Upside Down

24

It was nearly noon when Manseur parked and went into the Park View Guest House. The clerk was reading a novel, which he set aside when the detective approached.

“You have a Henry Trammel registered?” Manseur flashed his badge and let the young man read it. He showed the clerk a room key.

“Sure. The Trammels are staying there.”

“There was an accident. I'd like to have a look at their room.”

“I don't know… You have a warrant or something?”

“I'm just looking for next-of-kin information. I can have a warrant here in an hour.”

“I don't know… I should call my boss…”

The call took only a few seconds. The clerk came around the desk and accompanied Manseur to the room. Manseur gave the key to the clerk, who opened the door. “He said I should watch you,” the young man said. “To list anything you take away.”

“Watch and list away,” Manseur said.

Manseur looked around the room. The room was tidy, the suitcases beside the bed. The bathroom had used towels hanging on the shower bar, male and female toilet articles on the counter. There were some prescription bottles, an open dop kit, some makeup, a hairbrush, razor and lather, two damp toothbrushes bristles up.

He looked at the clothes hanging in the closet, then set the suitcases on the bed and opened them. The only thing he found of interest was a leather holster for a Colt and a partially full box of. 45 +P ammunition in Hank's suitcase. There was an address book and a cell phone in Millie Trammel's suitcase along with eight hundred dollars' worth of American Express traveler's checks.

“I want you to leave things as they are for a day or two in case I need to come back.”

“This room is booked through Tuesday. I don't guess there's a problem there. We're like half full.”

Manseur handed the clerk his card. “If anybody comes looking for them, or calls to speak to them, you'll call me?”

“Sure. There was a little girl here earlier.”

“What little girl?”

The clerk shrugged. “She asked after the Trammels.”

“She give her name?”

“No, I don't think she did. She was only here for a minute. Just after they left.”

“Describe her.”

“Tall, skinny kid. She was soaked. I told her they had gone out to eat. She ran out of here.”

“Was she wearing a yellow poncho?”

“Yeah. You already know about her?”

“If she comes back, you call me,” Manseur said, but he didn't think she would.