According to what the two investigators had thus far learned, the only other credible witness who saw the beauty contestant last was the hotel bellhop working that early morning. They were able to catch up with him before his evening shift at the Luxor. They prearranged to meet him at Starbucks on the Strip an hour before he was to report for duty back at the iconic landmark of Vegas.

James Kettering, age 25, was a former semi-pro basketball player, who had worked on the premises for the past three years. He was cooperative and had earlier described to the hotel officials what he had seen the night of Miss Marlow's failure to return to the pageant.

"Yeah, so I just thought it was kind of interesting," the fair-haired, mustached, and uniformed man said. "One of those girls who I just figured was a pageant contestant that week. She seemed to be stepping out at the hour of about 1:30 AM."

"We were told you gave a positive identification of her looks to the management. That right, James?"

"Yeah, I did. They called me in at midday after my all-night shift to tell them if I'd seen anything that night. The night this Marlow girl vanished. After seeing her picture, I'm sure now it was her. Super babe. A blond with a knockout body. The whole beauty queen enchilada, man. And yeah, it was a little odd at that hour she'd be leaving."

"Why so James?"

"See, those girls were under a strict curfew. Not to leave the hotel past one AM. I made a mental note of it. Was asked to look for stuff like that. Security too. But those guys were inside in the lobby that night. Probability watching a game somewhere." He smiled. "Security? They're really a joke sometimes."

Corey continued the questioning. "So, what exactly did you see, Jim? I mean, when she walked out the front door?"

"Well like all nights, I was there to assist with the late-night check ins. A lot of the action at that hour is hookers and Johns in this town. No luggage usually at those hours. You kinda get bored with that whole regular scene. So when this cutie stepped outside, right into a waiting limo, I kind of woke up. Didn't know who she was exactly . . . but did figure she was a contestant. Had it written all over her."

"How was she dressed?"

"Well, that's just it. Wasn't dressed cheap like the work'n girls. And wasn't dressed to be go'in to no party either. She actually had on some kind of . . . gray or silver warm-up suit? Like she was off to the gym. But these chicks were using the gym inside all week. So yeah, maybe not strange."

"Notice anything else?"

Mattingly listened on, while putting three packets of sugar in his coffee.

"Well, that was all that caught my eye. I've always been an observant kind of a guy. Especially when it comes to girls like her. And this place, that week, was full of eye candy."

Corey smiled. "Lucky you."

"Hey man. Comes with the job. We get the crazies, the derelicts, working girls, the grandma blue-hairs. But also, some of the most beautiful girls in the world."

"So, did you ever speak with Miss Marlow? Even in passing . . . Maybe earlier?"

"Naw, man. We got strict rules about fraternizing with clients. Hell . . . we're not even supposed to date the girls that work on staff here!"

"Must be tough, huh?"

"Naw. See, I got a good lady in this town. We're in pretty tight. She's a dancer. But a mighty fine lady too."

"Alright, man. So about that limo . . . You reported to the Feds you saw no one touch Marlow or help her into the vehicle?"

"Yup. That's right. She just stepped up to it . . . almost the same time it arrived. Opened the door herself and slid in. Also thought that was a little odd for a limo pick-up. But when I saw no plates on that beast, I kinda woke up that something might be kind of unusual."

"And it left the hotel immediately?"

"Right onto the strip. Went North. Out of sight. Into the night."

"OK, Jim. Got it. Anything else?"

"Hey, that's all I know, guys. All I saw."

"So, you saw no one else with her? Maybe back at the door?"

"No one, Lieutenant. She came out alone. Left alone. Windows on the limo were dark. Couldn't get a bead on the driver or if anyone else was in the car."

"Alright then, James. Thanks. The coffee's on us. Take my card and call if anything turns up here at the hotel. Anything that could help us on this case."

"You got it guys. Good luck. Hope you find her. I mean really. She was a babe, man."

* * *

Back at the precinct office, Bill and Corey were going over sheets of records of sexual predators and cases of kidnap in Vegas. Their search took them back three years. They also checked the complaints filed by the Luxor Hotel involving incidents of undesirables. Usually, men loitering suspiciously on the premises. These were cases when a complaint by a client was made, or a call to the police by management was warranted. Most of these cases s involved the male in a domestic dispute not vacating a room after being asked to leave. Or a complaint by a prostitute of violence against her while in the hotel. None of these cases, however, seemed to connect to the pageant during its two-week program.

Mattingly and Jeffers were about to call it a day, when at five-thirty that afternoon they got a call from an officer in the midst of his shift, explaining there might be something of interest to them over at the Luxor. They quickly arrived and met the officer at the door. He directed them inside to an administrative area. The three men were given a small conference room supplied to them by the management.

Investigator Mattingly spoke first to officer Mendez.

"What have you got for us, Roberto?"

"So I get this call by the hotel security guard that he's caught and apprehended an individual in one of the women's shower rooms. Adjacent to the gym? Said he observed the suspect on the floor trying to remove something from under a changing cabinet."

"Let me guess," Mattingly said.

"No need, Lieutenant," he said, putting on a plastic glove and taking out of an evidence bag a small black object the size of cigarette lighter. "This I what the guy disconnected from the wall . . ."

The uniformed officer displayed the small portable camera assembly with a small USB device attached.

"No doubt a spy cam." Mattingly declared, unimpressed.

"Looks to be so. The guy was caught removing it from the changing area when security intervened."

"So have you taken this pervert into custody?"

"Yeah, he's cuffed and waiting in the back seat of my cruiser right now. I was about to take him in for booking but thought I'd get this to you guys on account of the Marlow case here at this hotel. Could be a connection."

"Nice work, Mendez," Corey said.

"I also learned that gym shower room was used by the beauty contestants the whole two weeks of the pageant preparation. Probably a lot of incriminating footage of changing in and out of clothes on that USB."

"OK Bill . . ." Corey differed to his older, seasoned partner. "What do you think?"

Mattingly's hand was already on his high forehead, massaging it for a moment while he thought.

"Don't know. It's not like this little toy was directly in the Marlow's room," he said. "That could be pretty significant if it was."

"Yeah. True, Matt. So, while there may be images of Henley on this storage stick, so would any number of the other girls. A pretty random set up for the guy. Probably of little significance here. But not to say the dude shouldn't be considered a person of interest in the case."

"Definitely, Bill said, turning to the uniformed officer. "Did you Miranda the guy about his rights?"

"Yeah. As I was cuffing him. Explained he'd be booked at the station and questioned."

"Good," Corey responded. But let's get some answers out of him right here and now. Mendoza. Can you bring our secret cameraman up to this office? And have security personnel show us the changing room where this contraption was hooked up?"

"Sure."

Mattingly met the security guard outside the office and was taken to the gym complex. Then into the women's showering and changing area. He was shown where the spy camera had been duct taped under a shelf with a clear view of anyone standing in front of the mirrors.

Returning, he met Corey and officer Mendez seated across from a fortyish-looking man, handcuffed, with a full, unkempt beard and long, shoulder-length hair.

The police officer handed the suspect's driver's license over to Corey.

"We've checked out his rap-sheet," Mendez said. "He's got some priors and is registered in California as a sex offender."

"Beautiful. So, Mr. . . .Dempsey," Corey directed. "What can you tell us about this piece of equipment you were in possession of. Over in the women's dressing room today?"

"I have nothing to say to you. I want to call a lawyer."

"Of course you would," Mattingly said angrily. "Anyone would in your precarious situation right now. Did you personally know any of the pageant contestants who used that room this past week?"

"No . . . And if I did . . . you think I'd go to all this trouble to see them?"

"See them naked, that is, Mr. Dempsey?"

"What do you think, you idiots?"

Corey then weighed in again. "Tell me, Mr. Dempsey . . . is this just your own weird thing or were you planning on using those images for sale or blackmail?"

"A lawyer, guys. I want to see a lawyer!"

"Fine!" Mattingly shouted. "You'll get your goddamn lawyer. You'll also end up doing even more time for this kind of shit! You never learned from your prior arrests, did you, dirtbag?"

Corey stood up quickly and intervened. "OK Officer Mendez. Take him in for fingerprinting and detain him. For now, we're finished here."

As the hand-cuffed suspect was escorted by the officer and security guard back out of the hotel and into the police cruiser, Corey and Bill were willing to call it a day.

"So what do you think about our Mr. Perv, here today," Mattingly asked to his partner before going home.

"Don't see much of a connection. Not that we can't be surprised later. But this guy's just not the kind of loser that would have anything to do with either a limousine or a quiet master's degree student. There's something I believe much more sophisticated at play in this case."

"Let's hope so," Mattingly said quietly. "Because there's nothing sophisticated about the way I've seen these damn abductions turn out."

* * *