Deanna shook her head. “That never happened.”
“How do you know?”
“This is a small community. We remember things like that. The whole staff would have been alerted. It never happened.”
Was Ajay the one behind all of this? Was he the masked man who’d followed me in the hallway? The man who’d attacked Riley and me last night?
“I need to talk to Clint.”
Deanna shook her head. “You’re practically a fugitive.”
My shoulders pulled up in confusion. “What does that mean?”
“It means that the manager showed your picture to everyone on staff and told them to keep a lookout for you. We’re supposed to immediately report you if we see you on the premises.”
I glanced back at Riley and sighed. “Well, I need to get out of here somehow.”
Deanna tapped her finger against her mouth. “I can help. Just give me fifteen minutes.”
“Deanna, I don’t want you to lose your job.”
“Are you kidding? This is the most excitement I’ve had around here in years. Besides, I know there’s no way you took that necklace.”
I pulled my arms across my chest. “I was set up.”
She nodded and stepped toward the door. “I know. I’ll be right back.”
As the door clicked shut, I pulled my eyes up toward Riley. “I didn’t do it.”
“I know.” His words sounded soft, believable, soothing. “How about if I go get you something to eat and I’ll pick up a few other items for you down at the market. Okay?”
I nodded, feeling at his mercy. At everyone’s mercy, for that matter. “I appreciate that.”
“Don’t open the door for anyone, not even my friends, okay?”
His words chilled me. He thought one of them could be involved also. “Got it.”
He closed the door, and I turned both locks and pulled the chain across it. Then I sank onto the couch and tried to sort out my thoughts.
CHAPTER 33
Thirty minutes later, I glanced in the mirror and frowned. “This is your best idea?”
Deanna nodded, a little too much excitement in her eyes. “It’s perfect. No one will ever know it’s you.”
She’d brought me what I could only consider a muumuu—a large, billowing dress with no shape or form to it whatsoever. She’d also brought me a large straw hat and oversized sunglasses. I’d pulled my trademark red hair into a bun and stuffed it under the hat. I kept the shorts on underneath also.
Riley pulled on a ball cap and kept it low over his eyes. I couldn’t see his gaze, but I was sure he was amused by this costume.
“I figured you could just be pretending to escort your grandma or something,” Deanna told him. She extended her hand. “By the way, I’m Deanna.”
His fingers connected with hers. “I’m Riley.”
“You’re Riley? I’ve heard a lot about you. You two are both so fortunate to have each other. I would love to be in your shoes.”
My throat tightened as I remembered everything that had transpired between me and Riley over the past two days. If she knew the whole truth, Deanna wouldn’t be so quick to want to be in our shoes.
I straightened my oversized potato sack. “What happens when we get out of this hotel? I can’t exactly hop on the shuttle, and Riley’s car is in the shop.”
“I can fix that.” Deanna pulled out her phone and dialed. She took a few steps away, mumbled something, and then came back. “All settled. Let’s go.”
I had to swallow a lot of pride to leave the room wearing the get up Deanna had provided. At best, the outfit looked like something Maria from The Sound of Music had made out of leftover curtains. At worst, I looked like a pincushion, all the way from the shapeless, puffy dress to the straw hat on top. I only hoped that wouldn’t give the killer any ideas to poke me with something sharp.
Deanna’s phone rang again, and she held out a hand to stop us. She talked into the mouthpiece, her words clipped and tight. Finally, she hung up and turned to us. “Mr. Allen is in his office, so the path should be cleared. But we should move fast. He will call the police on you and have you arrested if you’re caught.”
That probably wouldn’t look great for future job opportunities. I nodded, grabbed Riley’s arm so he could escort me, and we took off toward the opposite end of the building. We moved quickly unless we saw someone, then we slowed to a normal pace.
Deanna’s phone rang again. After she hung up, she informed us, “Mr. Allen is on the move. I repeat, he’s on the move, headed toward the back of the hotel. We’ve got to pick up our pace.”
I pulled my hat lower. More than getting caught myself and getting in trouble, I feared what might happen to Riley or Deanna. Riley, he’d probably be okay. I mean, I didn’t think there was any law against harboring a hotel fugitive. He’d probably be asked to leave, at the most. Deanna, on the other hand, she could lose her job.
Our exit came into sight at the end of the hallway. Just as we reached it, a deep voice called behind us. “Deanna?”
Deanna paused and whispered for us to keep going. I didn’t argue; I knew whose voice that was.
Bentley’s.
Deanna hurried toward him. Meanwhile, Riley and I kept our pace steady so we wouldn’t aggravate Bentley’s suspicions. We reached the door, and Riley casually opened it for me. I took my steps slowly, trying to look like I belonged in this outfit and that I was supposed to be here.
As soon as we stepped outside and the door closed behind us, I breathed a sigh of relief. I only hoped that Deanna was okay inside. I wanted to turn around and check on her, but I knew I couldn’t. We kept walking until we reached the street behind the resort.
When I stepped on the sidewalk, I heard the door open and someone come running out. I held my breath. Bentley? Security? The police?
“You guys, wait up.”
My shoulders sagged with relief. Deanna.
“What was that about?” I asked her as she joined us.
“Mr. Allen was just reminding me to be on the lookout for you. I don’t think he suspected a thing. He asked me why I was here since my shift was over, and I told him I left something in my locker. He seemed to buy it.”
“He seems awfully uptight,” Riley said.
“Uptight is an understatement,” Deanna told us. “He’s impossible to please sometimes. Of course, my theory is that if he didn’t live in such a big house or drive such a nice car, maybe he would have money to buy this place back. But he’s all about image. I heard he lives from paycheck to paycheck, but he would never admit that to anyone.”
“It’s the American way,” I mumbled. Of the many vices in my life, image wasn’t one of them. At least, it hadn’t been until this trip. I was pretty content with my apartment, which was nothing fancy. I liked wearing jeans and T-shirts. Fun for me didn’t involve spending lots of money. It meant being around good friends and occasionally maybe helping out someone who was down on their luck.
Deanna stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. “Well, this is it.”
I glanced around and saw nothing. Not a car, not a van, not a truck. I looked back at her. “This is what?”
She pointed at a mailbox in the distance. “Your ride.”
“Huh?” What was I supposed to do? Put a first-class stamp on myself and pray that I got to the police station by morning?
Riley moved me over until a red moped came into view. It was so tiny that I couldn’t even see it behind the mailbox.
“Shirley said you could use it. I’d let you use my car, but I don’t have one.” Deanna held out a key. A little yellow troll dangled from the keychain. “It’s all yours.”
I glanced at Riley quickly. Just as I thought. Amusement danced in his eyes. Finally, I grabbed the troll and started toward the moped. “Thanks for your help. I’ll return this just like I found it. Promise.”
Deanna nodded. “I know. I’m waiting for you to prove that Ajay is innocent.”
“What if he’s not?�
� I stared at her, watching carefully for her reaction. This whole plan could backfire majorly if I wasn’t careful because Ajay could be guilty. Then what would Deanna do? Turn on me? Report me to Bentley?
She shook her head, not even a hint of doubt in her eyes. “He will be. You’ll see.”
I didn’t argue. Instead, I handed her my straw hat and gave Riley the keys. “Let’s go find some answers.”
We climbed on the moped, and Riley cranked the engine. Trickles of our conversation crept into my mind, and my heart twisted with each remembrance. I squeezed Riley’s arm, trying to push away the guilt pounding at me. “You sure you want to do this? It’s not too late to back out.”
“Why would I want to do that?” He took off, and my arms slipped around his waist.
This was Riley. My Riley. We were meant to be together . . . weren’t we? I mean, how much did the man care about appearances if he was willing to be seen with me in this outfit? Maybe I’d been too hard on him. Maybe my emotions were getting the best of me. It wouldn’t be the first or the last time.
I leaned into him and inhaled the scent of leathery cologne. I felt the ripple of his muscles beneath his shirt. I remembered our conversation about how the little things in life were the most important.
Images filled my mind. Images of Riley chasing me through the apartment with icing on his face. Images of Riley spontaneously doing a dance move when I talked about High School Musical. Pictures of how safe I felt when I was in his arms. Pictures of how my life had changed for the better since he came onto the scene.
I pointed in the distance, directing him to the police headquarters. We pulled to a stop, and I climbed off and straightened my caftan. The wind whipped up and filled the outfit with air, making me gain about a hundred pounds. I was a sight to behold.
I looked up and saw Riley staring at me. There was no embarrassment in his eyes, just . . . love? I tucked a hair behind my ear, observing a once a year practice I employed known as “being speechless.”
Finally, I cleared my throat. “What are you thinking?”
He shrugged, his lips in a line. “I’m thinking that I want to grow old with you.”
“Even if it means I’ll wear stuff like this?”
Part of his lip tugged up. “Absolutely. You’d still be gorgeous to me.”
Tears stung my eyes. “Oh, Riley . . . ”
“Talk later?”
I nodded. Now wasn’t the time. But we definitely needed to talk.
We walked into the jail, hand in hand. A few minutes later, we were seated across from Clint. He looked worse than before. Dark circles hung under his eyes. His skin was pale. His gaze is what shook me the most, though. The life looked gone from him.
“How’s it going?” My question almost sounded mocking, I realized. It was obvious the man wasn’t doing well.
“She was strangled,” he mumbled. “Strangling is a sign of passion. Everything is stacked against me. Even I have to admit that I look guilty.”
I got straight to the point. “Doug is dead.”
His eyes widened. “Doug? The guy who works with Jackie?”
I nodded. “They found him last night in the pool. I haven’t heard the official cause of death.”
Clint ran a hand through his hair, leaving most of it standing on end. “Wow. At least they can’t frame me for that one. I was locked up.”
“Listen, Clint, I have a question, and I’m really hoping you can help. Doug told me that he and Jackie had a disagreement about a case they were working on. It was some kind of big investigation that spanned more than one state and involved multiple agencies. Did she ever talk to you about that?”
He shook his head, quickly and barely. The action almost made him look like his spine was vibrating and taking his head with it. “Maybe. I dunno. Why?”
I tapped my finger on the table. “I just wonder if it’s all connected somehow. That’s the only reason I can think of that both Jackie and Doug would be murdered.”
“It sounds like a theory, but I don’t have any idea what that case might be.”
“Did Jackie act strange after she got here? Did she say she recognized anyone or that someone looked familiar?”
“No, I have no idea. Believe me, I wish I could think of something. All I have to do all day is think, and I come up short.”
I pressed my lips together. “What about Derek? Did she have any disagreements with him?”
“Not that I know of. She never talked about him.”
“She never mentioned a contract he may have drawn up for her?”
Clint jerked his lips back in surprise. “Contract? I have no idea. She wouldn’t have Derek draw it up. She didn’t trust him as far as she could throw him.”
I told Clint goodbye and promised him that I would keep looking into this. I filled Riley in as we walked over to Buck’s.
CHAPTER 34
As Riley haggled with the guy behind the front desk about his car repairs, I thought about the VIN plate I’d found. Jackie had worked on a case involving an auto theft ring. Deanna had mentioned that there’d been a couple of stolen vehicles here at Allendale and that she’d seen some high-end cars in that maintenance shed.
Could Derek and Jackie have gotten involved in some kind of auto theft scheme somehow? There was probably a lot of money involved in a crime like that. Maybe Jackie was trying to get her hands on more money so she could marry Clint and still maintain a rich lifestyle.
Or maybe the mysterious contract Shirley had seen was something Jackie was going to slap on Clint. Maybe she was afraid he was just after her money, and she wanted to safeguard herself.
Or how about Ajay? Maybe he was here from India to oversee the entire operation. That would explain his long stretch of time here and his made-up story about his wife dying.
Then there was Derek. I’d overheard him telling Lillian something about getting some guy who owned a chop shop off on his charges because he’d been injured on the way to the jail. Maybe Derek took a piece of the cut when he agreed to be the man’s lawyer.
For all I knew Lane or Veronica or Lillian could be involved. After all, Lane had dated Jackie. Maybe he wanted her back. Maybe they’d had a little quarrel on the mountaintop and one thing had led to another.
Then there was that look that Officer Sharples had given the valet. What was that about? Nothing? Maybe.
Everything? Possibly.
Riley was still arguing with the guy at the front desk about his bill when an idea hit me. “Excuse me, where’s your bathroom?”
The man cocked half of his lip dubiously. “You sure you want to use it, lady? It’s not the cleanest place.”
“A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.”
“Your choice.” He nodded toward the hallway. “It’s back there.”
I sneaked a glance at Riley as I slipped away. The look in his eyes told me that he knew exactly what I was up to. As soon as I was out of sight, I turned toward the garage. It was going to be really hard to hide in this floral monstrosity—maybe impossible—but I had to figure out a way.
The garage was actually bigger than I expected. There were two men working back there, one of them the man who’d driven the tow truck. They chatted in short, choppy sentences that I couldn’t make out. I had to get closer.
When one man called the other over to look at the undercarriage of a car on the far side of the garage, I seized my opportunity. I snuck through the open doorway and crouched behind a car in the corner. The Honda hadn’t been looked at yet, apparently, because it wasn’t up on a hydraulic lift.
“Tonight the shipment’s going out,” one of the mechanics said. “The boss told you about it, right? He needs us all there. It’s hush hush. There’s been too much going on around town lately, and he’s afraid people might get suspicious.”
“Oh, I’ll be there. I want my cut,” the tow driver said. “Now, we need to get our story straight on this car . . . ”
Before he came back to the other side, I
slipped out. My heart pounded in my ears as I stood in the hallway. That had been close. But now I had information that might lead to some answers as to who this “boss” was.
I started back toward Riley.
“You sure your friend’s okay? She’s been back there a long time,” I heard the guy at the front desk say.
“She has stomach issues,” Riley said. I could only imagine his expression.
Nice.
I stepped into view and rubbed my belly. “Sorry about that. I’ve got issues.” Did I ever.
Riley nodded toward the door. “Let’s get out of here. If I stay another minute, I’m going to blow a fuse.”
“What’s going on?” I asked as we stepped outside. I had a feeling I already knew the answer.
“They’re telling me I’d be better off to junk the car, that the amount it’s going to take to fix it is more than what the car is worth anymore. They offered to give me a couple thousand bucks for the parts.”
I shook my head. “I think they’re running a chop shop, and I think they’re using people who get involved in the accidents on that mountain road as their victims.”
“You think this is all about selling car parts?”
I shook my head. “No, I think it’s bigger than that. I think it may have started as simply selling car parts, though. There’s something going down tonight, and I need to figure out what.” I looked down at my dress. “And I’ve got to get more clothes if I’m going to do that.”
***
I looked in the mirror at the jeans and “Virginia is for Lovers” T-shirt. Much better.
Riley and I had ridden the moped a little farther up the road and discovered a consignment store. The clothes were nice, but they cost more used than most of my clothes cost new. I was so happy to have decent clothes that I didn’t care. Besides, I was doing a stakeout. Muumuus never worked for stakeouts.
Riley’s cell phone rang. “It’s Lillian,” he mumbled before answering. A moment later, he hung up and turned toward me. “Derek’s missing.”
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