Murder At The Motel

7. DÉJÀ VU

Standing outside of Paige's room was none other than the motel owner.

A.k.a the creepy receptionist.

"Is there something you need?" She asked with a puzzled look.

"Oh no! Nothing. Just passing by," He replied with an unsettling smile.

"Right....." She eyed him skeptically as he quickly walked away from her.

Weirdo alert....

She rolled her eyes in annoyance before shutting the room door behind her. After ensuring that her room door was locked, she headed off to make her way to the location she had agreed to meet up with one of the locals.

It was a quiet journey to Paige's surprise. The town's street which was currently empty from people, made it feel like a ghost town. Her mind began drifting off when a sudden constant nagging question consumed her thoughts— Wasn't it weird that Bradley's mum was more concerned about the scandal than her own husband's death?

Rich people problem I guess.... Not surprised if they both don't even love each other

Oblivious to her surroundings, Paige didn't anticipate she would crossed path with the local whom she would be interviewing until she walked past a house where a beat up looking blue truck was parked outside. Since she was quite a distance from the person, she had to squint her eyes in order to get a clearer view of them.

That's the man who I'm supposed to interview!

"Are you Mr Sanders? I'm Paige Wright. I believe we are suppose to meet up at where the water tank is located at for an interview. What a coincidence to see you here," She approached him and introduced herself, chuckling slightly at the sheer luck of having met him.

The man blinked a few times staring at Paige, inspecting her before an expression of recognition befell his face. He stopped filling up his truck with gas from a jerry can, wiping his hands on his dirty light blue denim jeans before extending his right hand for a handshake.

"Oh! You are the lady I talked to over the phone! I was just about to head there after filling up my truck. I can give you a ride there," Mr Sanders offered with an eye crinkling smile.

Paige thanked him and shook his hand reluctantly before walking over to the passenger side of the truck. She found herself taking out the hand sanitiser she had packed in her bag to sanitise her hands. Why did she did so? Well, anyone who paid close attention would have noticed that his hand was still visibly on the dirty side even after wiping them on his jeans.

"How'd you know who I am? Like how I look like?" He asked quizzically as he got into the driver's side of his truck.

"Oh, I saw you on the newspaper article related to the Aqua Water Works lawsuit." His mouth slightly parted in an 'O' shape and nodded his head understandingly.

"How could I forget that!" He exclaimed in a joking manner and let out a booming laughter. Paige only response was to let out a forced chuckle as she did not want to create an awkward atmosphere between them.

The drive to the water tank was brief since it was located not too far off from the town. Paige heaved an inaudible sigh of relief once she got off the truck. She discovered that Mr Sanders was a rather chatty and nosy person.

'How do you find this town so far?'

'Have you eaten?'

'Got any boyfriend?'

Much to Paige's dismay, those were only the tip of the iceberg of the list of questions she was asked. There were more to be followed that were way too personal. She had taken plenty pictures of the water tank once the truck was parked on the side of the road, opposite of where the water tank resided.