Sudden Second Chance by Carol Ericson

up.”
    Her eyes popped. “Wh...what did you want to know about Gary?”
    “Did the hotel ever hire him to do any work around here?”
    “Gary? No way. Management knew his reputation, even though Kendall Rush had given him a chance when she was here.”
    Beth cleared her throat. “Isn’t Kendall Rush the sister of one of the Timberline Trio?”
    “Twin.” The clerk pulled the corners of her mouth down with two fingers. “She was out here to sell her aunt’s house and got caught up with all the craziness with Wyatt Carson. But while she was here, she hired Gary to do some work at the house. I guess he did okay, but management here would still never hire him.”
    “Do you know why he’d have any reason to be at this hotel? In the parking lot?” Duke tipped his head in that direction. “We saw him out there, probably just before he got hit.”
    “Really?” Tammy’s eyes got even bigger. “I don’t know why he’d be here, just passing by, I guess.” She licked her lips. “Do you think the sheriff’s department is going to want to look at our security tapes of the parking lot?”
    “Probably. In fact—” Duke slid his badge across the counter “—I wouldn’t mind having a look myself.”
    “Okay. I know you’re FBI and all, but can I call my manager first?”
    “Sure.” He glanced at Beth. “You can take off if you want, set up those interviews.”
    “I think I’d rather watch this video.” She leaned in close, putting her lips next to his ear, and said in a low voice, “Why do you think Kendall Rush hired him?”
    “Don’t know. Maybe she felt sorry for him.”
    Tammy got off the phone. “My manager says it’s okay.”
    She invited them behind the counter and into a small room. She hunched over a set of computer monitors and clicked through several files, launching a video. “This is from earlier today. How long ago did you see him?”
    “Over two hours ago.”
    She cued up the tape, and after several minutes, Gary Binder with his green ball cap came into the frame, walking his bike.
    Beth jabbed her finger at the display. “Is he talking to someone out of the picture?”
    Binder kept looking over his shoulder, but Duke couldn’t see his mouth moving.
    “I’m not sure. Maybe he’s just watching for cars as he comes into the parking lot, but he seems to have a purpose for coming into the lot.”
    “Yeah, he’s looking at my rental.”
    After checking behind him once more, Binder wheeled up to Beth’s rental car and poked his head inside the broken window. A minute later Duke and Beth appeared in the frame.
    They watched a bit longer, but Binder never returned to the parking lot after they took off.
    Tammy scrunched up her face. “Looks like he just wanted a closer look at your car.”
    “Why did he keep glancing over his shoulder? There’s not that much traffic on the road.” Beth stepped back from the monitors and folded her arms. “Because if there had been, someone would’ve seen the car that hit him.”
    “Maybe someone did.” Duke backed out of the claustrophobic room. “Thanks, Tammy. I’ll tell the sheriff’s department about seeing Binder in the parking lot here, and they’ll probably want to review that tape, too.”
    Her fingers flew across the keyboard as she closed down the recordings. “I just wish there was something on there. I suppose they told Gary’s mom already. She’s a tough, old lady, but Gary was her only kid.”
    “Sounds like the guy couldn’t catch a break.” He turned to Beth. “Are you taking off now? I’ll be at the sheriff’s station if you need me.”
    “And I’ll be setting up shop somewhere to do some interviews.”
    “You could do them here in your hotel room, or maybe the hotel lobby.”
    “If I’ve learned anything from the show, it’s that people feel more comfortable talking in their homes.”
    “Just don’t go to Bill Raney’s home to interview him.” He pushed open the hotel door and they stepped