"Spindler, Erica - See Jane Die" - читать интересную книгу автора (Spindler Erica)

Unimpressed, Stacy tried a different tact. "I noticed a tray of chocolate-dipped strawberries and a split of champagne in the room. Delivered by room service?"

"Within minutes of arrival. It's all part of staying at La Plaza. We call it the Plaza Experience."

"But it costs extra?"

"Of course."

"I noticed fresh flowers, as well. Are those part of the Plaza experience?"

"No. She may have ordered them. Or a friend may have had them sent to the hotel."

Stacy and Mac exchanged glances. She recognized the excitement in his gaze. It mirrored hers. Easy. Neat. Lover has flowers delivered to rendezvous destination. The two fight and he kills her. The flowers lead right back to the lover and the police chalk one up in the "case solved" column.

It seemed stupid, but an amazing number of crimes were solved by stupidity on the part of the perpetrator.

"Could you check?"

"Of course. I have Mrs. Vanmeer's bill here." He scanned it. "Here it is, a charge for the flowers." He saw her disappointment. "I'm sorry."

"May I see it?"

"Certainly." He handed it over. "There's a flag by her name."

"A flag? What does that mean?"

"It alerts us that one of our special guests is returning."

"By special, do you mean a repeat customer? Or a high roller?"

"Someone who stays with us occasionally and has made their preferences known, be they for room or amenities."

"Like smoking or nonsmoking, king or double?" Mac asked.

"Exactly." The man beamed at him. "Frequently we have requests for foam instead of feather pillows, the minibar stocked with chocolate bars and Perrier water, things like that."

Stacy made notes while he spoke. When he finished, she met his eyes. "What were Mrs. Vanmeer's preferences?"

He indicated he would check and picked up the phone and called someone named Martha. He questioned the woman, thanked her and hung up. "Mystery solved. Mrs. Vanmeer requested fresh flowers upon arrival, as well as a split of champagne, preferably White Star, and the dipped strawberries. She also requested a room with an oversize Jacuzzi tub and the removal of the bathroom scale and the lighted cosmetics mirror."

Stacy thought of the plastic-surgery scars Pete had pointed out. Elle Vanmeer had been a woman both obsessed with and insecure over her looks.

"The mirror and scale," Mac murmured. "That's just weird."

"To you, perhaps. However, our goal here at La Plaza is not only to make our guests comfortable, but to pamper them as well."

Stacy glanced at Mac, who rolled his eyes, then looked back at the general manager. "She stayed with you often?"

He hesitated, then nodded. "A couple times a month."