Room with a View

Chapter 21 - Surprise

"What kept you?" Billy's voice out of the dark startled him.

"You said we'd meet at the bar." He watched her push off the railing by the door and pick up a large plastic bag.

"When I saw the place all in dark I didn't bother going down; I came here."

"Swell." He opened the door and let her go ahead, across the room and up the narrow stairs.

"I have my proof, Senor Doubter." She waltzed across to the small table and placed two objects side by side.

Miller heaved a sigh and joined her, looking at her proof. "Two lipsticks."

"Right. And both exactly the same brand and colour. And the one from her room is brand new. Now what does that tell you, Miller?"

"She couldn't find that one so she started a new one." He offered reluctantly.

"Full marks, Sherlock Holmes!" She dug into her purse and pulled out an old ballpoint pen and dropped it on the table.

"What's that?"

"Her business notebook has a place for a pen. This was in it."

"So?"

"So she has this," Billy took out the one she found at Ordman's, "but she lost it and she didn't have another.

Miller turned away, holding out his hands. "Still it's circumstantial. He could have found the stuff."

"Sure, and tossed it on his bathroom floor. Well, once again, best for last." She took out a slip of paper that held the drawing of a small map and some written instructions.

"What's that, now?"

"It is directions to a safe underneath the floor in Winston Graves' villa. It was taped to the back of the night table drawer in her room."

Miller rolled his eyes. "How do you know, it doesn't say that?" He read the paper carefully.

"Because I went there, Miller and I found this." Billy emptied the bag onto the table and Miller choked on a gasp. It was bundles of cash . . . and not pesos.

"Where- what- omigod, Billy, what did you do? You stole that money!"

"No I didn't." She picked up a bundle and flipped through the bills. "The only people who knew about this are both dead."

"How do you-?"

"Oh for God's sake, Miller, stop asking so many dumb questions. Shelia Burrows and Winston Graves were in cahoots to skim huge amounts somehow from Windy Palms."

"Where did all that come from? How do you know they were partners?"

"In her notebook, where I found the pen was Winston's cell phone number and an address up north along with dates and meeting times. But what proves my theory was a copy of a timeshare contract."

"How does that prove anything?"

"It was for units here at Windy Palms and Windy Palms doesn't do timeshare."

"So you think they were selling fake shares and that's where that money came from?"

"I do and since they are both dead..." She shrugged emphatically.

"But they were murdered. Somebody must know something about it."

"I'm telling you, Miller, nobody else knew."

"Not quite true, Senorita Estrada."

They both jumped and made startled noises as they spun around, facing Charles Ortiz emerging through the hole in the floor and holding a large pistol.