Page 35 of Every Which Way

Maizie said, “Are we really gonna stay here?” She practically curled her lip.

Kenna had to keep from laughing. “I guess not.” She matched the teenage attitude in her tone. “Let’s go.”

They headed outside.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Maizie said, “I got the footage. They deleted it, but it’s never completely gone. I restored the file and emailed it to myself.”

“Did you watch it?”

Maizie said, “Yes. We need to talk to Roxanne.”

Kenna turned to her. “Why?” They slowed their walk and stopped in the lane between rows of parked cars.

“I checked the security cameras for the timestamp just before someone deleted the files, and she’s the one who took the footage.”

Behind Maizie, Ramon stepped out of the office with his key card and came over to them.

Kenna spotted the woman from the hallway. She exited a side door with a bag of trash. “I want to speak to her, see if she remembers anything. Will you send me the image of Roxanne?”

When Maizie indicated she would, Kenna handed her the keys.

Ramon said, “I’m gonna check the crime scene.”

Kenna looked at Maizie. “Lock the doors.” Only when the teen nodded did she jog over to speak with the woman she assumed was the wife. “I’m sorry to bother you.” Her phone buzzed, and she opened the image. “I’m a private investigator looking for some missing people. Have you seen this woman before?”

The wife frowned at Kenna’s phone screen. “A private investigator?”

“You know that two people were abducted from your motel?”

“I don’t know anything about that.” She started to turn away.

“One of the victims was my sister.”

The woman stalled.

“Do you have a sister or children?”

She looked over Kenna’s shoulder. “Was that girl your daughter?”

Kenna said, “She was the prisoner of a very bad man, but she managed to escape. I found her, and now she lives with me because it’s a safe place to heal.”

The woman shifted just a fraction. “Show me the picture?”

Kenna held up her phone again.

“I have seen this woman. But only once. I was housekeeping, cleaning one of the rooms. I see her walk past the door.” She paused. “That is all.”

“Do you know when it was?”

“Before the people were taken.”

“Did you see that happen? Do you know who took them? Anything at all could help me find them. Even the smallest detail that you think might not help.”

The woman hesitated. “I see nothing.”

“Even a tiny glimpse would be helpful. Anything at all.” Repeating herself might be redundant, but it might encourage this woman to give in and talk to her.

She started to shake her head, but a commotion on the upper floor drew her attention. Kenna spotted Ramon at the rail with his hands raised. She couldn’t make out what they were saying, but she didn’t need to.

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