Room for Murder - Tim Myers [40]
“I found a tile from our Scrabble game under the bed. Our game now has just one A.”
Elise said, “I guess you’ll have to get Mor to make you more. Jan and Corki probably think it’s hilarious after the story about the original letter theft. I found this while you were gone.” Inside an envelope with his name on it, Alex read the note from Corki explaining the theft, along with a ten-dollar bill to replace the game.
Alex said, “It’s amazing what some people will take from the inn as a souvenir. You never can tell, can you?” Alex added, “I probably should give Mor a call to see how he’s doing. He’s got to get over this and speak to Emma again. I know it’s tearing them both apart.”
He looked at Elise and could see that she wanted to say something, but she was holding back. Alex said, “Listen, I know it’s probably not any of my business, but they’re my friends and I hate to see this all fall apart.”
“Alex, I love that you’re trying, but you can’t fix everything.”
“I’ve got to at least try.”
Elise said, “You’re a true romantic, aren’t you?”
He gestured out to the lighthouse, built by his forefather as a tribute to love, and said, “What can I say? It runs in the family. The only thing I feel bad about is leaving you here alone so much.”
“I’m getting used to it,” she said, adding a grin to ease the jab in her words. “Honestly, I can handle it, we’ve already finished the lion’s share of the work. Now shoo.”
Alex left the last bits of cleaning to her and promised to be back in time to help with the daily laundry.
While it was true he wanted a chance to talk to his best friend, there was more motive behind his actions than his role as Cupid.
Alex had to know if it was possible Mor had killed Sturbridge, whether it had been the intended result or not.
Chapter 12
With Lester Williamson out of town, Alex knew he was taking a long shot going by Mor or Les’s, but the handyman had to go back for tools and parts sooner or later, and Alex hoped to catch him at the shop, where they could talk uninterrupted.
Mor was behind the counter, nibbling on a sandwich as he browsed through one of Les’s many magazines.
“Funny, you don’t strike me as the type to read Architectural Digest,” Alex said.
“It’s better than Modern Bride. I can’t imagine what Les was thinking when he ordered that one.”
Alex said, “He’s got an addiction, there’s no doubt about it. You know how the school kids flock to him when they’re selling magazine subscriptions, and he doesn’t have the heart to say no. Speaking of modem brides, have you talked to Emma lately?”
Mor pushed his sandwich way. “Alex, I know you mean well, but don’t.”
“Don’t what?” Alex tried to ask as innocently as he could manage.
“Don’t butt in,” Mor said. The two of them had been friends for so long that bluntness had long been one of the cornerstones of their relationship.
Alex said, “Okay, I won’t say what a pigheaded monkey you’re being about all this, and how you should be honored somebody would be willing to go to jail for you. I won’t even say how I doubt there’s another soul in the world willing to do that, and that includes me.”
Mor said, “For somebody who’s not going to say anything, you’re doing an awful lot of talking.”
Alex said, “What can I say, I’m a master noncommunicator.”
“Since you’re so all fired up to discuss my love life, let’s talk about yours. You never did tell me what happened between you and Elise on your big date.”
“There’s nothing to tell,” Alex admitted, uneasy with the spotlight turned back on him.
“Come on, Buddy, I know better than that. What happened?”
Alex said, “You want to know the truth? It was a disaster, from start to finish.