Reservations for Murder - Tim Myers [13]
“I promised Shantara I’d dig around a little,” Alex explained.
“Why is she so concerned about Jefferson Lee’s murder?”
“She feels responsible,” Alex said as he opened the drawer.
There were a few of the standard room postcards with The Hatteras West Inn on them, the beacon shining out into the Foothills night. Alex was about to shut the drawer when he noticed that one of the postcards had writing on it.
He carefully pulled the card out of the drawer by its edges and read the note printed in block letters nearly pressed through the paper: “MEET ME AT NEW BUILDING SITE TONIGHT. URGENT.”
With a sudden sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, Alex realized that he was probably holding the lure that had been used to lead Jefferson Lee to his death.
“Alex, you shouldn’t have touched that; it’s evidence,” Elise said.
“I was careful, I picked it up by its edges. Elise, you always put fresh postcards in the rooms, don’t you?”
“Every day, without fail. That card was meant for Jefferson Lee. Alex, you know you can’t keep it. It’s evidence.”
Alex started to slip it back into the drawer, then decided to leave it out in the open, just to be certain Armstrong would see it. “I’m not about to take it. I’m not sure it will do anybody any good; block lettering is almost impossible to trace. Anybody could have gotten the postcard; the inn’s full of them. I’ve even got a ton of them in the lobby and in town for people to take.”
“At least we know the murder was premeditated,” Elise said softly.
Alex answered, “I’m not sure Armstrong’s going to see it that way. To him, this could mean anything. It could have been about a lover’s rendezvous or even an appointment for a business meeting.”
Elise shook her head. “I don’t think so, and you don’t, either. Why would somebody print in block letters if their intent was innocent?”
“Hey, I agree with you. I think the killer wrote it, too.” He studied the card another moment, then said, “You know, I’d really like a copy of this. Do you think I’d be risking too much taking it downstairs and making a photocopy?”
“Alex, I wouldn’t try it,” Elise said gravely.
“It might come in handy,” he said stubbornly, pulling out his handkerchief and picking the card up carefully by the edges. “I’ll have it back here before anyone knows it was ever gone.”
Elise looked doubtful, but Alex was determined not to let the clue, or at least a copy of it, get away from him.
As they hurried down the stairs to the office, Craig Monroe, one of the potters, met them halfway up.
Monroe said, “We need some old towels if you’ve got them. Somebody’s walked off with some of ours, if you can believe it.”
Alex hid the postcard behind his back as Elise said, “Why don’t you come with me to the storage closet, and I’ll see what we’ve got.”
As Elise slipped past Alex, their eyes met for an instant. The warning in her glance was clear.
Alex carefully closed the door to his office and made three copies of the note, blowing one up to twice its normal size, just in case there was something he’d missed. The first copy he made was skewed, with part of the “URGENT” cut off, and Alex chucked it into the trash can after adjusting the card properly on the copier glass.
He had a horrible time finally getting the card off the glass of the copier without smudging any fingerprints that might be there, but it finally lifted off.
Alex’s foot was on the top stair when he noticed that the door to Jefferson Lee’s room was standing ajar. He knew he’d locked it carefully behind him a few minutes before.
It looked like Alex wasn’t the only one conducting an investigation.
Chapter 6
Alex nearly dropped the postcard when he saw Sheriff Armstrong standing at Jefferson Lee’s writing desk, Elise a step behind him.
He tried to slip the card back onto the dresser when Armstrong swung around.
“What the devil’s going on here, Alex?” the sheriff asked.
“What are you talking about?” Alex replied, slipping the card behind his back before the sheriff had a chance to spot