Heather Horrocks - Who-Dun-Him Inn 02 - Inn the Doghouse (26 page)

“How far?” I asked, struggling for another breath.

“She might be arrested. Soon. And I can’t stop it.” He looked away and ran another hand through his hair. Then he shook his head. “I’ve got to get back inside.”

Stunned, I stumbled back to Grandma’s Cadillac and climbed into the back seat.

In front of me, Grandma was making soothing sounds and Herbert sounded sad.

Liz was going to be arrested?

My head swam.

I couldn’t do anything to stop it, either. Not really. I decided to keep asking questions, because I couldn’t bear the feeling of total helplessness that would engulf me if I didn’t.

I blinked back tears and wondered how long before the deputies showed up; and if there was any possible way I could keep from saying anything to Liz about it. I kept trying to wrap my brain around what Paul told me.

Liz was going to be arrested!

~ ~ ~

Saturday, November 19

The next morning, I rose way too soon to fix the ridiculously early breakfast expected at a bed-and-breakfast. I was so very much
not
a morning person, but so many of my guests were. Although, to make it work, I did try to go to bed at a decent time and get a good night’s sleep, but I often had to catch up with catnaps here and there.

I visited with the family of five in the dining room. They complimented me on the peaches-and-cream coffee cake—one of my favorites—and the individual breakfast quiches. I expected my other guests to come down soon.

I was filled with worry for my sister, but I kept the secret my brother entrusted me with.

When Paul found me, back in the kitchen making another pitcher of freshly squeezed orange juice I wanted to ask him for more information. But he looked so weary, I decided to let him update me on his own schedule. I worked at being upbeat instead. “Hey, bro, what are you doing here this early? Come up for some of my legendary good cooking?”

His smile was faint, but I think he appreciated my effort not to dwell on the bad news. “Good thing you can at least cook a great breakfast, even if your dinners are epic failures.”

I filled the pitcher with juice, rinsed my hands, and wiped things off. “Way to sweet talk the cook.”

“Good thing you’ve got David to help you.”

I agreed and pushed one of the individual quiches toward him. He sank onto a stool and reached for a fork while I told him to hang on while I carried the tray with the juice and more quiches to the dining room.

When I got back, he had his cell phone on the counter. “I need to show you something,”

I sat on the stool next to him and snagged a quiche of my own. “What do you have?”

“Pictures.” He pushed his phone toward me. “We can’t let Liz see these.”

I studied the first one and realized it was a wedding picture. Where did Crystal manage to find such a beautiful wedding gown on such short notice? DeWayne looked fabulous in a tux. And Crystal’s little girl was adorable in a pink princess dress and tiara. I looked over at Paul.

He shrugged and motioned toward the phone. “Keep scrolling.”

As I did, he polished off his quiche and reached out for a plate of coffee cake. After his first bite, he moaned lightly with pleasure.

Crystal’s parents were in one picture and DeWayne’s in another. Surprisingly elegant wedding pictures were followed by those of the honeymoon. The happy couple on the Las Vegas strip. By the volcano. The pyramid. In front of a wheel of fortune game and a skimpily clad waitress. In front of a framed “Big Winner” picture. The last was the two of them by the pool.

“Well?” Paul said.

“I didn’t know DeWayne looked that good in swim trunks. He must be a closet weight lifter.”

Paul snorted in disgust. “That’s all you have to say about these?”

“Definitely not.” I snorted right back. “I agree with you. We can’t let Liz see these.”

“See what?” my sister said, pushing through the saloon doors.

I jumped and exchanged a panicked look with my brother, who slipped his phone into his pocket. “Nothing, sis.”

She held out her hand. “Give it to me.”

He smiled. “It’s a birthday surprise.”

“And since my birthday is the same day as Vicki’s, and since that’s not until spring, that’s totally bogus.”

“I didn’t mean
your
birthday,” he said, sounding lamer by the minute.

“Show me what’s on your phone,” Liz said, her voice sounding sharper.

They stared at each other and, for a moment, I thought Paul would hang tough. But he pulled his phone out, turned on the pictures, and set it on the counter.

Liz picked it up and gasped, placing the tips of her shaking fingers to her lips.

Paul said, “I’m sorry, Liz. I didn’t want you to see them.”

She waved away his words. “I’d have to see them eventually. They’ll be showing up on his Facebook page soon, or hers. I’d rather see them now so they won’t catch me by surprise.”

She scrolled through and studied them. Finally, she set the phone back down on the counter. Keeping her face neutral, she turned to Paul and me as if it didn’t matter. “They make a lovely couple.”

And she walked out.

~ ~ ~

David’s parents sought me out at the check-in desk and asked if they could visit with me for a few minutes. They hadn’t eaten lunch and it was noon, so I invited them into the dining room and served up sandwiches and more peaches-and-cream coffee cake for dessert.

There was a good feeling about Bob and Molly Weston, even though I got nervous whenever I talked with them. After all, they were David’s parents. But, thirty minutes later, my awkwardness had nearly vanished.

I could see that David had learned how to tease from his parents. They were fun to be around.

Molly was very interested in how David and I met.

“It was during my grand opening weekend,” I said. “There was a murder here at the Inn during a blizzard and a friend and I snowmobiled into town to my brother’s house. My brother, Paul, is the police chief. Anyway, I told my brother what happened, and then your son frightened me.”

“He frightened you?” His mother sounded surprised. “How?”

“He was hidden behind my brother’s desk and I didn’t know he was even in the room until he leaned forward and spoke. It gave me quite a start. However, he saved me by cooking for the Inn when my original cook broke her leg and had to move in with her parents in Salt Lake City for awhile.”

His father said, “May I have another piece of cake? It’s delicious.”

“Sure.” Happily, I served him another slice. I liked to see people enjoying the cooking David was helping me improve. “So tell me a little about yourselves. You live in California.”

“Right. Oxnard. And we own a Dodge dealership.”

Remembering David’s brand new Dodge Charger, I laughed. “He told me he got a good deal on his new car. I didn’t realize it was a family discount.”

“He practically stole it.” Bob Weston chuckled.

His wife smiled. “You made him earn that discount.”

“By the way, happy anniversary,” I said. “Today is the day, right?”

Molly nodded. “Twenty-eight happy years.”

“Twenty-four. I wasn’t very happy while I was going to school,” Bob teased.

“But you made up for it with the next four years surfing the big waves in competitions.”

“That’s true. It evened out.” He finished his second piece of cake and pushed the plate away from him. “Now I’m going to need a nap to rest up for our evening out on the town.”

Molly confided, “David is going out with us tonight. He’s taking us into Park City.”

“That will be fun for you,” I said. “Park City is a fascinating town.”

They excused themselves and went up to their room.

Around three o’clock, Lonny’s pickup pulled up in the back parking lot.

I opened the back door of the Inn with a smile, delighted to see all three of my guys. Zach raced ahead and hugged me. “It was so much fun, Mom.”

I rubbed his hair. “I’m glad, squirt.”

He babbled on excitedly about the badges he’d earned and the food he had helped cook, and the s’mores, and the tinfoil dinners, and how cold it was because it was a winter camp, and how they stayed warm in their sleeping bags. I smiled as I listened to him rattle on excitedly.

David and Lonny unloaded tents, sleeping bags, and coolers from the back of the truck.

Zach glanced at the men and said, “I’ve got to get my stuff,” as he headed back to the truck.

Lonny and David came toward me, each hefting a heavy-looking piece of camping equipment. I smiled at them both. “You didn’t kill each other. I’m so proud of you.”

“Nope,” Lonny said. “We had a great time.”

David chuckled. “It’s been a long time since I’ve gone winter camping. It was pretty cold for this California boy.”

“Downstairs in your storage room?” Lonny shifted the load he carried.

I nodded. “Thanks.”

“Is it okay if we set it all in the back lobby first?” Lonny asked.

“Sure.”

I held the door open while they carried in their loads and set them by the check-in desk. Zach and I grabbed a bag of food and Zach’s backpack and carried them inside. The men carried in another load.

I closed the door on the cold air and told them, “I have some hot chocolate ready after you carry everything downstairs.”

Zach tugged on my sleeve. “Mom, you told me I should always keep my promises.”

I looked at him seriously. “Yes. That’s right. You should always keep your promises.”

“And you promised I could have a dog.”

“Yes.” I sighed, stung. He was right. I hadn’t kept it. I meant to, but I kept putting it off. “Yes. I did promise.”

“Then I want you to keep your promise.”

I glanced at the two men who had doubtlessly put my son up to this. They smiled innocently. I sighed again. I still meant to keep my promise. But keeping Liz out of jail seemed more important right now. “As soon as the murder is solved, I’ll get you a dog.”

Zach moaned. “But that will take forever.”

“Not forever,” I said, remembering Paul saying Liz might be arrested soon. “Very soon, I think. But I’m too worried about your Aunt Liz to consider a new dog right now. Will it be okay if we wait until the police arrest someone?” Arrest someone other than Liz, of course.

He pouted and looked at the guys. “I told you she wouldn’t.”

David laughed. “She will. Just give her a few more days.”

Lonny distracted my son with, “Let’s go put your camping stuff in the storage room.”

The three of them busied themselves carrying gear downstairs.

Lonny came back up first.

“So how was it?” I asked with a smile, pouring the hot water into mugs and stirring in hot cocoa mix. “Really?”

“David is a great guy. Who knew?”

I didn’t expect that. I thought they were both jealous of each other. It was kind of flattering, but unnerving, too.

“Not as great as I am, of course,” he continued. “So what do you think? Are you still ready to go out to dinner next week?”

With a dry mouth, I said, “Yes.”

His smile lit up the room. “Great. Next Saturday?”

“Can we have the same proviso I just gave Zach? After someone besides Liz has been arrested for the murder?”

His eyes widened. “Is there a danger of Liz being arrested?”

Oops. I let that slip out. “You are sworn to secrecy, Lonny. Yes, there is a danger. I’m not handling it well.”

He said, “What if we go out, unless she gets arrested?”

I paused. I couldn’t live my entire life afraid, and as long as Liz was still free, I would be okay. “All right. Next Saturday. Unless Liz gets arrested.”

“I can live with that,” he said.

Zach came running up. “Mom, I just remembered I have to go to Cameron’s birthday party now.”

Great. Another reminder of why I needed to buy toys on sale and stash them in one of the closets so I could pull one out at the last minute. Now I had to go buy something. “Okay. Let me grab a present and I’ll drive you there. You can call me when the party’s over.”

Lonny said, “I’ll drive him over.”

I instantly decided cash would make a great gift. “Hold on while I find a card. Thanks for taking him.”

“
My
pleasure
.” He gave the words extra emphasis. I looked up in surprise to see David walking in. Lonny grinned at me.

David looked at us suspiciously and frowned.

I was beginning to think two men at the same time was one too many.

~ ~ ~

David and his parents were sitting at my kitchen table. His mother was cutting lettuce for a dinner salad, and his father was leaning back on his chair.

The conversation revolved around beaches and surfing and I realized why David seemed so much like a surfer. Because he
was
one. Apparently, he’d even picked up some awards along the way.