Arizona stood staring at the doors leading back into the B&B, and thought to investigate further when her train of thought was interrupted by the crashing of dishes and loud cursing in Spanish. She heard other raised voices coming from Mark's direction and headed back into the lobby.
"Now, look M'am , I know that you've already answered some questions for the local police, but this investigation has been expanded.", his tone was edgy.
"Of course, we have no issues here, just disregard my mother"...the younger woman urged her mother back into the office..."She is just worried about this affecting our business, what with having the cops hanging around all the time."
"Well, this is just an informal inquiry really, but if Mrs. Torres would like …we can make it much more formal down at the police station...and you are again..?", Arizona quizzed as she reached out her hand in introduction."
"Aria, and this my mother, Lucia.", She flashed a smile that had likely ensnared more than a few men but left Arizona unfazed.
"Mmm, yes right, the younger sister…and you have another daughter, Mrs. Torres,?"
"Yes, officer," the elder woman made her distaste clear in her strong enunciation, "and my oldest daughter, Calliope runs the kitchen as our head chef."
"That's Detective, m'am", Arizona noted, already feeling her patience wearing thin with this woman. Mark squeezed her elbow as she leaned forward on the desk, causing her take a step back as she realized that she was getting too close.
"Well, do you have a room that we can speak in private then?"
"Of course, if you'll wait one moment I'll open the small conference room."
They spoke briefly with Lucia, checked the hotel log book for the dates that Ms. Murphy had checked in. They watched the surveillance videos at the front desk, didn't see much but that Leah checked in alone with a small overnight bag, charging the room to her parent's card. She hadn't received any phone calls to the front desk or visitors.
Aria had some bits of information that could be useful. She remembered that the morning Leah had checked in, she left the B&B for the most of the afternoon and returned visibly crying. Aria and Leah had little in common other than she had been a year ahead of her in high school, but she felt like she should make some attempt to comfort the girl….but Leah had brushed her off…replying that she couldn't stand this town and that she had nothing to come back for.
Mark ushered her out, as she coyly tried in vain to flirt with him again. He summoned for the next person to be questioned. As Arizona first laid eyes on Lucia's eldest daughter, Calliope…..Is that what she had heard…..why that was a mouthful...
Then rounding the corner was the woman who had playing the piano so masterfully before, Arizona straitened her posture . She couldn't help but note that the woman had been pulled from her work by the white chef coat she was wearing, and the tightly wound bun atop her head. She looked completely different than she had before...That bun must have pulling too hard Arizona wondered….
Perhaps that was the reason for this pitiful excuse of smile that this woman deemed as welcoming. But, her frustration was as obvious as that smile was fake, as it strained over her high cheekbones but never reached her eyes... It was most likely reluctance to speak to the authorities…most people had that feeling.
"Ms. Torres, if you'll have a seat over there", she gestured as they entered the room
They set across the table from each other….both eyeing the other with guarded suspicions. Arizona shuffled through the file folder, making notes as she went along. Callie took the opportunity to stare at this unknown woman. A lead detective….not too many of those around here in this small town. At least she was a helluva lot easier on the eyes than the paunchy, balding ones they had.
The strength of her voice was nothing like the look of calculation on Arizona's face as she wrote quickly in a small pad. In the seconds that passed, Callie glanced over hands that were strong, clean, the nails neatly trimmed short….the muscles beneath the skin of her forearms flexed as she wrote.
Callie could tell a lot about people by their hands. She understood these things, as she worked with her hands daily, making beautiful edible creations. Working hands, she could respect.
"Where would you like to start, m'am"
"Aren't you even going to tell me what you're here for?", Callie asked with a pointed stare and slight head tilt to the side
Arizona blinked hard, twice…"I'm a Chicago detective here to look for further information on a young lady that stayed here recently...Leah Murphy. Do you remember her?" Arizona slid a picture that the family had given her across the table facing her.
"Not particularly, but I know her parents, they are fairly prominent figures around here."
Arizona noted that her eyes hovered on the picture briefly, her nostrils flared in and then out, and then her face was set again with no emotion as quickly as it came.
"I need to know if she was here for particular reason...did she dine with anyone...make any phone calls?"
"Well, then, this interview will be pretty short...unless how she liked her eggs cooked is of any importance to you. As you can see...I cook around here...She raised her arms up to gesture a 360 angle around the establishment..."I only know and take care of things that happen in the kitchen. I have a five-star bed and breakfast dining room to fill and feed three times a day, not to mention dozens of staff to keep in line. As far as I know, she dined alone. It's not my job to keep tabs on our guests whereabouts after they leave the dining room." She fixed Arizona with her most withering stare, hoping her tirade would earn her a ticket out of this room and all these useless questions.
Arizona simply tapped her pen against the table top, deciding her next move. She didn't like this woman...not at all...and didn't like the obvious dismissal of her questions.
