Innkeeping with Murder - Tim Myers [48]
Mor managed to look the slightest bit sheepish, while being defensive at the same time. “I came over to ask Elise out again. I wasted a trip, didn’t I? That must have been her fiance in the Porsche. Man, I know I can’t compete with that.” The handyman glanced at his watch and said, “I’d better get back to the shop before Les has to actually do a little work himself.”
As Mor joined some of the other firefighters in a truck that was pulling out, Alex glanced back at the remaining building. He saw a flurry of curtains on the top floor of what was left of his inn. Those rooms were open and unoccupied, and Alex wondered who could be watching him.
He was just heading for the door to investigate when
Chief Weston approached him. Alex noticed that he was the last firefighter to leave the site. “Well, I believe we got it all.”
Alex shook the little man’s hand. “Thanks for everything, Chief.”
Before leaving, Weston offered one last piece of advice. “I’d watch my step if I were you. Someone’s got it in for Hatteras West. I just hope they don’t finish the job they started today.”
Chapter 15
Alex was surprised to realize that he was hungry, despite the loss he’d just suffered. He decided to slap a sandwich together, grab a Coke from the fridge and go eat on Bear Rocks. He needed some time alone away from the burned wreckage to pull himself together.
He’d forgotten all about his plans for lunch with Sandra until he saw her car coming up the road.
When she got out, she said, “What happened to our lunch date?”
“I forgot all about it.” Was it possible she didn’t even notice that one of his buildings was gone?
“I heard about the fire. I’m sorry, Alex. Why don’t we go get something to eat and we can talk about what you should do next.”
“There’s nothing to discuss. I just need some time alone, Sandra.”
She raised one eyebrow. “Time alone, or alone with your new maid?”
“She’s off with her fiancé, Sandra.”
The smug look on her face was too much for Alex. He added, “Not that it matters. I don’t know how to say this, but I don’t think we should see each other anymore. You and I want different things out of life.”
Sandra stared intently at him. “You don’t mean that, Alex, you’re just distraught over the fire.” She smiled lightly, then said, “Everything will look better tomorrow,” as she started to get back into her car.
“I’m not going to change my mind, Sandra. I’m sorry. It’s over.”
Sandra realized suddenly that he was quite serious. She snapped, “Do you think if you’re suddenly free your little maid will drop her fiancé for you, Alex? It’s not going to happen.”
“Good-bye, Sandra,” Alex said.
She started to say something, changed her mind then pulled furiously out of the parking lot.
Finally, Alex was alone.
He was surprised to find that the only thing he felt was relief. Breaking up with Sandra had been a long time coming, and he tried to convince himself that it had nothing to do with Elise.
He was only partially successful.
Eating alone was not to be, though. Joel Grandy spotted Alex leaving the inn and asked if he could join him. Reluctantly, Alex agreed. The two men walked out to the granite rocks in silence. Alex could still smell smoke in the air.
Grandy said, “That was really some fire today. With all that wood in the walls and ceilings, it was bound to happen sooner or later.”
Grandy’s words brought Alex out of his own thoughts, and he didn’t care for the implications of the man’s comments. “The fire chief said it was arson. Nobody can prevent that, Mr. Grandy.”
Grandy tried to calm Alex with his words. “Say, get your feathers back down, boy, I didn’t mean anything by it. The reason I’ve tagged along out here is that I’ve been thinking about something I’ve been wanting to discuss with you, but it’s been tough getting you off by yourself.”
Alex, not caring to pursue the conversation, climbed up and perched in the lap of one of the boulders. Someone in his family had called it Mamma Bear Rock a long