The villa's butler, a woman with her hair tied in a low ponytail, was waiting at the entrance to Villa 6. She saw Renee Jennings and Michelle Fuller get out of their car and was about to step forward and greet them, but instead, they immediately started running.
Confused, she hurried after them. "Are you Miss Fuller and Miss Jennings? I'm the villa's butler, Faye Lowe."
Michelle Fuller looked back and asked, "Butler Lowe, are there any cats or dogs around here?"
Faye Lowe nodded. "Yes, we do. We offer pet services here. Please, ladies, come inside the villa first. I'll make a call to have some brought over."
The villa had two floors. The first-floor courtyard was exquisitely designed, featuring a flower-shaped hot spring pool, a path paved with pebbles, and a leisure patio with several rocking chairs. Beside it was a small, artistic water feature.
Once inside the villa's main hall, Michelle sat down next to Renee.
"Miss Fuller, Miss Jennings, please have a seat for a moment." Butler Lowe poured them some tea and took out her phone to call a colleague.
After hanging up, she handed the two of them a tablet and explained with a smile, "Villa 8 is the self-serve dining area. If you don't feel like going over, you can also place an order on this tablet, and we'll have it delivered."
But Michelle's mind wasn't on the food. She was desperate to see Renee show off her superpower of communicating with animals.
Ten minutes later, a staff member walked into Villa 6, leading a cat and a dog.
"They're here, they're here!" Michelle was thrilled. "Renee, make them do a somersault!"
Renee was both amused and exasperated. "Well, they'd have to know how to do one first."
The cat and dog stood obediently beside Faye Lowe. The cat was a silver chinchilla, and the dog was a bichon frise.
They both wore collars with their introductions written on them.
The silver chinchilla was named Woody, and the bichon was named Dumpling. Both were girls, and they were chatting.
"It's stinky in here. Dumpling, did you smell that?"
"I smell it too. Why is it so stinky?"
"I don't know."
"..."
Michelle heard Woody meow and Dumpling bark. She turned her head, staring curiously at Renee. "Renee, what are they saying?"
Renee frowned. "They said it's a bit stinky in here."
"Huh?" Michelle looked incredulous. "Why would it be stinky?"
Faye Lowe assumed Renee was joking, but she explained nonetheless, "When Miss Fuller made the reservation the day before yesterday, I immediately sent someone to clean the place. I can assure you, it's perfectly sanitary."
Just as she finished speaking, a woman with disheveled hair and a haggard face burst in, wailing, "Give me back my daughter! Oh, my Lynn..."
Faye Lowe's expression changed, and she stepped forward to block the woman. "I've told you already! Your daughter's disappearance has nothing to do with our resort!"
The woman shrieked, "What do you mean, it has nothing to do with you? I haven't heard from my daughter in three days! The last time she contacted me, she said she was here, enjoying the hot springs! Now give me back my daughter!"
"What's going on?" Michelle whispered.
Renee pursed her lips and whispered back, "Let's just watch for now."
"Take this outside! Don't disturb our guests!" Faye Lowe said, forcefully tugging at the woman.
"I'm not going outside!" The middle-aged woman resisted frantically, turning to yell at Renee and Michelle. "Ladies, you tell me if I'm being unreasonable! My Lynn disappeared from here. If I don't come looking for her here, where else am I supposed to go?"
"I said, don't disturb our guests!" Faye Lowe's face was flushed with anger as she gripped the woman's arm tightly. "Get out!"
"Wait," Renee said suddenly. "Butler Lowe, please let her go."
But Faye Lowe didn't approve. "Miss Jennings, she's a lunatic. It wouldn't do for her to accidentally hurt you."
"Please, try to calm down," Renee said to the agitated woman. "Take your time and tell us what happened."
"Miss, will you please help me?" the woman pleaded, her eyes bloodshot as she choked back sobs.
Renee gave her a reassuring look. "Why don't you sit down first."
Faye Lowe frowned. "Miss Jennings, why waste your time? She's just a crazy—"
"That's enough," Michelle cut her off, annoyed. "You should just listen to what my Renee says."
Although Michelle didn't know why Renee was doing this, she felt her friend must have her reasons.
Faye Lowe was speechless.
Renee handed the middle-aged woman a cup of tea. "Drink this," she said calmly, "and then tell us what happened, in detail."
The woman's name was Irene Lee. She was a single mother, and her twenty-year-old daughter, Lillian Griffin, had arranged to visit the hot spring villa with friends on December 29th.
But starting on the 30th, Irene Lee lost contact with Lillian Griffin.
And up until today, the 3rd, there had been no news at all.
Michelle asked, "Have you called the police?"
Irene Lee nodded emphatically. "I reported it to the police on the night of the 30th. They investigated but said they couldn't find any record of Lynn ever coming here. She didn't show up on any of the surveillance footage, either."
Faye Lowe said resentfully, "See? We told you your daughter never came here! But you still insist on coming and making a scene!"
"Impossible!" Irene Lee's voice was full of conviction. "Lynn sent me a video that day! She was right here, at Villa 6!"
Renee asked, "Who did Lynn come here with?"
"I didn't ask." Tears streamed down Irene Lee's face. "Lynn doesn't like it when I ask about things like that."
Renee thought for a moment, then looked at Faye Lowe. "Butler Lowe, which guests were staying in Villa 6 on the 29th?"
"Miss Jennings, that involves guest privacy, so I'm not at liberty to say." Faye Lowe had a troubled expression. "Besides, the police already looked into it and couldn't find any trace of her daughter here. Her disappearance really has nothing to do with us."
Just as Michelle was about to use her financial influence to get Faye Lowe to spill some information, Irene Lee's shrill voice suddenly cut through the air. "You're lying! Did you kill my Lynn?"
Faye Lowe rolled her eyes. "If you've got a screw loose, go see a doctor."
"I remember now!" Woody, who had been lying on the floor enjoying the drama, suddenly turned to Dumpling. "My friend, Loli, was working in Villa 6 the other day. She got sick right after she went home. Said the guests scared her, and that she heard horrible human screams in the middle of the night!"
Dumpling's eyes went wide. "So scared she got sick?"
Hearing the cat's words, Renee was lost in thought.
'If Lillian Griffin really was here, why is there no record of it?'
After a moment of thought, she spoke up. "Ms. Lee, I know a police officer. I can tell him about your situation and see if he can help look into it again."
She was, of course, referring to Henry Stark.
'He was so efficient with the case at Old Man Wallace's fried food shop. He must be a very capable investigator.'
"Really?" Irene Lee was sobbing too much to speak clearly. "Thank you... thank you so much!"
Renee said, "Don't thank me yet. I can't be sure he'll agree to help. For now, just send me the video Lynn sent you."
After Irene Lee left, Faye Lowe looked at Renee, her tone laced with displeasure. "I have to ask, Miss Jennings, why are you getting involved in this mess?"
Before Renee could respond, Michelle glared at the butler. "We don't need your opinion."
Faye Lowe was speechless.
The more Michelle looked at her, the more annoyed she became. "Why are you still here?"