Free Christy Barritt - Squeaky Clean 04 - Dirty Deeds by Christy Barritt Page B

monitors and computers filled the room on two walls. A security guard sat behind the desk, staring at the screens and looking bored to tears.
    He looked our way as Deanna approached. “Ricky, this is my friend I told you about.”
    The man, who was probably in his late-twenties with thinning blond hair, raised his chin in hello. “Wassup?”
    Deanna nodded toward me. “Someone’s causing her trouble, and we’re hoping you can help.” She paused and cocked her head as if reenacting a Sunday night crime drama. “Off the record, that is.”
    When Ricky glanced at me, I shrugged. “It’s a long confusing story. Believe me. But I can’t get the hotel involved. Not yet, at least. Not until I have more proof.”
    “Trouble with your ex?” Ricky asked.
    “Just trouble. I’ll leave it at that.”
    He stared me down. “I’m not supposed to do this.”
    “Remember when I didn’t tell anyone when you and that valet wrecked a car you took for a joyride?” Deanna zigzagged her chin, hand on hip, and full-blown sassiness on display.
    His eyes widened. “You weren’t ever supposed to bring that up.”
    Deanna raised her eyebrows. “I’m cashing in on that favor you owe me.”
    Ricky stared at Deanna, then me, and then the door before sighing. “Be my lookout,” he told Deanna. “And after this, we’re even.”
    “Done.”
    As Deanna scurried away, Ricky sat up straighter. “All right. What time and what location do you need to see?” He pushed out a chair, and I lowered myself there.
    “I need the camera that shows everyone coming and going out of room 3412. The time would be between 4 and 7.”
    He hit some buttons, and a few seconds later, my hallway came onto the screen. He pointed to a door in the center. “That should be the room you’re looking at.”
    I nodded and leaned closer. “Perfect.”
    Several people walked up and down the hallway. No one I recognized, though.
    Finally, someone paused at my door. “Stop right there!”
    He slowed the tape. I leaned closer. That was Jackie-O leaving the room. She stepped out and looked both ways down the hall. Strange initial reaction for someone stepping out.
    Unless she suspected that someone might be watching her.
    My back muscles pinched tighter.
    The woman was beautiful. She wore jeans, a sweatshirt and hiking boots, so she had planned on going hiking apparently. I was struck again by just how much she did look like Jackie Kennedy.
    What kind of trouble had she gotten herself caught up in?
    In my mind, I figured that if Jackie-O had just left to go hiking, it would at least be two hours until her kidnapper came back with the ransom note. “Fast forward a bit.”
    Only thirty minutes later, a man stopped outside the door to her room.
    Thirty minutes? That wasn’t enough time to kidnap Jackie, write the note, and make it back to the room.
    I squinted, trying to soak in the figure. He wore a flannel shirt and baseball cap. He was so tall that his body seemed to arch forward like a stick with too much weight on it. Where had I seen that man before? He looked vaguely familiar.
    He kept his head low, inserted the key card, and slipped inside. Ten minutes later, he stepped out. He didn’t bother to look around for witnesses. He simply walked away with his head down and his hands stuffed into his pockets.
    I sucked in a deep breath as realization hit. I knew where I’d seen that man before.
    That was the man who’d been talking to Clint in the hallway last night.
     
     
     
     
     
     

CHAPTER 10
    By three o’clock, I’d composed myself. Riley and I were supposed to meet, but I was still shaken at seeing Clint’s friend leave Jackie’s room.
    Ricky and I had scrolled through the rest of the tape, just to make sure no one else had stopped by in the time between Clint’s friend leaving until the entire gang arrived, me included, a little after dinnertime. They hadn’t. That left us with one clear answer.
    Clint’s friend had left that note.
    Did Clint