Reservations for Murder

by Tim Myers

  “My wife is gone! Somebody’s kidnapped her!” Craig Monroe stood there, outlined in the moonlight, a look of complete and utter despair on his face.

  It appeared that the evil visiting Hatteras West was still somewhere lurking on the grounds.

  Chapter 10

  Alex ran up onto the porch, with Shantara not far behind. “How do you know she’s been kidnapped, Craig? Did you find a note?”

  “No,” Craig snapped, “but she told me to meet her in our room an hour ago, and she’s not there.”

  Shantara said calmly, “Craig, she probably just got held up talking to someone on the grounds. I’m sure she’s around here somewhere.”

  “You don’t understand. Her insulin is still in the minifridge. She’s got to have it, and it’s something Marilynn’s not about to forget or put off. I’m telling you, the only way she’d miss an injection is if somebody kidnapped her. Call the sheriff, Alex! He needs to get right on this!”

  Alex said, “Craig, I know you’re worried, but Armstrong’s not going to do anything based on what you can tell him right now. He’s going to want something a little more concrete. You need to call home and see if your wife’s there. Then check around and see if there’s anywhere else she could be: with friends, family, anybody you can think of. In the meantime, I’ll take a look around the property and see if I can find her.”

  Shantara chimed in, “I’ll help you, Alex.”

  Craig nodded abruptly as he rushed back into the inn. “Hurry. We’ve got to find her. She has to have that insulin.”

  Alex headed for the lighthouse as Shantara said, “Do you think she’s really up there?”

  Alex shook his head. “I doubt it, but it’s still the best observation point around. If she’s anywhere nearby, we should have a good chance of spotting her.”

  Alex’s gaze went to the new construction as he hurried past. He would have to search there more thoroughly if Marilynn didn’t turn up soon, but it was something he’d rather put off. One body found on the site in the last twenty-four hours was more than enough for him. There was a reason besides kidnapping that could keep Marilynn from her insulin.

  That was if she was past needing it.

  Alex and Shantara climbed the lighthouse steps at a fierce pace, leaving little breath for conversation. As Alex opened the door at the top, they stepped out onto the observation platform and started walking slowly around, intent on finding any sign of Marilynn. The breeze had picked up and was pressing against him like a ghostly hand. Alex usually loved heavy winds at Hatteras West, but as the sky began to darken, all he cared about was finding the potter. The inn looked like a dollhouse from so high above, and the new construction looked like a precocious child had started a building with sticks but had grown bored with the process and had given up. Alex could see parts of Bear Rocks from the railing, but much of the rock formation was hidden by a thick band of trees that separated it from the main buildings.

  There was no sign of Marilynn anywhere.

  They made the circuit twice around the observation platform when they met again near the door.

  “Anything?” Shantara asked.

  “Not a thing,” Alex admitted. “I couldn’t see most of Bear Rocks, though. There’s a chance she could be there.”

  “Let’s go look, then.”

  As they hurried down the stairs to the top landing, Alex paused at the window and said, “I want to see if there’s anything we missed.”

  They both peered out each of the narrow windows, but they couldn’t see anything that would help.

  On the way down, Shantara asked, “Alex, do you honestly think Marilynn Baxter’s been kidnapped? What possible reason could anyone have for grabbing her?”

  “I don’t have the slightest clue. To be honest with you, I believe Craig’s overreacting, but I could be wrong. I couldn’t even guess why anyone would kidnap his wife. They don’t have a lot of money, do they?”

  “No, they both work real jobs to support their pottery studio. I can’t imagine them having anything anybody else would want.”

  As Alex started down the steps again, he said, “Well, Craig must think so, or he wouldn’t have immediately assumed she’d been kidnapped. Unless ...”

  “Unless what?” Shantara asked, breathing hard from the climb down.

  “Unless he’s afraid the reality of what might have happened to her is worse,” Alex said, voicing his earlier fear.

  Shantara paused a few steps until she asked her next question. “You don’t honestly think something’s happened to her, do you, Alex?”

  “I wish I knew, but I can’t deny it’s a possibility. I’ve got a feeling in the pit of my stomach that something’s wrong.”

  As they finally reached the bottom, Shantara said, “No offense, but I hope you’re mistaken.”

  “Believe me, so do I.”

  Craig met them as they approached the inn. “Did you find her?” he asked breathlessly.

  “Not yet. I take it she wasn’t at any of the places you called,” Alex said.

  “We don’t have that many friends,” Craig said brusquely. “Nobody’s seen her.”

  Alex looked over at the new construction. “There’s a chance she could be there.”

  Craig yelled, “Marilynn! Marilynn!”

  There was no response.

  Craig waited a few moments, then said, “Obviously she’s not there, or she would have answered me.”

  Alex said, “Craig, why don’t you go work the phones some more. Shantara and I have a few more places to check.”

  “Forget that. I’m coming with you.”

  Alex stopped him dead in his tracks. “Listen, we might find something you’re not going to want to see.”

  The man flushed for a second, then said, “I need to know, Alex. She’s my wife.”

  As they walked through the growing twilight toward the new construction, Alex kept a constant vigil for anything out of the ordinary.

  With real sighs of relief, they found that the construction site was empty. Alex had silently dreaded finding another exhibitor pinned against a post. Could it be that Jefferson Lee’s murder was connected to the disappearance of Marilynn Baxter? Or was Marilynn gone for another, entirely different reason? There were too many unanswered questions buzzing around Alex’s head.

  “What’s next?” Craig asked.

  “Bear Rocks is the only other place on the property she could be.”

  “She wouldn’t just stay out there, Alex, not in the dark.”

  “Wait right here,” Alex said as he went into the inn. Evans Graile was still sitting in his chair, a bright glow lighting his face. “Isn’t this awful? A kidnapping! Imagine that!”

  “Evans, we’re not sure what’s happened yet. Would you like to join the search party?” Alex asked as he retrieved two flashlights from the front desk. He kept them stashed there for guests when thunderstorms knocked out the inn’s power, something that happened more frequently than he cared to admit.

  “I’d better stay here in case there’s a call from the kidnappers,” he said a little too brightly for Alex’s taste.

  “You do that,” Alex said brusquely as he moved for the door.

  He could tell Evans was unhappy about the tone Alex had used with him. One of Alex’s most important rules as an innkeeper was to hold his tongue and his attitude when it came to his guests, but he was truly beginning to be concerned about Marilynn Baxter’s well-being.

  Before Alex could leave, Evans said contritely, “You know I don’t want anything to happen to that poor girl. It’s just that normally I don’t get much excitement in my life.”

  Alex nodded and tried to force a smile. “Then stick around; something’s always going on at Hatteras West.”

  He offered one of the flashlights to Craig and Shantara. “Sorry, I just have one spare, and nobody knows Bear Rocks like I do.”

  Shantara said, “You take it, Craig. I’m going to drive into town and see if anyone’s spotted her. Where does s
he like to go?”

  “You could try the studio and the house. The library’s closed, or I’d say to go there. The only other place I can think of would be your store.”

  Shantara nodded. “I’ll call Marcie on the way in on my cell phone and find out if she’s seen her.” Marcie was Shantara’s assistant manager, a fancy title since there were just two of them working the general store. It was a lot for two people to handle, since they covered everything from the small post office in one corner to the heavy feeds out back to the pots, pans and assortment of ten thousand other items Shantara had for sale there. Alex thought Marcie would probably be even happier than he would be when the fair was over; she’d been running the store single-handedly for the last week while Shantara prepared for the fair.

  “Keep us posted,” Alex called out. “Evans is manning the telephone, so he’ll let us know if you find her.”

  “You do the same for me, Alex.” She turned to Craig. “Don’t worry, she’ll turn up soon, I just know it.”

  Craig grabbed the flashlight from Alex’s hand. “I hope you’re right.”

  Some people described Bear Rocks as eerie in the daylight, with the twisting formation of rocks weathered by ages of nature’s forces. There were slides, holes and pathways within the stones that formed a magical world Alex had lived in as a child. He still knew every twist and turn of the rocks, every secret passage that led to an unexpected place in the stone forest.

  “We’ll never find her in there,” Craig said.

  “Take your flashlight and walk around the edges of the rocks. You can see a lot from where you’ll be, so don’t give up. I’m going into the heart of the rocks to look there.”

  “I’m coming with you,” Craig said bluntly.

  “Listen, if Marilynn’s in there, I have a much better chance of finding her alone. I need you to look around the perimeter. I don’t have time to argue; just do it.”

  It was obvious Craig wasn’t used to the tone Alex used with him, but Alex had needed to get his attention. Alex turned on his flashlight and slipped through the first path, a slide that led to a side shoot within the formation. Though he was quite a bit older than he’d been when he’d first learned the rocks, his body took over, twisting and crawling in places as he glided over, under and between the stones.

  It was more of a workout than he’d ever remembered, and he knew he’d be stiff and sore in the morning, but Alex made record time going over every inch of the interior rocks.

  There was nothing there, not a single hint that Marilynn had ever been on Bear Rocks.

  One look at Craig’s face told him that he hadn’t found anything else, either.

  Alex had to wonder if Marilynn Baxter truly had been kidnapped after all. If she’d disappeared on her own, where had she gone? And more importantly, why?

  Chapter 11

  “So what do we do now?” Craig asked Alex as they hurried back to the inn.

  “I’m not sure,” Alex answered.

  Craig snapped, “I’m not waiting another second. I’m calling Sheriff Armstrong. He’s going to come out here whether he likes it or not.”

  Craig brushed past Alex and nearly slammed the door in his face. Alex walked in and sat down beside Evans Graile in one of the chairs that faced the windows. “I don’t suppose you’ve heard anything, have you?”

  “There was only one call. Elise phoned two minutes ago. She said she’d talk to you tomorrow.”

  Blast it all! Alex wanted to talk to her more than just about anything, and he’d missed her while he was out on a wild-goose chase. “Did she leave a number at the hospital?”

  “No, I’m sorry, Alex, she didn’t. You could probably track her down, but to be honest with you, she sounded exhausted from her ordeal.”

  Evans was right; it wouldn’t be that hard to find the hospital’s number, but Elise hadn’t left it, so she most likely was too tired to talk to him. He had to respect her wishes. Since she’d been gone, Alex had found himself unusually moody. He had to keep reminding himself that was sheer nonsense. He’d managed fine before she’d come along, and he’d be all right long after she was gone.

  Then why did he feel so empty inside?

  Ten minutes later, the sheriff drove up Point Road. Alex knew the man’s general disposition before he even got out of the car. If Armstrong believed there was the slightest chance Marilynn Baxter had truly been kidnapped, he would have ripped up the road with lights flashing and siren blaring. As it was, the steady pace of the darkened and silent patrol car told him that Armstrong was there just to appease a constituent.

  Alex met him at the patrol car before the sheriff could open his door. Armstrong finished saying something on his radio, then got out and stood beside Alex, leaning against the driver’s door.

  “I’m surprised Monroe wasn’t out here to greet me in person, he was so fired up on the phone,” Armstrong said. “Alex, just between you and me, do you honestly think that man believes his wife was kidnapped?”

  “He seemed pretty earnest,” Alex admitted, “and she is gone, there’s no doubt about that. We searched all around the property without any luck.”

  “From what I’ve heard around town, this isn’t the first time she’s wandered off. Far be it for me to spread idle gossip, but—”

  Before the sheriff could share the rumor, Craig Monroe burst out through the front door. “It’s about time you got here! Where’s Irene? Doesn’t she usually investigate these things with you?”

  “Take it easy, Craig. There’s no crime scene, so I didn’t see any reason to drag her out here this late. She’s not feeling so chipper right now; her arthritis is acting up. We must be in for one whale of a storm in the next few days. Irene’s better than the Weather Channel when it comes to predicting storms.”

  “So who’s going to help you investigate?” Craig demanded.

  “Hold your horses. We don’t even know for sure if a crime’s been committed. Did you get a note or a phone call demanding a ransom?”

  Craig admitted that he hadn’t.

  Armstrong went on. “Did anybody see her taken from the property against her will?”

  “No, but—”

  Armstrong bulled ahead. “So you’re going around screaming about a kidnapping without the slightest shred of evidence.”

  Craig Monroe held up his wife’s insulin. “How about this? Why would she leave without her insulin?”

  “Is that the only bottle in the world?” the sheriff asked gently.

  “Of course it isn’t! But I’m telling you, she’d be here if she could!”

  The sheriff said calmly, ‘Tell you what. Why don’t we jump in the patrol car and head over to your place. We can check to see if there’s any sign of her there. What do you say to that?”

  “You’re not even going to look around out here first?” Craig snapped.

  Armstrong said calmly, “Alex told me you’ve already searched Hatteras West. Don’t you think our time might be better spent looking someplace new?”

  Craig reluctantly agreed. “Let me grab my keys. I’ll be right back.”

  As the potter went to retrieve his house keys, the sheriff said, “Now, as I was saying, word around town is that the husband-and-wife team’s been having some tough going lately. There’s another man, from what I heard at Buck’s the other day. First thing I’m going to do is ask around and see if anybody knows who this mystery man is, then I’m going to knock on his door and likely as not, I’ll find Ms. Baxter holed up there.”

  “If that’s your plan, do you really want her husband with you?”

  Armstrong shrugged. “He raised the alarm, and I doubt I could stop him from coming if I wanted to.”

  Craig came back out with his keys clutched in his hand. “Let’s go.”

  Alex stepped in. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay here? The sheriff will call you the second he finds anything out.”

  “It’s not the same as being there, Alex. I’ve got to go.”

  There was no
way he was going to change Craig Monroe’s mind, so he stepped out of the way and let the man pass.

  In a minute, Craig and the sheriff were driving back toward town. Alex saw another car meet them as both vehicles passed going too fast for the narrow lane.

  It was Mor and Emma. Good. He could use a couple of friendly faces after all he’d been through that day.

  “Did you two come all the way out here to baby-sit me?” Alex asked Mor and Emma with a smile after they got out of the car.

  “Somebody had to do it,” Mor said, returning his grin. “We figured it might as well be us.”

  “Don’t believe a word he says, Alex. We just thought you could use some company,” Emma said.

  “I appreciate the thought, but I’m a big boy; I’ll be fine by myself.”

  Mor said, “I told you we didn’t have to come out here, Emma. If we hurry, we can still make it to Mamma Ravolini’s for dinner.”

  “Mor Pendleton, is that all you ever think about, your stomach?”

  Mor hugged her in his bearlike arms. “I can think of a few other things that occupy my thoughts from time to time.”

  Alex couldn’t believe it, but Emma actually blushed. Mor certainly had an effect on her since the two of them hooked up. Alex suddenly felt like the odd man out being in their presence.

  Emma said, “Alex, Elise called me this evening and came up with a splendid idea. She suggested I fill in for her here while she’s gone. I’d be glad to help out until she gets back.”

  “Have you given up finding any more emeralds on the land?” Alex asked her.

  “No,” Emma admitted, “but I could use a break. The geologicals are giving me fits. Working with you at the inn sounds like fun.”

  Fun? Alex thought of the cleaning, the laundry, the whims of his guests and the thousand other tasks that came with running an inn, but he wasn’t about to bring any of them up. Honestly, Alex could use her help. She’d find out soon enough what she’d gotten herself into. Then he realized he had to be fair with her.