Page 80 of Cougar Point

“Oh. Oh yeah. I’ve been busy and I completely forgot. He was here yesterday for a few minutes and talked to Missy. His people took everything Mrs. Marsh left in the room.”

“Ronnie wants to access your video footage and make a copy. Can you set her up?” I ask. Lucas was supposed to have already done this.

He hesitates only a second. “Well, I guess it will be okay. But what about the privacy of the other guests?”

“It will be okay,” Ronnie says. “Give me a copy of your registration log from Wednesday until today. It’s legal. In caseLucas forgot to tell you, Megan and I have been deputized by Sheriff Longbow.”

“Well…” Roger looks around to see who is listening. “Lucas already made a copy and asked for the registration log. Can’t you get this from him?”

Ronnie’s mouth straightens into a tight line, and Roger relents. “Of course you can have those. Come into the office and I’ll get you set up. The registration files are there as well.”

“Is Missy here?” I ask.

“Uh, Missy. She called in sick. She won’t be in tonight either.”

I press him, “Can you give me her phone number?”

“I spoke to her mother and was told she’s not to be disturbed.”

“Give me the number and her address.”

Ronnie goes behind the counter and tells Roger she can find the files herself.

I say, “Roger, I want you to take me around the resort and show me where Mrs. Marsh might have spent some time. I want to talk to you.”

He doesn’t ask about what. His shoulders drop and he comes around the counter. When he steps off the raised platform his head comes just above the counter. He’s much shorter than I’d thought. Under five feet. Maybe four. I walk slow so he can keep up. We make our way back to the café where the interviews had taken place.

“So, Victoria came to the café?”

“Yes. She helped redesign the café and the restaurant. She loved coming in here and the staff were always happy to see her.”

“What about Missy? Was she always happy to see her?”

“I have no idea.”

“Come on, Roger. Tell me the truth.”

He looks around again and it’s like something on a sitcom. He lowers his voice and his eyes travel to the wannabe writerwho is sitting near the window again. The man isn’t typing and his head is cocked in our direction.

“Don’t look at him, Roger. Talk to me.”

“I don’t really think I should talk about my staff.”

“They talk about you,” I say, and his eyes widen. “Didn’t Lucas tell you what he heard from them? I won’t say who told him but I know you’ve been in trouble several times in the past. An underage girl, laundering, FBI…”

Roger makes shushing motions with his hand. “Can we go somewhere more private, please?”

“I’m happy right here, Roger. Tell me why Missy doesn’t like Victoria or her daughters.”

What he tells me fits with what I had already surmised. Missy came from dirt poor, didn’t finish school, had no place of her own, and was in some trouble with the police. He claimed he didn’t know what that was about but thought it was about a guy. He guessed that was the reason she didn’t like police.

Ronnie shows up while Roger is winding down. He sees her and asks, “Did you find everything, Detective?” I’ve pissed him off. Or he’s regretting he left Ronnie in his office unsupervised.

I say to Ronnie, “Show him the pictures we have.”

She pulls up pics of Vinnie, Duke, and Thundercloud and flips through them pausing at each one. Roger’s eyes shift when he sees the pictures of Duke and Thundercloud.

Ronnie says, “You’ve seen these guys before.”

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