Adventure in the World of Crimes

3.17 The Death of Mr. Koto II

They rushed at the Resting Place hotel with Reign already clad with way more casual clothes than what she was wearing earlier, though she was still wearing the bikini inside her black tee and a plain white jogging pants and a pair of flip flops was given to her found behind the car, it was far better than going out wearing what she was wearing when they fled out of the resort.

The hotel which had been remarkable for its already gloomy, eerie, and quiet, resting place by how many death had been happening inside, known or not, now that Reign had been undergoing that feeling at the moment, she could imagine the people's face, the dark aura surrounding the whole hotel, the silent whispers, the fear of proceeding to go inside their rooms, it was scary to even step inside the entrance as if you would succumb at the darkness of whatever was on the other side once you stepped in.

"Why is no one here?" Reign whispered to the manager, looking around to find at least one staff but there was no one even the person at the front desk.

"They were sent home for the exclusivity of Mr. Koto's death, It's one of his last wishes even when he was still in the hospital. He doesn't want fake sympathy for his death like what they did to his daughter." She explained, pressing the second floor on the elevator as they both quietly waited inside.

When the elevator dinged they found the room 236 door closed like the other as if nothing had happened inside, but they knew someone was inside as the slightest noise echoed in the silent hallway, which they heard clearly a few people talking, or shouting, which made them hurry their steps. They found Martin and Clinton silently standing near the door in the living room, Martin had his back perched on the floor while looking down with his hands inside his jeans pocket. Clinton was walking back and forth at the back of the couch with his arms crossed over his chest. The other two vloggers were silently seated on the two single couches with a solemn expression and gloomy feelings as well, she also saw Freya's eyes already red in mourning of the only man who supported them from the start of their career until now.

Manager Karen was seated on the long couch alone, her eyes were glaring, hands formed into balls with her face red and her eyes on the brink of crying. Photographer Geoff was standing on the other side of the room, behind the manager with more like a scornful expression and the one who was shouting earlier by his red face until to his neck, and also by how they saw him pointing his finger towards the man in the middle of the room, Jeremy, who had his first held up on the air and was like about to punch the photographer if not for their entrance.

Their attention switched to them, Martin straightened his stance as his tired eyes lit up upon seeing Reign emerged on the door with her manager. Clinton, too, stopped from walking and looked at the newly arrived visitor. Everyone's eyes turned to them even the two who were about to kill each other through their eyes.

"What is this fuss about?" Manager Betty asked sternly, putting down the bag she was carrying on the floor as she went straight in the middle of the room and pushed Allan slightly to go in between them, "Explain why you are here, fighting again, in front of these kids when we should be in the room, mourning for the old man's passing?"

Reign could see the huge dominance of her manager over the other old people inside just through her voice and her squints towards them. Reign stood beside Martin who immediately draped his arm on her shoulder but she nudged his side which caused him to grunt.

"We were all given a portion of Mr. Koto's possession except for that guy, and he was wondering why when this clearly showed what kind of person he is," Jeremy explained, glaring at the crazy mad photographer.

"You advised him to not give me, or even Sana, any because you want all of his possession all to yourself!" Photographer Geoff yelled again, it was the younger people inside's the first time seeing him yell in too much anger out of a photoshoot. He scoffed, "Congratulations! You get what you wanted! You succeed in being the instant millionaire, should we call you, Mr. Kent? Sounds nice, right?"

"Keep your jealousy out of the way, Geoff." Manager Betty spat, deeply looking at the man. "You shouldn't expect anything in the first place, who are you to him except for a pain in the neck and a headache? Nothing else." She emphasized, "You can't use your previous relationship with Sana because all you did was blame him for her death which he was devasted about, too. And look at you now, you are being evil just because he didn't give you a penny that he was not obliged to give you? Have some shame."

Photographer Geoff gritted his teeth and closed his fist, his eyes were dangerously glaring in anger. "You all are ignorant! Stupid! I made Sana raised in fame through my backers! Sana's money was all mine!"

"But Mr. Koto didn't give him any because he knew what you're going to do. You'll show your marriage contract that you tricked Sana to sign. Do you think he didn't know? He knew how manipulative you are that's why he didn't approve of your relationship." Jeremy answered back, voice laced with disgust.

"And what?" He humorlessly laughed, "Killed her instead because 'til death do us part? He's a killer, it:s a shame the mafia doesn't kill anyone other than the rising stars. If I know who that person is I might have asked him to include him in the list of his victims-"

He got a good hit on his face, which he certainly deserved, from Jeremy, followed by more because of the bodyguard's anger.

"Stop!"

"Jeremy!"

Martin and Clinton along with the two managers tried to stop Jeremy, the two lads pulling him by his shoulders but he managed to kick one more the photographer's stomach. Now, his face was awfully bloodied.

"You are ungrateful! He gave you work but you wished him ill! You deserve to be killed!" Jeremy shouted, trying to free himself from the men's grip but they wouldn't let him.

"That's enough, Jeremy. He had passed out. I'll call the ambulance so we could deliver them to the hospital, for now, let us see Mr. Koto's body."

Manager Betty called for an ambulance while the rest of them proceeded to the room where Mr. Koto's body laid. It was Reign who entered the room last, and as soon as she did, the cold atmosphere enveloped her whole system, smelling the weird but at the same time familiar scent of a strong perfume. She looked around, seeing the window of the room opened, the source of the cold wind which blared the curtain, it was the same window that they saw on the CCTV record of the fifth victim that Manager Karen forgot to close.

Martin went there and closed it, feeling the coldness of the night air as well. Reign saw the cold soup that was unconsumed on the bedside table, there was an empty glass of water beside it and a stainless pitcher. On the bed, the cold, stiff old man was laying on the bed, pale, and unmoving, and dead.

The door was widely opened as the manager walked past her and stood by the side of the bed. Staring at the dead man as she closed her eyes and offered a short prayer. The room was also silent for a while.

"Why did he died suddenly? Heart attack got him completely?"

"I don't know actually, he was not breathing anymore when I came in," Jeremy answered sadly, sitting on the other side of the bed.

"Where were you? Why did you leave him? He died without anyone on his side." Manager Karen disappointedly asked, her face disappointed.

"I took a bath, and waited for the soup that he requested to arrive." He pointed the soup on the side, "I was only away for twenty minutes."

"He didn't make any noise?" The other manager asked.

The bodyguard shook his head, "No, that's why I was confident not to check because he's usually silent and he would scream or yell if he feels something."

They were interrupted by the bell of the door, Manager Karen saying it was probably the ambulance the three older peeps went out, leaving them five still surrounding the dead man.

Reign's eyes fixed on how his pale, chapped lips were parted, how his hands were perfectly placed on his arms above his abdomen as if he died peacefully, she didn't know but she just felt weird.

The newly arrived people took the body carefully, even the body of Photographer Geoff was rushed down. The vloggers followed the people who got the body because there was no reason to stay in the room if the body was already out, but for some reason, Reign did...and Martin who noticed her not following them.

"What are you still doing here, Flora?" He asked, walking back inside the room.

Reign looked at him then to the bed, walking towards the other side where the food was, she took out her handkerchief and raised the empty glass of water, angling it up to the light to see something.

"Don't tell me you were skeptical of his death?" He laughed, "Flora, not every death in this room was murder. It's clear that he died of age and heart failure. There's nothing to be wary about."

The agent just shrugged, "Better be sure than.

-wait."

Reign crawled on the bed and flipped the white pillow, both of their eyes widen as they saw that part. It was crumpled, upon feeling it—wet, and there were strands of white hairs on it.

"How can you explain this?"