Murder Checks Inn - Tim Myers [50]
The two had gone there countless times searching for gems as boys. It had been one of the few times Tony and Alex had actually gotten along.
“I wish I could, but Elise is off for most of the day, and I’ve got to hang around here and run things.”
Tony said, “That’s fine, I’ll stay with you, then.”
The last thing Alex wanted was Tony hanging around the inn, especially when he wanted to search his brother’s room.
Alex said, “Tell you what. Why don’t you go on to Hiddenite, then pick something up at Buck’s for lunch for us on your way back, and we’ll eat out on the porch. I should have a lot more time this afternoon.”
Tony said, “I suppose I could do that. See, Alex, this is why I’ve been telling you to sell this white elephant. You’re as tied to this place as if you were married to it.”
“I love being an innkeeper, Tony. What else would I do with myself if I weren’t running Hatteras West? Listen, have a good time. I’ll see you around lunchtime.”
Tony agreed, and after Alex was certain the BMW was long gone, he headed up to his brother’s room.
It was time to do a little spying.
Tony had made his own bed, and his suitcase was at the foot of it, packed and ready to go. There was a lock on it, and ordinarily, Alex wouldn’t dream of prying it open. However, the issue of personal privacy didn’t concern him all that much at the moment, not when he was looking for a possible clue about Jase’s murder. Alex tried to convince himself that he was looking for proof Tony didn’t do it as much as evidence that he might have. In his heart, no matter their past differences, Alex didn’t want his brother to be guilty, but logically, he couldn’t dismiss him, either.
Fortunately, he didn’t have to do anything as drastic as breaking into the luggage. Alex locked the door and headed down to the main desk. In a drawer there, he had a ring filled with master keys to just about every suitcase brand made, all except the custom lock jobs. Too many of his guests had locked themselves out of their own luggage over the years, and Alex had bought the keys from a friend in NewCon who ran a locksmith service.
Alex was just opening the drawer when Ashley came downstairs.
“What are doing, Alex?”
“Just looking for a lost key,” he said.
Ashley asked gently, “Do you have a minute?”
He nodded. Tony should be gone for a while. “What’s on your mind?”
“I want to apologize for last night. Mother’s probably right; I do have an overactive imagination at times. Nothing seems to have been taken. I must’ve been mistaken. Sorry for all the trouble.”
“No trouble at all,” Alex said. He wasn’t so sure she was right. With all that was going on at the inn, it was too easy to believe that someone had indeed crept into Ashley’s room without her knowledge. He didn’t have the slightest desire to tell her that, though.
Alex said, “So, where are you off to today?”
“I thought I’d check out Bear Rocks. Steven told me they were really quite fascinating.”
Alex nodded. “Enjoy yourself, but be careful. Some of those rocks are tough to climb if you’re not used to them.”
Alex slid the master key ring back into the drawer. Tony’s room would have to wait, since he’d be gone most of the morning, tied up in Hiddenite.
Alex was going to search Ashley’s room while he had the chance and see if anything turned up there.
Chapter 15
Ashley Trask-Cooper wasn’t nearly as neat as Alex would have expected. Clothes were thrown everywhere, as if she’d worked for hours putting together the perfect outfit from everything she’d brought with her for her week’s stay at Hatteras West. He neatly folded all her clothes and put them in the bureau drawers, all the time searching for some sign of evidence that Ashley had been involved with Jase’s murder or the burglary of his room the night before.
After putting her clothes away, changing the sheets, and cleaning the bathroom, the room was neat, but there was no evidence that Ashley had been the one who’d gone through Jase