Josie watched her mom walk up to her hotel room and unlock the door. Her thoughts turned to Isabella, and how she had fled her country and her family in search of something better. It made Josie realize that what she had all those years ago might not have been what she wanted or needed at the time, but it was a hell of a lot better than others had it.
The evening had left her feeling small and lonely, and she wanted nothing more than to climb into bed and curl up next to Nick, who was in Mexico trying to reunite a man with his family. She checked her phone before pulling away and saw a text from Marta.
Interview went great. Isabella confirmed both Ryan and Josh. She’s checked into Room 2. Can you check on her? Told her I’d be by at 9:00 to check in but I’m working an accident and can’t get away yet.
Josie sighed and texted back. Will do. She didn’t like the idea of leaving Isabella alone in the motel room, but Josie was out of options. She didn’t have an officer she could dedicate to the hotel that night. All they could do was check in on her and make sure she kept the door locked to anyone but the police.
*
Josie got back out of her jeep, walked one door down from her mom’s room, and knocked, but there was no answer. She could see light filtering around the curtain. She waited a minute and knocked again, this time calling Isabella’s name and announcing her own name to reassure her.
Thinking she might be in the shower, Josie turned to go to her mom’s room when Beverly stepped outside with a cigarette and lighter in her hand to sneak a smoke. Josie was too preoccupied to chastise her.
“I need to check on the woman staying next door to you, but she’s not answering the door,” Josie said. “Can you hear when water is running in the room next to you?”
Beverly made a face like it was a ridiculous question. “The walls are like paper. I can hear Manny humming in his apartment on this side.” She jerked her thumb toward the opposite wall.
Josie walked to the back of her mom’s room and into the bathroom, where she placed her ear against the wall shared with Isabella’s room. She heard nothing.
“Have you heard any noise from that room since you walked in?”
“No. But I’ve only been here a few minutes.”
Heading quickly back toward the door, Josie said, “There may be a problem. I need you to go back inside your room and lock the door. Don’t leave until you hear from me. You promise?”
Her mom’s forehead tensed into worry lines but she nodded, put her cigarette out, and shut the door.
*
Josie ran down to Manny’s apartment and asked for the key to Room 2. He followed her down and they knocked again but heard nothing.
When they entered the room, she could tell where the bed had been lain in. A towel lay on the floor by the bed, but nothing else. The bathroom light was off, and when Josie checked she found it empty. The sink and shower were both still wet from use. She found the closet empty and nothing under the bed.
“Do you know if she came in carrying a bag?” Josie asked, pulling her phone out of her pocket.
“Yes,” Manny said. “She kept thanking Marta for the clothes and things. She had two bags. I think one was maybe a purse, and the other was a black duffel bag.”
“Did she say anything to you about leaving?”
“No. Nothing. Marta said she’d be back to check on her, and she smiled and thanked her. I don’t understand.”
Josie glanced at her cell phone: 9:04 p.m. She dialed Marta’s number, and she answered immediately.
“Marta. I’m in Isabella’s motel room and she’s gone. There are no bags here. It looks like she showered and left.”
It took Marta a beat to respond. “It’s just now nine. That’s when I told her I’d be there.”
“Did she say anything to you about leaving? About taking a walk, maybe?”
“No. Absolutely not. She’s still terrified. She didn’t want me to leave, but I explained I had work to do. I said I’d be back later to check on her.” Josie heard a car door slam. “The tow-truck is here at the accident. I’m on my way.”
Josie turned to Manny. “Has anyone come by here today asking about rooms? Or called about rooms?”
“No one came by. Lawrie Small called earlier today about having rooms ready for her family coming into town, but that’s it. It’s been a slow week.”
She glanced over at the bedside table, and then around the room. “Is there a phone in the room she could have used?”
“No. With cell phones everywhere I took the room phones out. They weren’t worth the money.”
Josie called Marta back. “Did she have a cell phone yet?”
“No. She knew I was working on getting her one. One of the churches in town was helping with incidentals. They were going to get her a disposable one with minutes.”
“Okay,” Josie said. “When you left the trauma center, did you notice anyone watching? Think back to when you walked outside with Isabella. Anything stand out in your memory?”
As Marta thought for a moment, Josie told Manny to stay in his apartment until he heard otherwise and to call if he heard anything from Isabella. Josie got in her car.