by Tim Myers
Alex said, “I hate to say it, but it sounds exactly like something Conner would do. Did Armstrong find you last night?”
She nodded. “He tracked me down at Mama Ravolini’s. The first quiet meal I’ve had since I started this campaign, and the sheriff joins me for a late dinner to interrogate me. He even asked me for an alibi, if you can imagine that.”
“I told him you couldn’t have done it. Was he satisfied with your whereabouts?”
Tracy said, “Not particularly. I was home alone most of the afternoon when I wasn’t out searching for Oxford. I had the phone off the hook so I could get some peace and quiet, and nobody came to my door, so I guess I don’t have any alibi at all. I didn’t kill him, Alex. We were opponents, but I genuinely liked the man.”
“Don’t worry, Armstrong will find the real killer.”
“I hope so. I can’t imagine what Conner will do with all of this.”
Alex said, “Tracy, you can take the gloves off now and get a few shots in yourself. You know Conner’s weaknesses better than anyone else in the world.”
A mischievous grin crossed her face. “You know what? This might be fun after all. He’s been hiding behind Oxford sniping at me. Now let’s see how he likes it out on the front lines.”
“There’s the spirit,” Alex said, glad to see the fire in his friend’s eyes.
“I’m not letting him get away with this ‘Right Shook’ business either. I’ll show him who the right Shook is. Alex, thanks for the pep talk.”
“Hey, what are friends for? Is Shantara still helping you with your campaign?”
“Oh yes. That’s where I’m going right now. With all of her customers, we’ve got a built-in support system.” Shantara Robinson ran Elkton Falls’ general store/craft gallery/mercantile. Tracy had chosen well. Not only was Shantara well liked by the community, but she had nearly as many visitors every day as Buck’s Grill. Alex knew Buck had backed Oxford Hitchcock, but he wondered if there was a possibility that the big man would swing his support to Tracy instead of Conner.
Alex asked, “Have you thought about talking to Buck about supporting you now that Oxford’s gone?”
“I tried, but he’s backing Conner. I understand, he supports his party.” Tracy smiled as she added, “Sally Anne’s pulling for me though, so I’ve got a spy in the enemy camp.”
With her dual assignments, Alex wondered when Sally Anne had time to wait on her customers.
Tracy said, “I’ve got to run, Alex. Thanks again for all your support.”
“Let me know if there’s anything I can do. I mean it.”
She patted his cheek. “I know it. Bye now.”
Alex finished his cleaning chores for the morning and was just about to look for Elise to offer her lunch when Mor drove up. Alex walked out and met him on the front porch. The big man was carrying two paper bags, a large one and a much smaller one.
“I didn’t call you,” Alex said with a grin.
“I know. I got lonely, with Les gone and all. You can’t tell me nothing in this place is broken.”
“Sorry, we’re in good shape, but if you hang around long enough, I’m sure something will need fixing. What’s in the bags?”
“A surprise, and lunch. I grabbed a couple of burgers at Buck’s. You supply the Cokes and we’ll eat out here.”
Alex said, “You feeling okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Mor said, puzzled. “Why do you ask?”
“The last time you bought me a meal, I was in the ninth grade and Greg Frye had just stolen my lunch money.”
Mor shrugged. “I need to talk to you about some wedding stuff, so I thought we’d do it over burgers.”
Alex grabbed two Cokes and met Mor back out on the porch. Mor said, “I got a hamburger for Elise, too.”
“I don’t know where she disappeared to. I guess I’ll have to eat it myself,” Alex said with a grin.
“Tell you what, we’ll arm-wrestle for it.”
“Why don’t you just go ahead? I’d hate to deprive you.”
After taking a few bites, Alex asked, “So, what do we need to talk about for the wedding?”
Mor looked down at his feet. “It’s not exactly the wedding. It’s the bachelor party.”
Alex laughed. “Don’t worry; I know how to throw you a party.”
Mor said, “That’s just it. Emma’s putting her foot down. No women, no carrying on, shoot, I had to fight her to get alcohol approved. Beer’s the best we can do.”
“Is this a wake or a bachelor party? I can’t imagine the most eligible bachelor in seven counties giving up his last rite without a fight.”
“Well, you can believe it.” Mor said. “We’re both getting a little long in the tooth for that foolishness anyway. You know what I’d like, just between the two of us?”
“I don’t have a clue,” Alex said honestly.
“I’d like to grab a few beers with you and Les, toast the old life, then get to bed early. I’ve been to too many parties where the groom got so carried away he was barely awake to enjoy the ceremony the next day. No sir, my wild days are far behind me. Are you disappointed in me?” Mot asked, his gaze on the smaller bag in his hands.
“Are you kidding?” Alex asked. “I was almost looking forward to my speech compared to throwing you a bachelor party.”
Mor said, “That’s a relief. So it’s settled--It’s going to be just three old bachelors hanging out and trading stories one last night.”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Alex agreed. “Okay, if you’re not going to bring it up, I will. What’s in the other bag?”
Mor held it out to him. “Reach in and see.”
Alex put his hand in the bag gingerly and pulled out a small square of wood with an E etched on its face. He dug his hand back in and found ten more Es inside, all carefully lettered and smoothly polished.
Mor said, “I know the inn’s Scrabble game lost all of its Es when one of your guests took them as souvenirs, so I decided to make you some new ones.”
“The game won’t be as challenging this way,” Alex admitted with a smile. “Thanks, I appreciate this.”
Mor said, “Hey, it’s the least I can do for someone who’s not going to throw me a bachelor party.”
Alex laughed. “I can do better than that. I won’t throw you a birthday party either when March 11 rolls around.”
Mor looked at his watch, then said, “I’d better get moving. I’ve got a list of jobs a mile long to do at Grady Hatch’s place. Did you hear he’s putting his house up for sale? He wants to buy a motor home and see the world. I’ve got to admit, there’s a part of me that would love to go with him.”
“You’d get bored in three days, and we both know it. You’ve got to have something to do to keep yourself busy, my friend, and your roots go down in this soil as deeply as mine do.”
Mor grinned. “It’s true enough, but a man can dream, can’t he?”
“They haven’t found a way to tax it yet,” Alex agreed as Mor left.
Alex half expected to find Elise working in the lobby, but she was nowhere to be found. The butterflies were in full force now.
Their date was only a few hours away.
Chapter 8
Alex felt like a teenager waiting for Elise in the lobby of the Main Keeper’s Quarters. He had on his best suit, actually his only suit, since there wasn’t much need to wear one in his line of work. His truck, as old as it was, was freshly washed and he held three roses he’d gotten in town for Elise.
Paul Jones, the newlywed, came out while Alex was waiting for Elise. “Have you seen Sheila?” he asked, taking in Alex’s attire.
“No. sorry. I haven’t.”
Paul gestured to the flowers. “Okay. I’ll bite. What have you got, a big date?”
Alex nodded. “The biggest.”
Paul shook his head and laid a hand on Alex’s shoulder. “Be careful, my friend. That’s all I’m going to say.”
“Thanks for the advice,” Alex said, fi
ghting to hide his smile.
Enough of this waiting around, Alex thought to himself. He knocked on Elise’s door, the flowers nearly strangled in his nervous grip.
Elise had on a sundress, nothing fancy or formal by any stretch of the imagination, but she looked absolutely stunning to him.
He offered her the flowers. “Here. These are for you.”
She didn’t take them at first. “Alex, I didn’t realize this was going to be so formal. Give me a few minutes and I’ll change.”
“You look great just the way you are,” he said as he held the roses out again.
She took the flowers, then said, “Nonsense. I can be ready in ten minutes.”
“Elise, it isn’t necessary. You really do look great.”
She shoved him gently back toward the lobby. “But we don’t match.”
Alex protested, “Then let me change.”
Elise wouldn’t hear of it. “Go on, I won’t be long.”
There was no nonsense in her voice, and Alex knew this was a battle he wasn’t about to win. Should he have told her they were dressing up for dinner? Granted, Mama Ravolini’s wasn’t exactly the Ritz, but it was the best Elkton Falls had to offer for fine dining. He often wondered why no other restaurateur tackled Elkton Falls. Though he loved the owner Irma Bean dearly, a little variety in eating dinner out would have been nice.
Elise was as good as her word, coming out ten minutes later wearing a fancy shimmering blue dress that barely touched her knees. She’d swept back part of her hair, too, adding a formal touch, instead of the casual ponytail she usually wore during working hours.
Alex said, “Wow. You look wonderful.”
“Thanks. And thanks for the flowers. You shouldn’t have.”
“I couldn’t help myself,” Alex admitted as he grinned. “Let’s go.”
He had placed a sign on the front desk that said, out for the evening, and Elise asked, “Are you sure about deserting our guests like this?”
“They’ll be fine without us for one night,” Alex said.
He held her door open as she slid onto the truck seat.
She really was stunning. Alex couldn’t believe they were finally going out on a real date.
Oddly enough, their conversation, normally as free flowing as a river, was dammed into a few uncomfortable remarks on their way into town. A new tension had sprung up between them, and as hard as he tried, Alex just couldn’t seem to break the strain.
“Is everything all right?” he finally asked as they neared the restaurant.
“It’s fine,” Elise said.
Alex said, “You know, my mom used to say everything was fine when what she meant was that it was simply bearable. That’s not the case here, is it?”
Elise said, “Alex, when I say something’s fine, it’s fine. Don’t read anything into it.”
“Sorry, my mistake,” he replied as he slid into a parking spot.
Elise, realizing her words had been too sharp, said, “I guess this is just new to me, being out with you like this.”
“We spend all day together every day,” he said.
“Not like this.”
Alex opened her door. “No, you’re right. This is better.”
Irma made a fuss over them as they walked in the door, leading Alex and Elise to a table with a reserved placard on it. “You two look wonderful. Now enjoy yourselves.”
As the first course arrived, Alex said, “I took the liberty of ordering your favorites ahead of time.”
Elise just nodded.
Alex found himself fiddling with his napkin, searching for something to say that had nothing to do with the Hatteras West Inn or their guests. Surely the two of them had more in common than their work. So why was it suddenly so hard to think of anything?
As a desperate last measure, he said, “You’ll never believe this, but I found a marked-up copy of The Tattle Tale in the newlyweds’ room.”
“No work talk, remember,” Elise said. They had agreed on that beforehand.
“Sorry. So what’s new with you?” he asked.
“Nothing since we spoke this afternoon,” Elise admitted.
Somehow they got through dinner, but Alex found that he was relieved to be driving back to Hatteras West. Something had gone terribly wrong with the evening, and he didn’t have a clue how it had happened. All his expectations, all his preparations, and they had ended up having a terrible time.
He couldn’t just let it die, not like that. Instead of driving directly back to the inn, Alex stopped at Bear Rocks.
Elise asked, “What’s wrong?”
Alex grinned. “Well, I figured we should go ahead and get our ‘good night’ kiss out of the way before we get back to the inn.” Before Elise could say anything, Alex added, “Relax, I’m just kidding. Man, that was one huge disaster, wasn’t it?”
Elise said in a near-whisper, “Alex, I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault.”
Alex replied, “I’m not about to let you take all the credit. Let’s make a list of my mistakes tonight. I was way overdressed for Irma’s, the flowers were probably over the top, I shouldn’t have ordered our food ahead of time without at least asking you. Let’s see, did I leave anything out?”
Elise laughed, a sound that was sheer joy to his ears. “I think you were sweet. We both put too much pressure on ourselves to possibly have a good time. It was dreadful, wasn’t it?”
Alex joined her laughter. “It was indeed pretty painful. So does this mean we’ve passed permanently into the ‘friends’ zone?”
“I don’t know,” Elise admitted.
“I, for one, hope not,” Alex said, keeping his gaze locked forward. “Elise, the more I get to know you, the more I care for you. You’ve become a good friend, but I’ve got to admit, every time I see you, my heart jumps a little. I just wish this would have worked out.”
“Me, too. Believe me, Alex. So what do we do now?”
Alex admitted, “I’m at a complete loss. I was hoping you’d know.”
Elise nodded. “I don’t. We might as well go back to the inn.”
“I guess you’re right. Sorry our evening was such a bust.”
She hesitated a moment, then said, “I am, too. Let’s just put this behind us.”
He nodded. “I guess that’s the only thing we can do.”
Alex drove back to the inn, walked her to her door, then said, “Good night, Elise.”
She leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips, a peck so brief he could barely believe it had happened. “Don’t give up yet, Alex. My heart’s been known to skip when you’re around, too. Nobody said this was going to be easy.”
“Nothing worthwhile usually is,” he said as she disappeared into her room.
Alex was left with nothing but the gentle reminder of her perfume in the air, and the memory of the slight pressure of her presence near him.
For tonight, it would have to be enough.
The next day, things were still a little awkward between them, and Alex wondered if that particular dream of them ever being together was dead beyond all hope. Truth be told, after breakfast he was happy enough to go off on his own cleaning Main while she tackled Dual.
He was just finishing the hallway sweeping when he heard someone calling him from downstairs. Conner Shook was the last person on earth Alex expected to find visiting his inn.
“Alex, how are you?” There was no way to tell from the warm tone in his voice that the two of them had stopped talking since Conner’s marriage with Tracy had broken up.
“Conner,” Alex said evenly. “What can I do for you?”
“It’s about this mayoral race. I was hoping to talk to you about throwing your support my way.”
Alex could barely believe the man’s gall. “Conner, you know better than that. Tracy and I have been friends forever.”
“Friendship is one thing, but the office of mayor is something else altogether. Tell me something, Alex, do you really see Tracy running Elkton Falls?”
Conner shrugged. “Okay, that’s fine, I understand, but if you change your mind, I’d be happy to have your support.”
“I wouldn’t count on it if I were you, Conner.”
The man just laughed. “By the time the election rolls around, you might not have a choice.”
“What are you implying?” Alex asked, the steel coming out in his voice.
Conner said, “The last I heard, Sheriff Armstrong was looking hard at Tracy as a suspect in Oxford’s murder.”
Alex said coldly, “How about you, Conner? Do you have an alibi for that night?”
“I was in Charlotte on business, not that it’s any of your concern.”
Alex wasn’t about to let up. “That’s mighty convenient, Conner. Is there any way you can prove you were there the entire time?”
“I don’t have to,” Conner said, the schoolyard bully coming out in his voice. “I’m not a suspect.”
“At least not that you know of,” Alex said.
“Why? What have you heard? I know you and Armstrong are tight. What did he say to you?”
“That he’s still looking,” Alex said. That much was true.
Conner’s expression froze for a moment, then he forced a smile to his lips. “Alex, I’ve got nothing to hide. The sheriff can look all he wants to.” Conner started to walk way, but he paused and called back, “Let me know if you change your mind.”
“It’s not happening, Conner.”
He just shrugged. “Have a good day, then.”
After he was gone, Alex stood there silently in thought, wondering about the real reason Conner Shook had come out to the inn. One thing was certain: he was lying about being there to solicit Alex’s support. Conner knew too well that he supported Tracy.
So what was it, a fishing expedition? Could Conner have had anything to do with the murder of his candidate? He could have been after the limelight himself. Perhaps Oxford Hitchcock had gotten in the way of Conner’s big plans to take over the campaign himself.
Alex was just finishing up his chores when he heard someone drive up in the parking lot. That was one of the great things about having a gravel drive; cars usually announced themselves well before the occupants arrived. This was certainly the inn’s day for visitors.