Blood Loss

‘Looks like someone’s head was bashed against the headboard,’ said Gary.

‘Yes,’ said Ren. ‘And someone tried to clean it up.’

Gary handed her an evidence bag.

‘What’s this?’ said Ren. There was a small, torn string of blue and brown beads in it, with more loose beads at the bottom.

‘They were found right here by the door,’ said Gary. ‘It’s some kind of bracelet, could belong to either of the females, or a cleaner, or an unsub, or anyone else who could have been in the room.’

‘They’re ghost beads,’ said Ren.

‘So the girls were taken by spirits …’ said Colin. ‘Case closed.’

‘Actually, ghost beads are meant to ward off evil spirits,’ said Ren. ‘They’re Native American.’

‘Your people,’ said Colin.

Somewhere in Ren’s past, there was Iroquois blood.

‘Is there a dance you could do that would make an unsub rain down?’ said Colin.

‘Keep ’em coming …’ said Ren.

She studied the bag. ‘Laurie Whaley was wearing the bracelet in the photo. It’s hers.’

‘So she could have been pulled out of the room by the wrist,’ said Gary.

‘Or chased into it from the parents’ room,’ said Ren. ‘I’m wondering how, assuming there was an unsub, he could have subdued Shelby out in the other room if she was close to the main door? Wouldn’t she have just run?’

‘Two unsubs?’ said Gary.

‘A planned operation, then,’ said Ren.

‘Two unsubs could have been planning a robbery …’ said Gary. ‘Got the wrong room, or got the right room, but thought it was going to be empty …’

‘They could have been taking advantage of the fact that the hotel wasn’t quite on its feet yet,’ said Ren. ‘They knew security was lax.’

‘The contractors would know that,’ said Colin.

Ren looked around the room. ‘Anything else in here?’

‘Nothing that jumps out,’ said Gary.

‘Which bed is whose?’ said Ren.

‘Leo Whaley’s is the one by the window,’ said Gary.

There was a portable DVD player on top of the rumpled bed clothes. Ren put on gloves and went over to open it. ‘“Dora”,’ said Ren. ‘Not something Laurie would watch. Could Leo have been watching this in bed? Headphones on, which is why he didn’t hear anything? Or he could have fallen asleep with the headphones on …’

Gary nodded. ‘The child forensic gal — Sylvie Ross is her name — should be hitting Breck round about now. She’s part of the CARD team.’

Gal …

‘And then we can benefit from the wisdom of Leo Whaley’s three years,’ said Colin.

‘Three-year-olds can surprise you,’ said Gary.

‘Even traumatized, pajama-wetting ones?’ said Ren.

‘Well, I’m not holding my breath,’ said Gary.

‘Ren will do a little rain dance,’ said Colin.

‘Yes,’ said Ren. ‘Then I could shove my peace pipe up your-’

‘Ren — did you speak with the desk clerk?’ said Gary.

‘Yes,’ said Ren. ‘He’s another candidate for my peace pipe.’

‘Why?’

‘Just — he’s a dick. Probable stoner. Isn’t remotely alarmed by the situation. Thinks he should hate the Feds because he saw it in a movie once …’

‘Has anyone spoken to the owner of the hotel?’ said Gary.

‘He’s not here yet,’ said Ren. ‘I’ll go down and see if we’ve got an ETA.’

‘I’ll meet with the Royces,’ said Gary.

Bob Gage was walking away from a couple who were sitting on a sofa in the foyer, the husband with a protective arm around his crying wife.

‘The Royces,’ said Bob when Ren came over to him.

‘How are they holding up?’ said Ren.

‘Not good,’ said Bob. ‘Do you want to know what they just told me? They have a Child ID kit for Shelby at home. They got it a few years back; the mom figured that somehow, it would lessen the chances of her daughter going missing …’

‘They thought “well, surely, if we have her fingerprints and a DNA sample, we couldn’t possibly end up needing them” …’ said Ren. Ugh.

‘Do you want to talk to them?’ said Bob.

‘Gary’s on his way down,’ said Ren. ‘Who’s that guy?’

A man in his late thirties was standing at the corner of the reception desk, his face pushed into Jared Labati’s, who was leaning back, but still with an expression that didn’t reach concerned.

‘That’s the owner,’ said Bob. ‘Tom Olson-’

‘Attempting the tricky feat of shouting under his breath,’ said Ren. ‘Let’s go say hi.’

Jared Labati had been sent away by Olson and was gone by the time they reached the desk.

‘My apologies,’ said Olson. ‘I’m a little frustrated, here. It’s the weekend, Jared knows that the security system absolutely had to be re-connected on Friday afternoon. He was to tell the electrical contractor, and he was to stand over everyone until it was re-connected and fully functioning.’

‘He’s quite young to have such responsibility,’ said Ren.

‘I can see that now,’ said Olson. ‘I know his father well — Jared has done work experience with him for a few years. I figured he could handle telling a contractor a few things …’ He shook his head. ‘I cannot believe someone was able to walk into my hotel, and abduct a child …’ He paused. ‘And I’m sorry about Shelby Royce. I did not authorize that.’

‘Authorize what?’ said Ren.

‘Hiring a sitter that wasn’t from an agency — someone that hasn’t been background-checked.’

‘What?’ said Ren. ‘But Breck Sitters guarantee their sitters are background-checked.’

‘But Shelby Royce wasn’t with Breck Sitters,’ said Olson. He looked at Bob and Ren. ‘Didn’t you know that?’

Ren could feel her blood pressure rise. ‘No, we did not.’

‘Shelby is just one of Jared’s friends,’ said Olson.

Jesus Christ. ‘Where is Jared Labati right now?’ said Ren.

‘Gone to the staff room,’ said Olson. ‘He’s about to go home.’

Not yet he isn’t, the son-of-a-bitch.

15

Ren ran down the hallway, and caught up with Jared Labati. She took him by the arm.

‘We need to talk,’ she said. ‘Back where we came from.’

Jared did as she asked, bumping off the door frame as he stumbled through the office door.

‘Why did you lie about Shelby Royce?’ said Ren.

‘I didn’t,’ said Jared.

Ren stared at him.

‘I mean, obviously, I did, but-’ He shrugged. ‘I didn’t think Tom was going to be back so soon …’

Where do I start? ‘I don’t even understand what that means,’ said Ren.

‘I need this job,’ said Jared. ‘I really do. I couldn’t risk-’