25
Michael immediately dismissed Paula Stuart, one of the women Catherine indicated fit the parameters of Reid’s partner. While she fit the basics on paper, she was barely five foot three with such long, thick red hair that there was no way she was the woman in the photo. Still, Michael asked her questions about housekeeping in general, what she observed over the weekend. Michael thanked her, then he and Sloane walked to the main bar, where Alyssa Prescott was just coming on her shift.
Alyssa was thirty-six, tall, blonde, attractive but with a hard edge, as if she had seen everything and nothing fazed her. She also sported a colorful tattoo sleeve.
“Valdez said you might be coming in for a chat,” she said after Michael introduced himself and Sloane. She looked them both up and down, offered water, which Sloane accepted.
“Thank you for making the time,” Michael said.
“I really don’t have a choice, do I? Valdez said anyone who gave you guys any shit would be written up.” She put the waterin front of Sloane, then turned to a tray and started to efficiently wedge limes and lemons.
Her confrontational attitude surprised Michael. “Have you met Garrett Reid?”
“Yep, it’s not that big of a place, and he works maintenance. He also used to be a bartender, and we chatted a few times when he came in to fix the ice machine, which goes out at least once a month.”
“What did you chat about?” Michael asked.
She shrugged. “This and that. Nothing serious. Pros and cons of working the bar. Dealing with guests, management, whatever.”
She finished with the citrus, placed the pieces in the appropriate trays, and then pulled out a box of cocktail napkins and set them up at strategic intervals along the bar.
“He has nearly every drink memorized. I asked him why he didn’t want to work the bar. He said he liked to fix things.” She shrugged, squatted and straightened the bottles behind the bar.
“Did you like him?” Sloane asked.
“I didn’t want to screw him, if that’s what you mean.”
“I didn’t mean anything,” Sloane said. “Most people we’ve spoken with said he was friendly and personable. Did you agree?”
Alyssa looked at Sloane as if considering a response. “Look, if I told you I think he was a creep, you wouldn’t believe me because probably everyone now remembers something that makes them like him less. But truth? He was fine. He didn’t hit on me, which I can’t say the same for a lot of the staff. He was chatty and smart.”
“But?” Sloane said.
“It’s just a feeling, and it’s not something I can really quantify.”
“I’m interested in your feelings.”
“Garrett is a great conversationalist, and he knows a lot of shit, always willing to help out, whatever.” She leaned againstthe bar and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “But if you really look at him, like make eye contact? There’s something... calculating there. Like he’s cataloging you and putting you into a prelabeled box. I mean, we all do it when you work in the service industry. We shelve people into good tippers, assholes, drunks, complainers—it’s probably not fair, but when you work with a lot of people every day of your adult life, there’s a dozen categories that everyone will fall into. But with Garrett it was... different. I can’t explain it any better than that. And it doesn’t help you keep him in jail, does it?”
“It’s good insight,” Michael said. “Were you familiar with the guests who went missing?”
“The second couple,” she said. “They came in several nights when I was working. Both drank maybe one too many, but they were happy drunks. Cute together, if you’re into that sort of thing.”
“Was anyone watching them? Giving them undue interest?” Michael asked.
She stared at him. “You arrested Garrett. Who else are you looking at?”
“We believe that Garrett is working with a partner,” Michael said, gauging her reaction.
“Really? Wow. Garrett? For a guy who was that good-looking and friendly, he was a loner.”
“It may not have been someone who was seen with Garrett.”
“Staff often comes in after shift for a beer, to chat with me or Doug, because usually one of us is on until closing. If the weather is crappy, we’re crowded. If it’s nice, most people go out to the poolside bar. I wouldn’t have noticed unless someone was being rude or something.”
Michael put the photo down in front of Alyssa. “Do you recognize this person?”
Alyssa shook her head. “I don’t think so. I don’t think she works here.”
