The Hotel – 40

"Okay, enough of my playing the put-upon owner," I said. "When will you know for certain one way or another about the pendant?"

Edwin cocked his head as if listening to something before replying. "Now. Kirby took one look at it and wanted to know why Orville had it. When Orville told him, Kirby broke down. He said he gave it to Jenn two months ago, to celebrate her birthday. He noticed she wasn't wearing it the morning after Tessa disappeared and asked her why. She said she'd put it on again once she knew for certain that Tessa had been lying about having an affair with him and not before."

"That would explain the tension between them." I looked at Edwin. "You can, umm, mind talk I guess you'd call it with Orville?"

"Yes. It's something all shifters can do."

"Another question. Jenn must have lied to him when he interviewed her about when the last time was she saw Tessa. Why didn't he pick up on that?"

"I don't know, Austin, but he didn't. Perhaps because she's an excellent actress? It also could be that the murder was spur of the moment. The fact she'd killed Tessa, who up until a few days ago had been her friend, might have traumatized her enough that she blocked any memory of it."

"The same would hold true for you."

"Knowing whether she was lying to me?" he asked. "Probably, although I haven't talked to her that much and certainly not about the murder, except in very general terms, so she had no reason to lie."

"Okay, that makes sense."

Again, Edwin seemed to be listening to something. This time I knew why and waited for him to tell me.

"Orville has taken Jenn into custody. Apparently she put on quite a scene, which everyone else on the third floor witnessed."

"Oh, great. Not the way to end our stay here. I mean, we will be allowed to leave now, right?"

"I see no reason why not." Edwin pulled away, looking at me in question. "Would you be willing to spend your last night here with me?"

I nodded, leaning in to kiss him. "Right now I can't think of anything else I'd rather do."