Murder Checks Inn - Tim Myers [42]
“I just need some time to get used to Jase being gone. It’s just beginning to sink in that he’s not going to be around anymore.”
Elise said, “Why don’t we go inside, and I’ll get you a glass of punch.”
He declined. “No, I’ll be all right. I need to be here.”
“Alex, I insist. You can have something stronger if you’d like, but you shouldn’t have to act as the host for your own uncle’s farewell.”
He said, “Who better, Elise? There are a lot of people here I need to talk to.”
“Just come inside for a minute or two, Alex. You can collect yourself before you face them all again.”
He found himself agreeing. Elise led him through the crowd, and as the band started up, a great many people began to dance again. As Alex walked up onto the porch, he looked up at the lighthouse and saw the beam cutting through the clear night above him. A single figure was outlined in each sweep, casting an eerie light over Tony as he looked down on them all.
Alex started to sit down in one of the rocking chairs in the lobby when he saw that the door to his room was slightly ajar. He knew he’d kept it locked since moving Jase’s things in with him. Alex ran to the door as Elise followed with a cup of punch.
“What is it, Alex?”
“Somebody broke into my room,” he shouted as reached the doorway.
Inside, it was a complete disaster. The boxes Alex and Mor had so carefully packed were dumped on the floor in a jumbled mess. Had the thief found what he’d been looking for? Alex had no way of knowing, but there was a gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach that he’d missed something important, some clue to his uncle’s murder. But had the killer found it, or was it still somewhere in that mess?
No doubt about it, the party had been the perfect excuse to break in while Alex was occupied outside. Whoever had done it had the nerves of a cat burglar, with most of Elkton Falls just outside.
Alex slumped against the bed, dislodging a book from the pile as it clattered to the floor.
Chapter 13
Elise, following close behind, asked, “Alex, who would do this?”
“Somebody was obviously looking for something among Jase’s things. I can’t help wondering if they found it.”
“Why do you say that?”
Alex started putting books back into their boxes. “They’re not here, are they? It was a pretty thorough search, so I’ve got to believe they got what they came for.”
As Elise knelt beside him and started helping, she said, “Not necessarily. This looks like whoever was in here got frustrated when they didn’t find what they were looking for. Why else would the books be slammed around like this? You certainly would be hard-pressed to find anything in this mess right now.”
That thought hadn’t occurred to him. “You know, you could be right. But what could they have been after? Tony got the only valuable things there were in Jase’s estate.”
“I wish I knew,” Elise said as she started on another pile of books.
Alex said, “Elise, you don’t have to do this, especially lot on your birthday. Why don’t you go and enjoy the party. Peter’s probably already wondering where you are.”
“I sent Peter back to town an hour ago,” she said without further explanation.
Alex didn’t say another word about it as they worked side by side putting things right again. After the boxes were repacked, Alex studied the lock on his door. The frame was splintered where someone had forced their way in. “I’ll have to fix this tomorrow,” he said, “But for tonight, I’ll have to stand guard.”
He started to leave the room, then hesitated at the door. ‘If you’re right and the thief didn’t find what he was looking for, how am I going to secure the room in the meantime? I’ve got at least a hundred people out there I need to talk to.”
“Tell you what. Why don’t I stay while you make your rounds? I’m not in much of a partying mood right now.”
Alex said, “I’m not leaving you here alone.”
Mor wandered in and saw the splintered door frame immediately. “Geez, Alex, maybe you should have tried your key first.”
“It looks like somebody’s still after Jase’s things,” Alex aid.
Mor nodded. “I can fix that for