doors Eddie said, “That’s real neat having a doorman with a door that does it all by its own with no help. Just sucks you in and spits you out. And with his white gloves and all. A smart man that one. Having a job with no work to do.” 

“He opens car doors and stuff. Carries in the luggage and is polite. Says nice things to the guests.” 

“But he doesn’t open hotel doors, does he? He should be called a car door opener if that’s what he does or a luggage carrier or whatever else he does that’s not opening hotel doors.” 

“Oh, will you shut up. Sometimes you’re just so irritating. It’s just a title. Like bellboys and there’s sure to be those as well.” 

“Yeah, sure but they have real jobs. The bell dings and they come running, ‘get the ladies luggage’ and all that sort of stuff. A proper job title eh?” 

“I give up. There’s just no talking to you sometimes, is there? It’s all that sugar. Affects your brain if you’ve got one that is.” 

“I’ve got one. You already know that though. Maybe I just rest the important bits now and then and leave just the bullshit talking part working. That’s where the fun is anyway, not in the important parts.” 

“OK, whatever. Let’s see this receptionist. And no smartass talking please.” 

Mike asked if the man in the black suit, with a white shirt and blue tie with John on the name tab, could let Jane Somerton know her brother was here to see her. Then looked at John as Eddie watched him press 210 into the phone and waited then said there’s no answer. Mike said thanks and said they would call back. No need to mention they were here. It was a surprise and they’d like to keep it that way.  

The man just said that was fine and moved to the next customer standing quite close to Mike. A medium height lady with long dark hair and red lipstick with red painted nails that looked freshly done. Mike noticed the perfume. Subtle, the sort that enticed but did not clag up the senses. He looked at her and she smiled.