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Kane reached for his cellphone and punched in Sarah Woodward’s number. The call went straight to a cheery message from her saying she was busy and to leave a message. He left his name and a request to call him urgently. Unease clenched his gut. Hours had passed since anyone had heard from her. He examined the deadbolt on the door and grimaced. Whoever had searched her room had a key; there was no sign of forced entry. After pushing the cellphone back inside his pocket, he turned his back on the door to speak to the owner. “I gather Rosa delivered Miss Woodward’s breakfast this morning, so I assume this happened sometime in the last couple of hours. Did you see anyone hanging around earlier?”
“Nope. I tend the counter and don’t bother to come out unless the bell rings.” Ricker stared at him anxiously and moved from one foot to the other. “Like I said before, I leave the customers alone. People don’t like being under surveillance.”
“Sure, I understand.” Kane pulled out his notebook and jotted down a few details. “I’ll need to speak to Rosa and I wa
nt a list of everyone who stayed here last night, with all details.”
“Sure.” Mr. Ricker peered around him in an obvious attempt to see in the room. “She’s not dead in there, is she?”
“No. Someone trashed the room.” Kane folded his arms across his chest. “I’ll write a report for your insurance. Now if you could do as I asked. Oh, and could you bring me a roll of sticky tape?”
“Right away.” Ricker waddled in the direction of the office and returned moments later with the required tape. “I’ll go find Rosa.”
“Thanks.” Kane pulled out his cellphone and called Jenna to bring her up to speed. “No forced entry, and as Sarah didn’t know anyone in town, the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign could be an attempt to gain time. I’m worried for her safety.”
“We need to locate her ASAP. I’ll see if I can discover the location of her cellphone.”
“Okay. I’ll take some photographs and see if I can collect any prints. If I get any info from Rosa I’ll call you back.” He disconnected and slipped the cellphone into his pocket.
Armed with tape and gloves, he walked Rowley through the crime scene, collecting evidence, but no prints showed in the ash smudges. Whoever had burned the papers had worn gloves. By the time they had completed their sweep of the room, he could hear Mr. Ricker speaking in rapid Spanish with a woman he assumed was Rosa. He ushered Rowley outside and pulled the door shut. “Seal the door.”
Thirty-One
Standing beside the motel owner was a young woman in her twenties, and from the hushed conversation, she was under the impression he wanted to check her work visa. He offered her a smile to calm her nerves and spoke to her in Spanish. “You must be Rosa? Can you tell me what time you served breakfast to Miss Woodward?”
“Six thirty.” Rosa trembled like a rabbit in a spotlight.
Kane leaned casually against the wall. “Did she speak to you at all?”
“Yes, she did and I was surprised she was fluent in Spanish. She said she was excited about going to look for her grandmother.” Rosa frowned. “She told me the real estate agent had a list of the properties her grandmother was interested in purchasing.”
“Was that the last time you saw her?”
“No.” She waved a hand at the motel room door. “I’d finished cleaning number twenty-four and was going into number twenty-three when I saw her leave her tray outside the room then get in her car. I didn’t see her come back.”
“What time did you see her leave?”
“I’m not sure.” Rosa screwed up her nose. “Maybe seven thirty. I don’t usually start cleaning the rooms so early but the guests in rooms twenty-four and twenty-three checked out at six.”
Kane made a few notes and flicked a glance over Rosa. Law enforcement scared her, by the way she twisted her hands in her apron. In fact, her fear of him trembled in her voice. He spoke to her using gentle tones to keep her at ease. “When did you notice the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on the door?”
“Much later, after eleven.” She shot a glance at Ricker as if seeking his permission. “Mr. Ricker sent me to clean number eighteen. I took clean towels down to Miss Woodward’s room and the sign was on the door.”
“Did you knock on her door?”
“Oh, no. I’m not in the habit of disturbing the guests if they put out a sign.” Rosa lifted her chin as if considering his next question. “I didn’t see anyone. Maybe you need to speak to Mrs. Bolton. She spies on everyone.”
Kane recalled the person peering at him through the window. “Would she be in number sixteen?”
“Yeah, and she’s one of our permanent guests.” Ricker moved forward looking anxious. “She’s an elderly lady and I don’t want you upsetting her. It’s not good for business having cops snooping around.”
“I’ll be discreet.” Kane cleared his throat. “I’ll speak to her then we’ll be on our way.” He smiled at Rosa. “Thank you for your assistance.”
He watched her scurry away and turned to Ricker. “Don’t enter the room until further notice. The sheriff will need to look over the crime scene. Police tape is like a brick wall; you go through it and I’ll arrest you. If Miss Woodward returns, I want you to keep her in your office and notify me or the sheriff immediately.” He reached in his pocket for one of his cards and handed it to him.
“Will do.” Ricker let out a long sigh and shook his greasy head. “Can I go now?”
“Yeah.” Kane motioned to Rowley and led the way to number sixteen. “Do you speak Spanish?”
