Chapter 3: Getting started
„And you really believe that this is going to happen just because your husband writes a book about it?", agent Dana Scully wanted to know.
A soft purring sound was heard as a cat entered the room through the window and hopped on Mrs. Stamp's lap. She started petting the cat and answered Scully's question with another question: "I guess you don't?"
"No Ma'am. Actually, the President of the United States is the best-guarded man in the world."
"They killed several US Presidents", Stamp countered.
Mulder looked at Scully as if she had just lost a competition, then turned to the other woman. "Mrs. Stamp. Do you know when or
where the assault is supposed to happen?"
"No, that's all I know. You'd have to ask John."
" When will he be back?"
"He won't be back before 11.00 tonight, probably later. I'm afraid you'll have to wait until tomorrow."
"Somehow, I expected that", Scully commented.
Mulder ignored the sarcasm in his partner's voice and asked Elizabeth Stamp if she knew a good motel close-by.
"That's easy", the elderly woman replied. "We only have one."
On their way to the motel that Mrs. Stamp had told them about, Mulder stopped in front of a little store.
"What's wrong now?", Scully enquired. And when Mulder left the car, without saying anything, she added: "Where are you going, Mulder?"
No answer.
"Mulder?"
Still nothing.
"Mulder!"
Finally he turned around. "I'll be right back, Scully."
A few minutes later he came back with a plastic bag.
"What's that?", she asked and looked into it.
"You can't be serious, Mulder."
"Why?"
Scully took out the content of the bag. "'Death of a Princess' by John Jakob Stamp", she read
She flipped the book open and began to read a few lines.
"It's part of the investigation", Mulder explained and started the car.
The motel was grungy and old.
"Oh my", Scully uttered when she saw it.
"I bet it's better than it looks", Mulder said not very convincing and got out of the car.
They walked over to the check-in. They were in a small room with wooden furnitures and an ugly wallpaper. There was nobody in there. Mulder pushed the bell and a bald man appeared.
"What can I do for you?", he asked with a way too friendly voice and a huge smile on his face.
"We'd like to rent two rooms."
The man had a look at some notes in a book. "Oh I'm sorry, but there's only one room left. There's an annual festival in town tomorrow. It's famous for it's cake-eating contest. People come here from all over the country in order to see it."
"Reallly?" Mulder was enthusiastic.
Scully wasn't. She folded her arms across her chest and rolled her eyes. "The festival takes place once a year and that is just tomorrow?"
The man behind the counter shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah!"
"Ok", Mulder said. "We'll take that room."
Scully immediately pulled Mulder a few steps away. "Mulder! You can't do that. It goes against the Bureau's policy of male and female agents consorting in the same motel room while on assignment."
"We don't have a choice, do we?"
He stepped back to the counter. Scully was speechless.
Scully followed her partner into their motel room and noted: "It's not better than it looked."
Mulder threw his stuff on the bed then he let himself fall down on it and let out a deep-drawn sigh.
"Uh this is good Scully. Come on and try it." He tapped on the bed next to him.
"I think you should sleep over there." She pointed at a sofa.
Mulder followed her finger with his eyes.
"But I have problems with my back", he complained.
"Yeah sure. You'll take the sofa, Mulder!"
He stood up and took Stamp's novel out of the plastic bag.
"I'd really like to get some rest now. Turn out the lights, Mulder", Scully said.
"One more page, Scully."
"It's already 11.21. You've been reading for hours. Turn off the lights!"
Mulder, who lay on the sofa, put the book aside and turned off the lights. "Good night agent Scully!"