Read Online Heartache Motel: Three Interconnected Mystery Novellas (Henery Press Mystery Novellas) by Terri L. Austin, Lyndee Walker, Larissa Reinhart - Free Book Online

been able to hear much. The roar was deafening and when people started singing karaoke onstage, I strained to hear phrases because listening for individual voices was impossible.
    Roxy was still at it, swirling around tables, getting out food, serving drinks, chatting up customers. She was a total trouper.
    I left Daniel and caught her in the middle of the room. “Hey, think you can quit now?”
    She popped her gum. “The tips have been great, but they’re still one waitress down. Selena. Never called, never showed up. And she was scheduled to work the front desk at ten this morning. And before you ask, I found out that Selena was the Kissin’ Cousins chick from last night. The one with that horrible tablecloth dress. I wouldn’t be caught dead in that piece of crap.”
    “Is Selena’s real name Travis?” Could Travis Donald, former Marilyn Monroe impersonator from Florida, and Selena be one and the same? It was worth finding out, because my tagging along with Daniel was getting us nowhere.
    “Let me check.” She walked behind the bar and confabbed with Tad, then shoved customers out of her way on her return trip. “Yep,” she said. “And Travis is in hot water when he shows up. He’ll be lucky to have a job.”
    “Come on, we need to talk to Ax. Meet me in the lobby. I’ll grab Daniel.”
    Without asking any questions, Roxy practically ran to the bar, ditched her tray, and ripped off her apron.
    I grabbed Daniel’s shoulder. “Let’s go.” I jerked my head toward the door.
    Searching my eyes, he followed me to the lobby. “What’s going on?”
    “I’ll explain in a minute.”
    Roxy waited by the elevator. I glanced at Stoner Joe when I walked past. He sat cross-legged and stared with his mouth wide open, transfixed by the blinking orange lights on the Christmas tree.
    I hoped we wouldn’t forget to take him home with us.
    We hopped on the elevator, but because of the five other occupants it afforded no privacy, so I saved my explanation until we got to my room.
    Ax was right where we left him, poking at his computer. He glanced up when we trouped through the door. “Bring anything to eat?”
    “Damn, didn’t think about it,” I said. “Sorry.”
    “I’m calling for a pizza,” he said. “I’m starving.”
    Roxy dropped to the other bed. “I can’t believe I had to work on my vacation. So typical.”
    Daniel sucked in an annoyed breath. “Could someone please tell me what the hell is going on?”
    I parked my butt next to Ax and grabbed a pillow to prop up my foot. “Okay, Selena didn’t show up for work today. Selena and female impersonator Travis Donald are one and the same.” I felt a moment of triumph for figuring it out.
    “No,” Daniel said, “they’re not. Travis Donald was supposed to start working here last week, but someone called him and rescinded the job offer.”
    “So a fake Travis showed up in his place?” I asked. My victory was so short-lived.
    “That’s our assumption,” Daniel said.
    “Apparently,” Roxy said, smacking her gum, “this fake Travis has been a crappy server from day one. Disappears for stretches at a time and takes too many smoke breaks. And according to Tad, he’s been squatting in empty rooms since he started. If that helps.”
    Daniel grinned. Deep crevices lined either side of his mouth. “Let me call Schultz to get some cops out here. We’re going to search every room in this motel.”
    While he was on the phone, I shot a glance at Rox. “I’ll bet our pizza’s here. Ax, why don’t you show Daniel that article on the missing jewels. Tell him our theories.”
    His eyes slid between Roxy and me. “Right. Our theories.”
    As soon as Roxy and I cleared the room, I turned to her. “Where was he staying?”
    “Last seen in room two-oh-four. I’ll suddenly remember the number after we’ve searched the room.” That was my bestie, always thinking.
    Although my ankle slowed me down, Rox and I fled to the second floor and were inside