Isabella felt like a rebel sleuth standing next to Seth as they decided how to distract the cop who still stood in front of Serena's room. Seth revealed quick wit by collecting a few things that would help their search go undetected including latex gloves, plastic tongs, a disposable camera and indiscreet fitted black shoe covers. To Isabella's shock, his parents had all of these things in a trunk at the bottom of the hall closet. If they had a trunk like that, Isabella wondered if her grandmother did, too.

"Maybe I can get him to chase me and you go in," Seth suggested. "What do do think?"

"That I'm not going into the room of a dead woman by myself. No thanks."

Seth actually blushed. "Of course not, I'd never leave you alone...I was kidding."

"Maybe we should just tell Micah. He can probably hack into his radio and get him to leave," she suggested. But before they could carry out the very sound plan, the cop pulled Serena's door closed and began walking away from the door. Isabella and Seth turned their faces away so he wouldn't recognize them as he strode by the to the elevators. For effect, they moseyed toward the sitting area that was in the opposite direction of Serena's door until they heard the elevator ding its arrival. "Oh, my God. This is awesome."

"Sure, sure, let's get inside and out before he comes back," Seth marched forward and reached his hand out to take the key Isabella had taken from one of the maids earlier. They dipped under the police tape blocking Serena's door and slipped inside. But not before slipping on their latex gloves to avoid leaving prints. No need to create anymore suspects.

"Guess you really were destined to be a guardian," Isabella mumbled.

"Don't hold anything too tightly. Use the tongs for anything that's bunched together. We don't want things to look too different from how they were left."

"Yes, detective," Isabella joked, dropping her impressed smirk when he looked back for a beat before beginning their snooping.

Serena's room looked neat for the most part. The large four-poster bed was made. Her suitcases lined up inside the closet. It was one of their larger suites, luxurious enough for a world class writer looking for dirt on a family's legacy. A writing desk with items strewn across it caught Isabella's eye. "I'll check here."

"Yeah, okay. I'll check everything else."

The papers were not hard to sift through as they were labelled with sticky notes or quotes.

As much as she wanted the woman gone, Isabella certainly didn't want her to die because she was writing that book. There was no question it was murder and she had a bad feeling somehow her family or the building was a part of why this tragic event happened. When her eyes spied, a notebook indicating private notes about Foxworthy family history. She knew that had to be important. Hearing Seth taking pictures put her teeth on edge. They had to hurry and get out of here before someone came back.

Isabella thumbed through the notebook which was a combination of Serena's own notes and clippings from print outs and newspapers. She was surprised to catch glimpses of a few old photographs of a woman with bright red hair with the word 'granny' scribbled beneath them. 1953. 1954. It seemed that Serena was not really there to dig up present dirt but to find out something that had happened in the past, something Serena's grandmother was connected to perhaps. "Seth, I think I found something. Come here and look at this."

Seth dashed over and stared at the notebook. "Who's that? She looks...hot."

Isabella slapped his arm.

"Ow. Vicious," he said, frowning, pretending to be hurt.

Isabella rolled her eyes. "I think this is Serena's grandmother."

"Oh. Well, it's an old picture, so sue me."

"Not the point. It looks like she used to work at the hotel. That's the south wing café. They closed it in the 70s, but that's definitely it. I know it from pictures."

They turned over page after page of Serena's notebook. "She was looking into my great aunt Beatrice's death. And look. She's got notes about five women who were in Beatrice and Leonard's movie who also died in the fire. Those are the starlets the voice was talking about." The notes mentioned how much Beatrice was loved and even mentioned a friendship the ill-fated past daughter had formed with Jack Heel as kids on the Brightwood studio lot in its heyday. Jack had however according to Serena's notes, taken it as something more and became obsessed with Beatrice. Jack's uncle and adoptive father Oswald ran the studio and had his own son Leonard who was seen as a child who could do no wrong. One that as he rose to fame, gained the affections of Beatrice. It was not a certainty whether she fell in love with him naturally or was attracted to his stardom. Tongues wagged about jealousies including maybe even Jack. Sadly, their love never lasted as Beatrice died the night of a fire breaking out in the Rose Ballroom. Beatrice was concluded to have committed suicide by jumping off her balcony after hearing news of Leonard's death. But Serena had suspected it was not true. There was even a statement noted from Isabella's grandmother stating Beatrice was never attached to anyone enough to kill herself over them. Then there were more notes and scribbles about these starlets. Their names were Constance, Posy, Elaine, Dena and Grace. What did they have to do with anything?

Isabella stuffed the notebook in her purse. "Do you think that Serena maybe asked the time witch to take her back to find out who killed Beatrice? I don't get it about the other women. Maybe her grandmother knew them. Witnesses? It's so creepy she was found below the very balcony Beatrice had supposedly jumped from."

"And that someone found out and killed her last night? Maybe," Seth mused, "Anyway let's get going before that cop comes back or worse your grandmother." He peeked out first to ensure that the coast was clear and both were out in a flash.

***

Isabella decided that it was time to clue in Cleo, and Seth thought that Xander and Micah should be brought into the fold, too. But as they met up back later to go to the projection room, Theophilus stopped Isabella in the middle of the hotel lobby. Seth hung back and waited for her.

"I trust you are doing well, Isabella?" Theophilus asked.

Things had changed in the last year. For one, Isabella completely respected Theophilus position as a protector of both her and the Foxworthy. She appreciated that he took her position as a diadem queen so seriously that he'd sometimes overruled keeping things from her because he felt she was old enough to know what was happening, a sentiment she whole-heartedly agreed with since she was now immersed in their world. "I'm fine despite current circumstances."

"Oh yes, I know you must be worried about Colin being considered a suspect. But not to fret, dear," Theophilus spoke not noticing Isabella turning pale at the news. The rest of his words seemed lost in a sea of emotional despair.

"Sorry, but we have an important meeting to go to," Seth interrupted pulling her away, "Bye, sir!"

"Meeting?" Isabella heard Theophilus say as they made their way toward the elevators.

When they arrived at the movie house, Seth allowed Isabella to get her emotions back in order. She could sense his fear mingled with a touch of rage and a smattering of irritation, which likely all had to do with the news just dropped.

Upon entering the projection booth, Isabella found Cleo playing cards with Micah while Xander operated the projector by himself. One look made it clear that Cleo was bored out of her mind.

"Are you guys okay?" Isabella asked as Seth followed close behind.

"Thank goodness you are here!" Cleo dashed forward. "Tell me you have news to share, a place to go, anything!"

"Well, we have news, but I'm not sure it's what you want to hear. Now this has to stay between just us..." Isabella told them about the time witch and what they had found out so far. And lastly, about Colin being a suspect. "So, what do you think?"

"That this is insane?" Micah said. "I can't be the only one."

"We're going to get her to take us to 1954. It's the only way we think we can figure out what happened. And now with Colin and who knows else as a suspect..."

"Do you think he did it?" Micah asked.

"No way," said Cleo, standing up. She'd always had a soft spot for Colin. "I'm coming with you two."

"No. You guys have to cover for us in case we don't come back by...dinner time."

"We're a cohort, Izzy," Cleo reminded her.

"I know that, Cleo, but I think is for the best right now. We'll be back really soon, I'm sure. But in case we're not back by the start of dinner at four this evening. Wait a few hours before raising a fuss."

Cleo knotted and unknotted her fingers, pressing her lips into a line before expelling an agitated breath. "I don't like this. I really, really do not like this."

"We'll be fine."

Isabella hugged her, which surprised pretty much everyone in the room. Isabella was the least affectionate with Cleo – probably because they both always tried to be such solid rocks for the team. Neither really felt the need to comfort the other.

"I promise we're coming back," she told her friend.

After getting everyone on board with their plan, Isabella pulled out her phone to see if Lana had left a message or replied back to her earlier texts. Nothing. She sent a new text. No reply. A gnawing feeling twisted in her gut for a moment but quickly evaporated. She was fine. She'd call her as soon as she and Seth got back. Right now, it was time to solve a murder -- and make sure they didn't get themselves killed in the process.

***

Isabella and Seth returned to the speakeasy room. It took a moment to find the identifying mark to the time witch's secret room. Three pushes...or kicks rather were what was needed to access the room via the mismatched design. Carving the intricate design was smart move for whichever puzzler hid this room from others. Now all they had to do was get the time witch to reveal herself and help them. Hopefully, all the drama in the hotel hadn't agitated the ghost.

"Hey. Time witch. We need to talk again," Seth called out.

Isabella stepped further in the dark room, opting for a slightly more respectful tone than Seth had chosen, "Hello, I don't know your name, but we need your help. We think Serena was murdered trying to figure out the mystery behind something you were assisting her with. I don't know if you two became friendly or not but we want to catch her killer."

The temperature dropped, thick, wet and cold. Then a translucent figure, shimmering through a gossamer sheen of silver materialized, and for the first time, they finally saw the time witch – she appeared as half-human half-specter. She's a woman wearing a violet dress and a scarf around her head. She was thin and had a sort of guarded quiet strength. Isabella might have thought she was dressed to mimic a stereotypical "gyspy" but no. She was dressed more like a woman who'd stepped out of the 1960s -- her bracelets and boots told that story. "Greetings. I'm Penelope Driscoll. You can call me Penny."

"Can you tell us who killed Serena? I'm sure you didn't want her harmed."

"Dear Isabella, I'm sorry, but I can't," she said in a cool voice. "There are things I'm not privy to and others I'm not allowed to interfere in." Penny shook her head. "Serena knew the risks and got caught in the present timeline. I'm sad that she was taken but there's nothing I can do about it now, dear children."

"Well, we can do something about it." Seth stepped forward. "Let us go back in time. We can figure out who wanted to kill Serena by trying to see what she saw. We have her notes."

Isabella doubted that the aloof time witch would comply with Seth's bold and blatant request. But it was what they came here to ask, wasn't it?

"That I can assist you with," said Penny to Isabella's surprise as she came into full form. She looked just like another person only with a sort of green tint to her sallow skin. "First you need to understand the rules. They are essential for survival. Go together, leave together. If one dies, the other does, too. One returns without the other, the other will die. So don't get lost or killed. I hope that is easy enough to understand for youngsters like yourselves."

"We understand what 'survival' and 'dies' mean so yes," Seth nodded but looked hesitant.

"Can you guarantee us a certain return date and time?" Isabella decided to press for details.

"I can promise a rough time and date but to be precise will cost you something."

"What kind of something?" Seth asked, "I'm guessing we're getting to the price thing now?"

"Love, life or happiness – anything in those categories."

"No, we can deal with approximate," Isabella said refusing to risk their lives any further.

"You sure you didn't kill Serena? Even by accident?" Seth asked outright.

Isabella knew that couldn't be but it did cross her mind when the time witch mentioned the sacrifice of life. But she was less willing to risk upsetting a powerful time ghost -- leave that move to Seth.

"I am sure. I was a person in your living world. No reason for me to harm other living beings. I have to go now, I can't interfere. Remember to stick together. Do not interfere with the past, especially with your relatives."

"But will we see Serena? If we go back on the date she did?"

"But Miss Silver had a special device with her. One give to her by her grandmother."

"Her grandmother?"

"A time witch named Eloise Ford. She worked in this very hotel. You must go. I can say no more."

The time witch faded out of sight, leaving the teens alone. "Wait! We didn't tell you what date!" Instead of an answer, the compass that first led them to the time witch materialized and illuminated the center of the room. It spun and spun. Drawn to it with a force she didn't seem to have control of, Isabella picked up the cool object, which instantly transformed into a little door. The weightless door rose from her palm and grew into one big enough for them to go through as it was fastened to the floor with a loud clunk. Isabella reached out to touch it. The frame was smooth and solid all of the sudden. Her heart flicked against her chest as if it wanted to escape. The answers to their questions were right in front of them for them to take. All they had to do was to take the next step and enter the portal. Yet that was still the scariest part of this process. What if they couldn't return?

Seth moved in front of her. "I'll go first."

He may have been her guardian in name, but they were a team. "We enter together or not at all," she said firmly.

He turned to her then nodded once. "Fair enough," he said, holding out his hand to her.

As she took it, Isabella noted for the first time just how strong Seth had grown in the past few months. As they left their realm, she could sense his power better than usual. No idea why but it was good that he was stronger. They needed every bit of strength and strategy to ensure they returned home alive, if at all. The last thing she wanted to be was a clingy teenage girl, but she was happy to feel safe with him. She shook the thought off. She was a diadem queen—well, would be one day probably. She could take care of herself.

Now inside the portal within its blue whirring lights and capsule-like appearance, they had to think of a time period to be sent to. "A year and a month, please?" The portal asked them.

Isabella dropped Seth's hand and pulled the notes from her pocket. "Seth, where's the article? I think it had the time of death. I think that's when we should ask it to take us to."

"I don't know. It must have slipped out when we were leaving Serena's room."

Isabella sighed. Luckily, she'd scribbled down the date of Beatrice's death, something she probably should have already known growing up but had always been too afraid to focus on. She'd had enough death in her life as it was. "As close to July 13, 1954 as you can get us. Approximate is fine," Isabella quickly added, recalling the time witch's warning. The magic ebbed and flowed around them as it waited for their choice to be relayed and accepted. They pick based on the notes but couldn't find the article about the deaths. Isabella's notes didn't mention the time of Beatrice's death only the date. Seth assumed the article must have fallen out in their hurry to leave Serena's room. Isabella can't recall the date and felt frustrated.

"I trust you, Isabella," Seth said, "I know you think it's just my duty, but that's not true."

A warm feeling flowed through her. She was a person in her own right. "Okay, here goes."