To NameDoesNotDefineMe, storietella2, and Diamondchild: This story is for you. Thank you, lovely souls, for helping me with my bucket list. Our stay at the Heathman inspired this story.

Gentle Reader: This story will be a short one, with only a handful of chapters. I do not have an update schedule. It's my first foray into the supernatural, so please forgive any missteps.

Chapter 1

As the parking valet drove away in her Audi Q8, Ana breathed deeply, taking in the cool, refreshing autumn air. It was her favorite time of the year and the Heathman was one of her favorite places.

This would be the first time she'd checked into the Heathman without her husband. The fact that he would be joining her the following afternoon was small comfort. She never liked spending the night away from him. Both were homebodies who relished their domestic lives and reveled in each other and their children.

But sometimes their demanding careers meant neither of them had a choice.

"Mrs. Grey." Sawyer nodded toward the doorman, who commandeered her luggage while gesturing toward the entrance, a large revolving door.

As Ana approached the desk, she was greeted by Jake, head of guest services and her favorite Heathman employee.

"Good morning, Mrs. Grey," he said. "Welcome back. Did you have a good drive from Seattle?"

"Yes, thank you. It's great to be back." It truly is great, she thought. She and Christian had made many wonderful memories at the Heathman.

"Your rooms are ready for early check-in. They were the last rooms available. I hope they'll be up to standard."

Jake handed her the key wallets. Ana passed one behind her to Sawyer.

"Thank you," she said. "I'm sure our accommodations will be fine. These were last minute reservations, so we weren't expecting our usual suites to be available. I know you're at capacity right now."

"Mr. Grey has always stayed in one of our suites. He can be quite particular. I hate disappointing him," Jake said.

"Don't you worry about Mr. Grey. I can handle him," Ana said with a wink.

"I have no doubt," Jake replied. His cheeky grin told her he had a good idea of how Ana handled Mr. Grey. "When will your husband join us?"

"Tomorrow, around five, just in time for cocktails," she said. "Not soon enough for my liking."

"Oh, here's Charlie. He'll help you with your bags." Jake gestured to a tall young man stepping off the elevator.

Ana and Sawyer had only one bag each, so a bellhop really wasn't necessary. Still it was nice to feel cared for by the staff. As Ana and Sawyer stepped into the elevator, they looked at their key wallets.

"Room 707," Sawyer said. "What about you?"

"Two doors down in 703," Ana replied.

"Hmmm, did you say 703?" Charlie asked. "That room is kinda…glitchy."

"Yes, 703." Ana held the cardboard wallet up so the bellhop could read for himself. "What do you mean by glitchy?"

"Flickering lights, creaky floors, stuff like that. Well, here we are." Charlie turned left and led Ana and Sawyer down a long, narrow corridor. He stopped first at Sawyer's room, then Ana's.

Ana pulled out one of her keys and held it against the electronic lock. The light turned green, but when she pushed down on the handle, the door wouldn't open. She stuck it back in the wallet and tried the second key. Again the light turned green, but the door would not budge.

"What in the world," she said, not bothering to hide her irritation. "I guess this falls under the heading of glitchy."

"Let me try," Charlie said, holding out his hand for the key. She eagerly handed it over.

He pressed the key against the electronic pad. As soon as the light turned green, with fingers on the door handle, he used his shoulder and muscled the door open.

"Thank you," Ana said. "I hope I'll be able to manage this door during my stay."

"It can be a bit tricky. Some days it's slick as butter, but other times it sticks and there's not enough WD-40 in the universe to fix it. I'm told the door, the frame, and the locks have been replaced several times, but just can't be fixed. Maybe you should trade rooms with your friend."

Ana considered trading with Sawyer, but then the door would become his problem. She didn't want to raise a fuss, especially over something as insignificant as a door. Asking for another room wasn't an option because the hotel was full. She could certainly handle small inconveniences.

It had been a last minute decision to come to Portland, so Hannah had only made the reservations only the day prior. The suites were occupied by a touring pop star and his entourage. The remaining rooms were filled by business people like herself or tourists, possibly trying to catch a glimpse of the aforementioned celebrity.

Charlie pulled her suitcase into the room.

"Thank you, Charlie. I'll make do," she said with a smile. She reached into her bag for a ten and handed it to him. "I appreciate your help."

He closed the door softly while Ana visually surveyed the room. The space was small, cozy in appearance, with a faint musty odor. She made a mental note to pick up a scented candle while she was out for the day.

The bathroom was more than adequate, actually quite roomy in comparison to the bed chamber. After the drive from Portland, it felt good to relieve herself and wash her hands.

She sent a quick text to her husband to let him know she had arrived safely and was all checked in. In return he sent her a heart emoji, making her smile. Per their travel routine, they would have a long, leisurely phone call later in the evening.

She tossed the suitcase on the only available surface: the bed. Whenever she traveled, she maintained a routine of unpacking as soon as she arrived at her destination. She shook out the wrinkles, hung up clothes, putting the rest in drawers. Toiletries were next. Once the bathroom was arranged, she found a spot in the bottom of the closet for her suitcase.

The mini-fridge was stocked with bottled water. She unscrewed the top and took a couple of refreshing sips. A glance at her watch informed her it was almost time to leave for her lunch appointment. She texted Sawyer to let him know they'd be leaving in ten minutes. Then she retreated to the bathroom to freshen her hair and makeup.

Upon exiting the bathroom the television spontaneously turned itself on, blaring a commercial for kitchen knives. She fiddled with the remote and eventually figured out how to turn it off. Reaching for her water bottle, she found it empty. In addition her purse was open and the contents strewn across the bed.

"Am I losing my mind?" She asked out loud.

I know I didn't drink all that water. And my purse was zipped shut. What the heck is going on?

As she tried to comprehend the situation, there was a knock at the door. A glance through the peephole let her know it was Sawyer, who'd come to fetch her for the lunch meeting.

She opened the door to him and gestured toward the contents of her purse.

"Can you explain this? Am I crazy? I was in the bathroom, door ajar, and I came out to this mess. Before I went into the bathroom, my handbag was fastened with everything neatly organized inside. And my water bottle was almost completely full. Now it's empty. The television spontaneously came on. Could someone enter my room and then exit without me knowing?"

Sawyer jumped into action, looking under the bed, in the wardrobe, the shower, behind every nook and cranny. He opened the window, peering out in every direction.

"There's no one here but us." he said. "This room is so small that there is no place for anyone to hide. You're safe. The door locks automatically when you close it, but please make sure you throw the deadbolt for extra protection."

"You think I'm nuts, don't you?" She ran a hand through her hair in frustration.

"No, ma'am," Sawyer said, regarding her with sympathy. "I think you're an overworked business owner, wife, and mother. Maybe you need a break."

"That would be nice," she said with a sigh. "Let's go. I have an author contract I need to salvage."