Contents
Chapter Four
Overview
Holland meets friends at the Hollywood Roosevelt, wrestling with belief, attraction, and her need to prove the devil’s deals to clear her mother’s name. Cat challenges Holland’s dating patterns, exposing deeper desires. The night pivots when a bank calls to schedule opening Holland’s late father’s box, promising concrete answers.
Summary
Holland arrives early at the Hollywood Roosevelt, the group’s monthly haunt for their tongue-in-cheek mission to buy the devil a sidecar. Restless after meeting Adam Bishop and eager to validate the Professor’s claims, she scans the lobby, linking devil myths to tragic Hollywood downfalls and her hope to vindicate her mother, Isla Saint.
Cat joins, steering the conversation to Holland’s failed date. Cat argues Holland doesn’t want “nice” but someone who both scares her and accepts her darker fixations. Holland briefly considers confessing her secret family history, but withholds it, knowing Cat can’t keep secrets and that January’s privacy is at stake.
Eileen arrives as Chance Garcia draws fan attention nearby. The friends debate whether he needs rescuing, deciding to let him bask. Amid the lively lobby, Holland’s unease intensifies; she hopes for replies from the Professor or Jake, but her phone remains silent.
Seeking quiet on the mezzanine, Holland plays a new voicemail. Padme Davani from the First Bank of Centennial City confirms a 9:45 a.m. appointment to open Holland’s father’s box, warning punctuality is essential. The message shifts the night from myth-chasing to an imminent, tangible lead tied directly to Holland’s past.
Who Appears
- HollandProtagonist; seeks proof of devil deals to clear her mother; receives bank appointment to open father’s box.
- Cat (Charlotte Elizabeth Davis)Holland’s candid friend; challenges Holland’s dating type and embraces risk and romance.
- Eileen ChengPragmatic friend; discreet and observant, arrives and weighs in on Chance’s fan attention.
- Chance GarciaActor friend recognized by fans at the Roosevelt; a genial presence drawing lobby attention.
- Adam BishopGrad student Holland met earlier; momentarily envisioned as a devil-like figure in her thoughts.
- Padme DavaniAssistant from the First Bank of Centennial City; schedules Holland’s appointment to open her father’s box.
- The ProfessorFolklore mentor; absent this night, reinforcing Holland’s anxiety and quest for answers.