Reservations for Murder (15 page)

Alex nodded. “Thanks. I just have to use the
phone inside; then I’ll take off.”

“I’ll be right here,” the deputy said, still
staring at the mess on the floor.

Alex needed to telephone the inn. He felt a
little uneasy using the dead man’s phone, as if he were intruding.
It was the oddest feeling.

It took seven rings before Mor finally picked
up.

Alex said, “I almost gave up on you.”

“This isn’t a great time, Alex. Emma and I
are in the middle of something.”

Alex didn’t want to know any of the details.
He had enough on his plate as it was.

“Did that travel agent phone?” he asked
quickly.

“No, you’re the first call I’ve had. Listen,
take your time getting back. It looks like we’re going to be a
while.”

Alex hung up, forgetting for a moment that
he’d called Mor with the intent of getting a ride back to his
truck.

That was out of the question now. His stomach
growled, and Alex realized he’d skipped lunch again. It wasn’t that
he wasn’t hungry, but he’d grown accustomed to eating with Elise at
the inn, and without her to remind him, Alex had a tendency to work
right through the noonday meal.

Buck’s Grill was close enough to walk to, and
after grabbing a bite to eat, Alex was fairly certain he’d be able
to find someone to give him a lift back to his truck. It was the
other side of the coin to small town life. Everybody always seemed
to know everybody else’s business, but they were also willing to
help out at the drop of a hat when they were needed.

It was one of the many pluses that made the
few minuses worthwhile.

The crowd at Buck’s had thinned considerably,
and Alex didn’t have any trouble grabbing a seat at the counter.
Elise always liked to sit in a booth when they ate at the diner,
but Alex liked to be near the griddle, where the action was. In all
honesty, he kind of missed the playful debate with her about where
to sit.

Buck’s daughter Sally Anne was wiping the
counter as Alex sat down. Instead of the typical teasing he
normally got from her, Sally Anne gave him a sympathetic smile as
she put a large glass of iced tea in front of him and quickly
filled a small pitcher with more of the same.

“Would you like your usual?” she asked
softly.

Alex nodded. “How about some extra fries with
that today? I’m really hungry.”

She nodded, scribbled his order on her pad,
then called out to her father in back, “Dad, order up.”

She took her rag and cleaned the spot just
beside him, one that was already gleaming. “Alex, I’m so sorry. You
must be crushed.”

He finished a sip of the wonderful sweet tea
and said, “I hate to see anyone murdered, but if it had to happen,
I’d rather it wasn’t at Hatteras West.”

“I’m not talking about the murder, Alex;
that’s old news. It’s got to be hard, what with Elise packing up
and leaving you in the middle of all this mess.”

“Sally Anne, she’s visiting family. There was
a medical emergency.”

The young waitress nodded knowingly. “I
understand, Alex. Listen, you’ve always been a good friend to me.
If you need to talk or anything, give me a call, okay?”

Though her sentiment was misplaced, Sally
Anne did have a good heart. Besides, he was tired of denying the
rumors.

“Thanks, Sally Anne, I’ll keep that in
mind.”

She patted his hand and smiled softly. “You
do that, Alex. I’m here for you if you need me.”

The bell in the kitchen rang, and in a moment
Alex found his club sandwich in front of him. Buck had really laid
on the fries, and Alex dove in.

Buck came out as Alex took the second bite of
his sandwich.

“How goes it, Alex?” he asked in a gruff
voice that matched his muscular frame.

Buck was a former Golden Gloves boxing
champion, with the meaty build and broken nose to prove it. When he
spoke, it was always more of a growl than mere words.

“I’m fine, Buck. I saw you out running the
other day. You can really move.”

“For a guy my age and my size, you mean? I’m
in training,” he said with a grin.

“You’re going to fight again?” Alex asked
incredulously.

Buck said, “No, I’ve got something more
important than that coming up.” He looked at his daughter, then
asked, “Can I at least tell him? Alex knows how to keep his mouth
shut.”

“Dad, we’re not telling anybody yet. You know
that.”

Whatever they were discussing, Alex certainly
was intrigued. Buck looked around the diner. “Nobody can hear us.
Go on, tell him.”

“I’m getting married,” she said softly.

“Congratulations,” Alex said. “Eric’s a lucky
man.”

Sally Anne said, “Alex, I’m sorry about the
timing and all. I was going to tell you later.”

Buck put a meaty paw on Alex’s shoulder.
“He’s a strong man. Sally Anne, there’s no need to tiptoe around
him. Go on, ask him now.”

Sally Anne said, “We were wondering if we
could get married at the inn. Alex, it’s such a beautiful place,
and you know how much I’ve always loved the lighthouse. You don’t
have to decide now; the wedding’s not for another six months. I
just wanted to ask,” she tapered her words down to a near whisper
at the end.

“I don’t need to think about it. I’d be
delighted to have your wedding at Hatteras West.”

Buck lightly slapped his daughter with the
towel that was always parked over his shoulder. “See? I told you
there was nothing to worry about. I’ve got to get back to the
kitchen.” He patted Alex’s arm again. “Thanks. This means a lot to
us.”

“Happy to do it,” Alex said as he turned back
to his sandwich. The Hatteras West Inn was a perfect place for a
wedding, and several townspeople had held their nuptials there. His
own mother and father had even married on the grounds, though
they’d exchanged their vows from the very top of the lighthouse,
something that hadn’t been repeated since. It had severely limited
the number of invited guests, and Alex’s mother had always said
that had been his father’s main reason for making the request. Alex
knew the truth, though. The lighthouse had been as much a part of
his dad as it was of him. The Winston men were part of a long line
of hopeless romantics, from the lighthouse’s builder all the way
down to Alex.

Yes, another wedding would be perfect for
Hatteras

West. Alex would never have admitted it to
anyone else, but he was already looking forward to it.

He was just finishing his meal when Sandra
walked in, a harried look on her face.

Sandra smiled quickly the moment she saw
Alex. “Hey there, stranger. How are things at the inn?”

“With the fair over, I’m expecting things to
finally slow down.”

She put her briefcase down on the counter,
then slipped onto the stool beside him. Whatever her faults, Sandra
almost always found a way to make him smile. “Please tell me you’re
at least having a piece of pie for dessert. I hate to eat
alone.”

“Sandra, I left Mor in charge of the inn
three hours ago. I really should be getting back.”

“Come on, Alex,” she said, touching his arm
lightly. “Your guests are all gone, and you’ve got to be done with
your cleaning for the day. I know you too well. Keep me company. I
hate to eat alone.”

Sally Anne was watching the exchange with
interest, standing just close enough not to miss a word.

Alex nodded as he finished another fry.
“Okay, on one condition. I need a ride to the hospital after we’re
done here.”

“Oh, Alex, what’s wrong?”

“I’m fine,” he said, “but I left my truck in
the parking lot.”

Clearly she wanted to know why he’d done
that, but remarkably, Sandra didn’t ask. “It’s a deal.”

Sally Anne stepped forward, and Sandra said,
“I’ll have my regular salad and an iced tea. And bring Alex a piece
of apple pie.”

Sally Anne took the order without a word, and
Alex wondered if she approved entirely of his sharing counter space
with his ex-girlfriend.

Sandra took a long drink of tea, then asked,
“So tell me, Alex, how’s your impromptu investigation doing? Have
you uncovered the killer yet?”

Alex said, “What makes you think I’m trying
to do anything about the murder?”

She laughed brightly. “Oh, come on, Alex,
don’t forget who you’re talking to. I know how much you love a good
mystery.”

“Right now I’m just trying to keep my head
above water. I don’t have much time for sleuthing.”

Sally Anne quietly slipped their food in
front of them, and Sandra took a few bites of her salad before
replying. “Well, I don’t think Bill Yadkin did it, for what it’s
worth, though Armstrong appears to be favoring him. That boy’s
temper is going to get him into some serious trouble if he’s not
careful. He fired me, you know.”

“Why in the world did he do that?” Alex
asked.

“I have no idea, but he’d better hire someone
else fast; Armstrong’s baying at the door.”

Alex had to admit he enjoyed sharing the time
with Sandra. The new friendship building between them was nice,
devoid of the tension they’d shared while dating.

But she wasn’t Elise.

Sandra didn’t reach for Alex’s check as she
grabbed hers, something she’d always done when they’d dated. It had
underscored how much more she made as a successful lawyer than he
did as an innkeeper, and it had bothered him more than he cared to
admit.

“Come on, pay your check and let’s go. I’ve
got the top down on my convertible,” Sandra said as she headed for
the door.

“Are you sure you have to go straight back to
the hospital? It’s a beautiful afternoon for a drive.”

“Sorry, Sandra, but I need to get back.”
Instead of arguing, she pulled into the hospital parking lot and
headed straight for Alex’s truck. The gray Ford was hard to
miss.

She stopped in front of his spot, and Alex
hopped out. “Thanks for the ride, Sandra.”

She smiled broadly at him. “You’re very
welcome. Thanks for keeping me company. Call me, Alex. Any time. No
strings, no ulterior motives.”

As she sped away, Alex suddenly felt someone
else’s presence nearby.

He normally wasn’t all that jumpy, but as
Alex got his car keys out, he felt a tap on his shoulder and
promptly dropped his keys on the ground.

When he turned around, the last person on
earth he wanted to see was standing right behind him.

Chapter 18

Craig Monroe leaned over and scooped up
Alex’s keys before he could grab them himself. Instead of giving
them back, Craig enveloped them in his meaty fist. The potter’s
strong hands reminded Alex that he’d easily have the strength to
dispatch Jefferson Lee.

“There you are. I was beginning to wonder if
you were ever coming back.”

Alex’s eyes scanned the parking lot for some
kind of witness, but it was remarkably deserted for that time of
day.

“How’s Marilynn doing?”

“Still no change,” Craig grunted. “Alex, I
need to talk to you.”

“I’m listening,” Alex said warily.

Craig shook his head. “Not here, it’s a
little too public.”

What was he talking about? The parking lot
was practically abandoned.

“Craig, I’ve got an inn to run. I’m late as
it is, and Mor’s relieving me at the desk. Can I have my keys? I
need to go.”

Craig looked surprised that he still had
Alex’s keys locked in his fist. He gave them to Alex as he said,
“Can I come out to Hatteras West later? It’s important.”

“Okay,” Alex said. Anything to get out of the
parking lot. “See you later.”

At least he’d have a chance to prepare for
the encounter, and Hatteras West was his own turf. Alex suddenly
had a flash of inspiration. He’d get Mor to hang around and back
him up, just in case.

When Alex walked back into the inn, Mor was
alone at the desk, looking glum.

“You look like you just lost your best
friend,” Alex said.

Instead of the playful retort he expected,
Mor muttered, “I don’t want to talk about it.” He stood and grabbed
his jacket. “If you don’t need me here anymore, I’m getting
hungry.”

Alex said, “To be honest with you, I was kind
of hoping you’d be able to hang around. I’m sure I can find
something for you in the refrigerator.”

“Sorry, but I’ve got to hit the road.”

Alex said, “Any chance of you coming back
later?” He suddenly felt awkward, asking Mor to hang around to
protect him.

“No, I need some time to think, Alex. I’ll
catch you later.”

It was just as well that Mor couldn’t stay.
Alex suddenly felt foolish worrying about the potter. He had no
real reason to suspect the man was a murderer.

While he was waiting, Alex wanted to talk to
Dave

Jeffries and see if they’d found any clues in
the mass of spilled papers at the blacksmith’s shop. Alex spoke to
the dispatcher at the police station and asked, “Is Officer
Jeffries around anywhere?”

The dispatcher said, “I’m sorry, he’s on
special assignment for the sheriff.”

Alex sighed, then said, “Listen, when he gets
back in, have him call Alex Winston at Hatteras West, would
you?”

“I’ll leave him a note, but I can’t make any
promises. He’s probably going to be tied up all night.”

Alex hung up the telephone, wondering what
else he could do to help solve Jefferson Lee’s murder. One thing
was certain; there were questions he needed to ask Craig Monroe,
and given the man’s excitability, even if he hadn’t killed the
blacksmith, he could still be a dangerous man to back into a
corner.

Alex didn’t have a gun at the inn; he’d never
seen any need for one. He did have several classic blunt
instruments, though, and he placed the fireplace poker within reach
of his favorite chair. Alex decided to light a fire and settle in
for the wait.

He was still staring at the burning logs in
the hearth when he heard the front door open. Craig Monroe came in,
looking carefully around as he did.