Shadows May Fall by Mell; Corcoran Read Free Book Online

of shit. He doesn’t want anyone to know what’s going on out here.”
    “Well that’s just too bad, isn’t it?” With that, Lou headed out to the patio to join Dillon and their pain in the ass manager.
    The corporate surfer, Tim Blain, stammered with exasperation. Sweat stains had formed through his linen suit that must have set him back a week’s pay. His severely parted bleach-blond hair glared in the light due to his liberal use of hair gel and his palms were stained orange from excessive use of self tanner. It always struck Lou funny that Southern California people felt the need to use fake tanner when all they had to do was spend ten minutes a day in the sun. Not that the threat of skin cancer wasn’t real, but there were acceptable limits even healthy limits. Doctor Oz even recommended ten minutes a day for the vitamin D. This guy, well, he could have at least washed his hands better after application.
    “Mr. Blain...” Dillon tried to cut the man off, but he was not hearing him. “Mr. Blain!”
    “Hey!” Lou shouted at the ranting man, causing him to stop in his tracks and stare at her as if she had just tossed her drink in his face. “Do you understand that if you do not become real cooperative in the next five seconds, we will haul you off to jail for obstruction? Us screwing up this stupid ass party of yours is gonna seem real petty after the meth-head in holding with you asks you to go steady?”
    It took a second or two for Lou’s words to sink in but once they had, Tim Blain blew out a breath and just sat down, right there on the ground. “I am so screwed.” He dragged his fingers through his hair, destroying the perfectly shellacked style. He continued tugging at his hair as he spoke, causing it to stick out in glued clumps. “The guy was a regular. He came in once a month for a little Do-Not-Disturb time. You could set your watch by him. He’d check in on Friday morning, check out Monday morning. No housekeeping, no visitors unless he called ahead. He pre-arranged all of his room service, down to the minute he wanted his breakfast delivered. He had standing spa treatments on Saturday and Sunday. That’s where he spent the days before vanishing back to the bungalow for the night. I expect he had a friend stay over but that was none of my business. Everyone here is always generously compensated for their discretion.”
    “Boy-friend or girl-friend?” Lou asked him pointedly.
    “I don’t know for sure!” He sighed. “One of the maids said they saw a real pricey looking lady head in about a month ago but I don’t know. Its L.A.! It could have been a guy dressed as a girl! And even if it was a girl that night, it could have been a guy the next night, or the next stay here. I just don’t know.”
    “All right. Now, I thought all the bungalows were rented for this movie thing?” Lou remembered what Russell had told her.
    “They were!” Tim exclaimed. “They are! I mean yes. But Mr. Griffen is always gone before check out. He never comes to the desk, ever! He just has us charge one of the credit cards he has on file. He’s been a regular since the place opened!”
    “What sort of security surveillance do you have here?” Dillon asked.
    “Nothing on this end of the bungalows! That’s why he wanted this one, not even the top floor! Personally I think that one has the best view but no! It always had to be this one!” Tim resumed yanking on his hair. “The parking lots are covered for the most part because we’ve had some break-ins in the past but that was just minor kid’s stuff. Still, they put in the cameras and we have a patrol that roams the facility on golf carts twenty-four seven.”
    “We need all your surveillance for the past week and we need to talk to any guests or staff that were around this place this weekend.” Dillon offered a hand to the man to help him up. “And we need you to do that now.”
    “What am I supposed to do about the arriving party?” Tim Blain