The Inn at Holiday Bay Books 7 - 9

by Kathi Daley

  “Fiona told me that her car broke down and Carson happened by while she was sitting on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck. Fiona shared that when Carson first pulled over in his old half rusted out truck, she found herself reaching for her stun gun, but then he smiled and offered to help her out, and the rest was kismet.”

  “Stun gun?”

  I nodded. “I guess I understand why she might have one. She’s rich and beautiful, and I’m sure to some people she looks like an easy target. Anyway, after Carson got Fiona’s car running, she wanted to pay him, but he refused to take her money. He did, however, tell her she could buy him dinner, which she agreed to. They went out for pizza and fell in love.”

  Colt smiled. “That’s sweet.”

  “Maybe. And as I said before, while I think the couple has a real shot at making things work, I’m equally sure there will be a few bumps in the road, and not everyone is happy about the impending nuptials.”

  “Go on,” Colt encouraged.

  “The wedding party, their guests, and a couple of family members are also in attendance. Fiona’s sister, Naomi, is going to be a bridesmaid. Like Fiona, she’s sophisticated, highly educated, and filthy rich, but unlike Fiona, she doesn’t work. It seems that she’s living off the trust fund she also received from her grandmother, which I assume will last her just fine until her daddy passes away, and she gets her hands on his money. A life built on nothing but travel and parties seems empty to me, but I don’t suppose that’s any of my business.”

  “I take it she is not a fan of Fiona and Carson getting hitched.”

  “She’s not. I spoke to her briefly, and it’s her opinion that Fiona’s engagement to Carson is simply an act of rebellion before settling down and marrying the man her parents have picked out for her, a business owner named Lance Sandler, who I’m given to understand, comes from a similar family background.”

  “So, the sister doesn’t think the engagement will stick?”

  “No, she doesn’t, and she isn’t the only one. I also spoke to the other bridesmaid, a woman named Lisa Churchill, who, like the Arlington sisters, is from a family with a rich history and a ridiculous amount of money. Lisa is what I would call a stereotypical rich snob who is impossible to please and seems to be the sort to think that anyone beneath her in terms of wealth and social class is no more than a bug put on this earth to do her bidding. I didn’t really care for her or her date, Alvin, who is as stuck up as she is, but being the gracious host that I am, I did stop to talk to them. It took a while to get anything real out of her, but eventually, Lisa told me that she agreed with Naomi to the extent that she didn’t think Fiona would actually go through with the wedding. The difference is that Lisa doesn’t think Lance is right for Fiona either. In fact, it was her opinion that Fiona would eventually go back to her ex.”

  “And these people, who you just met, told you all of this?”

  I nodded. “There was a lot of alcohol being consumed. I’d worry about that, but everyone arrived in a limo, so no one is driving this weekend.”

  “I guess that’s a good thing.” Colt broke a roll in half and buttered it. “Go on. What else did you learn?”

  “The final member of the wedding party on the bride’s side is the maid of honor, Fiona’s best friend, Jennifer Bolton. Jennifer isn’t wealthy and works for Fiona as her assistant. I guess the two met in college, and even though Jennifer was there on a scholarship and was barely getting by and Fiona had enough money to pay her tuition for the entire four years with the interest from her savings account, they became fast friends. After graduation, Fiona wanted to start her own clothing line, and she talked Jennifer into partnering up with her.”

  Colt put down his fork and picked up his glass. He took a sip. “Partnering? I thought you said Jennifer was her assistant.”

  “She is. Fiona was the one with the money and the connections, and Jennifer didn’t want charity, so she agreed to work for Fiona as her assistant, but Fiona told me she’s been gifting Jennifer stock in the company each year since the beginning. It’s her plan that Jennifer will become a true partner and not just an assistant.”

  He refilled his water. “That seems nice of her.”

  “Fiona seems like a nice woman. Don’t get me wrong, she seems to know exactly what she wants and will accept nothing less. I suppose that in some instances, she might be considered difficult, but I didn’t get the feeling that she’s unreasonable. I think she’s just the sort that doesn’t have time for slackers.”

  “I guess she can’t be faulted for that. Who else is staying at the inn?”

  I sat back in my chair, stabbing my fork into my salad but not really eating. “Well, there are the guys, of course. Carson’s best man is his best friend, Mike Dover. Mike is a plumber. He’s attending with his girlfriend, Ambrosia, who is a hairdresser. Mike and Ambrosia are by no means rich, but they seem to do okay. Mike and Carson both love old cars and partner up on refurbishing muscle cars and reselling them for a profit. Ambrosia is an expert marksman who competes in competitions, which given her petite frame, I found interesting. When she was in college, her name was being tossed around in terms of making the Olympic team, but she broke her arm in a skiing accident and had to take a year off from competition.”

  “Interesting. Go on.”

  “Carson’s two groomsmen are Jordan Pemberton and Alvin Connor. Alvin is the stuck up jerk I told you about who is dating the equally snobbish Lisa, but Jordan seems to be an okay guy.”

  “So how did blue-collar Carson meet rich and snobbish Alvin? You did say Alvin was one of Carson’s groomsmen. I assume they’re friends.”

  “Carson met Alvin through Lisa, who’s been dating Alvin for a while. I’m not really sure how long. I didn’t think to ask. After Lisa introduced them, I suppose Carson and Alvin must have become friends, but I didn’t sense genuine caring on either man’s part. I have the feeling that asking Alvin to be a groomsman was a political move on Carson’s end. I didn’t talk to anyone long enough to get the whole story. What I do know is, like Lisa, Alvin is a man of means, although he seems to be a self-made millionaire and he’s not as wealthy as either Lisa or Fiona’s families.”

  “And how did he make his money?” Colt asked.

  “He works as a stockbroker. Jennifer mentioned that he is a real force on Wall Street and does very well for himself.”

  “And does Alvin think this engagement will go the distance?”

  I shrugged. “He didn’t say. The men were nowhere near as gossipy as the girls were. The other groomsman, Jordan Pemberton, works as a real estate agent. He’s here with his date, Stephanie Stevens. I didn’t get the feeling that Jordan and Stephanie had been dating long. In fact, they didn’t seem to know each other all that well.”

  “Anyone else?”

  “Willa Devonshire, Carson’s younger sister. She’s quite a bit younger than Carson and is still in college. She’s bunking with Fiona’s sister, Naomi. I had the feeling that Willa isn’t a fan of Naomi, but she was assigned to share a room with her, so she’s making the best of it.”

  Colt pushed his empty plate to the center of the table. “Based on your guest list, it sounds as if you’ll have an interesting week.”

  “I think so.”

  I picked up the plates and carried them to the sink. Colt brought the glasses and used napkins. Once the dishes were done, we walked into the living room and sat down next to each other on the sofa in front of the fire.

  “So what’s going on with the robbery you interviewed a witness about today?” I asked.

  “It’s nothing. Just some teens making a statement. I spoke to the parents of all the kids involved. I think we worked everything out, but if any of the kids are caught again, they’ll be looking at a formal arrest and jail time.”

  “I hope they learned their lesson.”

  “Me too.” Rufus jumped into Colt’s lap, and he began scratching him behind the ears. “I had the sense that there was one boy who was the instigat
or, and the others just went along so they wouldn’t appear uncool. I have a feeling those who were just following the lead of the one who came up with the plan will take the chance they’ve been given and make the most of it, but the other boy, the one whose idea it was in the first place, I won’t be at all surprised if I cross paths with him again. He seemed like he had a real chip on his shoulder, and his father, a single parent, seemed more irritated with me for taking him away from the basketball game he was watching than he was with his kid for stealing cash from the unattended drawer of a five and dime.”

  “Sounds like he might be heading down the wrong path. Maybe you can mentor him or something.”

  Colt paused as if to consider the idea. “Yeah. That might be an idea worth looking into. I’m not sure the kid would be open to the idea, but I can at least approach him.”

  “It sounds like he might be lacking a male role model. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s more receptive than you think.” I glanced at Ramos, who was standing by the door. “I need to take the dogs out. Do you want to come with me or wait here?”

  He stood. “I’ll come. I’ve been doing paperwork for most of the day. I could use a chance to stretch my legs.”

  After we left the cottage, we decided to stroll amongst the paths that meandered to and fro throughout the garden. Of course, the garden hadn’t sprung to life yet, but the snow had melted, and the paths were clear. Colt wound his fingers through mine as we strolled. He didn’t say anything, and I didn’t either, but the warmth of his palm against mine was not at all unpleasant.

  “The sky is pretty tonight,” Colt said as we strolled aimlessly from one path to the next.

  I paused and looked at it. “It really is breathtaking. All those little fireballs banning together to present an artful display against the largest canvas in the universe.”

  Colt laughed. “I think there might be more to it than that, but very poetically said. By the way, I meant to mention that I went out for a beer last night with a friend, and he mentioned that his wife is on the Clam Bake committee this year.”

  I remembered that the Clam Bake was a weeklong event held by the merchants in Holiday Bay to promote tourism.

  “She’s looking for additional lodging properties to act as hosts,” Colt continued. “You may already be booked for the weekend, but if you’re interested in learning more about it, I have the contact information for the woman you’d need to speak to.”

  “It might be worth looking into.”

  “I know that there are some rules that host properties must adhere to, but it would be good publicity, and you’d be helping out the merchants association as a whole.”

  “If I don’t have rooms available this summer, maybe I can block out rooms now for the following summer. Georgia and I have often discussed how important it is to us personally to really be a part of this community.”

  “It seems like you’ve done a good job integrating yourselves so far. I’ve heard a lot of folks commenting on the events you hold out here at the inn. The events bring visitors to the area, which helps merchants and restaurants. In my opinion, you and Georgia both have made yourselves a real part of this community in a relatively short amount of time. And everyone loves Georgia’s new cooking show. She has a real presence.”

  “Have you seen it?”

  He nodded. “Velma watches it every week, and it’s been on when I’ve stopped by her place a time or two.”

  The conversation stalled as we continued to stroll along the path closest to the ocean. After some time had passed, I called Ramos, who’d wandered further ahead than I liked. It wasn’t so bad during the day, but at night, his black coat seemed to blend into the darkness, and he became almost invisible. He didn’t come back right away, which was odd.

  “Ramos,” I called again. “We’re heading back.”

  He barked once. I called him a third time, and this time he came jogging up.

  “I wonder what that was all about.”

  I shrugged. “I’m not sure. He might have seen or heard something, but chances are he just cornered a rabbit. It’s getting cold. Let’s head back.”

  Chapter 5

  When I arrived at the inn the following morning, Georgia and Jeremy were in the kitchen, but the rest of the place was quiet.

  “Where is everyone?” I asked.

  “I already took Annabelle to school,” Jeremy replied. “She’s spending the weekend with Hannah, so we won’t see her until Sunday afternoon.”

  Hannah was Annabelle’s best friend, and the two had sleepovers at least one weekend a month.

  “And the others?” I asked.

  “No one has come out of their suites yet,” Georgia informed me. “Fiona requested coffee, juice, fruit, and bagels be made available between nine and eleven, but didn’t request a more substantial breakfast. I guess the group is going into town today, and then they have the big dinner this evening, so she didn’t want a large meal this morning. I have everything she requested set out on the sideboard if anyone ever decides to emerge from their suites.”

  “Based on the number of empty alcohol bottles I hauled out to the dumpster this morning, I’d be willing to bet there isn’t a single guest without a major hangover,” Jeremy chuckled.

  “So they jumped right in with the weekend’s party till you drop theme,” I smiled.

  “They really did. When I did my final walkthrough before turning in, everyone was in the common area. Half the guests were passed out on the sofa or splayed across easy chairs, while others were sitting around the dining table, playing a drinking game. The group may have planned a day in town today, but I won’t be surprised if we don’t see a single soul until mid-afternoon.”

  “Drinking until I passed out would be the last thing I’d want to do if I was paying to stay in a nice place like this,” Georgia said.

  “I’m sure for people like Fiona Arlington, our inn is little more than a Motel 6. Keep in mind the main reason she gave you for booking with us was because we were quaint and common,” I reminded her.

  “I guess that’s true.” Georgia shrugged. “I don’t suppose I care how the guests spend their time as long as they don’t destroy the place, which, based on my walkthrough this morning, appears to be intact.” She looked toward the door leading from the kitchen to the dining area. “I guess until someone comes down and tells me differently, I’ll just plan to leave the fruit and bagels out until eleven or until the group heads into town, whichever comes first.”

  I paused to listen. “Actually, it sounds as if someone is coming down now.” I walked to the door and pushed it open. “Good morning,” I said to the bride and groom-to-be.

  “Good morning,” Fiona mumbled in return as she sauntered over to the coffee, poured herself a cup, and added milk. “I’m sorry things got out of control last night. I hope there was no damage.”

  “Everything seemed fine this morning,” I answered.

  Fiona and Carson sat down at the dining table. “I had no intention of throwing a drunk fest for our opening night activities,” Fiona said. “I really don’t know what happened.”

  Carson laid his hand over Fiona’s. “I think it was the drinking game Lisa suggested that did us in.”

  “Actually, I think Mike was mixing the drinks a bit too generously,” Fiona smiled. “I know he’s your best friend, and I love him dearly, but the guy drinks like a fish.”

  “He can handle it,” Carson pointed out.

  “He can,” Fiona agreed, “but the rest of us really never had a chance once he took over behind the bar.”

  Georgia came out from the kitchen to join us. “Good morning, everyone. Do either of you want something other than what I set out this morning?”

  Fiona confirmed they were fine with coffee.

  “So, are you still planning a day in town?” I asked.

  Fiona looked at Carson, who shrugged. “I guess if we can get the troops up and out the door. I made lunch reservations in Bar Harbor.”

  “I s
uppose we can knock on doors if no one gets up in the next hour or so,” Carson suggested.

  Mike and Ambrosia came down, looking downright refreshed. I guess Mike could hold his liquor, and based on her wide smile and cheery mood, Ambrosia could as well.

  “Coffee, coffee, coffee,” Ambrosia said, pouring a cup full and then adding a generous dollop of cream. “I’m starving.” She picked up a bagel and popped it into the toaster.

  “You don’t seem too hungover this morning,” Carson voiced the thoughts I’d been having.

  She shrugged. “I know what a heavy hand Mike has when he mixes drinks, so I was careful.”

  Fiona propped her head in her hands. “I wish I’d been.”

  “Can I get you some aspirin?” Carson asked.

  “What you need is a Bloody Mary,” Mike countered. “I’ll make you one.”

  “I’m not sure more alcohol is the way to go,” Fiona said.

  Mike headed to the bar. “Trust me. It will be just the thing to take care of your aching head.”

  I glanced at Georgia and smiled. With Mike in the mix, it seemed as if the group was going to be plastered for most of the weekend.

  Over the next hour, the others began to trickle down. Like the bride and groom-to-be, the other guests all seemed to be suffering from hangovers. And as he had with Fiona, Mike offered everyone one of his “medicinal” Bloody Marys, which I noticed, everyone other than Jennifer, who seemed to be doing a lot better than most of the group, accepted.

  The last one to come down was Lisa. She poured herself a cup of coffee, accepted a Bloody Mary from Mike, and sat down with the others. “Where’s Alvin?” she asked.

  “I haven’t seen him,” Fiona said. “I assumed he was with you.”

  She took a sip of her coffee and shook her head. “I went up before him last night, and he was gone when I woke, so I assumed he was down here with the rest of you.”

  “I’ll take a look around,” I offered. “He may be in the parlor. Or perhaps the library. And we do have a sitting area on the third floor as well.”

  A thorough search of the inn revealed that Alvin was not on the premises.