Treasure
Page 109
“What money?” Ella replied.
“The cash we brought with us. I put it in this pocket of the bag when I went to the ATM at the airport.”
“There’s a safe in the closet. Front desk mentioned it when we checked in, remember? I put it in there this morning, along with all the other important stuff.”
Charlie stood up and walked over to the closet. He punched in the code she gave him on the small keypad, opened the safe, but there was no cash in sight. He started taking items out one at a time, placing them carefully on top of the safe. Ella watched him quietly. Passports, tickets, wallet, keys… no cash. The money was gone.
“That was over a thousand dollars,” Charlie said.
His voice was even, but one of the muscles in his jaw showed an occasional twitch. Ella knew that meant he was truly upset.
“Oh, honey. I’m positive I put everything in there. Check the bag again and the floor in the closet. It has to be somewhere.”
Ella tried to stand, but her balance betrayed her again and she landed back in the chair. Charlie scanned the closet floor. He glanced around at the immaculate suite, every surface clear.
“Ella,” he said. “We are both celebrated archaeologists, respected in our fields and known for our high intellect and detective work. Between the two of us, we aren’t going to just lose a thousand dollars in cash.”
Ella shrugged. “Okay. It didn’t just disappear.”
“I’m sorry to say it, but it’s likely that we’ve been robbed,” Charlie said.
“That can’t be, surely. Look, everything else is still there, isn’t it?”
“Seems that way,” Charlie replied. “This is really not the way I wanted to get this honeymoon started. It's giving me a very bad taste in my mouth.”
“Honey, honey, calm down. We still have our credit cards. The trip isn’t entirely ruined. Let’s go eat some lunch and see if we can sort this out after.”
“I think we should at least call the front desk,” Charlie said. “They should be notified immediately.”
Ella nodded and Charlie dialed the phone.
“I need to report something stolen from my room,” he said.
After he explained the situation, he hung up the phone.
“They’re sending someone up right now. It should be a given that when one pays money to stay at a premier, five-star hotel then the staff of said hotel should be part of a trusted and honest business relationship.”
“You’re right, honey,” Ella said. “We did what we were supposed to do so let’s just wait and hear what the manager has to say about the situation.”
Charlie began to pace the room. A moment later there was a knock at the door. Charlie was met by a young woman from the front desk, dressed in the hotel uniform; a blue jacket with the hotel emblem on the lapel. The name tag read ‘Rachel’. She was accompanied by one of the hotel security guards, a young man of slight stature with a trim haircut, who seemed rather young for the job.
“Are you the manager?” Charlie asked the young woman.
“No sir, but rest assured that I have full authority to process a claim for any lost or stolen items. My name is Rachel and this is Officer Paul.”
Charlie turned and gave Ella a look of concern.
She suppressed a giggle into her hand and said, “Take it easy, Charlie. Let them do their jobs.”
“We will need to make a report if you don’t mind,” the young woman said.
“Is Mitch Berger available? He’s my uncle. Can someone call him?” Ella asked.
“I’m sorry; the tech department is gone for the day. He’s not scheduled back until tomorrow.”
The young security guard spoke next.
“Can you tell me when you last had the belongings?”
“This morning,” Ella said. “I pulled a little bit of cash out for the breakfast buffet. I put it back in the safe with the rest of our valuables. After that, we went to the pool area until just a couple of hours ago. Everything else is still in there.”
Rachel from the front desk made some notes on her clipboard and exchanged a look with the security officer.
“Listen,” Charlie said, tension evident in his voice, “I’d really prefer if we could speak to a manager about all of this.”
“I understand that completely, Sir but only the Resident Manager is on the property at the moment and he’s attending to another situation out on the golf course. It’s in everyone’s best interest if we get started on the initial investigations while we await his arrival. If he isn’t back soon, I will certainly call him again,” said Rachel. “For now we should be filling out the report, conducting a search of the room to determine if there is any evidence, and then from there, potential interviews with staff who had access to the room during the time of the alleged disappearance of the items. The form will be submitted to the head of security for a thorough internal investigation.”
Charlie and Ella exchanged another glance, communicating in a moment what they both thought: they would rather have dealt directly with management but it was clear that Rachel had a procedure to follow whether she and Officer Paul were taking the complaint seriously or not. Charlie waved his hand at the two of them to enter the room.
“Fine,” he said. “Do what you need to do. Look, my wife isn't feeling well and we were on our way down to grab something to eat.”
“We won’t keep you long, sir.”
“ Are we required to be here for the investigation?”
“It would be ideal since we will be going through your suite quickly to ascertain that the item was not just placed out of sight and forgotten.” Officer Paul was already doing the cursory checks in night table drawers and even ran his hands between the mattress and the divan on the bed.
Seeing her guests’ growing unease, Rachel piped up. “Perhaps you would like to have a complimentary beverage in the lobby bar when we’re done here,” the young lady said, producing a couple of drink vouchers for them.
“Thank you,” Charlie continued, his face covered in genuine concern, “I’d still like to see a manager, as soon as possible.”
“Of course. Yes, sir. I’ll see if he can be contacted after we’re finished here.”
Ella placed a hand on Charlie’s arm.
“When we get in touch with Mitch tomorrow, I’m sure he will help sort this out. There’s really no reason to get upset at this point, Charlie.”
“All done,” Rachel announced as Officer Paul shut the safe and shut the closet doors. “I’ll take this report back downstairs and alert security and Mr. Conner, the Resident Manager. He’ll find you as soon as he gets back.”
Charlie watched as the two let themselves out and turned to look at Ella bewildered.
“We still have time to grab lunch and talk to someone before we have to get ready for the dinner,” she said calmly. “Help me up and we’ll go to the lobby.”
He gave her a thin lipped-smile and supported her arm as she stood. She leaned on his shoulder as they walked into the hallway and toward the lobby. The ornate decorations as they walked through the hotel echoed the ancient artifacts that Charlie knew would be displayed within the museum that was being celebrated that evening. Ancient Mayan masks hung along the walls, glinting gold reflections on the floor and ceiling. Replicas, Charlie could only hope. He knew from his previous visit that it was not beyond the scope of the hotel owners to flaunt genuine antiquities as part of the décor. The sight of the masks did little to alleviate his mood and his mood did little to alleviate his concern for his wife’s vertigo.
“Charlie, I really think if I just eat something, I’ll be fine,” Ella said.
He steered her to the nearest seat along the bar of the lobby hotel. They sat down and he ordered some glasses of watermelon juice and an appetizer sampler for Ella. Across the expanse of the marble floor, Charlie noticed two front desk employees glance their way; two young men wearing crisp white shirts and black jackets with an emblem of the hotel emblazoned upon the right lapel. O
ne leaned over and said something to the other, whose face immediately turned grave. Ella nibbled on a potato skin and they waited. Charlie’s feeling of unrest grew with every passing minute.
Finally, outside the glass doors of the hotel front entrance, a young man driving a golf cart pulled up onto the grassy patch and parked the vehicle. The young man wore white slacks, a red polo shirt and a pair of two-tone golf shoes. He removed his sunglasses, tucking them into the collar of his shirt and donning a pair of spectacles as he entered the revolving doors. Upon spotting the couple, he headed toward them with a weak smile on his face.
“Hi,” the young manager said, his hand extended. “Are you Charlie and Ella Colton?”
“Yes,” Charlie replied.
“I'm James Conner. I apologize for the delay but there was an emergency on the back nine.” He looked like he was having the day from Hell. “I just got back from taking a guest to the hospital. Too much sun, too much rum and a bad heart.”
Ella clutched Charlie’s hand. The realization that their problems paled in comparison was saddening. “Is he going to be alright?”
“It seems so. We can only hope for the best, right?” He forced another smile. “So, I hear that you have something missing from your room. Is that correct?”
“Yes, we do,” Charlie began, “It seems that despite my wife being absolutely sure she put all of our valuables in the safe this morning, over a thousand dollars in cash is now missing.”
“I already instructed Rachel and the security staff to proceed. They’re conducting the investigation as we speak. While that is going on, perhaps I could offer you some complimentary passes to the shark corridor.”
“We already have those,” Charlie said, his voice cracking. “But at this point, I think I would also like to report this to the local police. I’m not thrilled with the prospect of an ‘internal investigation’ not turning up any results especially since we didn’t have a chance to really check if that’s all that’s missing.”
“I understand your concern but I’d like to reassure you that we take security at Elysium very seriously and the matter is being handled as we speak.”
“But Mr. Conner...” Ella started but Conner interrupted her.
“It really is still just an internal matter at the moment.”
Charlie took a breath to reply, but Ella placed a hand on his arm.
“Understood, but making a police report won't hurt either, will it?”
“No, sir, it won’t.”
Ella decided to leave the conversation to the men.
“Mr. Conner, is there a telephone I may use?”
Charlie noticed some of the color had returned to her cheeks.
“Right this way,” he directed her to a telephone at the end of the bar.
Picking up the line, Ella dialed the directory number.
“Taxi service, please?”
Ella wrote down some information on a small notepad that the bartender had given her. She ripped off the top page, hung up the phone and said,
“Here we are, Charlie. I have the address to the police station.”
She then turned to the manager and said, “Thank you so much for your assistance in this matter. Please keep us posted on any progress.”
Ella took Charlie’s arm and without a backward glance at the overwhelmed Mr. Conner, the couple walked toward the revolving doors of the hotel lobby and hailed the nearest taxi.
Chapter Three
The sights and sounds of the Cayman Islands drifted past the taxi as they traveled the few blocks to the police station. The salty ocean breeze met their senses through the driver’s open window. As they passed the outdoor fruit market, Ella marveled at the rich tapestry of colors in the mangoes, cassavas, and plantains displayed on the wooden tables, attended by native women wearing equally colorful clothing and scarves. Ella slowly began to feel more alert as her senses became refreshed.
The taxi pulled up to a small gray building, parking in the gravel lot in the front. Blue lettering on the wall of the building read “Royal Cayman Island Police Department.” A shield-shaped emblem graced the glass front doors of the building. Ella and Charlie exchanged a glance. One abandoned police car was parked in front, but the windows of the building looked dark despite it being the middle of the day.
“The hotel told them we were coming,” Charlie said.
“Honey, that might be a bit paranoid; it’s just a small station in a resort town. They probably only have a couple of officers on duty at any given time. I wouldn’t worry so much,” Ella replied. To the driver she said, “Sir, can you wait here a moment?”
The driver nodded. Ella and Charlie exited the car and approached the darkened building.
“This is bizarre,” Charlie muttered.
“Maybe they’re on patrol or something,” Ella suggested.
She walked up to a window, shaded her eyes and peered through the darkened glass.
“I don’t see anything. It looks abandoned.”
“I know the scuba place doesn’t use a credit card reader, so that day trip is out the window.”
He pounded a fist on the front door of the station.
“We haven’t talked to Uncle Mitch yet,” Ella reminded him. “He knows the area. He probably has some resources that we don’t know about.”
“Yeah,” Charlie agreed. “What do you want to do?”
Ella looked around and took a deep breath.
“The fresh air has been good for me, I think. I am feeling much better. Listen, we can’t really do anything about this right now. We can still make the dinner. Why don’t we finish getting ready and enjoy a night out? This is our honeymoon after all. We should at least try to have a good time.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Charlie said. He could see that Ella was feeling better and he wanted her to enjoy the vacation. “Let’s go.”
They returned to the taxi and headed back to the hotel to get ready for the night out.
***
Flames leaped into the air from the darkened stage surrounded by an arena of fully set dining tables.
Pyrotechnics illuminated the large space in which many resort patrons milled before the evening’s show. The well-dressed people clinked drink glasses and laughter erupted like the island volcanoes in the arena rising up from the empty stage. Soon, people began to settle at their tables, preparing for the night’s entertainment. Light danced off of the crystal wine glasses, porcelain dishes, and polished silver. Ella and Charlie entered the room from one of the side entrances, weaving their way through the aisles toward their table. Across the stage, they saw Benjamin Lee, owner of the resort, settling into his seat: a raven-haired Asian woman sat next to him.
The venue had been set up for the performances to occur just after the delivery of the main course. The tables all faced toward the stage, allowing four to a table. When Ella and Charlie arrived, they were the first to be seated at their table. Two empty place settings sat across from them. They watched the pyrotechnics in amazement as people filtered into the room, the sound of dozens of conversations filling the arena.
The designated time arrived and at some cue, which Ella could not determine, the dining room was suddenly abuzz. Restaurant servers, wearing crisp white shirts and dark pants, streamed through the doors carrying large trays of various types of meats, mahi-mahi, seared tuna, pulled pork, all rich and dripping with exotic sauces and garnishes.
A tray was set down at each table, while another server offered a choice of red or white wine to the diners. Bowls of roasted vegetables followed. The food filled the air with succulent aromas which made Ella’s mouth water.
A short time after she and Charlie filled their plates, the lights in the arena began to dim. A resonant drumming echoed throughout the performance area. Six large horses trotted into the stage area with brightly colored acrobats standing on their backs. Well-muscled dancers whose bodies looked chiseled and defined in the dim light leaped from horseback to horseback, then back again.
“Is this seat taken?” Carol Chapman asked with her hand on one of the empty chairs at their table. She wore a semi-formal black pants suit with a diamond-encrusted broach on her lapel. “It seems this is my assigned seat.”
“Please.” Charlie stood and pulled the seat out for her. Ella smiled at the woman and reached to offer her some food.
“Oh, no thanks,” she said in hushed tones as not to disturb the performance.
When she was seated, a waiter stepped up to offer her some wine. She nodded and picked up the red wine glass. He poured. A nod from Charlie prompted the waiter to leave the bottle on the table.
“Carol,” Charlie said. “This is my wife, Ella.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Carol said, giving her a cool glance. “Charlie spoke so much about you when we worked together on the museum acquisition. Of course, you were still only his girlfriend then. Congratulations on your recent wedding.”
“Thank you,” Ella said. “It’s nice to meet you and congratulations to you as well. I understand this evening is a celebration of some of the museum’s newest collections. My uncle is Mitch Berger and he says that Benjamin Lee speaks very highly of you. I can see a direct correlation between your unique sense of style and the new design of the museum.”
“Thank you,” Carol said, taking a sip of wine. “But the real star is here: Charlie Colton, famed archaeologist, living and breathing right here in front of me. Your name is famous in all the right circles.”
Ella noticed her lightly touching Charlie’s arm as she spoke to him, as if to draw him in.
“Charlie, darling,” Ella said, “I don’t think I’m feeling well. I’m still a bit lightheaded. The chemicals from the pyrotechnics seem to have aggravated my vertigo again. I’d better go back to the hotel to lie down.”
“Oh dear, I’m so sorry,” Carol crooned. “The best part is coming up; a solo dancer. She’s a native Caymanian and her performances are stunning!”