The Guest Who Disappeared Into The Night
Bad planning
Outside the main double doors of Repose Hotel, 15 July, 9:50 a.m.
Gregory Harris
Honey, the guests are here soon!
Gregory Harris
I can see the bus coming!
Shannon Harris
*Runs towards Mr. Harris behind his back*
Shannon Harris
I'm coming, I'm coming!
A middle-aged lady is approaching the nervous owners of Repose Hotel from their left.
Thelma Morris
Mr. and Mrs. Harris.
Thelma Morris
The cookies, tea and coffee are ready for the guests in the canteen.
Thelma Morris
I'll soon start preparing the lunch for them.
Thelma Morris
Mr. Kenley is currently doing a final check-up on the toilets.
Gregory Harris
So, what will it be for lunch?
Thelma Morris
Meatballs with cream sauce, lingonberry jam, green peas and boiled potatoes.
Thelma Morris
Of course, there will also be a vegetarian alternative.
Gregory Harris
*Hesitates*
Shannon Harris
What's wrong, dear?
Gregory Harris
The lunch...
Gregory Harris
Isn't it a little bit too basic for our guests?
Thelma Morris
Well, sir...
Shannon Harris
Don't blame Mrs. Morris, Gregory.
Shannon Harris
It was my idea.
Shannon Harris
After all, we can't afford offering expensive food for our first guests yet.
Shannon Harris
They did pick our hotel not only because of the location, but also because of the low price.
Gregory Harris
I guess you're right.
Shannon Harris
So, Mrs. Morris.
Shannon Harris
Are the guests who have already arrived satisfied with their accommodation so far?
Thelma Morris
Well... I haven't had the opportunity to ask everyone while I was busy in the canteen.
Thelma Morris
I did hear something else.
Thelma Morris
I heard a quarrel between two people.
Thelma Morris
It was between... Ergh... The Italian and that unfriendly guest in room 104.
Shannon Harris
That's Mr. Costa and Mr. Atkinson!
Gregory Harris
What did they quarrel about?
Thelma Morris
It wasn't really my business to listen to other people's private conversations.
Thelma Morris
But it was something about Mr. Atkinson owing something to Mr. Costa.
Thelma Morris
Mr. Costa also accused Mr. Atkinson of being a traitor.
Thelma Morris
But I know nothing more of the details since I was in a hurry...
Gregory Harris
It's alright, Mrs. Morris.
Gregory Harris
As long as they weren't talking about the hotel, then I'm glad.
Gregory Harris
We have more important things to be worried about.
The bus with the next group of guests stops a few metres from the hotel.
Mr. and Mrs. Harris begin walking towards the bus.
Susanna Mårtensson
*Struggles with her painting equipment while exiting the bus*
Gregory Harris
No, no, no!
Gregory Harris
Allow me to help you with it, miss.
Susanna Mårtensson
Thanks!
Susanna Mårtensson
That's very kind of you!
Shannon Harris
Hi and welcome to Repose Hotel!
Mrs. Harris greets Antoine Roux and Stanley Daniels coming after Susanna Mårtensson.
Stanley Daniels
Man! What a nice view!
Antoine Roux
Oui, n'est-ce pas? (= Yeah, right?)
Stanley Daniels
I'm really going to enjoy this place!
Mr. Harris looks at the final passengers leaving the bus.
Gregory Harris
Welcome to Repose Hotel!
Pan Mei-Hua
Thank you, sir.
Bryan Dawson
Yeah, thanks!
Gregory Harris
My name is George Harris and this is my wife Shannon.
Gregory Harris
We both hope that you'll enjoy your stay in our hotel.
Gregory Harris
Please follow us to the reception and you'll all receive your keys to the rooms.
While talking towards the hotel, Mei-Hua notices that Stanley suddenly stops.
He looks up at the first-floor windows above the hotel's main double doors.
Mei-Hua also looks up and sees a tall, pale man staring back at them.
Stanley Daniels
*Doesn't reply*
Pan Mei-Hua
Mr. Daniels, are you alright?
Stanley Daniels
Oh, sorry Miss Pan.
Stanley Daniels
I must have spaced out a bit.
Stanley Daniels
You know...
Stanley Daniels
The view is breathtaking!
Pan Mei-Hua
Yes, you're right.
Mei-Hua doesn't directly follow Stanley to the hotel, but remains where she is.
Bryan notices this and leaves the group of guests to join her.
Bryan Dawson
What's wrong, Mei-Hua?
Pan Mei-Hua
I have a feeling that we probably won't be having a vacation, after all.
Bryan Dawson
Are you really sure about that?
Pan Mei-Hua
Call it a PI's intuition.
Bryan Dawson
The problem with you, Mei-Hua, is that you capture too many details and think too much about them!
Pan Mei-Hua
But that helped us with all of our previous cases, didn't it?
Bryan Dawson
I guess you're right.
By the time Bryan and Mei-Hua reach the reception, most of the guests have already received their keys and left for their rooms.
Only Susanna Mårtensson is still at the reception.
Susanna Mårtensson
You said that we would be getting lunch.
Susanna Mårtensson
Breakfast and dinner are also included in the price, I hope?
Shannon Harris
Yes, Miss Mårtensson.
Shannon Harris
That's correct.
Susanna Mårtensson
But what if we want some snacks?
Susanna Mårtensson
Can we buy them here?
Shannon Harris
*Looks at her husband*
Susanna Mårtensson
It's okay. I can always go and buy them elsewhere.
Gregory Harris
It's not that easy, Miss Mårtensson.
Gregory Harris
There aren't many businesses or meeting places around here since we are in the middle of nowhere.
Gregory Harris
You can go back to the city with the bus, but that's five hours of travel time.
Gregory Harris
So a round trip takes a total of ten hours - without traffic jams - if you're lucky.
Susanna Mårtensson
Ten hours?!
Shannon Harris
But there's a small community about 4 kilometres from here.
Shannon Harris
It takes approximately 45 minutes to walk there.
Shannon Harris
From what I've heard, this village has a small shop for the locals.
Shannon Harris
While the shop mostly sells homemade products, I'm quite sure you'll find something to your liking, Miss Mårtensson.
Susanna Mårtensson
Well, I guess I don't have any choices then.
Gregory Harris
You must understand, Miss Mårtensson. Our hotel is quite new.
Gregory Harris
So there are still many things that can be improved.
Gregory Harris
Like selling snacks outside of the offered main meals, for example.
Gregory Harris
*Does his best at defusing the tense situation by giving a smile*
Susanna Mårtensson
*Looks disappointed*
Susanna Mårtensson
Well, thank you then.
Susanna Mårtensson
*Walks down the hall towards the stairs*
Shannon Harris
I really hope she won't give us a bad review because of this...
Gregory Harris
We haven't done any bad planning, love.
Gregory Harris
We did what we could.
Gregory Harris
But I'll take a look at the catalogue later if we can buy some snacks for a reasonable price, and re-sell them at the hotel.
Shannon Harris
Based on Miss Mårtensson's reply, I think she wants more than Mrs. Morris's cookies!
Shannon Harris
*Looks at Bryan and Mei-Hua*
Shannon Harris
Oh my goodness...
Shannon Harris
Please forgive us!
Pan Mei-Hua
No, no, it's alright.
Shannon Harris
Are you a couple?
Bryan Dawson
No, we're just colleagues.
Gregory Harris
*Hands over the room key to Mei-Hua*
Gregory Harris
Your keys go to room 109.
Gregory Harris
But I must apologise in advance.
Gregory Harris
When you booked the room, I assumed that you were a couple.
Bryan looks at Mr. Harris embarrassedly.
Gregory Harris
Because of that, I've asked Mr. Kenley to move the beds together.
Gregory Harris
If you want, I can ask him to move the beds away from each other and give them separate bedsheets.
Shannon Harris
It will be done quickly, dear.
Shannon Harris
*Takes up her smartphone and dials a number*
Shannon Harris
Mr. Kenley?
Shannon Harris
Can you please help our guests in room 109 by moving the beds away from each other and give them separate bedsheets?
Shannon Harris
And can you fetch them when you've finished?
Shannon Harris
I'll send the guests to the canteen in the meantime.
Shannon Harris
Excellent. Great. Bye.
Shannon Harris
*Looks at Bryan and Mei-Hua*
Shannon Harris
It will only take a couple of minutes.
Shannon Harris
In the meantime, can we offer you some cookies and coffee?
Bryan Dawson
*Has difficulties containing his excitement*
Pan Mei-Hua
That would be great, Mrs. Harris.
Mrs. Harris leads the pair towards the canteen.
Pan Mei-Hua
I think you both have done a great work so far.
Pan Mei-Hua
I don't think you've done any bad planning.
Shannon Harris
Thank you, dear.
Shannon Harris
*Gives a big smile*
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