Innkeeping with Murder (8 page)

Chapter 7

Alex paid the bill, leaving a more generous
tip than usual, and escorted Elise back to the truck.

The weather had changed during their time
inside the restaurant. A heavy fog was starting to roll in, giving
the air a moisture-laden density that he could almost taste. Though
no rain was falling, they were still damp from the mist before they
could reach the dry shelter of the truck interior.

In the darkness of the truck cab, Elise said,
“We’ve been avoiding the topic all evening, but I think it’s
something we need to discuss before we get back to the inn. Alex,
who do you think killed Reg Wellington?”

He kept his eyes on the billowing clouds of
fog that blanketed the road as he went over his theories. “I
suppose Junior is the prime suspect. He claims to have been asleep
out on the loop trail when his father was murdered, but I have my
doubts. I know from Reg, and by Junior’s own admission today, that
he stands to inherit just about everything his father had.”

Elise said, “What do the police think?”

“I’m not sure about Armstrong. He hasn’t even
bothered to question anyone yet as far as I know, but Doc Drake
seems to trust him, and I have to give him points for that. To be
honest with you, before today I never had much cause to think about
Calvin’s competency one way or another.”

He saw her nod solemnly in the dim light from
the dashboard. “So that’s why you’re trying to come up with the
answer on your own. Who else is on your suspect list?”

In his mind, Alex thought about who might
have killed Reg before answering. “Joel Grandy got into a big
argument with Reg last night over a chess game. I had to step in to
keep the two of them from slugging it out. Is it enough reason to
kill a man? Still, Junior and Joel seem to be the most obvious
suspects so far.”

After a moment of silence, Elise added, “But
you’ve got more people on your list, don’t you?”

How in the world could this woman read him so
well after only spending a few hours with him? “I admit those are
just my favorites so far. Coming in as long shots, we’ve got Sam
Finster’s mysterious client who’s trying to buy the lighthouse.
Maybe he thought a murder would shut the place down for good. It
could be Barb Matthews. She hates men in general, and it wouldn’t
surprise me one bit if she started her campaign to rid the world of
all of us.”

“She’s in room 6, isn’t she?”

Alex nodded glumly. “Since the day before
yesterday. I only had to shift her three times before she was happy
this time. Why do you ask?”

“I was cleaning her room this afternoon, and
I stubbed my toe on something under her bed. She must have two
dozen rocks hidden under there. I can’t imagine why she bothers
bringing those things to her room.”

Alex laughed. “That’s nothing. Last year, I
had a pair of retired hairdressers from Florida who collected pine
cones. The only problem was, they didn’t take them with them when
they left. At least I can use the rocks if she leaves them. But
collecting stones doesn’t surprise me as a hobby around here.
Haven’t you heard? We’re on the border of Rockhound Heaven. The
first gold rush in the United States started eighty-five miles from
here down near Charlotte. Rubies, sapphires and emeralds have all
been found as close as thirty miles from where the inn is
standing.”

Elise sat up straighter in her seat. “Do you
think there’s a chance any of those stones in her room are worth
anything?”

Alex shook his head. “Not if she picked them
up on her hikes around here. I don’t think there’s ever been
anything of value found near here, but the lure of close riches
keep the guests coming.” Alex smiled. “My dad used to salt the
place just before every tourist season when I was growing up.”

“Salt it? What does that mean?”

Alex explained, “He’d go up to a small town a
couple of hours from here called Little Switzerland and buy
worthless pretty stones to throw out on the grounds of Hatteras
West before the brunt of his guests arrived. Whenever a guest found
one of his planted stones, Dad would ooh and ahhh. Mom made him
stop it, though, because she thought it was dishonest. I still
stumble across one now and then myself. I don’t think Dad ever gave
it up entirely. It got to be kind of a joke between us.”

Elise nodded. “That explains the rocks and
the other odd things I’ve found, but it doesn’t help us with the
murders. It sounds like anybody staying at the inn could have
killed Reg.”

“It’s worse than that. A lot of the locals
like to climb the lighthouse steps for exercise. It wouldn’t be out
of the question if one of them happened upon Reg and killed him in
the lighthouse. I just wish I could come up with some kind of
motive. Maybe he saw something he shouldn’t have when he was up
there looking around. I keep wondering if Reg spotted a pair of
lovers from the observation deck, and somebody wanted to protect
the secret enough to kill.”

As they pulled into the parking lot, the
lights in the two separate buildings glowed like wayward pockets of
brightness through the thick fog, though the lighthouse itself was
shrouded in darkness. For a single moment, Alex was tempted to fire
up the Fresnel lens and show Elise how well the beacon worked, but
the last thing he needed was problems with the Elkton Falls Town
Council.

Alex was holding Elise’s door open for her
when a scream split the heavy veiled night air.

All Alex could think of was that this time he
wouldn’t be too late. The fact that he might be another victim
himself never entered his mind. For some reason unknown to him, a
killer was making Hatteras West his personal playground, and Alex
was going to stop him, or die trying.

Elise held on to his arm as he tried to pull
away. “What was that?”

“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.”
Alex freed himself from her grip and headed for the keeper’s house
at a dead run. It sounded like the scream had come from that
direction, but in the heavy fog, it was difficult to tell for sure.
He glanced back to see Elise close behind, and he paused to take
her hand as they hurried through the misty night. He couldn’t
afford to lose her in the fog.

When they got to the main part of the inn,
they found one of the guests, Elizabeth Halloway, shivering in the
cold night air. She was a woman who looked otherworldly in the
daytime because of her fine porcelain features, golden translucent
hair and her marked preference for stark white gossamer-thin
dresses. In the dark misty night, Alex almost mistook her for a
ghost.

“Was that your scream, Miss Halloway?”

The young woman nodded furiously, but
couldn’t say a word. Alex waited as she composed herself, taking
several gulps of air. Elizabeth Halloway had come to the inn last
week, but Alex had yet to share more than ten words with her. She’d
exceeded the length of her planned stay by two days, and Alex was
frankly grateful for the business.

He’d noticed that the slim, ethereal blonde
liked to take long walks in the woods surrounding the inn and that
she was a very private person. She’d even requested on her arrival
that no one enter her room during her stay. Marisa had been more
than happy to oblige.

When she could finally speak, Miss Halloway’s
voice was cracked and full of fear. “I saw a ghost.”

Alex tried to keep his tone light. “Surely in
this fog everything looks ghostly. It might have been someone going
for a late stroll, or even a billowing cloud of fog. Last year I
saw a unicorn myself.”

Instead of warming to Alex’s humor, Miss
Halloway turned on him with a fiery scorn in her eyes. “I said I
saw a ghost, and that’s exactly what I meant.”

Elise stepped closer to her, and Alex admired
her calm poise. “No one’s doubting your word for a moment. Where
did you see it?”

Miss Halloway pointed one long, slim finger
at the lighthouse. “It was going up the steps. I saw a light flash
by each window. Then, in a break in the fog, I saw a ghastly white
face peering out of one of the windows. I shall never forget those
haunted eyes.”

Elise said, “My goodness, you’re shivering.
Why don’t we go brew a pot of hot tea while Mr. Winston checks the
lighthouse.”

Miss Halloway nodded absently, her eyes still
on the lighthouse as she headed for the lobby of the annex. Elise
shot one backward glance at Alex as the two women walked off into
the fog. He wasn’t sure what Miss Halloway had really seen, but
after the murder earlier in the day it was something he would have
to investigate. The killer may have returned to the scene of the
crime, perhaps in search of an incriminating piece of evidence left
behind. Taking a heavy flashlight and a croquet mallet from the
storage shed near the lighthouse’s front steps, Alex hurried to the
tower.

Sure enough, the normally locked door banged
gently in the breeze. Had he locked the door after the ambulance
attendants had removed Reg’s body? For the life of him, Alex
couldn’t remember. For an instant, he considered calling Sheriff
Armstrong to investigate the mysterious light, but Alex knew there
wasn’t enough time.

Pausing at the outer door, Alex peered
through the gloom of the darkened interior of the lighthouse. As he
entered the lower landing, he saw that there was indeed a dim light
moving above him.

Someone was up there.

Alex shut off his own flashlight, hoping that
whoever was at the top of the lighthouse had failed to see it. He
quickly shoved the light into his back pocket and grasped the metal
handrail, still clutching the mallet with his free hand. Alex
silently inched his way up the steps, always keeping his eyes on
the shifting beam of light above him.

He stopped at the eighth landing, wondering
if he should continue up or go back for reinforcements, when the
light started down the top stairs toward him! Hugging the wall
beside the steps, Alex hoped that whoever was coming down would
miss him with their light.

The beam caught him squarely in the face.

“Who is that? Lower your light.” Alex’s voice
rang out with more confidence than he felt.

“What are you doing stumbling around in the
dark? I almost shot you.” He quickly recognized the voice as
Sheriff Armstrong’s.

Alex replied, “I could ask you what you’re
doing up here yourself.”

Armstrong turned his light toward the rounded
wall and away from their faces. The sheriff grinned. “I had a
thought to check the lens itself for evidence. If Wellington saw
someone heading toward him he didn’t trust, I figured he might have
stashed something in the lens housing. It’s the only hiding place
worth a hoot up there.”

Alex was impressed. He hadn’t thought to look
around for a dying clue. “Did you have any luck?”

Armstrong shrugged. “Just a couple more of
those rocks we found before.”

Alex explained, “Reg probably picked them up
on a walk across the grounds. They’re everywhere.”

Armstrong replied, “Maybe he was going to
drop them off the top of the lighthouse.”

“Reg had more sense than that.”

Armstrong grinned eerily in the light. “Son,
don’t ever underestimate a man’s capacity for foolishness.”

Alex shrugged. “If you’re done looking around
tonight, why don’t you come inside and get a cup of hot tea? Elise
is brewing up a fresh pot for one of our guests.” Alex chuckled
softly to himself.

“What’s so funny?”

“Miss Halloway is the reason I was checking
out the lighthouse. She said she saw a ghost climbing the
stairs.”

Armstrong smiled. “I thought I saw someone
through the fog. Should I sneak around back and tap on the window?
That’ll give her a good jolt.”

“I’m losing enough guests as it is. Let’s not
add to the stampede.”

The two men walked down the metal stairs,
talking mainly about the fog. When they got to the lobby, Alex
asked Armstrong to wait out on the porch while he explained to the
ladies what had happened. Instead of being relieved, Miss Halloway
looked more flustered than ever.

“A murder in the lighthouse? My God, why
didn’t you tell me? I’m not staying another night in this
place!”

Elise kept her voice calm and soothing.
“We’re all upset about it, but there’s no sense in panicking. We
don’t even know if the murderer is still around.”

Miss Halloway jumped from her chair, stormed
down the hall and disappeared into her room. Alex retrieved the
sheriff. “Looks like she’d rather see ghosts than hear about dead
bodies.”

Armstrong frowned. “I’m sorry I spooked your
guest, Alex. I just had to get back up there before anybody had a
chance to tamper with any possible evidence.”

Alex patted the man on the shoulder. “Don’t
worry about it. She’s right, you know. I should have already told
everyone staying here about Reg’s death. I’ll take care of that
first thing in the morning. I sure hope nothing else happens
tonight.”

Alex turned to Elise. “At the rate we’re
losing guests, we may have to shut down Hatteras West before this
is all over. You might be out of job before you even get
started.”

Elise moved over to the teapot and poured
cups for Alex, Armstrong and herself. She took a sip, then said,
“I’m not ready to give up just yet. I’ve got a stubborn streak a
mile wide.”

Alex was relieved to hear that Elise was
willing to stay.

The sheriff said, “Well, I’d better be moving
along. I think I’ll offer your guest a police escort out of here.
She shouldn’t be driving in this fog if she’s not used to the
roads. After the scare I gave her back there, it’s the least I can
do.”

Alex smiled. “Thanks, Sheriff. From the look
on her face, you shouldn’t have long to wait.”

True to Alex’s prediction, ninety seconds
later Elizabeth Halloway stomped down the hallway toward Alex and
Elise. Alex decided to take the offensive. “The sheriff is waiting
to make sure you get into town safely. Don’t worry about the rest
of your bill. We’ll consider your last two nights as compliments of
Hatteras West.”