Bob was with a detective in the hallway when she walked out. The detective nodded at Ren and took her place in the room.
‘Well, Mrs Whaley’s still drunk,’ said Ren.
‘I thought she might be,’ said Bob.
‘Do you know what’s sad?’ said Ren. ‘Millions of women will hear about this on the news, about the mother who was down in the restaurant getting drunk while her children were upstairs. And, really, there are lots of people everywhere who could just as easily be in the same position. Guilty, Your Honor. Of socializing.’
13
The Safe Streets team had made a command center out of the same office they had used for the Jean Transom investigation.
‘It’s like we never left,’ said Ren. She glanced at Colin. ‘Except you’re not at cat lady’s desk.’
‘Cat lady appears to be gone,’ said Cliff. ‘There’s no sign of any kitty pictures anywhere.’
‘She’s probably lying dead on her apartment floor and they’re chewing on her remains,’ said Ren.
‘So …’ said Gary. ‘Erica Whaley?’
‘Well, I’m not convinced of the whole notion of being scared sober,’ said Ren.
One look at myself at 3 a.m. in a bar-room mirror would solve all my problems if that were the case.
‘I think she’s telling the truth in as much as she can,’ said Ren, ‘but attention to detail won’t be her strong suit, and that’s really agitating her. Not to mention the showdown with her husband’s ex.’
‘Which lady is telling the truth about Mark Whaley?’ said Gary.
‘I’m guessing they both are,’ said Ren. ‘But despite her big defense of him, Erica Whaley still suspected him of having an affair.’
‘What’s your reading?’ said Gary.
‘I’m not sure about the affair,’ said Ren, ‘but I am sure that he is lying.’
‘What makes you say that?’ said Colin.
‘My gut,’ said Ren. ‘And a few other things.’ She read from the statement she had taken. ‘Exhibit A, when I asked him what time he left the table, and what happened, he said “I guess … eleven thirty? And then I came back down to Erica.”’
‘And?’ said Colin.
‘Think about it,’ said Ren. ‘The sitter has possibly taken your child. Wouldn’t you analyze every single second of your last encounter with her, then recount the entire thing? Mark Whaley fast-forwarded to getting back to his wife. He skipped the entire time he was in the room i.e. the last time he saw the sitter, and his daughter. That usually means that someone has edited out their bad behavior in some way.’
‘You don’t think it was just that he’s a nervous wreck?’ said Bob.
‘No,’ said Ren. ‘I also asked him was there anything out of place in the kids’ room. He answered: “Absolutely not. Nothing.” Who is absolutely sure of what is or isn’t out of place in a hotel room they’ve just been in a couple of hours?’ said Ren.
Bob nodded. ‘Hmm.’
‘It was like he wanted me to get out of that room, figuratively,’ said Ren. ‘Also, twice he answered my question with questions, as if he was stalling for time. Literally. Stalling for the time it took to come up with a time. Another weird thing was that twice he mentioned the sitter was wearing sweats. It’s kind of random. Oh, and then there was his pause after suggesting fifteen minutes, then quickly giving twenty as an option, which, I would venture is because he figured his wife would be in the other room telling a version that wouldn’t have added up. My conclusion is … there are two gaps in his story. At least.’
‘What do you think is at the root of them?’ said Gary.
‘That I don’t know,’ said Ren. ‘Maybe his wife is right – maybe he is having an affair. I don’t know …’
‘Maybe he stashed the mistress in another room,’ said Bob.
‘Is there a Mrs Smith on the guest list?’ said Ren.
‘Did you ask him to take a polygraph?’ said Gary.
‘I thought I’d wait a little while,’ said Ren. ‘I didn’t want to freak him out right away, but if anything else shows up …’
‘Let’s go to the hotel,’ said Gary.
He nodded toward Colin, Robbie and Cliff.
Robbie picked up his camera.
‘You do the room,’ said Ren. ‘I’ll follow you. I want to go talk to the desk clerk first. The statement he made earlier is … a little odd.’
Jared Labati was slouched in a chair in the office behind reception at The Merlin. He was staring at the floor, stretching a rubber band between his thumb and forefinger.
‘I already gave a statement,’ he said.
‘Not to me you didn’t,’ said Ren. ‘So, Jared, did you see anyone come in or out of the hotel after the Whaleys checked in?’
‘Just guests,’ said Jared, ‘and whoever they were meeting up with, I guess.’
‘Did you see Mr Whaley leave the hotel at any point?’ said Ren.
‘The Sheriff took the tape,’ said Jared.
‘I’m not talking about a tape right now,’ said Ren. ‘I’m asking you what you saw.’
You petulant prick.
‘Then, no,’ said Jared. ‘I didn’t see him leave the hotel. But I saw him leave the restaurant. Out of the corner of my eye. He headed for the elevator.’
‘Where were you?’ said Ren.
‘At the desk,’ said Jared.
‘Did you notice anything about him?’ said Ren.
‘It was only out of the corner of my eye,’ said Jared. ‘He was walking fast. It’s not like I was staring at him. He looked fine to me …’
‘And did you see him come back to the restaurant?’ said Ren.
‘No,’ said Jared.
‘Were you anywhere other than in the lobby area last night?’ said Ren.
‘No,’ said Jared.
‘What did Mr Whaley say when he phoned you from the room?’ said Ren.
Jared shrugged. ‘I think, like, “help, my daughter’s gone”, something like that. And he asked me to shut down the hotel. He kind of hung up, he was in a panic. So, I just went over and locked the front door. Then I called 911.’
‘How does it work if I’m a guest here and I want to book a sitter?’ said Ren.
‘Well, you call down or request a sitter at check-in and we put in a call to the agency.’
‘What agency do you use?’ said Ren, glancing at the notes.
‘It’s right there,’ he said, ‘Breck Sitters.’
‘I just want to hear you say it,’ said Ren. Her voice was flat. ‘So Shelby Royce was sent by Breck Sitters …’
‘Uh … yes.’
‘You seem a little hesitant,’ said Ren.
‘I just … I have to answer all these questions …’ said Jared.
‘Has