efe24af1849d5822a0fb0e585c983840

“Look, I talked to my son and he says he’s got the thing well in hand. In other words, he told me to stay out of it.”

“And when have you ever allowed yourself to be told off by your own son?”

“You’ve got a point,” Vesta admitted as she watched the pimpled kid return, carrying a tray with an extremely delicious-looking hot chocolate.

“Extra-large hot chocolate, with extra cream and marshmallows,” the kid announced in a high-pitched voice, then placed the order on the table and blinked a couple of times in quick rapidity before asking, “Is it true that you’re Chief Alec’s mom, ma’am?” His pimpled face had taken on a dark hue. It made his pimples practically light up like so many little Christmas lights.

“That’s right,” said Vesta as she licked her lips at so much gooey goodness standing at attention at arm’s length. “Why do you want to know?”

“The thing is, ma’am,” said the kid, gulping a little, and in the process giving his Adam’s apple a thorough workout, “that currently we have a VIP guest staying with us. At the hotel,” he added to make his meaning perfectly clear, “not the dining room.”

“Is that so?” said Vesta, taking an extra-large sip from her extra-large drink and savoring the extra-delicious taste as it flooded her taste buds. Whatever Tex said, something that tasted so absolutely divine couldn’t possibly be all bad, now could it?

“The thing is, this VIP guest has expressed a desire to invite a guest to his suite—and he did. Last night. I know it’s not really allowed, but sometimes when guests ask, we provide, you know. Even though we might, um, like, frown upon the practice?”

Vesta rolled her eyes.“Just spit it out, buddy. What are you trying to tell us?”

“I think what our hot cocoa-pushing friend here wants to say,” said Scarlett, “is that this VIP guest invited a lady of the night to accompany him in his room, and even though the hotel officially doesn’t allow that kind of thing, they supplied him with just such a lady. Isn’t that right,son?”

“Yes, ma’am,” said the kid, visibly relieved at Scarlett’s assistance.

“So?” said Vesta, who still didn’t see what Dr. Pimple Popper’s next victim was driving at.

“Well, the young lady never seems to have left the gentleman’s room,” said the kid as he rubbed his nose nervously, polishing it to a shine. “The night clerk never saw her leave, and neither did the day guy, and the cleaner who went in just now to do the room saw no sign of her either. The thing is—we don’t want to call the manager otherwise he’ll call the cops, and my colleagues will probably get fired for breaking hotel policy.”

“So you don’t want to call the cops and you don’t want to tell management,” Vesta summed up the affair succinctly. “But the girl is missing and you worry that your VIP guest did—what, exactly?”

“I think he may have d-d-done something to h-h-her?” the kid stammered.

“You mean like, killed her?” asked Scarlett.

“Yeah?”

“Who is this VIP guest, exactly?” asked Vesta.

“Oh, don’t you know, Vesta?” said Scarlett. “There’s only one VIP guest staying here at the moment and that’s some English lord or something. Lord… Hillbilly?”

“Lord Hilbourne,” said the kid, once again much relieved by Scarlett’s perspicacity. “The thing is… I know this girl, ma’am. She’s not usually into this kind of thing, but I guess she needed the money, and so…”

“What’s the name of this girl?” asked Vesta.

“Cody. Cody Sorbet. So I thought maybe you could make some discreet inquiries? I know you run the neighborhood watch? And you’re probably used to this kind of thing?”

“Sure, I’ll ask around,” said Vesta, gratified that her reputation was slowly spreading.

“And you won’t tell your son? At least not in an—in an… “ His Adam’s apple did some more somersaults. “In an official capacity?”

Vesta smiled.“I get it. You want me to tell Alec, but you don’t want him to get involved—not officially at least.”

“Exactly, ma’am. Thank you, ma’am.” And with these words, he suddenly turned on his heel and was gone, hurrying back inside as if his rear end was on fire.

“See?” said Scarlett. “The neighborhood watch is becoming a force to be reckoned with.”

“You know what? I don’t think I’ll tell Alec. I think we’ll handle this ourselves.”

“But if this Lord Whatshisface really hurt this girl Cody…”

“Then we’ll tell the cops. But first we need to find out what happened. For all we know the night clerk fell asleep at the job and Cody is safe and sound at home.”

“So now we have two cases to work on,” said Scarlett, as she held up her coffee cup.

Vesta raised her own cup and they clinked.“To the neighborhood watch. May the sleuthing forces be with us.”

Chapter 12

“I’m sorry, you guys,” said Odelia as we walked out of the police precinct, “but before I can go and interview Evelina Pytel I have an interview with Lord Hilbourne scheduled.”

“That’s all right,” I said cheerfully. “We’ll join you. I’ve never met an English lord before.”

“Me neither!” said Dooley. “I wonder what he looks like. Probably very distinguished. Like those people in Downton Abbey.”