High Stakes by Freya Barker

Author:Freya Barker
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Freya Barker

Fletch

* * *

I don’t like the guy.

Chuck Yates is a sleazeball.

I don’t trust the middle-aged, pot-bellied campground manager with the greasy ponytail on sight. For one thing, I don’t like the way he looks at Nella, but what really sticks in my craw is how he pushes her for information on her sister. His interest is as fake as a three-dollar bill. Luckily Nella isn’t buying it either.

“Feel free to write her a note and I’ll be happy to deliver it to her.”

“I’d like to send her flowers,” he responds, trying to sway her with a saccharine smile.

“That’s very kind of you, but I assure you, not necessary.” Her smile is tight and is gone in a flash. “But that’s not the reason I’m here. Does the name Janice Laszlo ring a bell?”

“I don’t believe it does.” He darts a look my way and then shakes his head as if he’s contemplating the question. “No, it’s not familiar.”

“She would’ve stayed here probably late June?” Nella pushes.

He shakes his head again. “I’ve got so many people staying here over the summer, it’s impossible to remember names.”

I’ve had enough of whatever fucking game the guy is playing and speak up for the first time.

“You don’t keep a registry? I thought that was mandatory?” I pull out my phone. “Never mind. I’m sure my buddy, Wayne Ewing, can answer that question.”

Everybody in Lincoln County knows that name. Wayne was just reelected last year for his third term in the Sheriff’s Office. Obviously, Chuck does as well.

“No, no, you don’t have to do that.” He holds out a hand to stop me. “I’ll have a quick look.”

He ducks inside the tiny office as Nella sidles up to me.

“Did you just threaten him?” she whispers, her eyes sparkling.

“Technically, no. And only someone with something to hide would take it as one.”

It doesn’t take long for Chuck to reappear, waving a piece of paper.

“June twenty-second through twenty-ninth,” he announces, handing me the note.

It lists the name, the make of Janice Laszlo’s trailer, the license plate number, and a phone number. I show the latter to Nella. “Same number you’ve been trying?”

“Yes.”

“I remember her now,” Chuck volunteers. “Pretty girl.”

“That all you remember?”

My tone is purposely sarcastic, but the idiot doesn’t even seem to clue in.

“She had a dog. One of those little ones. Bit of a yapper if I recall correctly. Oh, and I remember she had some problems with her fridge. She came by to pick up bags of ice and I gave her a few names of reputable places that might be able to help her with that.”

I put question marks by the label of reputable from Chuck’s mouth, but he does open up another possibility to pursue. Nella comes to the same conclusion and beats me to it.

“Which places would that be?”

“A buddy of mine owns an RV dealership in town. Rick’s RVs? He does repairs too. Advanced Truck and RV services just south of town would’ve been another one. And Mobilife in Happys Inn.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.