Late Arrival: A Park Hotel Mystery (The Park Hotel Mysteries Book 4)

by Diane Capri

  As he looked me over, I could see he was fighting a smile. I must’ve looked like a drowned raccoon in a super short skirt. My makeup was running down my face, and my hair was plastered to my head. I glared at him.

  “What are you doing down here, anyway?” I asked, trying to sound demanding, but some of the oomph was lost by the chattering of my teeth.

  “I often come here on my dinner break and look at the boats. I’d love to buy one, one day,” Casey said, as if we were friends and he was sharing his deepest secrets.

  I didn’t believe him. He was here, exactly at the same time as Ivan. That was no coincidence.

  Ivan probably broke into my suite. To do that, he’d have had to acquire information about me first. Who better than Casey Cushing to supply my living arrangements? Casey was a petty man who disliked me and had unfettered access to the hotel.

  But why? Was he paid to supply the information?

  “A little out of your price range, don’t you think? What with all the bills you have from taking care of your mom.”

  He didn’t respond to that, but I saw him flinch. He dodged my question and asked, “What are you doing here? It looked like you were searching for something.”

  “I was. A man. A big guy with short dark hair, mustache, wearing a gray suit jacket and jeans.” I eyed him sharply. “Maybe you saw him.”

  “Nope, I didn’t see anyone until you came barreling out of nowhere.” He pursed his lips. “We should really get you a towel or something. You’re shaking like a leaf.”

  We walked down the dock together—well, Casey walked in front, and I shivered with every step behind him—until we reached Main Street. Before we took another step, the sheriff’s SUV came to a squealing stop right in front of us.

  Sheriff Jackson jumped out and ran over. “What the hell happened?” He took me in, his gaze going everywhere, and I realized he was looking for injuries.

  “She fell off the dock,” Casey said, as innocent and wholesome as apple pie.

  “You pushed me,” I corrected.

  The sheriff’s gaze zeroed in on Casey, who actually took a step back. “I did not push you.” He pleaded with the sheriff, “I didn’t push her, I swear.”

  Sheriff Jackson put an arm around me and directed me to his SUV. Once there, he opened up the back of the jeep and pulled out a big blanket. He draped it around my shoulders and then wrapped me in it, rubbing my arms as he did so.

  “How did you know where I was?” I asked.

  “Lucky guess. You called, and when I answered, I heard the word ‘swim,’ then a huge splash, then nothing.”

  He helped me into the front seat and then shut the door. I could hear him talking to Casey.

  “Do we need to have a little chat?” he asked.

  I saw Casey shaking his head vehemently. “It was an accident. I swear to you.”

  I wanted to cry out, “Liar!” but I honestly didn’t know for sure, and I’d keep my mouth shut until I knew differently.

  The sheriff jumped into the jeep. He turned the heat on as we drove away from the marina.

  “Didn’t Casey want a ride?” I asked.

  The sheriff shook his head. “He said he’d walk.”

  I had my doubts, considering the look on Casey’s face as we drove away. My heart skipped a little as I glanced across the console toward the sheriff. His face was a mask of concern and determination. I liked that he protected me, even in small ways, like not giving a ride to a man who may or may not have pushed me into the freezing water unprovoked. The gesture warmed me inside. And right now, I needed all the warmth I could get.

  When we arrived at the hotel, I asked him if we could go in through the side door instead of the main entrance, so I could avoid the lobby. I didn’t want anyone to make a big fuss over me or ask a bunch of questions. I just wanted to get out of these wet clothes and get warm.

  Once inside my suite, I handed the blanket back to the sheriff. “I’m going to have a hot shower.”

  I didn’t wait for his response, assuming that he would wait for me. He probably had a ton of questions about what happened on the docks.

  I peeled off my clothes in the bathroom, turned on the water, and stepped in under the hot pulsing spray. Relief was instant, and I groaned loudly, not caring if the sheriff heard me or not. I stayed under the cleansing spray a long time until the stink of algae and fish and the sticky feel of oil left my skin. I probably looked like a pink lobster now.

  I got out, dried, wrapped myself in my fluffy white robe, and returned to the living room. As I’d guessed, the sheriff had waited. He’d been inspecting my collection of books and pictures on the shelves, his hands folded behind his back. He turned when I came into the room. He gestured to the table.

  “I made you some tea. I could only find something peach flavored, so I hope that’s okay.”

  I sat on the sofa and picked up the cup, enjoying the warmth of it in my hands. I took a sip and sighed. “It’s wonderful, thank you.”

  He paced a little. “You have some decent books.”

  I almost laughed because it didn’t quite sound like a compliment. “Thanks. I like crime novels.”

  “Yeah, that doesn’t surprise me.” He pointed to the picture of Miss Charlotte. “Who’s that?”

  “Miss Charlotte. She was my nanny growing up. She was my best friend.”

  He looked surprised at that. “You didn’t have a lot of friends?”

  I shook my head, sipping my tea. “Not really. My parents isolated me a bit, I think. I went to a private school and was enrolled in dance classes, and sports, and piano lessons. But nothing really stuck. No one really stuck. Not until college when I met Ginny.”

  He sat down next to me on the sofa. “You grew up rich?”

  “My parents were pretty well off. I know that now. At the time, I wasn’t aware of it. We never discussed money in our house,” I said.

  “Were? They’re not—”

  I shook my head. “No, nothing like that. They’re still alive, but I don’t see them often. They live in Hong Kong.”

  “Oh.” He rubbed his hands together. He looked really nervous for some reason. “So, why were you at the marina?”

  I set my teacup down. “Don’t get angry, but I’m pretty sure I found the man who broke into my suite.”

  He shook his head. “And you followed him.”

  “Yeah, kind of chased him, really. I was walking back to the hotel, and I spotted him near the Victoria smoking, and I recognized him from the Flower Festival. He was actually the guy who won that,” I pointed to the giant unicorn in the corner, “for me at the ball toss. He’d said his name was Ivan. Anyway, he saw that I’d noticed him, and he ran, so I ran after him. He lost me near the marina, so I went looking.”

  He shook his head again.

  “I didn’t have the chance to call when I was chasing him, but I called you when I was at the marina…”

  “What if it had been this guy you ran into and not Casey? Do you think he would’ve just pushed you into the water?”

  “No.”

  He frowned. “I can’t keep you safe when you actively chase danger.”

  “I didn’t realize you were trying to keep me safe,” I replied.

  “Of course I am. It’s my job. Not only to keep you safe, but everyone on this island.” He got to his feet. “You’re the key to this case, though. I think whoever killed Jeremy is keeping tabs on you. And I can’t follow you around 24/7.”

  I glanced at the blanket that was now folded on the sofa. “Have you been sleeping in your jeep to watch my suite at night?”

  He stared at me without answering.

  “Why don’t you just get a room here? You would be so much more comfortable.” I was teasing him a little, and he knew it.

  “It’s too expensive. I can’t afford to stay here. Not on my salary.”

  I smiled. “Okay, I won’t go running toward danger, if that helps.”

  His eyes narrowed.

  “I pro
mise this time.” I held up three fingers together. “Scout’s honor.”

  “Like you were ever a Girl Scout.” He shook his head, but there was a ghost of a smile on his lips. “Okay, that’s a good start. And you’ve told me everything of importance, right? You aren’t hiding anything helpful to this investigation?”

  I shrugged. “Nope. You know everything I know.”

  He eyed me for a long moment, and I thought for sure he would call my bluff. But he didn’t. He picked up the blanket and headed to the door. “How about you stay put for now and get some rest?”

  “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea, but unfortunately I can’t. We have the big banquet at the hotel tonight, out in the gardens. Lots to do.” I walked him to the door. “When I get back, I’ll make sure everything is locked up, and I’ll even keep my lights on, so you can get a good night’s sleep.”

  “I’ll get a good night’s sleep when this is all over. Until then…” He tipped his head and left my room. I shut the door and locked it behind him, knowing he would wait until he heard the lock engage.

  I went back to the sofa, got comfy, and then reached for my laptop that wasn’t there. I needed a replacement. I couldn’t do any of my sleuthing without a computer. I called Ginny and asked where I could get a cheap laptop and phone. For the time being, I gave her the short version of how my phone had ended up in the water at the marina. I refused to give up on my old phone. Maybe I could find someone who could fix it. In the meantime, I took out the phone’s SIM card and tried to dry it out as best I could.

  I hadn’t told her about my dinner conversation with Clive Barrington yet. Mostly because I was still working on the problem in my own head. If I wanted to stay here, it wouldn’t help to have Casey or Lane or Samuel find out that I had somewhere else to go. For various reasons, I was pretty sure all four of them would put me on a plane to Hong Kong and throw me a party to send me on my way. I loved Ginny, but she was the world’s worst secret keeper.

  Ginny hooked me up with her phone guy who turned out to be a twentysomething woman with pink dreadlocks. Rowan worked out of the basement of her parents’ house. She assured me she could fix my phone and then gave me a replacement that I could pop my old SIM card into, and it would have all my contacts and phone numbers on it. Which was good, because I honestly couldn’t remember anyone’s phone number. I don’t know how anyone had memorized phone numbers before cell phones. I’d probably done it when I was young, but I didn’t get my first phone until I was thirteen. Now, kids as young as eight carried cell phones.

  Rowan also hooked me up with a refurbished laptop for only $150. I took my new purchases, returned to my suite, and ordered room service. I sat out on my patio with the laptop to dig up some dirt on Casey Cushing, because I knew he was hiding something.

  Chapter 17

  I started with a simple search for Casey Cushing. Eleven profiles popped up on six social media accounts. I found one profile on a business site and scrolled through it first. The contents were the usual sales tools of working professionals, listing current and past employers and education. Nothing in there was surprising or unusual, except he listed an interest in collecting.

  I clicked on a couple of the social media accounts. He’d posted nothing but inspirational quotes and photos from the hotel. I went through his friends list, which consisted mainly of profiles for people who worked at the Park Hotel, some old school friends, and his mother, Penny. I clicked on her account, which was much more revealing.

  There were a lot of pictures of her with Casey. Many were photos of her hospital stay and then her recovery from the surgery at home. Pictures of Penny using a walker, then a cane, and pictures of Casey doing chores around the house. Despite my feelings about him, these photos really did look like he loved and cherished his mom. A couple of months back, she had posted a picture of one of her medical bills with a big frowny face drawn on it. The bill was $62,876.57. It looked like she’d had one or two complications during her surgery.

  Shortly afterward, there was a photo of Penny with a PAID IN FULL stamp on the bill and a huge grin. That was a lot of money to acquire in such a short time. The paid bill was posted around the same time that my suite had been broken into. Casey hadn’t even returned to work yet. Where did she get the money?

  My cell phone rang, startling me. The ring tone was loud—church bells. It was Ginny calling.

  “Are you on your way?” she asked the second I answered.

  “On my way where?”

  “To the banquet hall. It’s already six o’clock, Andi.”

  I looked at the clock on the computer: 5:05 pm. I guess I’d forgotten to set the clock to the right time zone.

  “Oh, yes, I’m on my way.”

  “You forgot, didn’t you?”

  “No.”

  After I hung up with her, I rushed into the bathroom to do something with my hair and slather on some makeup. I put on a clean-cut, black pantsuit with an emerald-green blouse. I slipped on comfortable heels since I was going to be on my feet the entire time, grabbed my purse, and rushed out the door. I made it to the hall in record time. It had only taken thirty minutes to get presentable.

  I met up with Ginny and Lois, who both gave me a look, then we proceeded to make sure everything was in place and running smoothly for the banquet. There was another day of golf tomorrow, then a gala in the evening. The event usually raised tens of thousands of dollars for various charities, but it was a ton of work to make everything run smoothly.

  It was basically all hands on deck, so there were about ten of us on staff making sure everything happened without a hitch. Casey and I were in charge of getting everyone seated. Lois did the introductions of the various speakers, and Ginny orchestrated it all behind the scenes. I loved seeing her with her little headset and clipboard, calmly and efficiently handling everything. People thought she was flighty and disorganized, but they were wrong. Ginny was a powerhouse. Exactly like her mother in that way.

  Casey and I worked opposite sides of the room, making sure people were seated at their assigned tables before the speeches began. Once we were done, we stepped out of the room into the main corridor. I was all set to march over to him and ask him point blank if he’d ransacked my suite and sold information about me to pay his mother’s hospital bill, but his cell phone rang, and he answered it. He stepped around the corner to talk, and I slid up along the wall to eavesdrop.

  “I’ve been waiting for your call.” He paused to listen. “Of course I can get it for you…I won’t take any less than ten thousand this time…I think she suspects, but she doesn’t know for sure…I’m not worried about her. I can deal with her if I need to.”

  There was a longer pause while he listened for a while. Then, before he disconnected, he said, “I’ll call you when I get there.”

  I heard some rustling and a long silence, so I risked a peek around the corner. Casey was walking down the corridor to one of the exits. I followed him without a second thought.

  Once outside, he jumped into one of the hotel golf carts and took off down the hill to the village. I couldn’t follow him in another cart. He’d see me plain as day. I needed something that would be less obvious. I spotted one of the bicycles that the hotel loaned out to guests and grabbed it.

  I pushed off, wobbling for a second before I found my balance. Actual bike-riding was nothing like spin class. I rode the brakes all the way down the hill, keeping to the darkened pathway. At first, I thought he was going to the marina. But when he got to Rose Lane, he turned left. I followed him, nearly wiping out in front of Daisy’s Pet Hotel when I took the corner too fast.

  Casey drove to Market Street and then took a left. I had no clue where he was headed. He turned right onto Clover Avenue, which led to a residential area. Then he took another right, then another, and parked near a big industrial-looking building.

  I waited in the shadows. He got out of the golf cart, walked to the gate, and punched a number into the keypad. The gate buzzed, and he opene
d it and went through.

  I ran to the gate to sneak inside before it could close, but I was too late. The gate shut and locked with an audible click. I looked through the metal bars to the sign over the door. The building was a storage facility that rented out individual storage units. I rattled the gate and then looked down the way to see if there was another entrance. There wasn’t. I had to go over the gate if I wanted to get in.

  Grabbing the metal bars at the top, I stretched my leg up, hooked my foot into the crossbar, and pulled myself up. Then I reached over the bars and swung my leg over until I was straddling the top bar. This was not easy to do in a pair of dressy trousers. They were made for strutting through an office with style, not climbing over a metal fence and skulking around.

  I made it. Once over the gate, I ran down the rows, hoping to find Casey before he disappeared inside one of the units. I walked down the first row. No sign of him. I turned the corner and went down the second. I paused when I heard some movement four units down on the right.

  As I stood there pressed against one of the metal doors, I thought about what to do. What if Casey was meeting with the Russian? What if the Russian had a gun? I reached into my purse and pulled out the pepper spray. I put my finger on the trigger and crept along the cement lane until I reached a unit marked with the number 18.

  Light flooded from under the roll-up metal door. Someone was definitely inside. I could hear him moving around.

  I pressed my ear to the door, hoping to hear voices. If I could stay outside and record the conversation, it would be much safer. But I didn’t hear anything. Either they weren’t talking, or I couldn’t hear the voices past the metal. I couldn’t just stand out here. It was time to do something bold.

  Crouching, I put my fingers under the edge of the door. Then, counting under my breath to three, I pushed the door up on its rollers as hard as I could. I rushed into the unit with my pepper spray aimed and ready to use.

  I didn’t know who was more startled, Casey or me. He actually made a low squeaking sound and tossed the thing he’d been holding in his hand onto the ground. I bent to pick it up and stared at it, not completely sure how to associate what I was looking at with any kind of nefarious activity. It was a stuffed toy, shaped like a crab, with green, blue, and brown fur.