Riding the Thunder - Deborah MacGillivray [136]
Dismissing her worries, she entered the lobby. “Delbert, Clint and I brought you pie,” she called.
The television played in the inner office, but the room was empty. Delbert would surely return in a minute. She set the tray on the desk, then took pity on Clint and poured milk into a saucer for him. Purring, the kitty’s pink tongue rapidly lapped up the liquid.
Asha’s attention was drawn to the television as they flashed a weather bulletin telling of the high winds. “As Colin would say, ‘No shit, Sherlock.’” She flinched as another blast of cold wind battered the front of the old house. “Clint, I don’t care if his name is Mershan, I wouldn’t mind if he were here. He could lie to me all he wants, tell me how this house has stood this long and will stand another hundred years.”
Becoming concerned when Delbert didn’t return, she decided to go check on him. At the turn in the long hallway, she noticed a dim light coming from his rooms. For some reason, prickles crept up her spine; her fey sense warned that something wasn’t right. Pushing open the door, Asha saw Delbert on the floor, his album and his precious pictures spilt about him.
Her heart jumped as she rushed to him. “Oh, Delbert, no!” First thought was he’d had a stroke or a heart attack. She checked his pulse; he was breathing slowly, but his heartbeat remained steady.
First aid always said to keep a patient warm. She dashed to the bedroom and grabbed a blanket and pillow; returning, she snugged the cover around him. As she lifted his head to place it on the pillow, her fingers touched something wet and sticky.
Yanking her hand back, she stared at her fingers. Blood? Poor dear must’ve cracked his head when he’d fallen. Damn.
Sam was out playing poker, and Colin was with Winnie. No guests were currently staying with them. She’d need to call the state police; maybe they’d evac him with the helicopter from the University of Kentucky Medical Center. Then she’d ring Liam. She kissed Delbert’s cheek and rushed to the lobby.
Scurrying around the counter, she opened the phonebook to find the number to dial. 911 didn’t work outside of cities. Upset, shaking, she nearly dropped the receiver of the 1950s-style phone they still used. Then it hit her—no dialing tone. Flicking the flasher a couple times, she hoped to hear the reassuring hum. Nothing. The line was dead.
The lights flickered ominously with yet another strong gust of wind. “Oh, please, don’t you go out—ohhhhhhhh.”
She shook, trying to decide what was best to do. The drive-in was closed for the season; no one would be up there. She could drive up the hill—too long a distance to run—to the employee’s homes, but they likely didn’t have phones either since they came off the same major poles.
Then she remembered Jago’s cell phone in her purse. Hopefully it was still charged. As she replaced the receiver, noise from the atrium caused her to look up. For an instant, she hoped Sam was returning early.
Montague Faulkner pushed through the glass doors between the restaurant and the house. A tremble went through her as she considered how he’d gotten in there. She had been the last person out of the restaurant. True, she hadn’t locked the atrium. That meant he’d come in the motel entrance while she was in Delbert’s room, and gone through to the diner. But why?
His bright blond curls were wild, obviously whipped by the wind before coming inside. He gave her a small half-smile, which never reached his eyes. “Ah, so you are here. I went to the restaurant but didn’t see anyone there.”
Her blood buzzing with rising dread, Asha summoned a false calm; she had to clamp down on the instinct to run. “Slow night. The weather always keeps down the number of customers.” No fool, she wasn’t about to say it kept them away entirely. Delbert needed help—fast. Despite that, Montague’s appearing from the restaurant told her not to let this man know how vulnerable her situation was.“I’m taking advantage to catch up on a few things around this place. Is there something I can help you with?”
“Been meaning to talk