Page 4 of Wild Temple (Tyson Wild Thriller #84)

More of the same outside if you preferred the heat. Tight bodies and perky assets frolicked in the pool while others soaked up the sun on lounge chairs.

I checked in at the front desk and displayed a picture of Isabella on my phone. “Do you recognize her?”

The cute brunette behind the counter studied the image. Her gold name tag read Maya. “Yes. I believe she is a guest at the hotel.”

A hint of optimism filled me. “When was the last time you saw her?”

A frown pursed her lips, and she shrugged.

“I’m not sure. It’s been a while. Maybe a week.

She had made reservations for a month. It’s not uncommon for people to check in, use the accommodations as a home base, then go off on side quests to explore the island.

There is a lot to see and do here,” she said with a smile.

“What’s her room number?”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t give out that kind of guest information.”

I flashed my badge. It didn’t carry any weight in this part of the world, but sometimes people respect authority. “She’s a dear friend. I think she’s missing. I haven’t been able to get in touch with her.”

A sympathetic frown tugged her face. She glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention. In a hushed tone, she said, “I can put you in room #306. That’s right next to hers. It’s a connecting room.” It was a clever way to tell me without telling me.

An appreciative smile curled my lips. “Thank you.”

“I hope your friend’s okay. If there’s anything we can do for you, please let us know. Have you contacted local authorities?”

“Not yet. I just got into town.”

She frowned again. “Don’t expect much.”

“Good to know.”

She gave me a key, and I made my way up to my room.

It was nice, with stylish furniture, two double beds, a sleek desk, and a large flatscreen display. A balcony overlooked the pool and had a view of the ocean in the distance. A microwave and a mini fridge would assist with late-night snacks.

I settled in, then stepped through the sliding glass doors onto the balcony. The warm breeze blew the sheer curtains into the room. The two suites were close enough together for me to climb onto the next balcony. The gap was a little wider than I would have liked, but I was able to climb over.

Fortunately, Isabella hadn’t locked the sliding glass door. I slid it open and gained entry to her room. It was the mirror image of my suite. The two rooms were connected via a shared door. I unlocked it to make access easier in the future.

Both beds were made.

A roller suitcase on a stand was open. There were clothing items in the dresser drawer, and some hung on racks in the closet.

I didn’t see her phone, but her laptop was still on the desk. She wouldn’t go far without her laptop, except maybe a day trip to see local sights.

The TV rumbled at a low volume. Background noise.

The faint traces of Isabella’s perfume still lingered.

I looked around the room but didn’t see any signs of a struggle.

In the bathroom, all of her makeup and toiletries still stood on the counter. One thing was clear—Isabella hadn’t gone on an excursion to another part of the island, not without her clothing and overnight kit .

I stepped back into the room, closed the sliding glass door to the terrace, then snatched her laptop on the way out. I stepped through the adjoining doors, leaving the door to her room unlocked.

I put the laptop in my room, then stepped into the hall and knocked on the door directly across from Isabella’s.

The sounds of the TV inside filtered down the corridor. Footsteps shuffled, and a moment later, the peephole flickered. An American accent filtered through. “Who is it?”

I flashed my badge to the lens, more out of habit than anything else. “I’m looking for my friend. She was staying across the hall from you. She hasn’t been seen in days. Do you recall seeing her recently?”

The girl pulled open the door. She was a cute brunette with powder blue eyes and full pouty lips. Not hard to look at. Her brow knitted. “Are you saying she’s missing?”

“It appears that way.”

Her face scrunched up with sadness. “You mean she was, like, abducted?”

“I don’t know.”

The girl cringed. “I’ve always thought this place was pretty safe. Has that changed?”

“Hard to say. When was the last time you saw her?”

She tightened her lips and thought about it for a second. “Well, now that you mention it, I don’t think I’ve seen her in a week. I thought she left. I hope she’s okay. She was really nice. Her name is Bella, right? ”

I nodded, then dug into my pocket and handed her a card. “If you remember any details, get in touch. I’m staying just across the hall in #306.”

She took the card and studied it for a moment. “Florida? You’re a long way from home, aren’t you?”

“Bella’s important to me.”

She looked at me with doe eyes. "That's so romantic. I hope somebody will travel halfway around the world to find me if I go missing."

“I’m sure they would.” She was definitely the kind of girl that would be missed. “Do you remember seeing her talk to anyone? Was there anyone that she hung out with while she was here?”

“I’d see her a lot in the common areas. In the lounge or around the pool. She was always on her laptop or on her phone. Always working, unlike a lot of people around here.” She rolled her eyes.

“Are you here by yourself?”

She shook her head. “No. I’m here with a girlfriend. I didn’t want to travel alone.”

“Smart choice. Is she around? Could I talk to her?”

“She’s not here right now, but I’ll let her know about your friend and have her call you if she remembers anything.”

“Thank you. I’d appreciate that.”

I said goodbye, then knocked on the door directly across the hall from mine.

Nobody answered .

I made my way back down to the lobby to grab something to eat. They had a full restaurant, along with a grab-and-go sandwich shop. You could also eat poolside, ordering from the main menu.

I decided to grab a table outside and mix and mingle. I don't know how much work was getting done in the co-working space. It was more of a social networking hub. People talked about their grandiose plans for the future. Mostly dreamers.

Tanjung Sur was the kind of place where you could live a nice life for a couple grand a month.

A lot of these people had remote jobs back in the States.

They’d clock in for a few hours here and there and make enough to get by.

That gave them the opportunity to work on side projects for the rest of the time.

Those projects were usually lounging by the pool, going to the beach, and partying at the clubs.

I had no doubt someone here would start the next giant social media app or crowdsourcing utility, but that would be few and far between. It seemed like a waypoint between college and the real world.

French, German, and Australian accents mixed with American. This place drew digital dreamers from all over.

I ordered the Jatala Smash Burger—grass-fed beef, a?oli, pickled papaya slaw, and melted Gouda on a grilled bun.

I sent a text to Talia. [I checked in. Thanks for setting everything up.]

[My pleasure. Glad you got there safely. ]

I gave her a brief recap of everything I’d learned so far, which wasn’t much.

After a short chat, I started talking to people in the common area, showing pictures of Isabella.

I ran into a few people who remembered her, but nobody had seen her in the last several days.

They all said she was nice and didn’t think anything of her disappearance.

It was a transient community. People came and went frequently.

Some people were here for a few days, others were here for a month or more.

Long-term types would typically rent a villa.

Some would even buy. But that was kind of a misnomer.

You couldn’t really ever buy anything here.

But you could get 20- and 30-year leases.

Then the property would revert back to the landowner.

Depending on the contract, you might not have an option to extend. It could be a tricky deal.

I chowed down on my burger when it came. It did not disappoint. It was reassuring to know the food around here was decent.

I filled my belly and washed it all down with some diet soda. Then I made my way poolside and started talking to some of the gorgeous beauties that soaked up the sun. Skin glistened with oil, and teeny bikinis barely covered pert endowments.

This certainly was paradise.

“Excuse me, ladies,” I said, flashing my badge.

They looked up at me through dark sunglasses.

“I’m looking for this woman. She’s missing. She was staying here.” I displayed Isabella’s picture on my phone.

The three lovely ladies surveyed the image carefully .

“I remember her!” a cute strawberry blonde said. “Bella, right?”

I nodded.

“She was really cool.”

“When was the last time you saw her?”

Her face scrunched up, and the girls shared a look.

“Maybe a week ago,” a platinum blonde said.

“How well did you know her?”

The girls exchanged a glance again. “We’d see each other here and there at the pool. Out at clubs. That kind of thing.”

“She bought us a drink one night at Nomad,” the brunette said.

“That’s right,” Strawberry said. “I forgot about that. I don’t remember much about that night,” she added.

Isabella wasn’t much of a partier, but she did enjoy a good cocktail.

“Was she with anybody when she was here?” I asked.

“I'm pretty sure she was traveling alone," the brunette said. "At least, that's what it seemed like.”

“I’m Tyson, by the way,” I said with a smile.

“I’m Jen,” Strawberry said with a sparkle.

“I’m Amy,” the brunette replied.

“Alyssa,” the blonde said .

We exchanged pleasantries, and I shook their delicate hands. Well manicured. Soft and smooth.

From the remains of the strawberry daiquiris that lingered nearby, these girls weren’t getting a lot of work done.

"You know if she was planning on going anywhere?” I asked. “Any excursions or day trips?”

The girls exchanged another glance.

"I know she said something about going to the waterfalls." Alyssa looked at Amy for confirmation. "I think she wanted to see the Twin Sisters. But I could be wrong about that."

I gave them each a card and told them to get in touch if they remembered anything that might be helpful. “What bars and restaurants around here might she have gone to?”

“Gecko is good,” the blonde said. “Tiger Lounge has a great happy hour. Kura is a cool club. If you wanna dance, go to Drift.”

“I’ll check those out.”

“I hope you find your friend.”

“Thank you. Me too.” Before stepping away, I asked, “How long are you here for?”

“I’m never leaving,” Jen said. “Are you kidding me? This place is great.”

“Sounds like you’re having fun,” I said.

“We are. But this has me kind of worried. I keep hearing rumors.”

“What kind of rumors?”