Dead and Breakfast (23 page)

Timothy’s eyebrows shot up. “Mr. Fletcher, are you a believer?”

The man tapped his stubbly chin. “I think you all better come to my room. Just don’t tell your mother.” Autumn nodded quietly and put a finger to her lips.

Mr. Fletcher hurried upstairs and Autumn, Liam, and Timothy followed.

Mr. Fletcher put his hand on the doorknob and turned it slowly. When he opened the door, Autumn stifled a gasp. His stuff had been thrown all over the place. The dresser drawers were open, clothes scattered like a bomb had gone off. The papers on his desk were tossed about the room as if a gale force wind had swirled them around in a funnel cloud. Even the sheets and bedspread had been thrown off.

“Should we call the police?” Liam asked.

Timothy’s brow shot up. “And say what? That we suspect a ghost vandalized a guest’s room?”

“Good point,” said Liam.

“Your mother has been under a lot of stress,” Mr. Fletcher said. “I really don’t want her to know about this. But I felt I had to tell someone.”

Liam looked thoughtful for a moment. “Between the frigid water and the vandalism, seems Inez really has it out for you too.” He smiled weakly. “Guess I’m not alone. But why you?”

Autumn scooped up the papers that had fallen to the floor. Immediately, Autumn noticed photocopies of Canton Corp’s holdings, newspaper clippings about Mick Canton, and maps of his properties. She rose slowly. “You’re researching Mick Canton?”

Mr. Fletcher puffed out his cheeks like he was holding his breath. “My editor in Tampa wants me to write a profile on him.”

Liam bent down and picked up notes. He read the man’s chicken scratch and furrowed his brow before handing Mr. Fletcher the papers.

“It’s not a coincidence you’re a guest here, is it Mr. Fletcher?” Autumn asked.

“To be fair, my editor suggested I stay here. But he must’ve known the connections your uncle had to Mick Canton.”

Liam checked the time on his phone. “I have to go.”

“Now?” asked Autumn.

Liam nodded. “I need to meet Randall.”

Autumn slumped her shoulders. “Okay. I’ll call you.”

Liam’s eyes hardened for a second before he kissed Autumn on the cheek. “We’ll talk.” He sidled past Mr. Fletcher and left the room.

Timothy glanced around. “I’d stay and help you tidy up, but my mama needs me in the kitchen. Let’s just hope Inez was messing with you for fun.” Timothy followed Liam outside.

Mr. Fletcher waited a beat and swallowed. “What do you think your ghost is trying to tell me?”

“You never saw her?” Autumn pointed to her cheek. “A brunette with a mole below her eye?”

He shook his head.

Autumn explained all that she had uncovered about Inez. “She likes to play games, and she doesn’t seem to want anyone’s help. So the question is, what was she doing?”

Their eyes moved to the antique rug. A headshot of Mick Canton stared back at them.

“Huh,” Mr. Fletcher said.

“Huh is right,” said Autumn.

#

Liam pounded on Randall’s door. “Open up, dude. I know you’re in there.”

Liam waited a beat and then knocked again. Silence. He knew Randall was home. Whenever Randall had a setback, be it something small like when he and Liam lost the division playoffs in Little League, or big like when Randall’s dad died back in junior high, Randall would hole himself up in his grandpa’s trailer and play video games until his eyes blurred.

Liam peered into the grimy window. Sure enough, Randall, still in his boxer shorts, was chugging a beer and pressing furiously on the game controller.

“Just come in, dude,” Randall called from the couch. “The door’s not locked.”

Liam stepped inside the trailer. The place smelled like an ashtray because Randall’s grandfather smoked two packs a day. That was one of the reasons he and Randall were such good friends. They were the only boys in their kindergarten class whose grandfathers dropped them off at the classroom door. Randall’s dad had been a good man, but he’d worked a lot of overtime at an auto body shop on Islamorada, leaving Randall in his grandfather’s care. Pops always said Fred Bell was a worse drunk than him, and that said a lot.

Without taking his eyes off the screen, Randall swiped some empty candy wrappers from the couch. “Sit, dude.”

“Okay.” Liam wiped crumbs off the worn, beige cushions and sat down. “You going to tell me what’s going on?”

Randall took a swig of beer. “Nothing to really say. Granddad up and sold my inheritance to Canton Corp without telling me.”

Liam felt the air get sucked out of the room. “Dude, why?”

Randall shrugged before his thumbs tapped feverishly on the controller. “He sold the land that he promised me, and then he took off to Sarasota with the money to live with his girlfriend. I get to keep the trailer, so there’s that.”

Liam fell back into the cushions. “Jesus.”

“Yeah. The old jerk said that property was my inheritance. His exact words were, ‘I’ve never given you anything good, but at least I can give you that.’ And then he freakin’ sold it.” Randall laughed, but it was a hollow, sorrowful sound. “You know what I don’t get is, why now? Why wait until I was putting together this business with you and Keith to finally give in to Canton? All these years, he had said no, but why now? Did he not want me to have something?” Randall wiped his nose with the back of his hand.

“Wait, Canton had approached him to sell the property before?”

Randall nodded. “Yeah, but he always low-balled him. Said the property wasn’t worth much because of its location. So, why now?” Randall stared at Liam as if the answer were written on his face.

“I, I don’t know.”

“Canton always seems to have it out for you,” Randall said, his voice flat. “You don’t think he doubled his offer on the property to get back at you, do you?”

Liam’s head swam. Could Mick Canton hate him that much? “We’re nobodies. Why would he waste his time with us?”

“Not us, dude.
You
. And I don’t know why. All I know is we don’t have a space for our business.”

“I’ll think of something,” Liam said. “I’ll come up with a plan.”

Randall scoffed and sipped from the can. “Yeah. Let me know when that happens.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means, ever since you hooked up with Autumn, you haven’t been focused on what’s important.”

“That’s unfair, dude. And who’s been feeding you those lines? Every time you’ve texted me, I’ve shown up. You’re the one making decisions without me.”

“Whatever, man. I’m gonna rely on me this time. I’ll find us a new spot. Don’t you worry.”

Liam rose from the couch and checked the time on his phone. He was supposed to meet Pops for lunch.

“Gotta date?” asked Randall.

Liam didn’t respond. “You sure you want to live alone? You can crash with me and Pops.”

Randall waved this idea away. “Nah. I’m sick of living with old men.” Randall went back to his video game, leaving Liam to show himself out.

While most of the guests slept off their hangovers on Thursday, Autumn went upstairs to work on her college essays. The guidance counselor at school wanted to approve them before Autumn completed her applications. Besides Candlewick, Autumn had only a handful of other schools she was applying to—schools she had never visited and schools that probably wouldn’t meet her mother’s approval. Autumn was losing her drive.

She flopped on her bed and opened her laptop. Procrastinating, she checked her email. There was a message from her dad wanting to know if she’d like to visit for Thanksgiving. She had been in Key West more than six months, and this was the first time he had invited her to stay with him. He even suggested touring Candlewick during her visit.

Autumn knew she should feel elated, but inside, she was conflicted. Did she even want to go to Candlewick anymore? Did she want to move back? And how could one boy make her question everything she had considered? In truth, Liam was becoming increasingly important to her. She wanted to see him all the time now. But what if she stayed in Florida? Would she still be her mother’s lackey, a chambermaid in this place? What if Liam got sick of her, and she missed out on her opportunity to go back north?

“Ugh,” she cried before slamming her laptop closed. “Hey Katie? Are you around?” Autumn waited a beat for her ghostly friend to show up. “I have boy trouble.” Still, nothing. Where was that ghost?

Just then, there was a knock on her door. Evelyn opened it up and popped her head in. Autumn opened her mouth to speak, but her mother cut her off. “Don’t worry. I’m not here to ask you to do anything. I want to talk about your birthday.”

Well, that was surprising. “My birthday?”

Evelyn entered the bedroom and sat on the edge of Autumn’s bed. She heaved a great sigh. “I know I’ve been preoccupied with the business, but you’re turning eighteen in two days. Don’t think I forgot.”

Autumn fiddled with a loose thread in the bedspread. “I know you haven’t forgotten.”

Her mother smiled. “I thought maybe we could bring in take-out and watch some of your favorite movies. Or watch the first season of
Veronica Mars
. And we can eat junk food.” She playfully bumped her shoulder. “Cora said she’d bake a cake.”

“Oh, she doesn’t have to do that,” Autumn said. “Liam wants to take me out.”

Evelyn’s face soured. “Oh. What are you guys planning on doing?”

Autumn squirmed. In the past, Autumn’s birthday was a celebration, not just of another year, but of the season. Like she had told Liam, her mom would bake an apple pie. There’d be cozy sweaters and a fire blazing. When she was a kid, her mom would take her trick-or-treating for hours. But now, Cora was going to bake her a cake?

It was different here. Liam suggested getting dressed up and checking out some Fantasy Fest events. But Autumn left that part out. She just shrugged. “You know, dinner. Maybe we’ll go to Mallory Square.”

Her mother got to her feet. “During Fantasy Fest? Do you really think that’s appropriate?”

Autumn rolled her eyes. “Mom, seriously.”

“There’s a lot of public nudity. It could give the boy the wrong idea.”

“Liam’s not like that. He also grew up here. I doubt he’s as shocked by what he sees as you are.”

“Maybe that’s the problem,” Evelyn said. “If it isn’t shocking, then what’s to stop him from thinking it’s okay to take advantage of you?”

“Mom!”

Evelyn waved her arm in the air, as if that could erase her words. “Fine, go, if that’s what you’d prefer.”

Autumn recognized this tactic. Guilt. Truthfully, she did prefer Liam’s company on her birthday to her mother’s. Since the divorce, her relationship with her mom had deteriorated, and she wasn’t sure it would ever go back to the way it was. Didn’t Liam say what she wanted was impossible now?

“But if I catch you drinking, I’ll put you on the next flight to Jersey.”

“Oh, is that all it takes?” Autumn muttered under her breath. When she caught her mother’s glare, she softened her voice. “How about we have an early dinner together and I go out with Liam after?”

Evelyn went to the door. “Sure. We could do that.” She put her hand on the doorknob, but stopped. “Be careful with this boy.”

Autumn’s cheeks heated. Was her mom going to give her a talk about sex and responsibility? “Don’t give up the things you want for him. That’s all I’m going to say.” Evelyn nodded as if she’d made her point and then left the room, making sure to close the door behind her.

Autumn plopped back against the pillow.
Don’t give up the things you want for a boy.
Well, that’s rich.
Autumn’s mother had made her give up her life in New Jersey for what Evelyn wanted in Key West.

It became clear to Autumn that she no longer knew what she wanted. And it also became clear that what she wanted might have changed in spite of Liam or because of him. She couldn’t be sure anymore.

#

On Halloween night, Liam stooped down and checked his reflection in the side mirror of a Smart Car parked alongside the curb near the Cayo. He tousled his hair. He didn’t want to appear like he was trying too hard, even though he had been trying too hard. It took him an hour to get ready that evening. Pops had knocked on the bathroom door twice and asked Liam if he had fallen in.

Liam straightened his back and adjusted the tie on Pops’s old Navy uniform. Victoria once told him that blue brought out the color in his eyes. He hoped Autumn would think the same thing.

Liam clutched a bouquet of supermarket flowers to his chest, careful not to stain the white fabric, and opened the door to the lobby.

Timothy sat at the desk. He raised his brows the minute he saw Liam. “Well, don’t you look dapper.”

Liam smiled. “You’re holding back. I can tell.”

“Oh, lover boy. If I wanted to make fun of you I wouldn’t do so when you’re here to take Autumn out for her birthday.” Then he lowered his voice. “But I will warn you, Miss Evelyn is in a mood. You better watch out.”

Liam frowned. “Is she here now?”

Nodding, Timothy whispered, “She’s in her office. Sulking. She wanted to celebrate her daughter’s birthday. But Autumn, like all teenage girls, would much rather be taken out by a handsome young gentleman.”

Just then, Autumn descended the stairs. Liam pressed the bouquet of flowers to his chest, his sweaty hands coating the plastic sleeve. Liam’s stomach did that thing where it churned a bit like the drum of a washing machine. Autumn looked beautiful. And hot, even though she was wearing the same dark blue sailor uniform as Liam. The uniform, even though cut for a man, managed to hug Autumn’s curves.

“Wow,” said Liam.

“Thanks,” said Autumn. “I found it in the attic. It was Uncle Duncan’s.”

Liam licked his lips and handed Autumn the bouquet. Her face lit up.

Timothy reached over for the flowers. “I’ll put these in water and leave them in your room.”

Evelyn emerged from her office and narrowed her eyes at Liam. “What do you have planned for this evening? Although, I’m afraid to ask.”

“Mom!” Autumn exclaimed.

Liam cleared his throat. “First, we’re going to check out the costume promenade on Duval. And then my buddy’s cousin is taking us on an evening cruise.”