Peter and Perry rushed back inside as a light rain began to fall. They headed back toward the lobby and behind the front desk. Perry's eyes darted back and forth, watching everyone, looking for signs of suspicious activity. An old door with a small plaque reading "Employees Only" opened to a small office with a few, old TVs showing blurry footage from a few security cameras around the hotel. One to the main entrance with the dried fountain, one in the main lobby, and another in the casino area. Nothing at the pool. Perry stood watch at the desk while Peter began watching recorded footage, looking for anything of use. As Perry was on guard, his thoughts raced about each person he could see. The grey-haired couple slowly wandered past and the old man gestured toward the slot machines with his blue cane. The disgruntled businessman that complained about cell service was scrolling through his phone by the window, looking up periodically at the rain against the glass. He took mental notes of two new people he had not seen before; an Asian woman with dark hair and tattoos down her left arm wearing black pants and a black tank top. She was sitting with her legs crossed, digging through a leopard-print handbag. The other was a maintenance worker in a dark green jumpsuit and a tan ball cap, the same as the young woman he nearly bumped into earlier that day. It was for the first time that Perry realized this was only the third employee he had seen, including Peter. The worker had grease stains and scuffs on his uniform and carried a tool bag. He was climbing a small step ladder to inspect a light above one of the blackjack tables.

The hotel was quiet as the rain got louder and the sky grew dark outside. The few patrons went about their business, paying no attention to each other. After a short while, Peter reappeared at Perry's side with a distraught look on his face. "Nothing that I can see." He sighed deep and looked to Perry for some sort of direction.

"So strange." Perry scratched the stubble on his chin again. "Not many customers today?"

"No, sir. Been slow for a while." Peter kept his voice low. "There were a few people that left here and there, but nothing suspicious around the time you saw the murder."

A low rumble came from above and the rains picked up a little more. Thunder was approaching. Just then, headlights caught Perry's eye and he turned to look out the glass doors. A car was coming up the drive. As it came to a stop, the doors opened and two police officers hurried up the steps and into the lobby. The rain was coming down in sheets at this point. Both officers removed their hats, shook off the rain, and made eye contact with Peter. Dressed in dark blue uniforms and long raincoats, the two officers introduced themselves, careful to also keep their voices low.

"Hello, gentlemen. Are you Peter?" The first officer nodded and reached out his hand. "I'm Officer Wellburn and this is my partner, Officer June."

Peter shook their hands and did his best to greet them warmly. "Thank you so much for coming."

Officer Wellburn was a tall, black man with a dark mustache and short hair. His voice was deep and intimidating, and he easily towered above six feet. As he motioned to his partner, Perry couldn't help but note the stark differences. Officer June was a white female, barely above five feet, and did not appear to keep a regular exercise routine. Her eyes immediately began darting around the room and she was distracted enough that she failed to see Peter's hand try and shake hers. He awkwardly pulled his hand back and looked at Perry. Perry didn't like that he'd already become the de facto lead in this duet. He was annoyed that Peter seemed so shaken that he was nearly unable to communicate properly. Every time Peter looked at Perry, it was as if he was waiting for him to make decisions for the both of them.

Officer June turned back to face them and spoke, "You've gotta be that other one. Mr. Stone, right?"

"Yeah, that's me. You can call me Perry."

"Got it. And you can call me June." Her approach was far more cavalier than Wellburn and her quick, sharp movements made it appear she was new to the force. She was clearly nervous. Perry noticed her do a few things almost exactly after her boss, mimicking his actions, following his lead.

Officer Wellburn took a small step closer. "Mind showing us what you've found?"

Perry looked to Peter, waiting for him to initiate and lead the way but he made no attempt. Annoyed, again, Perry rolled his eyes and started down the hall toward the pool. "This way."

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Once out of earshot of the others, Office Wellburn spoke up, walking next to Perry. "How long have you been staying at the hotel, Mr. Stone?"

"I just got here today. I'm a columnist and photographer doing a piece about this place. I saw it all happen from my window."

"You saw the murder?" Wellburn reached in his pocket for a small notepad and pencil.

"Well, not exactly." Perry stopped at the door before stepping out into the pool area. I was cleaning my lenses when I saw him in the pool, but there are plenty of branches and leaves that blocked my view. I could tell something was wrong and some sort of struggle, but couldn't see the killer at all."

Wellnburn's lips pressed together. "Hm. Interesting." His eyes scanned Perry, looking for any possible signs of dishonesty. Without looking away, Wellburn motioned with his head out the door. "Let's take a look."

Perry felt the hair on his neck stand and a small chill traveled his spine. Officer Wellburn looked like he could crush a small human with his bare hands and he made Perry feel uncomfortable. He swallowed nervously as he opened the door. "Um, sure thing."

The four of them made their way out into the rain and looked at the dead body floating in the pool. The blood dispersed enough that nearly all of the water was now a dark pink. The weather was louder with the rustling of the leaves, slight wind, and raindrops against the cement and splashing in the crime scene.

Wellburn had to shout to be heard over the weather. "Anyone touch anything?"

"No. We called 9-1-1 right away." Perry watched as Wellburn go down on his hands and knees to get a closer look. The dead man was floating only a foot or two away from the edge of the pool.

"Hey, June! Run and grab a tarp, will you?" Wellburn began to put on some latex gloves.

"You got it, boss." Officer June pointed toward a tall metal gate at the far end of the pool area and looked at Peter. "Can I get out that way?"

"With a key, yes." Peter dug in his pockets, found his keys, and walked with her to the gate.

Officer Wellburn held out a second pair of gloves in the direction of Perry. "You're gonna have to give me a hand."

Perry stepped back slightly, surprised at the officer's instruction. "A hand? I don't think th-"

Wellburn quickly interrupted him. "Listen." He looked back over his shoulder to make sure Officer June was out of the gate and into the parking lot. "She is brand new on the job, been with me only a few days. If I go making her pull a corpse out of the water and put her face-to-face with a dead man this early, she'd not gonna last a week." Wellburn nodded to the gloves in his outstretched hand and made eye contact with Perry. "Call it intuition, call it whatever you want. But I'm pretty sure you didn't kill this poor son of a bitch."

Perry was taken aback. "You're right, I didn't. But I-"

Wellburn's patience was thinning. "Man, this weather is getting worse. Put on the damn gloves and let's get this thing going!"

Perry's head rolled as he let out a frustrated grunt. "Goddamnit."

Perry pulled the gloves on and kneeled next to Wellburn. The officer reached out and grabbed the waist of the swim trunks, pulling it closer to the edge. "We'll lift him out, lay him face down, and then roll him over onto the tarp. That way we can pick him up and carry him inside so we can get out of the rain. We'll each grab a corner. Make sense?"

Perry nodded. "You get the wrists, I guess."

Wellburn did so while Perry grabbed the dead man's ankles and gave them a count. "On three now. One, two, three!"

They pulled hard and heaved the dead weight onto the concrete next to the deep end. It was heavy and made a loud gurgle as the water drained from his open mouth and nose. Perry flinched at the nose and let the ankle drop. The dead man's feet slapped the wet ground with a loud smack and bloody water splashed against his pants.

"Easy now." Wellburn looked back over his shoulder as both Peter and Officer June returned with a large, heavy-duty, plastic tarp. They quickly laid it out next to the body and stepped back. "Alright now listen," he continued, speaking to the others "We gotta get out of the rain. Do you have a room where we can have some privacy and take a closer look at things?"

Peter furrowed his brow as he thought. "There is a large, maintenance room just inside the doors. It doubles as a boiler room and has the hot water heaters, things like that."

Officer Wellburn nodded. "That will work." He motioned back to the body laying face down next to the water. "We gotta flip him over onto his back, each person grabs a corner, and we'll hustle him inside. This weather is only getting worse." Each person nodded in agreeance and Wellburn gave another quick count to three. Perry helped roll the body as it made a small splash in the already pooling rainwater. Officer June let out a small, disgusted sound. The body had a large, prominent head wound that split open above his left eye and was accompanied by a broken nose. "Well, looks like we got a cause of death." Wellburn gave directions again. "Grab your corner and let's go." He counted to three one last time and they all lifted. Except Peter. The dead man's leg drooped off the side and still touched the wet ground.

"Hey now!" Officer June shouted at Peter who stood still, rain running down his face, eyes wider than they'd ever been before.

Surprised at Peter's shock, Perry looked to Officer Wellburn and then back to Peter. "Come on, Pete. We gotta get inside!"

Lightning flashed and a loud crack of thunder boomed overhead. The strike was nearby and so loud that they each dropped their corners and covered their ears. The corpse splashed in a puddle with a thud and they each looked at each other, wincing. Except Peter. Still shocked and his face now pale, he finally spoke. "I know him."