Murder Checks Inn (Book 3 in the Lighthouse Inn Mysteries)

by Tim Myers

  Alex asked, “She divorced him right after he left, didn’t she?”

  Ashley shook her head. “That’s a common misconception Mother wants the world to believe. Why, my own brother doesn’t even know they aren’t really divorced. Mother got tipsy one night and confessed to me that she’d never bothered, thinking that someday it might be to her advantage to still be married to him.”

  “Now that’s interesting,” Alex said, slowly rocking in the chair.

  “What do you mean?” Ashley asked.

  “Well, if there is a significant estate, and everyone seems to think there is, she most likely stands to get a healthy cut of it.”

  “And she deserves every penny she gets, Alex!”

  “I’m not saying otherwise,” Alex quickly added.

  Ashley frowned, then said, “Well, I resent the implication that my mother could have possibly had anything to do with this mess.”

  “I’m just looking for the truth. I know you all came in different cars. Why was that?”

  “It just seemed easier that way.”

  “I suppose that’s true,” he said.

  “And what do you mean by that? Alex, I don’t like the way this conversation is going, and I won’t sit here while you question me about my family.”

  Alex said, “Wait a second,” but she was already gone. Vernum still trimmed, oblivious to what had happened. The man truly was in his own little world when he was working with his tools.

  Elise quietly joined him from the corner of the building

  where she’d been standing out of sight, listening. “Well, that went well.”

  “I made a mess of it, didn’t I,” Alex confessed.

  “Don’t be so sure,” Elise said. “You didn’t say anything all that bad. Ashley definitely overreacted. She’s rattled about something.”

  “About what, I wonder?”

  Elise said, “Alex, all you can do is stir things up and see what happens. You can bet she’ll tell Cynthia about your conversation the second she and Steven get back to the inn. So where do we go from here?”

  “I think we should go ahead and talk to Julie,” Alex said. “If the will was never modified after Mathias’s letter of intent to her, she’d have a huge motive to make sure that particular document never saw the light of day.”

  “So what are we waiting for?” Elise asked as she headed for Alex’s truck.

  As they drove to Amy’s, Elise asked, “So who are your main suspects now?”

  It was a game they’d played before, laying out their thoughts as they drove somewhere in Alex’s truck.

  After a moment of thought, Alex said, “Cynthia’s got to be near the top, but Steven and Ashley aren’t far behind. Julie could be guilty; I’m not as willing to count her out until we find out a little more information.” Alex drove a minute, then added, “I hate to even mention it, but I guess there’s still a chance that Tony’s lying and I’m wrong about him after all. But I don’t believe it.” Alex gripped the steering wheel harder. Were his mixed feelings about his brother tainting his logic, causing him to overcompensate for the battles they’d had in the past?

  Elise said, “Alex, you don’t even need to consider that possibility at the moment. Leave that avenue to Sheriff Armstrong. The best thing you can do for Tony is to focus on the people Sheriff Armstrong isn’t looking at.”

  “Yeah, I know you’re right,” Alex said as he drove. He tapped the steering wheel. “Anybody else we should add to the list of suspects?”

  “None that I can think of.” Elise looked out the window as she added, “How about Sandra? Could she be wiping out her competition?”

  Alex said, “Come on, I’m serious, Elise.”

  “Sorry, I shouldn’t joke about that. I might as well accuse Vernum of the murder.”

  “If shears had been used, or maybe even a tree saw, but honestly, I doubt the man could stand being that close to anyone long enough to kill them.”

  Elise said, “There’s one other suspect you haven’t considered. Alex, is it possible Nadine killed your uncle?”

  “My grade school teacher? Come on, Elise, what motive could she possibly have?”

  Elise said, “What if she was stealing from Jase and he caught her? Could she have killed him in a panic and taken the files to throw the sheriff off her trail?”

  Alex shook his head. “I’d trust that woman with my life. No, that’s a stretch I can’t make.” Alex looked down the road as they neared Amy’s studio and asked, “Elise, what’s that?”

  She looked ahead as he pointed to the sky, where a billowing mushroom cloud of smoke had suddenly exploded into the air.

  Elise said, “Oh, no, it’s not the inn again, is it, Alex?”

  He shook his head. “No, it’s in the wrong direction. I’m afraid it’s Amy’s place.” Alex pushed his old truck harder, forcing it over the ruts of Amy’s road. By the time they got closer to the house and barn-studio, they were assaulted by

  burning odors, as well as waves of dancing ashes floating in the air.

  Amy’s barn was on fire.

  Without a second thought, Alex stopped the truck well away from the burning barn and raced toward it on foot.

  Elise yelled, “Do you think anyone’s inside?” over the roaring of the flames.

  Alex pointed to the door. “If they are, they’re trapped in there. Elise, I’m going in.” There was a long, wooden pin jammed firmly into the hasp, securely locking the barn door. Alex couldn’t free it no matter how hard he tried, so he ran around the barn, searching for some way in.

  There was no other way in or out. The rear door had been sealed ages ago, and the whole bank of windows were engulfed in flames. Alex was back at the front, trying to figure a way to get inside, when he heard the pounding. Someone was trying to get out!

  Alex fought the pin with everything he had, but it was no use; it was wedged firmly in place, as if someone had driven it in with a hammer. Looking around frantically on the ground for something to use as a pry tool, Elise saw what he was doing and retrieved the handle of the truck jack. “Try this,” she said, coughing from the smoke.

  Alex took the steel rod and in less than a minute, he had the hasp completely off. As the barn door swung open, the fire inside exploded with the extra oxygen. Two figures lay against a nearby wall covered with wet blankets. Alex thought he might be too late until he saw one of the blankets move.

  At least one of them was still alive!

  He jumped through the flames licking at the opening and was relieved to see that the fire hadn’t spread everywhere yet. Pulling at the blankets, Alex saw Amy’s jet-black hair peek out. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

  “I’m not leaving Julie,” Amy said, her voice raspy from the smoke.

  “I’ll carry her. Can you walk?”

  “I can make it, but I’m going to help you.”

  Alex screamed, “You need to get out! Now!” as the top of the barn exploded with flames and heat. The roar of the fire was unbelievable! Alex figured the barn couldn’t stand very much longer under the assault, and he could feel the heat slapping at his skin as he struggled with Julie’s unconscious body.

  Somehow Alex managed to drag her to her feet, then he threw her over his shoulder. As quickly as he could, Alex raced toward his last hope of getting out alive.

  As he took his third step out of the barn, the roof collapsed, sending shooting sparks at his heels as he ran for safety with Julie draped across his back.

  Once he was well clear of the fire, he put Julie down. Amy, lying nearby, screamed, “How is she?”

  I don’t know yet,” Alex answered as he tried to find a pulse. Julie hadn’t been burned, that was something, but Alex knew that a great many people who died in fires expired from smoke inhalation, not the fire itself.

  Elise said, “Move over, Alex,” as she gently nudged him out of the way. She bent over Julie, then started administering CPR.

  Alex heard a fire truck in the distance, then an ambulanc
e siren close behind. He saw that Elise was doing everything for Julie that could be done, so he approached Amy.

  Through a coughing spell, she asked, “How’s Julie? Is she going to be all right?”

  “Elise is doing all she can. What happened in there, Amy?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know. I was showing Julie

  how to weld, and the next second, it was dark. The barn door slammed shut. I thought it was a joke at first, then I smelled smoke. The whole side of the barn went up at once, and we were blocked off from the windows. I always keep a bucket of water around when I’m welding, so I soaked a few tarps in it and covered us up. It was the only thing I could think to do.”

  “You did great,” Alex said as the ambulance pulled up first. Two EMTs jumped out and headed toward them. Alex said, “She needs your help first,” as he pointed to Julie and Elise.

  One of the paramedics said, “What about her?” as he gestured to Amy.

  “I’m fine,” Amy yelled. “Help her!”

  The fire truck rolled up a few seconds later, with Mor and a dozen other volunteer firefighters from Elkton Falls on board. Chief Weston, the small wiry man who crewed the staff, took one look at the blaze, then asked Alex, “Anyone else inside?”

  Amy shook her head. “We’re both out.”

  Weston said, “Thank heaven for small favors. Okay men, let’s hose down the perimeter and keep that fire from the house.”

  Amy tried to stand, and Alex had to help her climb to her feet. “You’re not going to try to save my studio?”

  Alex looked at the inferno and watched as the chief tried to explain. “Ma’am, it’s too far gone. I can’t afford to risk any of my men when there’s no one inside. I’m sorry.”

  “But my life is in there,” Amy cried. She tried to run to the flames, but Alex held her tightly in his arms.

  “Amy, it’s gone.”

  “It’s just not fair,” Amy cried as she melted into Alex’s arms. “Who would do such an awful thing?”

  That was something Alex wanted to know himself. He looked over to see the EMTs load Julie into the ambulance, strapped firmly to a gurney.

  As they started to close the doors, Amy said, “Wait. I’m going with you.”

  “Sorry, there’s no room,” one of the techs said.

  Amy said, “Then make room, I’m coming along,” as she forced her way aboard.

  Alex said, “She was in the fire, too. You’ve got to take her with you.” There wasn’t time to argue, and Amy’s singed presence surely added to the urgency of her demand, so the attendants acquiesced.

  After they pulled out, Elise joined Alex. They watched the barn burn in on itself, the flames leveling everything within reach. Alex looked over at Elise and saw tears tracking down the soot on her face. For the first time since he’d known her, there was no light in her eyes.

  “What is it?” Alex asked her gently.

  Elise could barely mumble out her next words, “Alex, I didn’t get any response the entire time I worked on her. I don’t think she’s going to make it.”

  Chapter 18

  Alex put an arm around her. “Elise, you were the only chance she had, and you did the very best you could. The rescue squad was still working on her when they pulled out. There’s still hope.”

  Elise whimpered, “Oh Alex, what I did just wasn’t good enough. I know it.”

  Alex wrapped her in his arms, and she started to cry. In all the times he dreamed of holding her, he never thought it would be because of anything like what had just happened, After a few minutes, Elise pulled back. “You smell like smoke,” she said as she crinkled her nose.

  “I know. Are you okay?”

  She wiped a few errant tears from her cheek. “I will be now. Thanks, Alex.”

  “No thanks necessary. If you’ll wait for me in the truck, I’ll just be a minute. I need to talk to the chief.”

  “Take your time. I’ll be okay now.”

  Alex walked over to Chief Weston and said, “I thought you should know, it was arson. Amy said someone slammed the barn door, then torched the place with them inside.”

  “I don’t suppose she got a look at who did it, did she?”

  Alex shook his head. “They were working on something inside and were distracted.”

  Mor trotted up to them, his face smudged from the fire. He was holding a scorched gas can gingerly by its handle. “They didn’t even try to hide it. We found this right out in the open.”

  Weston said, “Leave it for the fire marshal; this is a case for him.”

  Mor nodded. “How are the women, Alex?”

  “Julie was still unconscious when the ambulance left. I think Amy’s going to be all right.”

  Mor asked, “How’s Elise doing?”

  Alex said, “She was a little shaken up, but both women would be dead if she hadn’t done some quick thinking.”

  Weston said, “I understand you get some of the credit yourself. Amy said you were the one who carried Julie out of the burning building.”

  “Anybody would have done the same thing if they’d been here,” Alex said.

  Weston replied, “Don’t be so sure. You did good, Alex.”

  “Let’s just hope she makes it.”

  Weston nodded his agreement, and Alex asked, “Can you let me know what happens here after the fire marshal leaves?”

  “I’d say you’re an interested party. Sure, I’ll give you a call.”

  Alex joined Elise in the truck.

  “What did they say?” she asked.

  “They agree that it’s arson, but nobody has the slightest idea who did it.”

  “No one but us,” Elise said.

  Alex nodded. “So you think it was one of our suspects? I guess Ashley’s off the hook, anyway.”

  “Alex, she could have run over here and set the fire before we could drive the distance in your truck. You said yourself how close the two places really are. I’m afraid she’s still on the list.”

  Alex sighed. “So we’re right back where we started.”

  Elise said, “I wouldn’t say that. There’s one thing we know for sure. Tony didn’t have anything to do with the fire. Even Armstrong should be able to see that.”

  “You’ve got a point, but I’m not sure Armstrong will believe the fire is related to Jase’s murder.”

  As they neared the inn, Elise said, “So what do we do now?”

  “Tell you what. After we get cleaned up, why don’t you talk to Steven, and I’ll focus on Cynthia. If we can split them up, maybe we’ll be able to get more out of them.”

  “Cynthia, can you spare a minute?” After Alex and Elise had taken showers and changed, they had spotted Cynthia and Steven in the lobby, sharing a whispered conversation. Elise had agreed to hang back while Alex got Cynthia’s attention before taking her turn with Steven.

  “I’m busy at the moment,” Cynthia snapped.

  “Whenever you get the chance then,” Alex said as he drifted back to the reservation desk.

  Cynthia said, “Are you going to just hover there until we’re finished?”

  Alex said, “Sorry,” then moved into his office. Elise joined him a few minutes later. She said, “You’re not going to believe this. Cynthia just ordered me out of the lobby when she saw me waiting for you.”

  “She threw me out, too, and I own the place. What do you think is going on out there?”

  “I wish I knew. I can’t stop thinking about Julie. I wonder how she’s doing?”

  Alex pointed to the telephone. “Why don’t you call the hospital and find out? I’d like to know myself.”

  Elise scooted the phone over to him. “Would you do it?”

  Alex nodded, then looked up the number and dialed. After a brief conversation with the information desk, he hung up and said, “She’s in serious but stable condition, that’s all they’d tell me.”

  Elise said with a sigh, “At least she’s still alive. That’s something. I’ve got an idea how we might find o
ut more about what’s going on over there.”

  Elise took the phone and hit Redial, then asked for Amy to be paged. After a moment, she asked again, then had a brief conversation with the sculptor. The look of relief on Elise’s face was apparent.

  After she hung up, Elise said, “Amy just talked to the doctor. It looks like Julie’s going to be all right.”

  “Thanks to you,” Alex said.

  “I seem to remember somebody else there, too.”

  Alex nodded. “Okay, we both did good. I’m just glad we came along when we did. Let’s not mention the fire to the Trasks yet. We might be able to use it.”

  Without warning, Cynthia Shays-Trask burst into Alex’s office. “What’s this I hear about your brother being arrested for the attorney’s murder? Did he say what he did with the will? I still don’t understand why he took it in the first place, but we would greatly appreciate it if he would return the document to us.”

  Alex said, “I’m sorry, but you’re mistaken. Tony didn’t kill Jase.”

  Cynthia eyed him narrowly. “But he is currently in jail for the crime, isn’t he?”

  Elise said calmly, “He’s being questioned by the police, but we’re certain he’s innocent.”

  Cynthia patted Elise’s arm. “Of course you are, dear.” She turned to Alex. “If it turns out to be otherwise, I meant

  what I said.” She looked at Alex a moment, then added, “Now, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?”

  Elise took her cue beautifully “If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do,” she said as she escaped, no doubt off her search of Steven.

  Alex gestured to the empty chair. “Please, sit down.”

  Cynthia said, “This won’t take long, will it? I need to speak further with my son.”

  “Is there something wrong?” Alex asked.

  “That faux daughter is not going to steal my children’s inheritance. We’re working out our strategy to stop her, and I think we’ve come up with something.”

  Alex blurted out, “Don’t you even care that she’s in the hospital?” So much for keeping that information a secret.

  Cynthia’s gaze hardened. She fought to hide the surprise on her face, but the mask slipped for just a moment. She was hearing about the accident for the first time, as far as Alex could tell. “What are you talking about?”