Surveillance Camera 381

“And here are your keys, you guys will be staying in room 213 on the second floor,” I informed the guests, “Enjoy your stay.” The couple smiled broadly as the man intertwined his fingertips with his wife’s, their wedding bands glistening under the chandelier in the hotel’s main lobby. As they made their way towards the elevator, I watched as the married couple stared at each other with passion and shared a few pecks before the doors slid open and they walked inside.

         Ugh not another married couple. I see them all the time. They come for the weekend here, make a mess out of the room, and somehow think their stay here has fixed their marriage.

          “Hello sir I’d like to check in now please if my room is ready,” a woman piped up from behind the counter, disrupting my thoughts. I hadn't realized she had been standing there until she spoke up. She had a confident tone to her voice, and resembled a well put together woman. Probably here for a convention or visiting a friend I assumed.

         “Sure thing, first and last name please?” I asked.

         “Angela Patterson,”she replied.

         “Alright, you will be staying in room 381 on the 3rd floor ma’am, continental breakfast starts at 7am and we also have a gym and pool here on the first floor, enjoy your stay,” I recited as I always do. Angela thanked me, and then fumbled around in her purse until she found what she was looking for. She revealed a business card in her hand, ivory in color. She slipped it onto the counter in front of me, winked a slate eye at me, and then disappeared into the elevator.

            That's unusual. Women like her barely ever acknowledge me. What high class lady wants to flirt with a guy who works at a hotel anyways?

The main doors slid open once again, revealing a middle aged man in a grey suit with a black briefcase clenched tightly in his hand. He made his way over to the counter and I went through the same script. I handed him his key to room 109 on the first floor.The man's name was Robert Jennings, and was probably in the city for business. His hands trembled anxiously as he took the key, making him seem as if he were nervous. Whatever work he’s here for it, must be something career changing for him.

      “We have a pool and spa, and also a wonderful sauna as well sir,” I commented, trying to name things that might relieve the stress he was feeling.

     “Alright thank you kindly,” he answered although he wasn’t listening. He was focused on his cell phone that showed one of his contacts trying to call him, but he declined as quick as the call had came through. He then exited the lobby as if in a rush, through the hall to my left.

***

The resolution on camera 213 is far more superior than I thought it would be. The couple on the screen lay next to each other on the hotel bed, folded neatly with fine Egyptian cotton. The man gently brushed the woman's brunette curls behind her ears, placed his hand behind her head and leaned in to meet her lips. The kiss lingered as he moved his hand away from her head and slowly made his way down her body. Disgusting. The moment eventually was interrupted, when the woman pulled away sharply.

“What are we honestly doing David?” The woman questioned. David sat up and stared off at the modern painting on the wall.

“I thought this is what you wanted,” he replied. Oh no, here we go.

“I guess so, but don’t you feel the least bit guilty?” She asked.

“Sometimes I do, but I try not to think about it too much,” he mumbled, “C’mon Grace, we came here to spend time together, let’s just have a good time.” David moved forward to kiss her again and at first she accepted, but then drew back.

“What if my kids found out? What would they think of me?” she wondered. Wait kids? Are they not married??

“Think of how many other kids in America have parents who have cheated on their spouse with someone else. It’s common nowadays sweetheart, they’d understand,” he reassured her. Common?! Screw that, it shouldn't be common for a kid to experience one of their parents having an affair...

“Maybe you’re right. No one will probably find out about this anyways, neither of are obviously going to tell anyone,” Grace finally realized. David’s sat up at her remark and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“Well we are eventually going to come clean right? I mean we want to be with each other so we will have to tell our families one day,” he stated.

“I can't ruin my family are you kidding? My life is stable right now and my husband has been giving me everything I ask for, why would I want to risk all of that?” she snapped.

“For me that’s why. I thought we really loved each other Grace, correct me if i’m wrong. If you truly want to create a life with me one day, you will have to come clean to your husband,” he reminded. You love each other yet still wear your wedding bands from your other marriages? She took his words into consideration and stayed silent for a few moments. Her elegant hands fiddled anxiously with her cardigan as she searched for something to say.

“I do love you, and I will tell everyone eventually, but not right now. I promise you that one day it will happen though,” she assured him. David nodded in approval and then took her into his embrace. The couple laid back down on the bed and resumed right where they had left off.

 

I rolled my leather chair over to another monitor on the opposite side of the room. I scrolled the mouse over the camera icon, and then clicked the “ON” option. The screen slowly started to display a woman sitting in a taupe arm chair, looking out the window in front of her. The view showed the lit up city and traffic lining the streets. Even her back profile is stunning, the way her strawberry blonde waves fall perfectly to her mid back. There was a knock at her door, therefore she stood up from the chair, smoothed her charcoal pencil skirt and then made her way over to the door. She looked through the peep hole, and then opened the door to reveal a man in a navy suit.

“You must be Henry,” the woman presumed.

“Yes,” he replied with a charming grin, “and you’re Angela, correct?” I knew it was too good to be true. Her wink to me must of just been an eye twitch.

“Yes sir. My boss informed me that you wanted the best he had so here I am,” she teased.

“He’s man of good choices, considering the fact he picked you to attend to my needs tonight,” he remarked. What the hell kind of a job does this woman have?

“You’re too kind,” she giggled, “What’s on the agenda for tonight Mr. Davis?”

“Well I was hoping you could attend with me to my business’s charity fundraiser tonight, and perhaps we come back to the hotel after and you could spend the night in my suite,” he proposed.

“Sounds good like a plan, let me just grab my coat,” she responded as she quickly walked over to her closet where she grabbed her peacoat.

“As for payment, how much should I give you? I’d rather get it out of the way now so we can enjoy the night,” Henry explained. Holy shit she’s an escort. That wink wasn’t an eye twitch, just her looking for more business.

“Tonight will cost you around $500 cash sir,” Angela asserted. Mr.Davis removed a black leather wallet from his back pocket, pulled out 5 crisp benjamins and then handed them to her. Without hesitation she snatched them from his hand and placed them into her purse.

“You’ve never been caught or gotten into any trouble with doing this, have you?” he whispered while his eyes darted around the room as if looking for someone eavesdropping on them. I’m up here you fool.

“No I’m extremely careful with my work. Don’t worry we’ll be fine, just stick to the story that we’re good friends from college and nobody will think twice about it,” she comforted. You’ll be fine until I call hotel security on you two when you get back.

“Alright thanks. Let’s get going though, the fundraiser starts in 20 and it’s several blocks away,” he insisted as he placed his hand on her lower back and walked her towards the door.

“Well Mr.Davis get ready for the night of your life,” Angela guaranteed and then stepped out into the hall leaving behind an empty room.

 

Tonights more interesting than I thought it would be. The next screen fuzzed before displaying the man who had last checked in. He still wore the same suit, but yet something seemed different about him. Ah yes the hands. His hands no longer trembled and he didn’t seem to be stressed or anxious anymore. If anything, he seemed the complete opposite. He lay sprawled out on his bed, his hands behind his head. What on Earth has changed in the past 20 minutes that made this guy so calm? I searched the room and caught sight of his briefcase on the floor, left wide open. A bunch of little ziploc bags were scattered about inside. I squinted at the screen trying to make out what was inside the bags. My search was interrupted when Robert sat up quickly to the sound of the hotel room’s phone going off. He rolled across the bed and picked up the phone and held it against his ear. I made sure to monitor the call as well.

“Hello?” he enthusiastically asked.

“Robert, it’s William. A couple of my guys tried your cell earlier, but said you sent them straight to voicemail. Therefore I thought I’d call you myself,” the man on the other line notified.

“Listen I can exp-,” Robert started, but was soon cut off.

“Shut up,” William cursed, “I’ve just about had it with you. I just gave you one extra week to try and come up with the $800 you owe me, and I haven’t received anything from you.” So that’s why he declined the call so quickly earlier.

“I know, I know, but I promise I will get it to you sometime this week and it will all be chill,” he reassured.

“No, I want it tonight with no exception. And don’t try to run because you have nowhere to go. I have men waiting in cars parked all outside the hotel,” the guy warned. Robert stood up from his bed and ran over to the window overlooking the street. His facial expression fell flat, indicating that he probably the car's William was talking about.

“You can’t do this to me, I’m broke. Just give me more time and I swear I can get you all the money,” Robert pleaded.

“I’ve given you enough time. You shouldn’t have done business with me if you knew you couldn’t pay the price,” William explained. Robert looked around nervously and his hands began to shake in the same way they had earlier in the lobby. He began pacing back and forth with the spiral phone cord following behind him.

“Alright. I’ll get you the money by 11pm tonight,” he lied.

“You better, or else you know the consequence,” William responded. With that, Robert put the phone back on the receiver and cradled his head in his hands. After a few minutes he scurried over to his briefcase on the floor. He grabbed a bag and brought it over to the coffee table. He emptied the contents onto the table and formed it into a straight line. Taking a dollar bill from his wallet, he rolled it up tightly and held it up to his nose. With that, he inhaled and took on the challenges the night was about to bring him.

 

Well that was eventful to say the least… I sat up out of the chair, and flattened my navy and grey striped tie. I made sure to turn off all the monitors before exiting the room back into the lobby. Two of my employees stood behind the check in counter taking over the night shift. I let them both go on break and cover for them in the meantime. The lobby was quiet, for the night was winding down. A few travelers passing through might stop for the night but other than that it looks like I can just relax. The minute I began to sit down behind the counter in a mahogany leather chair, a man in a fine suit entered from the left hall. My buddy Robert. Trying to act as calm and collected as he could, he approached the desk.

“Excuse me sir?” he asked.

“How may I help you?” I replied.

“I noticed when I came here there was a bar attached next door. Does the hotel have an entrance from inside I could use? Robert questioned. Funny. If you're just going to the bar why do you need your luggage. I could see right through him. He was going to avoid the cars outside by exiting to the streets from the bar. The men wouldn't notice, they’d be so focused on the hotel entrances.

“Yes indeed we do. If you follow the hall to my right all the way down it will be right there,” I directed.

“Alright thank you so much sir,” he exclaimed and then exited the way I had instructed.

It's not my job to stop him from making stupid mistakes. Minutes after he left and I was filling out paperwork, the elevator dinged and opened to reveal Angela and Henry Davis. The way she portrays herself to the public is repulsive. Such a shame that someone so beautiful puts all she has to waste. They walked in sync towards the main entrance, the click of her heels echoing throughout the lobby. The automatic doors slid open, and the two stepped outside into the city's bustling streets. After the breeze the main door had let in from out side began to dissipate, the couple from room 213 came into the lobby from the stairway entrance. I know Robert left to avoid William and his men, and then Angela and Mr.Davis were going to his fundraiser event, but why are these two here with all their bags packed? The couple made their way over to the counter, their hands placed in each other's.

“Hello again,” David started, “I know we just checked in earlier, but something's come up back at our home so we’d like to check out.”

“Alright no problem,” I assured.

“Okay great, I know I paid you earlier, so here's our room key. Thanks for everything,” he said.

“My pleasure. I wish you and your wife a safe trip home,” I commented, “It’s nice to see that such a happy marriage work.”