Room for Murder (Book 4 in the Lighthouse Inn Mysteries) (23 page)

One minute after they left, the rain started
abruptly pounding down in sudden fierce waves of monstrous drops.
There was no drizzle beforehand, no warning that such violence was
imminent. At least it had waited until all the guests were gone,
Alex mused, as he watched the fierce attack of the deluge.

Elise came downstairs, back in blue jeans
and a polo shirt, her hair pulled into its traditional ponytail.
She still looked lovely to him.

“
Wow, that’s an incredible
storm,” she said as she looked out the window. “You can barely see
the lighthouse from here.”

It was true. Alex couldn’t remember seeing
such a hard rain in all his years at Hatteras West.

Elise said, “I’m going to turn on the radio
and see if there’s anything on the news about it.”

As she switched on the radio that was
sitting on an end table, they heard, “... shelter. To repeat,
Hurricane Zelda is heading straight for Elkton Falls. Those without
basements are advised to head to the high school bomb shelter.
Folks, this one’s going to be a direct hit. Charlotte got skirted,
but Hickory was slammed full on. Now she’s coming our way, fast and
mean. To repeat, Hurricane Zelda ...” Elise turned the volume
down.

“
Mor and Emma are on the
road, and they’re driving right into a hurricane.”

Alex said, “Chances are they’re already in
Charlotte. I’ve never been happier that the inn is empty. If this
thing had hit yesterday or tomorrow, we’d have real problems on our
hands.”

Elise said, “Alex, you don’t have a basement
here. Should we head over to the high school?”

Alex shook his head. “We’re safer in the
lighthouse, Elise. Think about it. Both Hatteras lighthouses, east
and west, were designed to withstand this kind of punishing
weather. If you’d feel better going to the high school, I guess I
could go with you,” he added.

“
No, you’re right. I’d feel
safer at the lighthouse with you. Alex, we should get over there
right now with some supplies.”

“
That might not be such a
bad idea.” They worked together again as a team, gathering plastic
bins with flashlights, food, and blankets, drawing water for later
and battening down the inn as much as they could. He was glad he’d
insisted on working storm shutters when they’d rebuilt the Dual
Keepers’ Quarters. He felt a lot more secure being able to cover
the windows. Alex finished pulling the chairs in from the porch and
was soaked to the bone by the time he got everything inside. Grady,
Conner, and Tracy were already there waiting for him.

Alex took the towel Elise offered and he
started drying his hair. “We’re going to ride this out in the
lighthouse,” he told them. “You’re welcome to join us.”

Conner said, “Do we have any choice? It’s
getting dangerous out there.”

Alex said, “Just let me change, then we’ll
head over.”

Conner said, “Come when you’re ready, but
I’m going right now.” He picked up a bin and headed for the front
door.

Grady grabbed one too, then said, “Come on,
Tracy, they can manage here.”

Tracy followed, and by the time Alex got
back downstairs, Elise was waiting for him with the last two bins
of supplies. “It’s going to be a little crowded in the base with
all this stuff.”

“
Hey, don’t forget, we’ve
got the steps to use as seats and shelves. Don’t worry, Elise,
we’re going to be fine.”

“
I’ll feel better once we
get over there and get the front doors bolted shut,” she
admitted.

“
Let’s go, then,” Alex said
as he grabbed the heavier bin. The rain was now mixed with hail,
and it stung as it pounded into them. Alex stopped to secure the
inn’s doors, then ran after Elise in the muck and mud. The rain had
quickly saturated the ground and had left a quagmire
behind.

Once they were with the others inside the
base of the lighthouse, Alex bolted the main doors. Very little
light came in from the window above their heads, and Alex flipped
on one of his powerful flashlights. The white walls reflected the
beam, and the interior seemed almost cheerful compared to the
howling winds outside. Alex leaned against the circular rail at the
base and said “Looks like we’re in this for the long haul. Did
anybody hear when the storm shitted so far inland?”

Conner said. “We were too wrapped up in this
recount to pay much attention. I think it happened pretty
fast.”

Grady added, “I should have hit the road
four hours ago.” He held a hand to his head and said “What a
splitting headache. I think I’ve just gone on the wagon.”

Elise turned on the portable radio and had
to raise the volume so they could hear over the roar of the storm
outside.

“
... edges have just
touched town. Hunker down, folks, the electricity went off ten
minutes ago, and we’re running off the generator. Stay where you
are! If you can’t get to a basement, a doorway’s good, even a
cast-iron tub if you’ve got one. The eye’s due to pass over us in
about twenty minutes, but don’t go outside because it looks calm.
When the back side hits, it’s going to have a real punch to
it”

They listened for a while as news of
devastation farther south trickled in. Charlotte was miraculously
bypassed, but a few towns nearby weren’t nearly so lucky, getting
ravaged by the storm. Hickory had been particularly hard hit, with
trees and power lines down all over the city.

“
It sounds like a train’s
out there,” Tracy said, the awe for the power of the storm thick in
her voice.

“
Look at that,” Conner
said, pointing to the window above them. “The rain’s actually
falling up. It’s like being in a giant car wash.”

“
I don’t need to be here,”
Grady said.

“
Well, we’re all stuck for
now,” Elise said. “So we might as well make the best of
it.”

Alex said to Grady, “I thought you’d be more
interested in your constituents than just wanting to take off.”

Grady said, “Of course I am, but it’s going
to be up to one of these two to rebuild what’s ruined. I’ve served
my time here.”

Tracy said, “I wonder if the covered bridge
is going to survive this. It would be a shame to lose it after
you’all worked so hard to raise money for its restoration.”

Grady shrugged. “We didn’t raise all that
much, just a few bucks, really. I’d hate to see it go, too,” he
added as he looked down at his shoes.

Without thinking, Alex said, “That’s not
true at all. I know for a fact there have been several hefty
donations to the project.”

Grady said, “Alex, aren’t you too old to
believe in rumors and idle gossip? I’ve got a feeling a lot of
folks are bragging about giving to the fund without cracking their
checkbooks.”

Conner jumped in. “Oxford told me there was
over twenty thousand in the kitty, and that was a good month ago.
Is that what you call a few bucks?”

“
He was always prone to
exaggeration, just like most politicians are,” Grady said. “Is the
storm letting up? It’s not raining nearly as hard as it
was.”

The mayor started for the handle when Alex
stepped in front of him. Everything was starting to come together
in his mind, and he didn’t want anyone leaving until he tested his
theory. Fighting to be heard over the storm, Alex asked, “Is that
why you killed Oxford, for the money?”

Grady snapped, “What are you talking about,
Alex? Have you lost your mind?”

Alex said, “It just makes sense, doesn’t
it?” He turned to Conner. “Did you know about it too, or was he
just using you?”

Conner sputtered, “Alex, you’re certifiably
insane.”

Alex shook his head. “I don’t think so. It
all makes sense. Oxford found out Grady was stealing from the
bridge fund. It was kind of poetic justice when he confronted you
there about your theft. So you killed him.”

The warm, friendly mayor they all knew was
suddenly replaced by a caged animal ready to strike out.

Grady pulled a gun from his jacket and said,
“You had to push it, didn’t you, Alex? Well, knowing what happened
isn’t going to do you a bit of good now.”

Tracy said in a stunned voice, “Then it’s
true?”

Grady waved her over to the rest of the
group, away from the door. “Don’t look so shocked. All my life I’ve
been serving the people of Elkton Falls. It was about time they
started serving me.”

Conner said, “Shut up, Hatch.”

“
You think I’m going down
without taking you with me? You knew all about my dipping into the
fund.”

Conner said, “You lying dog. I didn’t know
you’d killed Oxford or that troublemaker out in the parking lot,
either.”

Alex said, “You killed Toby Sturbridge?”

“
The fool brought it on
himself. Oxford and I thought the parking lot would be the safest
place to talk with everybody at the rededication. Oxford demanded I
return the money, the do-gooder. Sturbridge must have heard the
threats. After Oxford left, I was shaken up pretty good, so I
leaned against Mor’s truck for a cigarette to settle my nerves.
This thug came up and threatened me if I didn’t cut him in on what
I’d stolen. He grabbed me, I panicked so I pushed him. Okay, maybe
it was a little too hard, but I swear, I didn’t mean to kill him. I
stuck him in the nearest truck and got back up onstage.”

“
I thought you looked like
you had the jitters that day,” Alex admitted. “I just couldn’t
figure out why.”

Tracy said, “What did Conner know, Grady?
Tell us that much.”

“
I told you to shut up,”
Conner said as he started to lunge for Grady’s gun.

The mayor held it up, his finger white on
the trigger. “Don’t make me shoot you, Conner. I’m too favorable
toward the idea as it is.”

Conner backed off, and Grady finished, “He
knew something was going on, but he didn’t know quite what the
handle was. I couldn’t afford any attention, so I promised to help
him get elected if he’d stay out of things until after the
election. I planned to be long gone by the time he blew the lid off
it.”

“
You can’t prove I knew
anything about this mess,” Conner shouted.

“
I don’t have to,” Grady
said. “I’m not a cop.”

Alex said, “So what are you going to do now,
Grady. You can’t kill all of us.”

“
I’m not some kind of
cold-blooded killer, Alex. Sturbridge was a fluke, and Oxford was
threatening me. Where I’m going, nobody will ever be able to find
me.”

“
How are you going to get
anywhere?” Elise asked. “There’s a hurricane out there.”

Grady smiled. “It’s the perfect cover.
Everybody’s going to be too busy digging out from under the debris
to come after me.”

The mayor threw the doors open and looked
outside at the eerie calm. Alex could see that a few trees had come
down around the property, but remarkably, the inn itself didn’t
appear to have suffered much damage. There was a shimmering green
pall to the light, and a hushed stillness that defied description.
It was, to Alex, almost as if he’d gone suddenly deaf, the quiet
was so complete.

Conner said, “You’ll never make your getaway
in a motor home, Grady, not during this storm. Don’t be a
fool.”

“
The only fool thing I’ve
done is hang around here too long, and I’m about to correct that
right now.”

Grady was gone before they could stop him,
and Alex fought the urge to go after him.

Elise must have read his mind. “Don’t even
think about going out there, Alex. It’s too dangerous.”

“
I know, but it’s hard just
letting him go.” Alex knew that the other side of the storm would
be there soon enough, and the last place on Earth he wanted to be
was out in it, but it still bothered him.

“
He’s not worth it,” Elise
said as she bolted the doors.

Alex knew she was right. Let Grady Hatch
take his chances with Zelda.

Sooner or later, the police would catch up
with him.

There was no doubt in Alex’s mind about
that.

Chapter 21

“
What brings you to
Hatteras West?” Alex asked as Elkton Falls’ brand-new mayor arrived
at the inn a few days later.

“
Just checking up on my
constituents,” Tracy said. “I still can’t believe they haven’t
found Grady yet.”

Alex finished sweeping the porch steps and
said, “Hey, he’s only been gone forty-eight hours. How far could he
get on foot?”

The remnants of Grady’s motor home still
remained under one of the trees Alex had lost in the storm. He
would have loved to see the mayor’s face when he realized that his
getaway car wasn’t going anywhere.

“
The man’s craftier than
any of us gave him credit for,” Tracy said. “I don’t trust
him.”

“
Speaking of trust, what’s
your ex-husband have to say about all this?”

Tracy smiled. “Oh, he’s denied any
connection with the mayor, and the sheriff says we don’t have
enough solid evidence to arrest him, no matter how hard I push it.
I do have some good news on that front, though. It seems Conner has
decided to relocate. Elkton Falls is suddenly too small for
him.”

“
Where’s he going?” Alex
asked.

“
Out West is all I heard.
They’re welcome to him. He’ll never admit it, but I know now that
mannequin was his work.”

Alex said, “I still can’t believe Grady
wiped out the bridge fund and tried to run away with all that money
we raised. I thought he really believed in the restoration. I’m
going to head over there later and see if anything happened to the
bridge during the storm. Have you heard anything about our
electricity?”