Page 35 of Little Shattered Dreams

He shrugged. “Maybe. What do you want to know?”

“Where were you at the time Quinn died? And just to be clear, I am not accusing you of anything. I'm asking so I can rule you out.”

“You say that now. You may change your mind when I answer the question.”

“Try me.”

“Last night I had to pee real bad. I didn’t leave my post for more than five minutes at most. I thought nothing of it until today when I heard one of the guests was dead.”

“Are you saying it’s possible someone came in or out of the gates during the time you stepped away?”

He shook his head. “I reviewed the security footage from all angles. It’s not possible.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’ve worked here ever since this place opened. I’d bet my life on it. Whatever happened to her, it didn’t happen because I’d left my post for a few minutes.”

I was curious to know what Simone might have found on the footage, and if it matched Calvin’s story.

“Who’s here when you’re not?” I asked. “I assume you’re not here all day and night?”

“You’re right. When I’m not here, I get a notification if anyone comes anywhere near the gates. I can communicate through the speaker in the security camera from my room, or anywhere I am for that matter.”

“Did you see anything out of the ordinary last night?” I asked.

He took a deep breath in.

Therewassomething, something he may not have mentioned yet.

“I should have said this before,” he said.

“Should have said what?”

“Quinn almost left here last night.”

“What do you mean shealmostleft?”

“A woman showed up here to collect her.”

“At what time?” I asked.

“Security footage has her arriving at about eight or so. The woman pulled up to the gate, put her car in park, and stepped out. I walked over to her. She said she was a friend of Quinn’s and was here to pick her up.”

“Why?”

“The woman said Quinn felt like it was a mistake to come here, and she didn’t want to be here any longer.”

“But Quinn didn’t leave,” I said.

“No, she didn’t.”

I tapped a finger to the side of my face, thinking. Why would Quinn ask to be picked up, according to this woman, and then not leave as she intended? It made no sense.

While I pondered that question, Calvin continued. “I called up to Quinn’s room and told her a woman was here to see her. Next thing I know, Quinn’s at the gate, demanding I open it like we were keeping her against her will. Just to be clear, we’re not gated to keep peoplein. We’re gated to keep peopleout. Guests can come and go whenever they choose, but visitors? Different story.”

“Why do you need to keep people out?”

“There was an incident not long after this place opened. A woman came here to get away from an abusive situation at home. A few days in, she called the guy who’d been abusing her and told him where she was and why. He showed up here and started smacking her around. It wasn’t good. The next week, Grace hired me, installed a gate, security cameras, and fencing around the property so nothing like that would ever happen again.”

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