An Apple for Zoë ~ The Forsaken by Thomas Amo Page B

it has something to do with Kritzler, since this was his room and he's a former Nazi. Hence the artwork on her forehead."
    Jessalee turned away from her sister's body and walked directly up to Kirkland and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Take me out of here, Mike."
    Kirkland held her close once again. She gently kissed his cheek, pulled away and made her way back to where James and the little girl were.
    As Kirkland followed her, he could tell by the look on James' face, there was new information. "What's going on?"  
    "Jordan has been telling me of the monster she sees here every night," he said in a matter of fact tone.
      "The pig man," Jordan announced to Kirkland and Jessalee.  
    James knelt down next to Jordan. He brushed her dark brown bangs from her eyes. "Honey, tell Jessa and Mike about the pig man?"
    "He comes out at night."
    "You've seen him more than once?" asked Kirkland.
    "Uh-huh."
    "Where do you see him?"
    Jordan pointed a small finger straight into the air. Everyone looked at the ceiling. "You see him up there?" asked Jessalee.
    "There!"said Jordan pointing directly to air vent."He comes at night and watches me in my bed from up there."
    A cold shiver came over the three of them as they listened to the girl tell them about the pig man. James continued, "Jordan why do you call him the pig man?"
    "He has a pig head and a mans body. His eyes are big and his snout is bigger and black. He breathes hard and crawls real slow.  
    "Can you remember anything else about him?"
    "He wears a cross."
    "A cross?" asked James with a confused tone.
    "Not a Jesus cross, but a funny looking cross."
    The three of them looked at one another for any idea that might help the situation. Kirkland reached into his pocket and removed his note pad. "Can you draw it for us, Jordan?" he asked holding the pad. Jordan nodded, and took the pen and pad from him and began to draw what she had seen.

    James swallowed hard as it was apparent Jordan was drawing a German Iron Cross. "Jordan, did the cross have something in the center of it?" She quickly nodded. "Was it something like this?" asked James as he took the pad and pen from her.

    Jordan looked directly into James eyes . "Yes."
    "We've got to get her out of here. Jessa can you take her?"
    "Sure. You want to come with me darling. I know where they have the best ice cream," she said as she took Jordan up into her arms.
    "Are Tom and Mike coming, too?" she asked innocently.
    "Sure we are honey, we just want to make sure the pig man is gone, is that okay?" asked James. Once again she nodded her approval and placed her head on Jessalee's shoulder.
    "You want to radio down to Bobby and send him up here to meet me? I don't really want to walk down all these stairs and let her see ... Just tell him I will meet him at the top of the stairs," she said as she walked away. She then stopped for a moment and turned to Kirkland. "Mike?"
    "Yes?"
    "Take care of my sister please."
    "I promise Jessa. Are you coming back?" he inquired.
    "No, I've seen enough death today."  
    James instantly got Bobby on the radio and told him Jessalee needed an escort down to the lobby. Mike forced a smile and waved to Jessalee and Jordan as he watched them walk to the landing of the stairs.
    Once Jordan and Jessalee were out of earshot, James put his hand on Kirkland's shoulder. "Son of bitch Mike, that old Nazi has been crawling around inside the air ducts, and wearing his uniform no less."   Kirkland shivered from the image in his mind of 90-year-old Hermann Kritzler crawling into the airshafts wearing his black leather riding boots, SS uniform and moving around the hotel, what was he doing?  
    "Let's find out what Hermann was up to."  

    *
    The two detectives turned around and faced the entrance to room 1219. As they started to go inside, James hesitated.  
    "Something wrong, Tom?"
    Flashes of Fatty raping Julie while being watched by a host of celebrity ghosts crossed his mind's eye. "No I'm okay," assured