Murder Checks Inn - Tim Myers [65]
Elise leaned over her and hugged Amy. “How could you possibly know that some maniac would come after her? Amy, you saved both your lives today, you know that, don’t you? If you hadn’t covered yourselves with those soaked tarps, you’d both be dead.”
Amy said, “What if it wasn’t enough? She’s not completely out of danger yet.”
The door opened, and a doctor in a white lab coat stepped out. He approached them and said, “Amy, are you all right?”
“I’m fine, Doctor. How is she?”
“Better, actually. I increased her medication, and she’s sleeping now.”
“When can we see her?” Alex asked.
“She’s not up for visitors,” the doctor said. “Until and unless her family arrives, I’m restricting her visitors to Amy at the moment.” He turned back to the sculptor and added, “You can go back in, but don’t wake her. She needs her sleep.”
“I won’t say a word,” Amy said as she slipped back inside.
Alex said, “How’s she really doing?”
“May I ask your connection with the patient?”
Elise said stiffly, “He pulled her out of the burning barn. Doesn’t that give him the right to some answers?”
The doctor nodded, a slight smile spreading on his face. “Not officially, but it certainly does in my book. I didn’t know. I believe Ms. Hart should recover completely, given that she’s young and strong.” He turned back to Elise. “Amy told me about you as well. Her description was flawless. I’m assuming you were the one who administered CPR.”
“I did,” she said simply.
“Nicely done. You saved her life today, there’s no doubt in my mind.”
As the doctor walked away, Alex saw movement down the corridor in the other direction. A masked male doctor was hurrying away from them, and Alex wouldn’t have thought a thing out of the ordinary if he hadn’t noticed the man’s shoes.
They were thick-soled boots, not the shoes he’d expect from a doctor on duty at all.
Alex rushed down the corridor, but by the time he turned the corner, whoever had been there was gone.
“What was that all about?” Elise asked as she caught up to him.
“It’s not important,” Alex answered. “My imagination must be on overtime.”
Elise said, “So where do we go from here?”
Alex thought about it a moment, then said, “I think it’s time we head back to the inn. I’ve got the germ of an idea on how to get the real killer out into the open.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“If I tell you now, you’ll just try to talk me out of it,” Alex said with a slight smile.
“So it’s dangerous. Are you going to at least tell Sheriff Armstrong what you’re up to?”
“He’d just try to stop me, too.”
Elise looked at him solemnly. “If I promise not to interfere, would you tell me then?”
Alex thought about it a moment, then said with a grin, “Tell you what. Maybe you can even help, if you’re interested.”
“Count me in.”
Chapter 19
As they drove back to Hatteras West, Alex explained his plan to Elise. “I’m going to spend some time going through the boxes from Jase’s office. At just the right moment, I’m going to find a copy of Mathias’s will.”
Elise protested, “But how can you do that? Cynthia’s going to demand to see it.”
Alex said, “I’ll pretend to call Sandra, then lock it up somewhere I can keep my eye on it. Then we’ll see who comes after it.”
“It sounds dangerous to me, Alex.”
“What choice do I have? Armstrong’s not going to let Tony out, he doesn’t believe the arson and murder are related, based on the phone conversation we had earlier. I know better than anybody else how strong the evidence is against my brother. That anonymous caller really got to him.”
“Alex, you believe me when I say it wasn’t me, don’t you?”
He risked a quick glance at her. “Of course I do. I just wish I knew how Armstrong got the information.”
“You should try calling Nadine again.”
Alex said, “You know I won’t carry a cellular phone; I don’t want to be accessible all the time. It can wait till we get back to the inn.”
He swung the truck up Point Road and saw the parking lot in front of the inn sported all the cars in question. “Looks like everybody’s here. Are you ready?”
“I’m still not sure