“I’ll take that for a yes. Four-thirty, and bring beer.”
Wes remained silent as they turned to head back.
“Don’t beat yourself up. You went above and beyond yesterday for Adair. You should be proud of that.”
“I was so sure.”
“I told you, stress likes to mess with your mind.”
“That photo … I could have sworn it was wrong.”
“Hope this has made you feel a little better. Always good to get things settled.”
“I guess.”
“At least now you can stop wandering around bars looking at pictures.”
Wes stopped walking. “What?”
Lars let out a resigned breath. “I heard about your visit to the bar last night. I didn’t realize how seriously you were taking this.”
Wes eyed his friend. “You didn’t just come out here by chance, did you?”
Lars hesitated a moment, then shook his head. “No, I didn’t.”
“How did you find us?”
“I work for the Navy, Wes. If we can find a specific submarine in thousands of square miles of ocean, finding a film crew in Red Rock Canyon isn’t difficult.”
Wes paused a moment. “Then why the lie? And what about the pilot? Are you lying about him, too?”
“Whoa. I just came out here because I knew it was bothering you and thought it would be nice to clear your mind as soon as I had some info. I didn’t come to get into an argument.”
Wes took a breath and allowed himself to relax a little. He glanced toward the crew vehicles, then back at his friend. “What if I could prove I’m right?”
“Right about what?”
Wes hesitated, unsure if he should go on. But this was Lars, his old friend. They had trusted each other once. “We shot video of the accident, including a shot of the pilot’s face. It’s not Adair. I’ll show you and you’ll see.”
Lars stared at him. “You have video? I thought the investigators had all your footage.”
“How do you know that?”
“I already told you, I read the reports. So how can you possibly have video if they’ve got your original source?”
Wes silently cursed himself for saying more than he should have. “I just do.”
Lars frowned. “Did you look at it?”
“Yes. Why? Are you afraid I might have seen something I shouldn’t have?”
Lars stared off into the distance for a moment, then looked back, clearly annoyed. “Wes, this is an embarrassment for us. It’s our plane. Our man died in it. Whether it was a training issue or a mechanical one, this is a black eye for the Navy. Jesus, you have a bad day, you just reshoot. We have a bad day, someone dies. Your playing private investigator isn’t helping anything, and it certainly isn’t going to change reality. This is our tragedy. We’re handling it in-house. I would think you’d get that.”
Wes said nothing for a moment. “Of course I get that.”
“Then for God’s sake, just let us deal with it.
A horn sounded behind them. Wes looked back and saw Dione waving at him.
“I’ll drop it. All right? Sorry. I gotta get back to work.”
“Wes, wait.” Lars’s tone softened. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to make a big deal of this. We’re all on edge because of the accident. I’m sure you can appreciate that. I really just wanted to let you know that I checked things out like I promised I would, but there’s been no mistake.”
“Yeah. Sure. Look, I gotta go.”
“See you this weekend?”
“I’ll think about it.”
The horn honked again.
17
“I’ve been dying to ask you all day,” Anna said as they entered Wes’s room at the Desert Rose. “What was that all about?”
Wes set the camera bag in the closet. “What was what all about?”
“Your friend Lars. What did he want?”
“Nothing important.”
He put the case containing the auto-backup system on the floor next to the desk, then went to grab a clean shirt, but stopped short. His suitcase wasn’t there.
Anna plopped down on the bed. “Nothing? It didn’t look like nothing.”
Wes wheeled around, searching the room.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“My suitcase. It’s gone.”
She pointed at the far side of the dresser. “What are you talking about? It’s right there.”
“Huh.” He couldn’t remember putting it there.
He pulled out a black polo shirt and exchanged it with the shirt he’d been wearing all day. “Do we need to stop by your room first?”
“Nope. You’re going to have to take me as I am.”
“I like the sound of that. Maybe we should just order in.”
“No way. You’re taking me out on the town,” she said. “What there is of it.”
He circled his arms around her and picked her up off the bed. “Are you sure?”
“Don’t tempt me.”
“That’s exactly what I’m trying to do.”
She slapped his arm and said, “Put me down. I’m hungry.”
As they exited his room, Anna rummaged around in her purse.
“Damn,” she said.
“What?”
“I don’t have my lipstick.”
“Sure you do,” Wes said. “I saw you putting some on when we were out today.”
“That’s nice that you’d watch me primp, sweetie, but that was my daytime lipstick. I need my nighttime.” She closed her purse. “Not here. I’ll be right back.”
“So we
“I’m going, you’re getting the car started.”
She tilted her head up and kissed him, then jogged off.
Wes had parked the Escape in the spot right outside his room. He fired up the engine, then turned on the satellite radio and tuned it to BBC One. Anna loved listening to the DJs’ accents. He was fiddling with the A/C when the passenger door flew open.
“You were right. That was quick.” He looked over.
Anna made no move to get in, a strange look on her face.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, suddenly alert.
“I think there might be someone in my room.”
They ran through a short passage to the other side and quickly reached her door. It was ajar.
“Did you leave it like that?” he asked.
Anna nodded.
Wes nudged it open and peered inside. It was quiet. He pushed it open more, then stepped across the threshold. The room was empty.
Confused, he glanced at Anna.
