Chapter 51

FIFTY-ONE

We left Rebecca and Jack at Cougar Point to make arrangements for the motel and traveled to Semiahmoo Resort. Roger Whiting is behind the registration desk.

"Detectives," Roger says with an apprehensive look.

"Hi, Roger. Have you remembered something?" Ronnie asks.

He says, "The police came and looked at your mom's room and did a thorough search of the resort and grounds."

I ask, "Roger, have you talked to Sergeant Lucas recently?"

He shakes his head but his eyes tell me he's lying, and so I push.

"Roger, Lucas said he talked to you."

"Oh. Oh yeah. I've been busy and I completely forgot. He was here yesterday for a few minutes and talked to Missy. His people took everything Mrs. Marsh left in the room."

"Ronnie wants to access your video footage and make a copy. Can you set her up?" I ask. Lucas was supposed to have already done this.

He hesitates only a second. "Well, I guess it will be okay. But what about the privacy of the other guests?"

"It will be okay," Ronnie says. "Give me a copy of your registration log from Wednesday until today. It's legal. In case Lucas forgot to tell you, Megan and I have been deputized by Sheriff Longbow."

"Well…" Roger looks around to see who is listening. "Lucas already made a copy and asked for the registration log. Can't you get this from him?"

Ronnie's mouth straightens into a tight line, and Roger relents. "Of course you can have those. Come into the office and I'll get you set up. The registration files are there as well."

"Is Missy here?" I ask.

"Uh, Missy. She called in sick. She won't be in tonight either."

I press him, "Can you give me her phone number?"

"I spoke to her mother and was told she's not to be disturbed."

"Give me the number and her address."

Ronnie goes behind the counter and tells Roger she can find the files herself.

I say, "Roger, I want you to take me around the resort and show me where Mrs. Marsh might have spent some time. I want to talk to you."

He doesn't ask about what. His shoulders drop and he comes around the counter. When he steps off the raised platform his head comes just above the counter. He's much shorter than I'd thought. Under five feet. Maybe four. I walk slow so he can keep up. We make our way back to the café where the interviews had taken place.

"So, Victoria came to the café?"

"Yes. She helped redesign the café and the restaurant. She loved coming in here and the staff were always happy to see her."

"What about Missy? Was she always happy to see her?"

"I have no idea."

"Come on, Roger. Tell me the truth."

He looks around again and it's like something on a sitcom. He lowers his voice and his eyes travel to the wannabe writer who is sitting near the window again. The man isn't typing and his head is cocked in our direction.

"Don't look at him, Roger. Talk to me."

"I don't really think I should talk about my staff."

"They talk about you," I say, and his eyes widen. "Didn't Lucas tell you what he heard from them? I won't say who told him but I know you've been in trouble several times in the past. An underage girl, laundering, FBI…"

Roger makes shushing motions with his hand. "Can we go somewhere more private, please?"

"I'm happy right here, Roger. Tell me why Missy doesn't like Victoria or her daughters."

What he tells me fits with what I had already surmised. Missy came from dirt poor, didn't finish school, had no place of her own, and was in some trouble with the police. He claimed he didn't know what that was about but thought it was about a guy. He guessed that was the reason she didn't like police.

Ronnie shows up while Roger is winding down. He sees her and asks, "Did you find everything, Detective?" I've pissed him off. Or he's regretting he left Ronnie in his office unsupervised.

I say to Ronnie, "Show him the pictures we have."

She pulls up pics of Vinnie, Duke, and Thundercloud and flips through them pausing at each one. Roger's eyes shift when he sees the pictures of Duke and Thundercloud.

Ronnie says, "You've seen these guys before."

Roger turns his face away. "I don't know them."

Ronnie persists. "But you've seen them."

He just nods.

I say, "Come on, Roger. Lying to the police is not a good way to stay out of trouble. Talk to us. We won't tell them we even talked to you."

His head is on a swivel. He says, "Miss Marsh, I'm sorry for not speaking. I've seen the last two guys. The very last one is Len Thundercloud, an ex-employee. I think he's Missy's boyfriend."

Ronnie asks, "How long ago did you see either of those men?"

Roger looks at me, and I give him my best bad-girl look.

"I know Thundercloud was here visiting Missy about a week ago. They were in my office and she knows no one is allowed there but the management. I would have fired her but she's good at her job. She has a chip on her shoulder about some of our wealthier guests but she keeps it from them."

"Do you know if he's been here when Victoria was here? And I mean ever."

He shakes his head. "I just caught them the one time. But I've seen him in town with that other guy. Bellingham, I mean. Thundercloud scares me."

I wonder if Lucas asked the same questions and how much of a lead he has on us in finding any of the three. He could be at Missy's place right now.

"We're almost done, Roger. I need a favor from you."

"Anything, Detective."

"If Lucas asks you, we were never here today. We never talked. He's seriously looking at you as a suspect in Victoria's disappearance. Ronnie and I know that's a load of crap but he's very set on you being involved."

Roger's hand goes to his mouth. "Oh my god! I didn't do anything wrong. You have to believe me."

Ronnie says, "We believe you but you know Lucas."

He says, "You were never here. I'm sorry about the surveillance stuff. Lucas told me to keep it to myself. He was angry that I told you parts of it were missing. I didn't know…"

Ronnie puts a hand on his. "It's okay. We understand. We're going to help you."

Into prison if you are involved in any minuscule way. I say to Ronnie, "Ronnie, I was about to tell Roger that we might have a lead on your mom's whereabouts."

"You do?" Roger says.

I say, "The first picture we showed you is Victoria's brother. His name is Vinnie. We've located him and he's beating the bushes for her. When we leave here we're going back to the motel to meet up with him. We might not need the video footage, but it's always better to be thorough. Don't you think?"

"Was it this Vinnie who Missy saw that night?"

"I guess we'll know shortly. Ronnie is a pure genius when it comes to recovering deleted video files. And I might as well tell you since you've been a big help to us, we think Vinnie is involved in the disappearance. Something about gambling debts. It has nothing to do with the Indian casino if that's what you're thinking. The FBI are in charge of that part."

"I don't know what to say." Roger looks pale. He's been through the ringer once over his activities and might still be in Dutch with the FBI.

"Nothing to say, Roger. I may need to come back. I want you to think hard about anything you might know. And I want you to call me or Ronnie if you see anyone we're looking for."

He just nods his head. His lips are dry and his eyes are focused on the tabletop.

Ronnie says, "You don't want to be involved in this, Roger. You've skated a few times already and you only get so many chances. You find out what you can and call me. Maybe I won't find that you doctored the video and arrest you for tampering with evidence. Maybe worse."

Roger's face goes pale and we leave him sitting there with his mouth hanging open.