Riverboats and Rascals: A Cozy Tiffany Black Travel Mystery by A.R. Winters

Author:A.R. Winters [Winters, A.R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-07-02T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

This time, it was Helena working. She was speaking to one of the bellhops in classic uniform. We asked if we could view the security footage. She had us come around the desk without asking for an explanation. Like most places, the computer controlling the cameras was in a little closet-sized space off the office.

“We’ve got them on all the exits,” she said, turning on a monitor.

The screen was divided into fourths. Front, back, one off the kitchen, and the one we’d just opened.

“The doors aren’t alarmed, I take it.”

“They’re not, no. There isn’t a lot of crime in this area. The insurance said cameras were enough,” Helena said.

“Marvin pointed out the scratches on this door here,” I said. “I’ve seen a lockpick at work before. Whoever is doing it must be fumbling around in the dark.”

“Marvin…” Helena said.

“One of your costumed employees? That might not be his real name,” Rosie said. “He’s good, though. I haven’t caught him out once.”

“Well, what is it you want to see?”

I pointed to the door in question. “If we could just do a quick rewind of this footage.”

“I’m afraid I’m not good with these things,” the owner said. Using the mouse, she enlarged that quarter of the screen. Then clicked a control at the bottom, similar to a DVD player’s reverse. She clicked again, and the footage… well, not much happened. It got dark. Then light. Then dark again.

Rosie counted daylight and dark in her head. “That’s when we arrived.”

The cycle continued. For a split second, I saw legs super-sprint by in the daylight. But no one parked themselves at the door to pick the lock.

“That’s a week,” Rosie said. “There’s ten days.”

“Okay, I guess that’s enough. It might have happened a long time ago.”

“So why was Marvin so bunged?” Rosie said.

“How bunged could he be? If he saw someone come in that way, he would’ve called the cops. Or at least reported it,” I said.

Helena shook her head. “No one’s reported anything like that to me.”

“Maybe Marvin’s just a worrywart,” I said.

“He knows I’m trying to break him,” Rosie said. “I mean, make him break character. He’s just rubbing it in.”

“Thanks anyway, Helena,” I said.

“Well, better safe than sorry, I always say.”

We headed back into the lobby.

“Well, I’d better hit the hay. That noodling thing starts pretty early.”

“You really want to go through with that?”

“It’s an excuse to play in the water.”

“Yeah, muddy water that’s been polluted for a hundred years. No thanks.”

“Sometimes I think you don’t know what fun is, Boss.”

“Funny. I was thinking the same thing about you.” We headed for the stairs. “I figured you’d want to binge-watch something.”

“With the connection so tenuous, I figured it would be an exercise in frustration,” Rosie said. “I’m going a little stir-crazy.”

Ah. Thus, the catfish noodling. Maybe.

Stone was in the room when I opened the door.

“You get anything from that conversation?”

“Just what you’d expect. Reginald is ready to step in, based on being named in the will. The business partner, Harold, wants a vote, to protect his interests.

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