Reservations for Murder (13 page)

“And the winner is ... Travis Jenks.” Alex
recognized one of the kids from Shantara’s cleanup crew go to the
steps to collect his prize. He held the chair up over his head and
shouted to his crowd of friends standing nearby.

The donated pottery tea set went to an older
woman

Alex didn’t recognize, while Bill Yadkin’s
iron napkin rings went to a woman from town named Ruby Garnet.

Alex thought the drawings were over when
Shantara announced, “We have one last item to give away,
contributed by Jefferson Lee.”

As the crowd quieted, Alex looked out over
the people gathered there. Many of them had come to see the murder
scene as well as the festival, and Alex could feel an undercurrent
buzz in the air.

Shantara broke the silence by holding up a
delicately formed leafy vine a foot long that Jefferson had created
out of steel. No matter what the world had thought of the man, he
truly had been an artist with iron and fire.

Shantara reached into the barrel and drew out
a name. “I’m pleased to announce that the winner is none other than
our host, Alex Winston.”

There were a few disappointed groans under
the cheers as Alex stepped forward to receive his prize. The work
was even lovelier up close. As he took the vine from Shantara, Alex
could see the veins on the leaves etched into the iron.

He faded back as quickly as he could,
clutching the prize in one hand.

Shantara said, “I want to thank you all for
coming and making this fair a success. Feel free to stay for the
Lighthouse Lighting, and be sure to have a safe drive home.”

As the visitors made their way back to their
cars to retrieve blankets and picnic baskets for the ceremony, the
craftspeople began breaking down their sites. In less than twenty
minutes, all that was left was Jefferson Lee’s forge standing alone
in one corner of the yard and the potters’ booth in another. Alex
found Shantara packing up the pottery exhibit, wrapping everything
carefully.

“Why don’t you let that wait,” Alex said.
“It’s almost time for the lighting.” He grinned. “Besides, I’ll
help you do this after everyone else is gone.”

“I can’t ask you to do that, Alex, you’ve
done so much already.” She pointed to the kids working around her.
“Besides, I can’t just bug out and leave them all here to finish
without me.”

“They’re not going to take off without you,
Shantara. You’re buying the pizza, remember?” Alex grabbed her
hand. “Come on, you can climb the steps with me.”

“Can I throw the switch?”

“Don’t push it,” he said, laughing.

The interior of the lighthouse was dark as
Alex and Shantara climbed the steps together, a single flashlight
between them. By the time they got to the observation deck, the
crowd had settled in, ready for the ceremony.

Alex called out to the people below, “We
light this torch for those who have gone before, from the brave men
and women who were the first keepers of the flame to all our
comrades and loved ones who have fallen since.”

With that, he ducked inside and pressed the
ordinary- looking black button that controlled the Fresnel lens. In
a moment, the light came on and began to slowly rotate, shining out
into the night around them.

Alex could hear the mass of cheers from
below. Normally, he loved the ceremony, an event that occurred once
a year when he could light the beacon with the local government’s
blessing.

It just wasn’t the same this year, whether
because of the recent murder, the Golden Days Fair, or, he had to
admit to himself, the fact that Elise was gone.

“It’s awfully bright up here,” Shantara said.
“How long are you going to keep the lens on?”

“I always give it thirty minutes, rain or
shine. Let’s go back down and enjoy the festivities. I think we
both need a break.”

Alex and Shantara split up as they walked
among the blankets filled with families of all sizes and shapes.
There were greetings from old friends and new ones as kids of all
ages watched the light rotate into the night, mesmerized. It really
was quite a sight; Alex had to admit it. He never got tired of
seeing Hatteras West in all its glory, its beacon shining brightly;
he only wished the town council would ease up on their restrictions
and let him fire up the Fresnel lens more often.

But for now, for that moment at that place
and time, all was well with Alex’s world as the beacon completed
another turn into the darkness.

Once the light was shut off for another year
and the crowds were all gone, Alex followed Shantara back to the
demonstration area. Temporary floodlights lit the area showing a
lawn picked clean of debris. The two exhibits still standing were
the only signs that the Golden Days Fair had ever been there.

As she started to work at packing up the
display, Shantara said, “You really don’t have to help, Alex, I can
take care of this myself.”

“I know I don’t have to,” Alex said as he
grabbed a stack of newspapers and started wrapping pottery pieces.
“To be honest with you, I’m so keyed up from lighting the lens that
I won’t get to sleep for hours, anyway.”

“Okay, then, I give up.”

As they worked, he said, “So what happened to
all the kids? I can’t believe they left without you.”

“I told them they could go. I called Irma,
and she’s started the pizzas.” She wiped her forehead. “Besides, I
just want to go home, take a good long soak and forget about the
world for a while.”

They worked well together, storing and
stacking the pottery and equipment left behind.

Alex looked over at the murder victim’s
exhibit and said, “What’s going to happen to Jefferson’s
exhibit?”

“Bill Yadkin’s agreed to take it down for me
as soon as he gets his own display back to his shop.” She glanced
at her watch. “It’s getting late, though. Alex, do you mind if it
stays up until tomorrow?”

“It’s fine with me,” Alex said, though the
last thing in the world he wanted was a reminder of the slain
blacksmith.

Shantara said, “Bill’s thinking about making
a bid on the equipment from whoever ends up with Jefferson’s
estate.”

“I can’t believe he’d want it, not after the
feud the two of them had.”

Shantara shrugged as she secured the lid to
the final box. “He says good equipment is hard to come by, and he
doesn’t want the tools to just go on display somewhere. The anvil
alone is supposed to be some kind of real prize for collectors, but
Bill wants to keep it to use.”

“So what are you going to do with all of
this?” Alex asked, gesturing to the pile of filled boxes.

“I’m keeping everything at the store until
Craig can pick it all up. Have you heard anything about
Marilynn?”

“The last I heard, she was still
unconscious.” Alex didn’t add his own suspicions of Craig Monroe’s
reaction. Shantara had enough troubles on her mind.

Shantara nodded. “I don’t care how late it
is, I’m changing my plans and going by the hospital as soon as
we’re done.” She surveyed their work and said, “Thanks for helping,
Alex. You’ll have your inn back in no time.” Her expression turned
serious as she added “Are you sure I can’t pay you rent for the use
of Hatteras West? I’ve suddenly found myself with more profit them
I ever could have imagined. Don’t worry,” she added quickly, “I’m
paying Jefferson’s heirs every dime I owed him, but with all the
extra traffic, I still made out pretty well.”

“Put it back for a rainy day, Shantara. You
don’t owe me a thing.”

Shantara kissed Alex on the cheek, and Alex
noticed that one of the workers he’d met earlier, Tom Lane, was
watching them closely from the shadows.

As he stepped out of the darkness into the
light, Tom looked quickly away, but not before Alex saw the young
man’s burning cheeks.

Alex said, “Don’t look now, but I think
you’ve got an admirer.”

Shantara turned and saw Tom watching them. He
smiled gently at her as he moved toward them. “Tom’s had a crush on
me since he was twelve. He’s still just a boy, Alex.”

“Don’t tell him that. He’s in his early
twenties, isn’t he?”

Shantara shrugged. “Something like that, but
he’s still too young for me.”

Alex smiled. “Don’t be so sure. Look at Bill
and Rachel.”

Shantara laughed. “That’s not the greatest
example in the world, now, is it? We both know how well that’s
working out, don’t we? No thanks. I think I’ll stick to men my own
age.”

Alex said, “That’s really cutting down on the
dating pool around Elkton Falls, isn’t it? You might have to go
back to your first boyfriend and start the circle all over
again.”

Shantara’s laughter was infectious. “No thank
you. he’s as round as a basketball and as bald as a rock.” She
sighed heavily and added. “Alex. I swear I’m going to sleep for a
week, and I’m starting tonight.”

Tom made it a point to approach them. His
voice was stilted and formal as he asked, “Where would you like
these boxes?”

“Why don’t you bring your truck over here,
Tom, and we can load all this up. If you don’t mind the extra work,
you can help me haul everything back to my store. I’d be happy to
pay you extra.”

“You don’t have to. Shantara. I don’t mind
helping,” he muttered as he turned his back on them and walked
off.

“Now what was that all about?” Shantara
asked. “He’s never acted that way around me before.”

“He thinks we were laughing at him instead of
each other,” Alex said.

“Oh, my, I just hate ruffled feathers. Excuse
me. Alex, I’d better go talk to him.”

He saw the two of them in deep conversation,
then after a few minutes, Tom walked quickly to his truck with a
new spring in his step as Shantara rejoined Alex.

“Whatever you said to him, it surely worked.”
Alex said.

“Alex Winston, if you give me grief about
this. I swear I’ll never forgive you.”

“What did I say?” Alex asked innocently.

“It’s not what you said, it’s what you’re
going to say when I tell you I’m having dinner with Tom tomorrow
night. I’m still not sure how it happened.”

Alex smiled at her. “I’m just going to say
one thing, then I promise I’ll shut up.”

Shantara’s nose crinkled as she said, “Go
ahead. I suppose I deserve it.”

“I hope you two have a nice time,” Alex said
as he walked back to the inn alone.

The phone was ringing as Alex hurried back
inside. It was late for anyone who knew him to be calling, but Alex
hoped there was word about Marilynn’s condition.

It took him a second to realize it was Elise
on the other end of the phone as she said, “I was about ready to
give up on you. I’ve tried calling three times already this
evening.”

“I’m sorry, Elise. I’ve been away from the
desk, and I forgot to put the answering machine on with everything
that’s been going on around here. How’s your father doing?”

“He came out of surgery a few hours ago.
Everything went better than they expected. The doctor seems to
think he’ll be out of here in no time.”

The relief in her voice was obvious.

“I’m so happy for you,” Alex said.

“So, what’s been happening there?” she
asked.

For a moment Alex considered postponing
telling her about Marilynn Baxter’s attempted suicide, but he knew
Elise would be furious if she found out he’d been holding back on
her.

“Elise, I found Marilynn Baxter in her room
today. She’d taken an overdose of something.”

“Is she ... dead?”

“The last I heard, she’s still unconscious,
but I admit I haven’t spoken with Doc Drake in a while. It was a
good thing he was already out at the fair. I think it might have
saved her life.”

“It sounds to me like it was a good thing for
Marilynn that you were there yourself. How did you happen to find
her?”

“I was cleaning the rooms,” Alex
admitted.

“Oh, Alex, isn’t Emma helping you at
all?”

He said, “Absolutely. You know how crazy
things can get around here, even without a fair. We’ve had our
hands full, what with the Lighthouse Lighting tonight.”

“I forgot all about that being tonight. How
was it, Alex?”

“It was wonderful. I wish you could have seen
it yourself.”

“Me, too.” Her words were followed by a
momentary awkward silence on the line.

Alex filled it by gently asking, “When are
you coming back?”

Instead of answering his question, Elise said
hurriedly, “Alex, I’ve got to go. The doctor just came out of the
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, and he’s talking to Mom.”

Alex said, “Good-bye,” but the line was
already dead.

He couldn’t help wondering if the doctor
really had shown up or if Elise had just used it as an excuse to
sidestep his question. Like it or not, he was going to have to deal
with the possibility that Elise might not be coming back to
Hatteras West ever again.

It looked like Alex might have to face the
fact that Elise wasn’t going to be a part of his life anymore.

Chapter 16

Late the next morning, Alex had just finished
dust-mopping the floor when Mor came in. “Hey, Alex, is Emma
around?”

“To be honest with you, I forgot she was
supposed to be coming back today. I haven’t seen her all morning.”
He smiled at Mor as he added, “I’ve just about got the inn clean,
so your timing’s perfect.”

Mor smiled. “That’s the best news I’ve heard
all day. I didn’t want to spend my day off cleaning rooms with you
again, not that it wasn’t a real treat before.” He pointed to a
stack of luggage by the front desk. “What are all those bags doing
there?”

“Just about everything there belongs to Craig
and Marilynn.” He pointed to a single black overnight bag. “That
one belonged to Jefferson Lee. I’m dropping it off at the police
station for the sheriff.”

Mor looked around the lobby, and when he saw
it was deserted, he asked, “Where’s your resident snoop? Evans
isn’t actually out in the real world, is he?”