Reservations for Murder - Tim Myers [42]
“Is she ... dead?”
“The last I heard, she’s still unconscious, but I admit I haven’t spoken with Doc Drake in a while. It was a good thing he was already out at the fair. I think it might have saved her life.”
“It sounds to me like it was a good thing for Marilynn that you were there yourself. How did you happen to find her?”
“I was cleaning the rooms,” Alex admitted.
“Oh, Alex, isn’t Emma helping you at all?”
He said, “Absolutely. You know how crazy things can get around here, even without a fair. We’ve had our hands full, what with the Lighthouse Lighting tonight.”
“I forgot all about that being tonight. How was it, Alex?”
“It was wonderful. I wish you could have seen it yourself.”
“Me, too.” Her words were followed by a momentary awkward silence on the line.
Alex filled it by gently asking, “When are you coming back?”
Instead of answering his question, Elise said hurriedly, “Alex, I’ve got to go. The doctor just came out of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, and he’s talking to Mom.”
Alex said, “Good-bye,” but the line was already dead.
He couldn’t help wondering if the doctor really had shown up or if Elise had just used it as an excuse to sidestep his question. Like it or not, he was going to have to deal with the possibility that Elise might not be coming back to Hatteras West ever again.
It looked like Alex might have to face the fact that Elise wasn’t going to be a part of his life anymore.
Chapter 16
Late the next morning, Alex had just finished dust-mopping the floor when Mor came in. “Hey, Alex, is Emma around?”
“To be honest with you, I forgot she was supposed to be coming back today. I haven’t seen her all morning.” He smiled at Mor as he added, “I’ve just about got the inn clean, so your timing’s perfect.”
Mor smiled. “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day. I didn’t want to spend my day off cleaning rooms with you again, not that it wasn’t a real treat before.” He pointed to a stack of luggage by the front desk. “What are all those bags doing there?”
“Just about everything there belongs to Craig and Marilynn.” He pointed to a single black overnight bag. “That one belonged to Jefferson Lee. I’m dropping it off at the police station for the sheriff.”
Mor looked around the lobby, and when he saw it was deserted, he asked, “Where’s your resident snoop? Evans isn’t actually out in the real world, is he?”
Alex laughed. “You’re not going to believe this. He’s taking a tour of Europe with Ham Roberts. He’s over there right now planning it all.”
Mor said, “I’ve seen everything now. Les isn’t going to believe me when I tell him tomorrow.” Les was the older part of the partnership of Mor or Les. The two handymen kept most of Elkton Falls running while forming a deep friendship, though neither man would admit it under knifepoint.
Mor nudged Jefferson’s bag with his toe. “So what did you find in there? Were there any clues?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Alex said as innocently as he could manage. “It’s just his clothes and toiletries.”
“Don’t play that game with me, bucko. I know you’re not about to let a perfectly good opportunity to snoop get past you.”
Alex shrugged in admission. “For all the good it did me. That man barely made an impression on the room. It was almost as if a ghost had stayed there.”
Mor said, “Maybe you’ve got one around here now. Have you given that any thought?”
“What are you jabbering about, Mor?”
The big man had an odd expression on his face. “You know what they say, Alex. Ghosts hang around after a violent death, and getting skewered is about as violent as it gets.”
Alex snorted at his friend’s serious tone. “Who knows? Maybe a ghost or two will help business. I can put it in my brochures.”
Mor laughed. “Alex, you’re an innkeeper through and through, aren’t you?”
“It’s in my blood. Listen, do you have anything pressing planned for today?”
“No, this is the last place on my list to look for Emma. I’m not sure what to do now.”
Alex asked, “How would you like to