Page 87 of Confessions of a Carpool Captive
Liz:They said he checked out. I’m asking the shuttle driver if he remembers him. You guys get on your flight. I’ll find him.
“Can I help you?”
“Yes, I’m looking for a friend of mine. His name is Ernesto Rivera. Would you happen to know if you gave him a ride to the airport?”
“I’m sorry, but rarely if ever do I catch a name. Do you have a picture of him? Maybe I’d recognize him.”
“Can you give me a second?” Stepping away from him, I write another quick text.
Liz:Emerson, I need a picture of him. Do you have one from New Year’s?
A few seconds later, four pictures come through on my phone. I hold up the first one to Leonardo and point him out. He shakes his head. “I’m sorry, but I don’t recall seeing him.”
I thank him and amble away.
“Excuse me, miss,” he says, calling me back.
I turn to face him.
“Are you planning on going to the airport anytime soon? The weather reports say we have a blizzard on its way. I imagine you’d better get to your flight.”
“Thank you, but I can’t go until I know if my friend is okay.”
Checking my phone for the time, I see their plane has already taken off. I hope Ernesto is safe.
I walk over to the front desk once again. “Is there a way I can leave my bag with you? I need to look around for someone.”
“Of course.” He hands me a ticket and I stuff it into my pocket as he pulls my bag behind the desk.
“You wouldn’t happen to have a map of the resort, would you?”
“Sure thing.”
He hands me the map and I walk over to a chair in the lobby. Putting my purse strap over my head and glancing at the time once again, I figure I have a good hour and a half before Ireallyneed to be at the airport. Hopefully by then, I’ll have solved the mystery and found Ernesto, wherever he might be.
