Michael and Sloane exchanged glances. Alyssa was the first person who immediately thoughtfemalewhen she saw the photo, without prompting.
“I’ve only been here a year, but I know most of the staff, and there’s only three women who work in Maintenance—none of them have her build.”
Michael took the picture back. “Thank you for your time.”
They left the bar and walked back to the main building, where the gym took up the southwest wing. The concierge waved at them.
When they approached his desk, he said, “Alena called in ten minutes ago. I gave her your message. She should be back in her office in less than an hour, but if you need her immediately, she was in the main ballroom working with an event planner.”
“We’ll come back. Thank you.”
Instead, they headed to the gym to talk to Hope Davidson again.
Hope was straightening towels on the shelves in the gym lobby. Six or seven guests were working out on the equipment, and a game of racquetball could be faintly heard in the background.
“Agent Harris,” Hope said. “Do you need something?” She glanced at the clock. “I’m getting off in a few minutes.”
“We’re following up with everyone we already spoke with, just to clarify a few things,” Michael said.
“Oh. You don’t mind if I keep working? I have plans and don’t want to work late.”
“Go ahead,” Michael said.
She finished folding towels and made sure they were perfectly straight in the shelving unit.
Michael confirmed everything she’d already told him about Matt and Kara’s morning before they disappeared. She moved over to the free weights, grabbed a bottle of disinfectant and a rag, and cleaned each one individually.
“Do you remember the Blairs and the Avilas?” According to her employee file, she had started working here two months after the Hendersons were killed, and only a week before the Blairs went missing.
“Those are the missing couples, right?”
“They were murdered,” Michael said.
She shook her head and frowned. “So awful.”
“Did any of them come into the gym?”
She shrugged, carefully put a heavy weight into its appropriate slot. “Maybe. I really don’t remember. Maybe if you had pictures?”
Sloane pulled out her phone and showed Hope photos of the Blairs, then the Avilas. Hope tapped on the second picture. “She came in for yoga once when I was working. I just said hello and goodbye, didn’t have a conversation with her.”
“You don’t recognize the others?”
“No, I’m sorry.”
She grabbed a clean rag and walked over to the window separating the now-empty yoga room from the main gym. She sprayed and wiped.
“I have a photo if you can look at it?” Michael asked.
She stopped for a minute, looked at him expectantly. He showed her the woman dressed as a maintenance worker. “Do you recognize this person?”
She shook her head. “No. Sorry.” She went back to cleaning with a quick glance at the clock. “I have ten minutes until I’m off, and I need to clean the women’s locker room. Do you want me to stop at Brian’s office on my way out? Are you still using it?”
“That’s not necessary,” Michael said. “Just one more question. You mentioned you didn’t really talk to Garrett Reid since you started working here, correct?”
“Yeah. Just a few times, in passing.”
“Did you ever see him with anyone? Like a girlfriend?”
