Page 7 of Wild Temple
“I’m sure they would.” She was definitely the kind of girl that would be missed. “Do you remember seeing her talk to anyone? Was there anyone that she hung out with while she was here?”
“I’d see her a lot in the common areas. In the lounge or around the pool. She was always on her laptop or on her phone. Always working, unlike a lot of people around here.” She rolled her eyes.
“Are you here by yourself?”
She shook her head. “No. I’m here with a girlfriend. I didn’t want to travel alone.”
“Smart choice. Is she around? Could I talk to her?”
“She’s not here right now, but I’ll let her know about your friend and have her call you if she remembers anything.”
“Thank you. I’d appreciate that.”
I said goodbye, then knocked on the door directly across the hall from mine.
Nobody answered.
I made my way back down to the lobby to grab something to eat. They had a full restaurant, along with a grab-and-go sandwich shop. You could also eat poolside, ordering from the main menu.
I decided to grab a table outside and mix and mingle. I don't know how much work was getting done in theco-workingspace. It was more of a social networking hub. People talked about their grandiose plans for the future. Mostly dreamers.
Tanjung Sur was the kind of place where you could live a nice life for a couple grand a month. A lot of these people had remote jobs back in the States. They’d clock in for a few hours here and there and make enough to get by. That gave them the opportunity to work on side projects for the rest of the time.
Those projects were usually lounging by the pool, going to the beach, and partying at the clubs.
I had no doubt someone here would start the next giant social media app or crowdsourcing utility, but that would be few and far between. It seemed like a waypoint between college and the real world.
French, German, and Australian accents mixed with American. This place drew digital dreamers from all over.
I ordered the Jatala Smash Burger—grass-fed beef, aïoli, pickled papaya slaw, and melted Gouda on a grilled bun.
I sent a text to Talia. [I checked in. Thanks for setting everything up.]
[My pleasure. Glad you got there safely.]
I gave her a brief recap of everything I’d learned so far, which wasn’t much.
After a short chat, I started talking to people in the common area, showing pictures of Isabella. I ran into a few people who remembered her, but nobody had seen her in the last several days. They all said she was nice and didn’t think anything of her disappearance. It was a transient community. People came and went frequently. Some people were here for a few days, others were here for a month or more. Long-term types would typically rent a villa. Some would even buy. But that was kind of a misnomer. You couldn’t really ever buy anything here. But you could get 20- and 30-year leases. Then the property would revert back to the landowner. Depending on the contract, you might not have an option to extend. It could be a tricky deal.
I chowed down on my burger when it came. It did not disappoint. It was reassuring to know the food around here was decent.
I filled my belly and washed it all down with some diet soda. Then I made my way poolside and started talking to some of the gorgeous beauties that soaked up the sun. Skin glistened with oil, and teeny bikinis barely covered pert endowments.
This certainly was paradise.
“Excuse me, ladies,” I said, flashing my badge.
They looked up at me through dark sunglasses.
“I’m looking for this woman. She’s missing. She was staying here.” I displayed Isabella’s picture on my phone.
The three lovely ladies surveyed the image carefully.
“I remember her!” a cute strawberry blonde said. “Bella, right?”
I nodded.
“She was really cool.”
