Murder Rings a Bell
Page 9
“Yep.” Ben nodded. “She even showed them evidence that Steve had cheated and managed to get off scot-free herself. After graduation, she landed in a prestigious hospital. Steve, on the other hand, was barely even allowed to finish the program, and although he did graduate and become a doctor, he was set back professionally. He couldn’t get the references he needed to get ahead.”
“Did he come to the conference specifically to kill Alexandra?” Franny asked. “Did he read in her blog that she’d be here?”
“Apparently not,” said Ben. “It was a bit of a fluke that they both came to the conference. When Steve saw Alexandra, he snapped. He’d argued with her at the Hound that night, then went back to the inn to cool off, but instead, he just became more and more enraged.”
“That’s what stewing will do to you,” said Owen, looking at Alice.
“What will happen to Olivia?” Alice asked.
“It’s against the law to send someone a threatening letter,” said Luke. “But, Olivia actually only meant to confront Alexandra. She was never going to physically harm her. Olivia has been ordered to get some counseling. We think she’ll be okay. And, once again, you three had excellent instincts, by the way.”
“Well, thank you,” said Owen, nodding graciously.
“One more thing,” said Ben, glancing at Alice, who gave him a little nod. “Alice and I want to congratulate you two on your win at the pedal boat race today. Things got so crazy, we never got to tell you.” Ben raised a glass of lemonade. “Here’s to this year’s champions!”
Owen and Franny smiled and accepted the proffered smattering of applause from Ben, Alice, and Luke. Then Ben leaned forward and gave Franny a kiss on the cheek.
“You were worthy opponents,” Owen conceded. “I guess it’s time the old Maelstrom was put out to pasture. Or—out to sea.”
“Are you kidding?” said Alice.
“I can’t believe you just said that!” said Ben. “Next year, the Maelstrom will be back and better than ever.”
“That’s right!” said Alice. “There’s no way you’re keeping that Champion’s Cup for more than a year!”
“We will return with a vengeance next summer!” said Ben.
“And, we will take you down!” said Alice.
“Bring it on!” said Owen. “We’ll be ready!”
“You know, I just thought of something,” said Luke. “Ben, you’ll still get to have the Champion’s Cup on your mantle for at least part of the year. You and Franny will be Mr. and Mrs. Maguire in just a few months.”
They all paused.
“He’s right,” said Alice, looking at Franny, a mix of joy and sadness in her eyes. “I guess you’ll be living out here on the lake pretty soon.”
“Yep,” said Owen, mournfully. “No more late nights in the garden together.”
“What are you talking about?” Franny gave a little giggle. “I’ll still be in the garden.”
“You will?” Alice’s smile widened. “You’re still going to live above Joe’s?”
Franny took Ben’s hand. “Ben and I have talked about this,” she said. “We love being here on the lake.”
“And, we also love being over on Main Street,” said Ben.
“We were trying to decide where to live—which place to give up,” said Franny. “Then, we realized we don’t really have to give up either place. My rent at the shop is the same whether I live in the apartment or not. So, we’ve decided to stay over the shop when we feel like it—and definitely when fun things are going on in town. And, we’ll be out at the lake whenever we want a little more space.” She smiled at Ben. “Whenever we’re together, we’re home. No matter where we are.”
“By the way, let me remind you that Main Street is literally a five-minute bike ride from here,” Ben added. “So, even when we’re out here, we’ll never be far.”
“Two homes! I like this idea!” said Owen, clapping. “In fact, I’ve been thinking of getting a place out here on the lake myself someday.”
“You should,” said Luke. “This is a wonderful place to live.” His eyes moved to Alice.
“This calls for cake!” said Owen.
“More wedding cake?” asked Franny. “Owen, I’m starting to think you’re never going to be satisfied with any of them.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, feast your eyes on these.” Owen opened a Sourdough bakery box.
Inside were five miniature cakes, each one completely covered in brightly colored sprinkles.
“Oh,” Franny breathed. “They’re beautiful.”
Owen passed the box around. Alice bit into her cake and smiled at the rainbow of colors that flooded the inside.
“This is a marshmallow cocoa cream cake with a creamy coffee-flavored frosting,” said Owen proudly.
“It looks like Franny,” said Ben, marveling at the exquisite little cake in his hand.
“It tastes like heaven,” said Alice. “Every flavor in this is you, Franny.”
Franny, with tears in her eyes, lunged at Owen, almost knocking him over, and hugged him. “This is my cake, Owen!”
Owen laughed and took a bite. “Yep. This is it,” he said.
Alice breathed a sigh of relief and laid back on the blanket she was sharing with Luke just as the first of the fireworks boomed overhead. Luke laid down beside her, his arm behind his head, but after a moment, he rolled onto his side and laid a gentle hand on Alice’s cast. “I don’t ever want you in harm’s way like that again,” he said. “When Franny called from the hospital, before she told me you’d broken your arm, there was a moment there when I—”
“I’m fine,” said Alice, putting a soothing hand on top of his.
Luke looked at her arm in its sling, then back into Alice’s eyes. “The thought of losing you? Well . . . That was awful,” he said. “I realized something.”
A particularly spectacular firework lit up the sky, and Alice smiled up at it.
“What did you realize?” she said, looking back at Luke.
“That I—”
Finn picked that moment to walk over, give a little whimper, and insert himself between Alice and Luke. He made two small puppy circles and settled down onto the blanket, his head resting on Alice’s right leg.
“Poor Finn,” Alice said, petting him with her good arm. “He’s probably nervous about the fireworks.”
“Well, he’s seriously cramping my style,” said Luke, laughing and laying back down, petting Finn as well.
They admired the show for a few moments more, then Alice said, “What did you realize?”
“That I love you,” said Luke quietly.
“You do?” Alice felt her heart swell.
“Yep.”
“I love you, too.”
“You do?”
“Yep.”
“The minute this dog moves out of the way, I’m going to kiss you,” Luke said, and Alice could hear the smile in his voice.
“I’ll be looking forward to that,” she said, feeling their hands touch on Finn’s silky hair.
Alice could hear distant oooh’s and ahhh’s from up and down the lake—from the town dock, where the carnival lights were still flickering away, across to the Cozy Bear, where campfires had been lit, and all the way down to Luke’s cabin, where Alice lay, surrounded by the people she loved the most in the world.
She loved knowing that somewhere along the water’s edge, her parents were watching the show, wrapped in their favorite old blanket. Pearl Ann and Norman were probably sitting in lawn chairs, holding hands. The Blakes, who usually brought boxes of candy over from Sugar Buzz, were passing goodies around to friends. Doc and Mrs. Howard—whose attic was now free and clear of squirrels—were somewhere out there, along with all the other townsfolk who were more like family than friends to Alice.
Luke Evans loved her, and she loved him. In that moment, all was exactly right with the world. Alice knew that tomorrow, there would be books to sell and weddings to plan—that someday, there might even be another my
stery to solve.
But for now, Alice closed her eyes, feeling a warm wave of peace and gratitude, and whispered, “Thanks.”
Author’s Note
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