Innkeeping with Murder - Tim Myers [9]
Alex filled the coffee cups from the lobby urn and headed to one set of deck chairs on the front porch of the annex. For a change, none of his guests were hanging around the inn; even Barb Matthews had made herself scarce.
Alex’s thoughts kept going back to Reg. Who in the world would have any reason to kill that lovable old man? Alex was ashamed his thoughts went immediately to Junior. He wondered where Reg’s son was, and who would tell him about his father. Alex decided he would try to find Junior after Drake left so he could see the man’s reaction to the news of his father’s death.
Could someone else have lanced Reg? An unrequited love perhaps? The only female on the premises even close to Reg’s age was Barb Matthews. The thought of his friend in the arms of someone like that dragon lady made Alex shudder. Surely Reg had better taste than that, but love did strange things to people. Drake came out onto the porch, interrupting Alex’s musings. “Madge is fussing at me for goofing off. She even threatened to drive out and pick me up herself if I don’t show up pretty soon.” Drake chuckled softly to himself. It was clear to Alex that the doctor enjoyed the attentions of his nurse.
Drake changed the subject. “Now what’s on your mind, Alex? If you’d like to talk about it, I’ve been told I’m a pretty good listener.”
Alex hesitated, then realized that it would feel good to get his troubles off his chest.
“I’m fed up, Steven. In the three seasons since I’ve been operating this place on my own, I’ve had nothing but trouble. Dad never had my run of bad luck in all the years he ran Hatteras West. I’m starting to wonder if I’m cut out for the innkeeper’s life after all. Maybe my brother was the smart one to take the money and run.”
Drake gestured to the cars in the parking lot. “You seem to be doing pretty well.”
Alex shook his head. “To tell the truth, I’m barely scraping by. Marisa left the second she found out about Reg’s death, and the boiler is out of whack again. I’m tempted to take Sam Finster’s advice, sell the place and be done with it.”
Sam Finster was the area’s local real estate whiz. He’d been after Alex to sell the lighthouse and the accompanying keeper’s houses for the past four months.
Finster didn’t fight fair, either. When Alex had refused the agent’s third offer during the first weeks of his attempted negotiation, Finster started a campaign of lies around town so that Alex’s neighbors would join in pressuring him to sell. The latest rumor making the rounds was that an amusement conglomeration wanted to add Lighthouse Land to its inventory of attractions. The lie changed weekly, but Alex still had no idea who the real prospective buyer was.
The worst part of all was that the agent himself had
spread this latest rumor around town, telling everyone what a great thing the proposed amusement park would be for the community. The idea of jobs and tourists appealed to many of the people who lived in Elkton Falls and the rest of Canawba County. Everybody wanted to cash in on those tourists dollars. Several of the townsfolk had even started snubbing Alex on his trips into town.
The doctor snorted in disgust. “Don’t let that vulture get his claws into you. Tell me the truth. You aren’t going to sell, are you? Hatteras West is a part of you; it’s obvious to anyone with eyes that you love this place.”
Alex nodded, staring up at the faded black and white stripes of the lighthouse. “God help me, I do. I don’t know what I’d do if—”
Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a truck coming up the gravel road. Alex recognized Mor’s fix-it shop on wheels. Mordecai Pendleton slid on the loose gravel, barely managing to stop the truck three inches from the concrete bumpers Alex had put in specifically to keep the man from driving straight into the main keeper’s house.
As he climbed out of the truck, Mor gave the two men a big wave. “Hey Doc. Alex, if I had kids, that boiler of yours would be putting them through college.”
Alex grinned in spite of himself. Mor Pendleton always had a way of cheering