“Well, at least call the front desk. Ask if they see anyone hanging around.”
“And then the clerk’ll end up getting the police here.”
“Okay—” I gave myself a second to think. “Why don’t I drive up there and see what’s going on. You’re in unit eleven?”
“Yeah, okay. Thanks. I don’t mean to seem like a baby, but I swear someone’s after me.”
“I’m staying in the village now, so give me fifteen minutes. If anything happens before then, youhaveto call 911.”
Seconds later, I was on my way. What was my plan? At the moment, I didn’t have one. There was a chance Lisa Mannix—if that truly was her name—had allowed her imagination to go rogue. And it wasn’t hard to see why. I’d stopped her mid-jog and warned her about women disappearing in broad daylight, a skeevy motel owner had subjected her tohis lecherous stares, and a serial killer appeared to be at large in the area.
But what if she wasn’t simply conjuring up boogeymen? What if Terry Dobbs actuallywasthe killer, had figured out Lisa was now ensconced at the Breezy Point, and had begun to stalk her? It seemed odd, though, that he would make himself that obvious. I’d check out the situation and, if necessary, urge her again to call the cops. Lisa wanted to leave the police out of it, but she didn’t know that I’d already alerted Killian to her existence.
When I pulled into the Breezy Point there was no white SUV, but also no Camry. The only car near any of the rooms was a muddy four-door Honda, in front of unit one—a new guest, I assumed.
I jumped from the Jeep and pounded on the door of unit eleven. No response. Maybe she had simply cleared out after her call to me rather than wait for my arrival. Or in the time it had taken me to get here, Beemer man had finally come to her rescue and the couple had split simultaneously, but in separate cars. And without her bothering to notify me.
And there was also the chance that something bad had gone down.
I hustled to the front office and shoved open the door. The woman I’d chatted with earlier in the day was still on duty, and she smiled in recognition.
“You forget something, hon?”
“No, I wanted to see if my friend was around, Lisa, the woman in eleven. No one’s answering her door, and I don’t see her car.”
“Her car’s not there? That’s funny, because when I went out back a minute ago, I thought I saw her walking down toward the lake.”
All the hairs on the back of my neck shot up at once.
“Was anyone with her?”
“She seemed to be alone.”
“And what’s down there anyway?”
“We’ve got a swimming dock with a few chairs on it. I assumed she wanted to sit outside for a bit, enjoy the view.”
Fifteen minutes ago, Lisa had been too scared to open the door of her unit, and now she was taking a scenic stroll? And where the hell was her car?
“Is there a path behind the motel?”
“Yes, it’s about a ten-minute walk to the lake. You’ll see a couple of camps to your right, but keep going till you spot the dock.”
I turned to bolt, then stopped and swung back to the clerk.
“You haven’t seen a white SUV around here, have you?”
“White? Actually, I have. One pulled in earlier today but then pulled right out again.”
“What about a few minutes ago?”
“Afraid not. Were you expecting someone?”
“No, but thanks.”
After exiting, I quickly rounded the building and located the path, which descended toward the lake through an area fairly thick with firs, maples, and poplars. It wasn’t seven yet but the sun was sinking behind me, veiled by a filmy layer of pink and yellow clouds.
It didn’t make sense that Lisa would have gone out here on her own, and I wondered if the desk clerk was mistaken. Perhaps Lisa had darted behind the building to hide and then circled back to the front once Beemer man called her to report he’d arrived. That didn’t explain her missing car, however.
