Greg ended the call and tucked his cell away. “The police should be here any moment now. Or, rather, the sheriff’s department. Technically, we’re in the county. I tried to make it sound urgent so you wouldn’t have to wait. The resort’s reputation is important as well, so we want to keep this low key for now. I apologize if that sounds insensitive.”
“That’s understandable,” Rae said. “I’m in the middle of something and need to hurry. I appreciate you making this happen as fast as possible.”
How much of her investigation would she share with the deputy who would show up? Could they even help if she told them?
“Can your security cameras show us who entered this room?” Liam said.
Greg nodded. “Yes. We’ll show those to the police.”
“We’d like to see if Rae recognizes the burglar.”
“That makes sense. We’ll wait for whoever they’re sending.”
If Liam took the job Brad had offered, he could one day work a break-in like this himself. “How often do break-ins happen at resorts?”
“I’ve been working here for three years. Before this, I was over at Teton Village closer to Jackson. Honestly, this is the first time I’ve seen it. Like you said, we’ll see who entered the premises. People know about security cameras, and they serve as a deterrent. I’m surprised this happened.”
Liam almost snorted. Greg had never dealt with someone like Rae. Determined to find the answers. Expose the truth. And save those in desperate situations.
Besides being Rae’s sister-in-law, who exactly was this missing woman?
A knock sounded at the door. Greg opened it, and after a quick exchange, a sheriff’s department deputy entered the room—Deputy Randall Cook. Liam had met the guy after working as a consultant for Bridger County last summer. Though Liam himself didn’t work for the sheriff, Heath did. Liam would use that and any other connection he had to his advantage if that would help Rae find her sister-in-law so she could then leave the valley.
Liam thrust his hand out to shake the deputy’s.
Deputy Cook glanced around the room. He pulled out a paper tablet and a pencil, and Rae told him about the break-in.
Cook tapped his pad with the pencil. “Let’s have a look at the security cameras now.”
Rae, Liam, and Deputy Cook followed Greg to the elevator, took it down to the resort’s basement, and crowded around a computer screen behind Greg. He quickly found the footage they needed.
A bouncer-sized man wearing black skiwear and a mask carried skis over his shoulders from the elevator and down the hallway and stopped at Rae’s room. He flashed a key card in front of the reader and entered.
Rae gasped. “How did he get a key to my room? That’s ridiculous.”
“I apologize for what’s happened, Ms. Burke,” Greg said. “We want your experience to be the best.” Greg kept his face neutral, but Liam could tell this disturbed the guy too. Why wouldn’t it?
“Unfortunately, master key cards are fairly easy to come by if someone is determined. I’ll recommend that we ramp up protecting the master cards. In the meantime, I can question all the staff to find out whose card is missing and go at it from that angle. Our policies require housekeeping to keep those cards with them at all times—not sitting on the carts where they can be taken and inappropriately used by an unauthorized person.”
Rae blew out a breath. “It’s okay, Greg. Not your fault.”
A few minutes later, the masked intruder exited, still carrying the skis.
“Look closely there,” Cook said. “I can’t tell for sure, but it looks like he’s hugging your laptop under his jacket to the left while he carries the skis over his shoulder.”
“Let’s see.” Greg fast-forwarded the footage until Rae and Liam entered with their coffees, then they reviewed it again. No one else had entered. “He’s the guy who took it. Give me a minute here.”
Greg reviewed cameras on the other floors during the same time period. The masked man had only entered Rae’s room.
Deputy Cook stepped back from the computer and studied Rae. “Looks like you had something in your room or on your laptop that he wanted. Any idea what he wanted or who he is?”
“No. I don’t recognize him, at least what I can make of him with a mask on, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“That’s only half of what I’m asking.” Cook continued to stare at her.
Rae glanced at all three men watching her. “I’m looking into a missing woman. Zoey Dumont.”