A Birmingham landmark since the early 1920s, the Redmont Hotel had the customary tales of hauntings and mysterious deaths. The classic brick and terra cotta building stood thirteen floors high and sat at the corner of two of downtown’s busiest streets. Jess had only been inside once. At seventeen she’d come with Lil to pick up Wanda. They hadn’t seen their aunt in years, but the police had called and said someone had to come pick her up. Wanda had been staying with some guy who’d left her at the hotel wasted on drugs and with two days’ rent due. Lil had been so embarrassed. Pooling every nickel they possessed it still wasn’t enough to pay the hotel bill. Jess had borrowed the money from her new boyfriend, Dan Burnett. She hadn’t told him what she needed the money for and he hadn’t asked. When the bill was paid, Wanda had refused to leave the room. She’d been sure her man was coming back. Jess had called Buddy then. He’d sweet-talked Wanda from the room.
