I understood what Beltran was saying, though. Elizabeth was the exception rather than the rule. What the front desk saw was a bunch of spoiled teenagers trying to sneak into a room. They didn’t need help or to be policed. They just needed to be sent away. They couldn’t be expected to investigate every kid that walked in and wanted a room.

“Is it possible to find out who she spoke to at the desk?” I asked. “To see if anything was said or if she might’ve said where she was going to go instead?”

Beltran frowned. “I’m not sure we could be of any help.”

“Still. You never know,” I said.

“And I’m not sure the hotel should be involved.”

Lauren turned back to her. “Are you fucking kidding me, lady? We’re asking to talk to an employee about a girl who has been missing for nearly ten years who came to your hotel and you turned her away because of policy. We aren’t looking to tarnish your reputation.” Her eyes narrowed. “And if you don’t let us talk to whomever turned her away, I can guarantee you, I’ll personally call every local TV station and hit every Internet site I can find, letting people know she was here and you dismissed her and then wouldn’t grant a simple interview. What do you think that will do to your occupancy rate?”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Beltran looked stuck, unsure what to do. She pulled nervously at her earring.

We waited.

“Give me just a moment,” she said, then disappeared through the same door the original desk clerk had gone through.

“Well done,” I said.

“Idiot,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m surprised you haven’t punched out more people.”

“Bail gets expensive.”

“I would’ve wired it to you,” she said.

I glanced across the lobby. Anchor was still on the phone, but he was standing, looking out one of the front windows.

Beltran reappeared. “I’ve located the employee that spoke to the young woman. He’ll be here momentarily.”

“Thank you,” I said.

She nodded. “If we could have you perhaps move over there to the chairs, he’d be happy to speak with you and answer anything he can.”

I nodded and we walked over to where Anchor was standing. He pulled the phone from his ear and punched it off.

He looked at me. “Any luck?”

“We’re waiting to speak with someone who spoke to her,” I said. “But she’s not here.”

“Alright,” he said. “I need to run outside for a moment and chat with Ellis. I’ll be back.” He excused himself and headed out the main entrance.

“What’s his deal now?” Lauren asked.

“No clue,” I answered.

Beltran approached us, accompanied by another college-aged kid, this one stocky, with thick black hair and nervous eyes.

“Mr. Tyler, this is Will Thorton, one of our front desk agents,” she said. “I believe he was the one who had contact with your daughter. He’ll be happy to answer what he can.”

I offered my hand and he shook it unenthusiastically. He nodded at Lauren. She just stared back.

“Young girl was in here just a few hours ago,” I said. “You recall?”

“Yeah,” he said, his expression flat, showing me nothing. “I remember.”

“I assume she was here looking for a room?” I asked.

He nodded. “Yeah. But she didn’t have ID.”

“She give you her name?”

He shook his head.

Lauren pulled out a photo she’d taken from Elizabeth’s room in Minneapolis. “This was her, though?”

He looked at it, waited, then nodded. “Yeah, that was her.”

“So, when she couldn’t produce ID, what happened?” I asked.

Will glanced at Beltran, then looked at me. “Nothing, really. I told her she couldn’t have a room without ID.”

I waited.

He stayed quiet.

“And that was it?” I asked. “She just turned and walked out?”

He glanced again at Beltran, then shrugged. “Yeah, pretty much.”

We all stood there silent. Beer bottles clanked in the bar behind us. A phone rang behind the counter. A horn honked outside.

“Will, I’m going to be very direct,” I said, staring at him. “I think you’re lying your ass off here.”

His face immediately colored and his eyes danced everywhere except near mine. “What? No, I’m not. Really. I don’t…”

“Here’s what I think is happening,” I said, interrupting him. “I think there was more to your interaction with our daughter. I’m not sure what, but I’m pretty sure she didn’t just turn and walk out. See, we know more about what happened to her right before she walked in here and I’m pretty confident she didn’t just say thanks a lot and walk.”

Will chewed hard on his bottom lip.

“And I’m starting to think that whatever you did, it might get you in trouble with your boss here,” I said, glancing at Beltran. “I think you’re worried about saying something in front of her. Because you look like you’ve got spiders crawling up and down your legs, you’re so nervous.”

Will glanced again at Beltran, who was staring at him, her eyebrows raised, waiting on him.

“And here’s the deal,” I continued. “I get it. You don’t want to get in trouble. But let me explain something to you. Outside, there are two guys who brought us here. They like lying even less than we do. And they’ll sit out there and wait for you to leave the hotel and then they’ll insist that you talk to them and you won’t have a choice because they won’t give you one. You’ll tell the truth and believe me when I tell you that it’ll be far worse than anything that Ms. Beltran can do to you.”

Will’s cheeks flushed again and both he and Beltran looked past us, toward the entrance. I knew they didn’t see anyone and they were probably trying to decide if I was lying or not. He was going to be in a world of hurt if he didn’t believe me because I’d turn Anchor loose if that’s what it was going to take.

“Will, if there’s more to say here, I think you should,” Beltran said.

Will caught his lower lip between his teeth, biting down so hard I thought he might draw blood. His eyes shifted between me, Beltran and the big glass doors at the entrance, like he couldn’t figure out which battle he wanted to fight.

He expelled a deep breath. “I passed her to Aaron.”

“Aaron?” I asked.

Beltran’s face soured. “Aaron Simmons?”

Will nodded.

“Who is Aaron and what do you mean passed her?” I asked.

Will shoved his hands in his pockets and went back to chewing on his lip.

“Mr. Simmons is a former employee here,” Beltran said. “He was relieved of his duties about a month ago.”

I nodded, still watching Will Thorton.

He finally sighed. “Okay, alright. Aaron and I have a deal.”

“A deal,” I repeated.

“Girls show up here, I call him,” he explained. “Just give him a shout if they’re single or looking to hook up or whatever. They gotta be hot.”

Beltran’s face was growing redder with each word.

“So when that girl came in here and I told her we couldn’t give her a room, she got pretty upset,” Will continued. “Not like mad, but just upset. Said she had nowhere to go. So I told her I had a friend who might be able to help her out.”

“Jesus,” Beltran whispered, her mouth set in a hard, angry line.

I took a deep breath. “So he came and picked her up or what?”

Will shifted his weight, the imaginary spiders still crawling up his legs. “Yeah. She said okay. I called him and he got here in maybe ten minutes.”

“And she just went with him?” Lauren asked, incredulous.

Will shrugged. “Yeah.”

“So then what happens?” I asked.

“What do you mean?” Will asked.

“You call him,” I said. “Tell him there’s a girl. He comes over and meets them or picks them up or whatever. Then what happens?”

He shoved his hands in his pockets and rolled his shoulders. “They just go to his place, I guess. I don’t really know.”

“And what do you get out of this?” I asked.

Will sighed. “Fifty bucks. Hundred if he hooks up.”

Lauren’s fist shot out and caught Will Thornton square in the mouth. He stumbled backward and Anchor was immediately at her side.