Free Dead Gorgeous by Malorie Blackman

think the sea smells like a promise?’ Mr Jackman mused. ‘A promise of all the things it knows and all the things it might reveal.’
    Nova frowned at him. What on earth was he going on about? Did he get all poetic with everyone who stayed around long enough? Maybe that was why most of the guests gave him a wide berth. Except
Miss Dawn, who had taken him under her wing.
    In a flash it came back to her. Nova now remembered the rest of what Miss Dawn had said to her that morning. It had been about Mr Jackman. And was that what Miss Eve had been trying to get out
of her when they went for their walk which was mercifully cut short? Nova wondered at the elderly women’s interest in Mr Jackman.
    ‘I love this place,’ said Mr Jackman on a sigh. ‘Always have.’
    ‘You’ve been here before?’ said Nova.
    A trace of a smile flitted over Mr Jackman’s face. ‘A while ago.’
    ‘I can’t remember seeing you before.’ Not that Nova remembered every hotel guest who’d ever stayed at the hotel, but somehow she knew she would’ve remembered Mr
Jackman.
    ‘It was some time ago . . . Are your family happy here? Your sister?’
    ‘Why d’you ask?’
    ‘Just something I heard her say a couple of days ago,’ said Mr Jackman. ‘It sounded as if she wasn’t too keen on the place.’
    ‘Don’t listen to Raye. She’s never happy unless she’s whingeing about something.’
    ‘Your mum and dad are OK here though, aren’t they?’
    ‘They are now. They weren’t at first – well, Mum wasn’t,’ Nova amended.
    ‘Why did your mum and dad move down here then?’ asked Mr Jackman.
    ‘The hotel was left to my mum by a great-aunt,’ Nova explained. ‘It was called the Manor Hotel then. Mum and Dad decided to put all their savings into doing it up and opening
it as a hotel again.’
    ‘Yes, I remember the Manor Hotel,’ said Mr Jackman thoughtfully.
    ‘Is that when you stayed here last?’
    ‘No. I used to live round here,’ said Mr Jackman. ‘I much prefer its new name – Phoenix Manor Hotel.’
    ‘Mum and Dad decided to call it that.’
    ‘It suits the place. Your name is Nova, isn’t it?’
    Nova nodded, surprised.
    ‘And your mum’s name is Karmah?’
    ‘That’s right. Dad wanted me and Raye to have names like Mum.’
    ‘And what did your mum think of that?’
    Nova laughed. ‘Apparently they agreed that Mum should name any boys they had and Dad would name the girls. And a deal’s a deal.’
    ‘I see!’ Mr Jackman smiled.
    Nova smiled back. ‘So where d’you live now?’
    Mr Jackman turned to look at her. Really look at her.
    ‘That was nosy,’ Nova said quickly.
    ‘No, you’re all right . . . I have a flat in Manchester. I wouldn’t say I live there, though. I travel around too much.’
    ‘With your job?’
    ‘Something like that,’ said Mr Jackman. ‘I like to keep moving – even when I don’t have to.’
    ‘Why?’
    ‘I’m searching.’
    ‘For what?’
    ‘Someone.’
    ‘Who?’
    Mr Jackman looked at Nova and grinned.
    Nova’s face started to burn. ‘Sorry! That was nosy too.’
    ‘Yes, it was. But good for you!’
    Nova studied Mr Jackman, not making any attempt to disguise what she was doing. Strange, but when he grinned, someone else’s face had flashed through her mind quicker than summer
lightning. Nova tried to remember just who it was Mr Jackman reminded her of, but it was gone.
    ‘So who are you looking for?’ she repeated.
    She waited for him to answer her last question – but he didn’t. As Nova watched his smile fade, she realized it was the first time she’d seen him smile since he’d arrived
at the hotel. He didn’t look like a man who smiled easily.
    ‘I like your name,’ Mr Jackman said at last. ‘It suits you. Super Nova!’
    Nova smiled wanly. If he was aiming for a subtle change of subject, he’d failed miserably.
    ‘Sorry! I bet that’s not the first time you’ve had someone say that to you,’ said Mr Jackman.
    ‘No.’
    It was only