by Teresa Trent
“Really? I love watching those guys on tv. How does Tuck feel about you moving a TV personality into your home?”
“I never said he was on TV, and I don’t give a damn what Tuck likes.”
“What happened?” Dominic lowered his voice, so as not to inform the entire lobby full of guests that Nora was angry with her boyfriend.
“I went upstairs to fix the ice machine and guess who I ran into talking about old times with a former girlfriend? Tuck and that uber sexy woman with the cat website.”
Dominic’s deep brown eyes widened. “Tuck? Damn. Talk about getting busted. She was va-va-va-voom, baby.”
“He said it was all a misunderstanding, and it wasn’t what it looked like.”
“What else could it have been? She is something else if you know what I mean. Your man was definitely catting around.”
“My thoughts exactly.” Nora said feeling the anger inside of her moving over for pure old-fashioned sadness.
Dominic moved closer and slipped an arm around her shoulders. “Ah, come on kid. Now I’ve upset you. I have never pretended to know anything about the affairs of the heart, but could it be he was telling the truth?”
“I wish I could believe that.”
“I see. Where is he now? You need me to go straighten him out?” Dominic pounded one fist into the other.
“No. Thanks though.”
“Then why don’t you go and ask him to tell you what was really going on. Give him the benefit of the doubt. We fellas can be dense in the head sometimes. Maybe she is just an old girlfriend who thought she bat those gorgeous eyes and that he should naturally come running. A woman like that doesn’t know the meaning of rejection. I think my track record speaks for itself on that issue.”
“I can’t. He left already to drive over to Lubbock for a meeting. He won’t be back until late tonight. “
“Maybe it’s all just a misunderstanding. Trust me, being a man of the world like myself, I’ve learned that sometimes you have to assess the situation more than once.”
“I don’t know. I don’t exactly have a good track record with men. All the men in my life have either left or screwed me over. Makes you want to join a convent.”
“No need to go that far. You ain’t no Sister of Mercy. Besides, who does that these days?” Dominic said with a smile.
“I guess you’re right.”
“Just trust old Dom, here. This will work itself out. You’ll be mooning over that cop in no time.”
Chapter 22
W
When Rick Stephenson walked in a few minutes later, Nora’s head was still spinning from what she had witnessed on the second floor. Was it all an innocent mistake? Would she ever trust him again? Rick started talking, oblivious to the emotion boiling up inside of her.
“So now that I moved in to the bed-and-breakfast, let’s get down to business. What exactly do you know about Alan’s doings? Can you take me to the crime scene? Did he ask you any pointed questions about Evangeline Cartwright, this mystery writer?”
Nora’s gaze was slightly off center. Of all the men out there, she never would’ve suspected that Tuck would ever be involved with a woman who used that much eyeliner.
“Nora? Are you listening?”
Dominic leaned over the counter. “You’ll have to excuse her. Someone just broke her heart. Stories like hers will haunt this hotel forever.”
Rick looked at Nora again and lowered his voice, “I’m so sorry. But now that I have your attention, is there any chance you have any photos from the crime scene before they cleaned it up?”
Nora looked around the lobby, that thankfully was now empty due to the preparations going on in the conference room for the great show cat, Catpurnicus. “ Okay, let’s talk about why you came here. First off, I would really appreciate it if you would not mention the word murder. We are trying to run a business here that is based on people feeling at home on the road.”
“Are you serious? You want to cover this up?” Rick dug in his heels. “I’ve cracked coverups bigger than this one, and now that a fellow newsman has been murdered, you can bet I’m going to blow this investigation wide open.”
Nora pulled Rick in closer, “As far as Alan Shaw goes, I did have possession of his laptop but the police took it as evidence.”
Dominic leaned into the pair, “That would be the aforementioned boyfriend.”
“Great.”
“There is not much you can do on that front.” Nora didn’t tell Rick about Tuck’s investigation of the laptop coming up with nothing. She had the feeling that the more she told Rick about anything, the more she would regret it.
“Alan was a pretty paranoid guy. Like I told you before, he was a big conspiracy theory guy. He might park his stuff on the cloud. I’ll have to check what he was storing at the office. Where is his luggage? Did the police get that too?”
“Yes.” Nora liked the way that Rick was thinking systematically working through the problem. She only wished he had been around when she was trying to get rid of the one-star reviews. “We think Mr. Shaw might have been responsible for leaving a slew of bad reviews about the hotel. He was angry because like you, he couldn’t rent a room.”
Rick smirked. “Why does that not shock me? Alan had a way of worming his way into a situation. You wouldn’t be the first hotel clerk who wished she had never met the man.”
Doug Lindstrom walked in, accompanied by a lady with pink streaks in her hair who was carrying a cat carrier. This had to be the arrival of the great Catpurnicus, world champion show cat.
“If you’ll excuse me for just a moment,” Nora said to Rick.
“Oh. No worries. I’m going to the fourth floor to look for damage from the mur … incident.”
Nora stepped over to Doug and the cat owner. “Is this our guest of honor?”
“It certainly is. I’m Mitzy Olson, his owner,” the woman answered, her voice a nasally ring that reminded Nora of a squeaky door. “Perny is little parched. Do you have any Perrier?”
The cat owner dropped the r in the word parched making it come out “poched”. Nora turned to Dominic. “See if we have any Perrier in the kitchen.”
Dominic nodded and hustled toward the dining room.
Doug leaned close to Nora’s ear. “Please take this woman. She’s driving us all crazy out at the kennel.”
Nora put on her best hospitality smile and whisked Catpurnicus and his owner to the conference room. It was just downright cruel to make a dog lover cater to a celebrity cat. When Nora entered the conference room, they were trying to get Catpurnicus settled in a soft black velvet bed in front of a display of red and blue ribbons and various trophies. Catpurnicus was sturdy looking. Nothing like the thin Siamese cats Nora would expect to see as a best in show winner. Dominic approached the boxy red hair with an assortment of tuna on a silver platter. Catpurnicus sniffed at it, put out an evil sounding at growl at Dominic and turned away.
“That’ll never do,” squeaked the picky cat’s owner. “Is that Bluefin Tuna from the Atlantic? Don’t you dare try to parade any of that Pacific Albacore in here. This is a champion cat. Perhaps I should have offered it to him. He is not an outwardly social animal. He is very careful about who he chooses to befriend. Like his tuna, he associates with only the best of humans.”
Nora knew for a fact that the Tuna was exactly what they had ordered because she was the one who had to track it down. If the cat didn’t like the tuna, then it wasn’t from a lack of trying on her end.
Doug Lindstrom smirked in the corner. Nora couldn’t imagine all that this little woman had demanded for Catpurnicus already. The prized feline escaped from its velvet throne and headed for the open kitchen passageway. If Mr. Janson from the health department were to step in unannounced he would shut the Tunie down for sure. Nora quickened her step to head it off before he did any damage to
the kitchen.
When Nora entered the kitchen, she found her uncle Wiley bent on one knee feeding the cat a bite of the friend chicken he had prepared for the guests. Catpurnicus, who had looked regal and off-putting in the dining room, now purred against her uncle’s leg.
“That’s a good little kitty. Did one of these kitty ladies sneak you in?” His voice bordered on baby talk making Nora smile. His owner was right. Catpurnicus did only associate with the best humans.
“That’s our headliner this afternoon,” Nora said.
“Oh? This is the big cat act they were all talking about? Can’t be right. Just seems like a cat to me.”
From behind Nora Catpurnicas’s owner cleared her throat. “Not just any cat. Three-time grand champion of this nation’s cat shows. Oh my god. What are you feeding him?”
“Fried chicken.”
Nora thought the lady would swoon and fall on the kitchen floor in a pink huff.
“It’s okay. He likes it.” Wiley picked up the cat and petted it. Nora motioned to him to follow her to the conference room where Wiley returned Catpurnicus to his throne. Camille Martin-Ortega then took over again and Nora joined Doug Lindstrom who had been observing the entire scene as he leaned his lanky frame against the conference room wall.
“Well played, there Nora.”
“You do what you have to do.”
“Isn’t that the truth,” he answered the mirth showing in his smile.
Chapter 23
W
Max came across the lobby.
“Nora, if you’re back dealing with cat royalty, Marty would like to speak with you.”
“Um, tell her I’ll be with her in just a minute.”
Max’s eyebrows raised. “Sure boss. Whatever you say. Oh, and there is some kind of a reporter dude wandering around. Do you know anything about that?” Nora had forgotten about Rick Stephenson. If he had interviewed any of the guests to ask about Alan Shaw’s murder, it would be just one more thing to dump on Marty.
“Is Marty in the office?”
“Yep.”
“Don’t you even know it’s payday?” Dominic asked. “Or do owners not take a salary?”
He didn’t know how close to the truth he was, Nora thought. Rick Stephenson came out of the elevator but before he stepped out he ran his hand along the wood molding around the opening.
“He had to have struggled. The frame upstairs is broken in several places.” Rick said, seemingly to nobody. Nora rushed over in an effort to squelch him once again.
“Why don’t you come into the office and you can tell me your findings.”
His eyes took Nora in. “Sure. I need to use your computer anyway.” He gazed over at the business center. “No offense, but those computers look pretty old.” Once again, a member of the press had insulted her computer. Nora didn’t even know why she had decided to set them up. No one seemed to need them and the people who did couldn’t stand them.
When Nora and the reporter entered the business office, Marty was hunched over the keyboard with the bookkeeping software pulled up. She smiled at seeing Nora. “I know you usually do this, but you’ve been so busy with the convention, I thought I would try to print out the checks.” The bookkeeping software was Nora’s baby and Marty had never ventured into it before.
“Dominic reminded me it was payday. I should have taken care of it before the convention started. Next time, I’ll schedule better. If you’ll let me get at the computer, I’ll be happy to print out the checks.”
“And she also needs to let me work on it.” Rick added.
“Are you an accountant?”
“No. A reporter. I just need to look up some information on Alan Shaw. If I’m going to write about his murder I need some background information.” A panic shot through Marty’s expression revealing she felt the same as Nora had. Publicity about a murder could ruin their business.
“You didn’t bring a computer?”
“I did, but it’s at the bed and breakfast. My bad,” Rick answered.
“Well, then. Why don’t you go back there and do your work?” Marty suggested.
Rick’s eyes narrowed. “You wouldn’t be trying to limit the free press, would you?”
“I’m a tremendous believer in free press as well as self-preservation. What happened here was a terrible accident. I’m sure there are many more salacious stories you could be working on.”
“No. I have already told your partner, that covering up this story will only make it worse. Don’t you know with every coverup a conspiracy theorist is born?”
Nora now felt bad for bringing Rick into the business office. She wished she had never called First Reporter, but she had been desperate to get control of the one-star reviews.
“Fine. If you won’t let me use the computer, then you can at least answer a couple of questions. Do you have any idea who might have murdered Alan Shaw?”
Marty shrugged. “I didn’t know the man. I never even met him until the day … he was taken away.”
“I see.”
“Me either.” Nora added. “He came into the hotel, caused a lot of fuss with Evangeline Cartwright and then he was dead.”
Rick stroked his chin. “You said that before. Do you think I could interview this Evangeline Cartwright?”
“All I can do is ask. She will probably be glad to talk to you. She is a very nice lady.”
Marty scowled. “Especially to reporters.”
Nora turned Rick to the door. “Why don’t you go back to the bed and breakfast and do your research and I’ll see if I can find Evangeline and set up the interview.”
Rick nodded. “I suppose. It is still a puzzle to me, how Alan could set foot in a town this small and get himself murdered.”
“Welcome to Texas.”
Chapter 24
W
As soon as Rick closed the door, Max’s voice came over the office intercom.
“Uh, Marty. We have a slight problem.”
“What?” Marty had come in to do the paychecks and instead was met with a second interruption.
“Uh, just come out here. If Nora is there, we’ll need her too.”
“On our way,” Marty said as she pressed the intercom button.
“Guess paychecks will be a little late,” Nora said.
As Nora and Marty walked toward the front desk, Evangeline and Doug were heading into the restaurant.
Max nearly ran into them as he moved his large frame to Marty and Nora. “If you are through giving information to that reporter about how Alan Shaw died, we have a gigantic problem.”
Evangeline drew closer. “Oh my, poor Mr. Shaw. Such a terrible accident. I’m a little surprised the press would be interested.”
“We’re all a little unnerved by it,” Nora said. “The reporter also asked if he could speak with you. You were Mr. Shaw’s last interview subject after all.”
Evangeline’s hand went to her throat and her face reddened. “Really? I find that quite surprising. There’s not much I can tell the man, but I suppose I could meet with him.”
“Good. He’s staying at the Piney Woods B&B.”
Max interrupted, “Listen folks, I know this is all real interesting, but we have a bigger problem.”
“As Evangeline and Doug walked to the dining room Marty turned to Max. So, what is the problem? The hotel isn’t on fire, so this better be good.” Marty said.
Doug spoke next. “Catpurnicus. He escaped, and no one can find him. We’ve all been searching for the last ten minutes.”
“What? Are you kidding me?” Nora asked her head spinning. She walked over to the conference room which was now almost completely empty except for one woman calling, “here kitty, kitty.”
“Do you think he might have gotten outside?”
Doug nodded. “That is our ma
in concern. Most of the convention goers spread out and are searching street by street.”
“Thank goodness Piney Woods is not that big. Just another good thing about living in a small town.”
“And you’ve searched the hotel?”
Max sighed. “Yes.”
Nora sat down on a red bench against the wall. “This can’t be happening.”
“Yes, well at least the first day went off without a hi …” Max said and then was interrupted by Nora.
“We had a murder on the first day.”
Evangeline’s eyes widened. “Murder? I thought it was an accident.”
Nora straightened up. “Yes. Of course. An accident.”
Neither Evangeline or Doug looked convinced. The truth was about to come out and Nora knew she couldn’t cover it up for much longer. Rick was right. There was a conspiracy theorist out there just waiting to be born.
“Well, my dear. Shall we join the search?” Doug asked offering an arm to Evangeline.
“Why not?” Evangeline fairly twinkled back. The chemistry between them was almost overwhelming.
After they left Marty sat next to Nora. “Listen kid, quit beating yourself up. I messed up my ankle, and even if I had wanted to walk on it Max wouldn’t let me. I’m just glad you were there to cover for both of us. Do you know how awesome that is? You couldn’t have predicted Mr. Shaw would get pushed down the elevator shaft and you couldn’t have predicted that pampered feline would run off.”
The guilt was seeping into Nora like a wine stain on a white silk blouse. “Marty. I appreciate all the faith that you had in me, but I haven’t quite told you everything.”
“What?”
“Ms. Martin Ortega wants a fifty percent discount because of the one-star reviews that she found on the computer left by Alan Shaw.”
“Our dead guy?”
“The dead guy. He left the reviews before somebody did him in.”
“I got that part,” Marty informed her.
“Then he went on to write a magazine article that I’m still trying to get retracted.”
