Casey Mayes - A Killer Column

“Did you leave something else behind?” I asked her.

“No, just my clothes,” she said.

Jenny retrieved the dry cleaning bag and handed it to her. “Sorry, we didn’t have anyplace else to put your things.”

“It’s fine,” she said absently. “Can I have his suitcases? There are some things of sentimental value in there.”

“I’m sorry, but Cary asked for them. We’re doing this for her.”

Mindi bit her lower lip, and then said, “At least let me get his favorite shoes. I got them for him after our first date.”

“Again, we can’t help you,” I said.

Jenny took her arm and led her out the door as I collected the suitcases. She told Mindi, “If you’d like to ask Cary, you’re more than welcome to, but she trusted us to do this, and we don’t have any choice. We gave our word.”

“I understand,” Mindi said.

It was clear that she was more interested in the suitcases than she was in us, and I was beginning to worry that she was going to take them anyway, but Mindi finally turned toward the elevators. “Are you two coming?”

Jenny started to tell her that we were when I touched her arm lightly. “You go ahead. We have a few more things to do here first,” I said.

She frowned, and then nodded in acceptance. “Fine. Good-bye, then.”

“Good-bye,” we said, and closed the door behind her.

“What was that all about?” Jenny asked me once we were alone again in the hotel suite.

“Did you see the way she looked at those suitcases? I wouldn’t put it past her to mug us for them on the way to your car, and I don’t think there’s anything sentimental about her motives.”

“She wants those keys,” Jenny said.

“You got it on your first try. I’m going to call Zach and have him meet us up here. I’d feel better having him with us when we leave.”

“Do you honestly think that Mindi could be dangerous?”

“I don’t want to underestimate her,” I admitted. “Don’t forget, someone’s already dead, someone close to her.”

I dialed Zach’s number, and when he answered, I said, “I can’t explain, but it would be great if you could meet us in Derrick’s suite in the penthouse.”

“What’s going on? Did something happen?” The concern in my husband’s voice was easy to hear.

“No, but I’d feel better if you were with us,” I admitted.

“Then say no more. Lock the door, and don’t let anyone in until I get there. Understood?”

“We’re not under siege,” I said.

“Your gut’s telling you that you two might be in danger, and that’s all I need to hear,” he said. “I’ll see you soon.”

As we waited, I worried that I’d alarmed my husband for nothing, but I knew I wouldn’t relax until he was there with us.

I was about to tell Jenny that I might be overreacting when there was a heavy pounding on the door, and from the sound of it, I doubted that Mindi Mills could make such a racket.

It appeared that someone else was paying us a call.

Chapter 10

“ WHO’S THERE?” I ASKED AS I TRIED TO LOOK OUT THE door’s peephole. The view was blocked, and all I saw was darkness on the other side when I tried to look through it.

A muffled voice said, “Delivery,” and whoever was on the other side tried the handle.

“You can leave it at the front desk,” I said.

Jenny whispered, “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know, but I don’t like it,” I said softly.

“You have to sign for it,” the voice said in a low tone. I couldn’t honestly tell if it was a man or a woman. Whoever was speaking didn’t want me to know either.

“Slide the paper under the door,” I ordered. As I did, I told Jenny, “Call the front desk, ask for Benjamin, and have them send Hotel Security up here right now.”

She nodded, and I held my breath waiting for a reply.

When there was no answer, I counted to ten, and then looked out the peephole again. It was now clear, but I couldn’t see anyone standing there. I started to undo the chain when Jenny grabbed my arm.

“What are you doing?”

“I want to see who’s out there,” I said.

“Too bad,” she said as she put her hand on mine. “We’re waiting for reinforcements.”

One minute later, there was another knock at the door, and when I looked outside, Benjamin was standing there.

I opened the door, and he came in. “I was at the front desk when you called. What happened?”

“It’s probably nothing,” I said, “but someone just tried to get me to open the door, claiming there was a delivery.”

“The deliveries all come through the front desk,” he said. “No one should have access otherwise.”

“When I couldn’t see out the peephole, we called you.”

He leaned forward, checked the peephole, and then said, “There’s nothing wrong with it.”

“Not now,” I said, feeling a little impatient with him, “but someone was blocking it earlier.”

“I’ll have my men check the stairs,” he said, and then he spoke softly into a walkie-talkie unit.

As he did so, the elevator opened and Zach walked out. He looked up and down the hallway before coming in, and there was a look of concern on his face as he spoke. “What just happened?”

“Someone tried to trick their way into the suite,” I admitted, “but Jenny and I were too smart for them.”

He conferred with Benjamin after he introduced himself, and the two of them went to the stairwell.

“This door’s been propped open with a book of matches,” Zach said.

“But there’s no smoking in the hotel,” Benjamin said.

“That’s the least of our worries,” Zach said. He carefully extracted the matchbook with his handkerchief. “I’m going to ask Murphy to run this for prints.”

“Do you honestly think he’ll do it for you?” Jenny asked.

“He might, out of professional courtesy. Anyway, there’s only one way to find out.”

Zach made a quick call, and I thanked Benjamin for coming upstairs.

“There’s no need to thank me,” he said. “Garrett was most specific in his instructions.”

“Well, I’ll let him know what a good job you’ve done taking care of us,” I said. “We’re finished here.”

He nodded, and then spied the suitcases. “Are you taking those with you as well?”

“We’re returning them to the widow, at her request,” I said, and Jenny nodded her verification.

“Very well,” Benjamin said. He hesitated, and then added delicately, “Is that . . . everything?”

I knew instantly what he was asking. Apparently I wasn’t the only one who’d noticed the discrepancy between the dress sizes of what was hanging in the closet and Cary Duncan. “The dresses have been returned to their rightful owner as well,” I said.

“Then I am in your debt,” he said. “You’ve saved me from having a very awkward conversation.”

“I’m happy to help,” I said, not admitting that I’d done it for a selfish reason of my own.

“If there’s anything else I can do for you, you have my card,” he said.

“Thanks.”

We all stepped out into the corridor, and I locked the door behind us, and then handed Benjamin the electronic key. Before I could protest, he retrieved the suitcases, and Zach grabbed the box full of telephone books.

“What do you have in here, bricks?” he asked as he started to open the top of the box.

“Don’t be silly,” I said as I put my hand on top of his. “I’ll be happy to carry it if it’s too much for you to handle.”

“I’ve got it,” he said as he shot me a quizzical look. I chose to ignore it, at least for the moment.