Innkeeping with Murder - Tim Myers [35]
Finster’s smile became predatory. “You think guests will flock to the Murder Inn next season? Come on, Alex, wise up and sell the white elephant while you can still get a good penny for it.”
Alex had given that very option a great deal of consideration lately, but the Winstons had a stubborn streak, and Alex had inherited more than his share in the bargain. The nagging thought that a sale would no doubt give Finster a whopping commission steeled his resolve not to give the lighthouse up.
Getting up from the booth, he said, “Tell your buyer no sale.” Alex nodded softly to Sally Anne, who was standing just inside the kitchen. According to his plan, the door was propped open, but Sally blocked the view. When she began speaking, it was loud enough for the two men to hear.
“I’m telling you, Dad, he tries to grope me all the time. I’m not waiting on him anymore. If you want his money, you serve him. I’m tired of him pinching my butt.”
There was a pause, and Alex looked over at Finster. The man’s face was completely white. Everyone in town knew that it took a lot to anger Buck, but one sure sign you had managed it was when he lowered his voice to a deadly whisper. The fact that Sally’s pleas were going without response wasn’t lost on Finster.
They heard Sally Anne’s voice again, this time with a heartfelt plea in it. “Please don’t get so angry, Daddy. If he so much as looks at me again, I’ll tell you, I promise. Give Mr. Finster one more chance. You’d have an awful time explaining it to the jury, what with your temper and all.”
Finster didn’t wait around for a response. He mumbled something to Alex, then threw a twenty-dollar bill down on the counter as he raced for the door. As the weasel scurried down the sidewalk, Alex burst into a laughing fit.
Sally Anne joined him at the window as Finster sped away in his Cherokee.
She threw her arms around Alex. “I swear, I could kiss you for getting that leach off my tail.” Sally Anne did just that, sliding into Alex’s arms and planting a happy kiss on his cheek.
The sight of Finster’s twenty on the counter brought the laughter back into her voice. “Looks like the movies are on me tonight. I hope Eric can skip curfew. You know Coach, he doesn’t like his boys hanging out with the girls.”
Alex grinned. “If Eric has any spunk at all, he won’t let Coach’s rules stop him. I know I wouldn’t.”
“How sweet of you. Tell you what, any time you get the craving for doughnuts, come on by. Your money’s no good here as long as I’m waitressing.”
Alex offered his thanks, then added, “If Finster ever does try to grab you again, you really should tell your father.”
Sally Anne laughed. “You saw him run. I think he got the message.”
When Alex got back to the inn, he was surprised to see Elise standing on the front porch of the annex. It was almost as if she were waiting for him.
He just hoped she didn’t have any more bad news. He wasn’t all that sure he could take it.
Chapter 11
As he got closer, it appeared that Alex had worried for nothing. Elise looked happy to see him, until he made it to the front porch.
She frowned a moment, then said, “I see Sandra made it safely back to town.”
“Not that I know of. Why do you say that?”
Elise gingerly pulled an ironed white linen handkerchief out of the front pocket of her blue jeans and dabbed the edge of it with her tongue. Alex felt sheepish as she rubbed at his cheek vigorously, displaying the unmistakable hint of lipstick now on the cloth.
Elise said, “It looks like some woman was trying to mark her territory with glossy red lipstick.”
He stammered. “There’s really a very simple explanation how that lipstick got on my cheek.”
Elise suddenly turned away. “It’s none of my business. Save your breath, Alex.”
Alex was still trying to explain what had happened when Sheriff Armstrong’s patrol car pulled up in front of the inn. There was another man in uniform with the sheriff, and from the look of his outfit, he worked for the state police. Alex thought