The Malt in Our Stars

by Sarah Fox

  After we’d finished our main course, the waiter brought out our dessert. My eyes widened when he placed a generous slice of chocolate mousse cake in front of me.

  “This looks incredible,” I said, my mouth watering.

  “It tastes even better,” Linnea assured me. “I confess I already indulged in a slice last night after dinner. It’s absolutely heavenly.”

  “I can’t wait to taste it.”

  Linnea picked up her fork, so I did the same. When I took my first bite, I nearly sighed with happiness. The decadent layers of chocolate mousse and cake were divine. I tried to eat the dessert slowly, to make it last, but that was hard to do. Too soon, we’d both cleaned our plates.

  I took a sip of the tea our waiter had brought along with our dessert, feeling full and content. I was about to comment on our excellent meal when hurried footsteps headed our way. When I realized who was approaching, I quickly set down my teacup, apprehension creeping over my skin.

  Eleanor Grimes made a beeline for our table. Linnea gave her a pleasant smile and I was impressed by the fact that she didn’t show any annoyance.

  “It’s Ms. Grimes, isn’t it?” Linnea asked.

  “Mrs. Grimes,” Eleanor corrected. “My Elmer passed away thirteen years ago.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “Yes, well . . .” Eleanor cleared her throat. “I’ve come across some rather concerning information and I thought you should know about it right away.”

  “What sort of information?” I asked, surprised. I’d thought Eleanor was there to make another attempt at getting a donation for the museum.

  She ignored me, and the slight flare of her nostrils suggested that she wasn’t pleased that I’d spoken to her.

  “It’s about your assistant,” Eleanor continued.

  “Marcie? What about her?” Linnea asked.

  “I’m afraid she may not be who you think she is.”

  “Whatever do you mean by that?”

  Eleanor leaned closer to the author and lowered her voice. “I have reason to doubt that she’s of good character.”

  For the first time, a hint of annoyance showed on Linnea’s face. “Nonsense. Marcie is a delightful young woman and a wonderful assistant. She’s intelligent, kind, and someone I consider a friend.”

  “She has you fooled.” Eleanor’s tone had become belligerent. “She has a criminal past and shouldn’t be trusted. I wouldn’t believe a single word that comes out of her mouth.”

  “That’s enough!” Linnea admonished. “I know all I need to know about Marcie and I won’t sit here listening to you spouting lies about her.”

  “Oh, dear! I’m so sorry!” Gemma rushed over to us, her eyes wide with alarm. “I didn’t see her come in. Is she bothering you?”

  “She is standing right here,” Eleanor fumed, her indignation almost palpable.

  “She is bothering us, yes,” Linnea said.

  Eleanor pursed her lips and red splotches appeared on her cheeks. “I was merely trying to—”

  Gemma put an arm around her and forced her toward the door. “I’m so sorry,” she said to us over her shoulder.

  “Unhand me!” Eleanor groused, but then she and Gemma were out of sight.

  It took a second for me to recover from the encounter. “I’m sorry,” I said when I found my voice.

  “You’ve no need to apologize.”

  “I feel like her behavior reflects poorly on the town.”

  “It doesn’t,” Linnea said. “Please believe me. Everyone else I’ve met here has been wonderful.”

  “I really don’t know what’s up with her. I know she’s not the most pleasant woman at the best of times, but that was downright strange.” I wanted to ask Linnea if she knew what Eleanor had been hinting at, but I bit my tongue. I sensed that she wouldn’t appreciate the question and I didn’t want her opinion of me to sour.

  Gemma reappeared, her cheeks flushed and her manner harried. “I’m so terribly sorry, Ms. Bliss. Mrs. Grimes has been banned from the premises now, and I promise to do everything I can to ensure she never bothers you again.”

  “I appreciate that,” Linnea said, her kind smile back.

  “Your meals are on the house.”

  “There’s no need for that,” Linnea protested.

  “I insist. It’s the least I can do.”

  After Linnea assured her that everything was now fine, Gemma left us to finish our tea.

  Linnea poured more into each of our cups. “That was a somewhat more eventful meal than I’d anticipated.”

  I added a splash of cream to my tea. “Hopefully the rest of your stay in Shady Creek will be more peaceful.”

  “I have no doubt that it will be. I’m looking forward to a nice stretch of dedicated writing time. I enjoy book tours, but they do take time away from my writing projects.”

  “I imagine so. You must live a busy life.”

  “At times it’s very busy, but I enjoy it. I’m living my dream.”

  We continued to chat as we finished our tea. Outside the windows, the rain poured down. I wasn’t looking forward to leaving the manor. I’d most likely be soaked by the time I reached my car.

  When we finished our tea, we left the dining room and walked together toward the lobby. Once again, there was no one behind the reception desk. Aside from the occasional noise coming from the dining room down the hall, the only sound to be heard in the lobby was the pattering of the rain outside.

  “Did you bring an umbrella?” Linnea asked, watching the driving rain through the window.

  “Unfortunately, no,” I said.

  “Maybe the Honeywells have one you could borrow. You’ll get drenched if you go out there without one.”

  “I’ll be all right,” I assured her. “Maybe I can go out through a back door so I’ll be closer to the parking lot.”

  “Good thinking.”

  I thanked her once again for inviting me to lunch. “I’ll be diving into Midnight’s Shadow very soon.”

  “I hope you’ll enjoy it.”

  “I know I will,” I said without a shred of doubt. “Enjoy the rest of your stay in Shady Creek.”

  “Thank you, dear. I plan to.”

  We were about to part ways there in the lobby when a spine-chilling scream brought us both to a halt.

  Chapter 5

  I stood frozen for a second or two before running to the door and out into the rain. The scream sounded like it had originated from out front of the manor. I wasn’t the only one who thought so. As I burst out the door, Judson came tearing around the corner of the building. He skidded to a stop when he saw me and opened his mouth like he was about to ask what had happened. Before he formed any words, his eyes widened and he took off, running as if he were in a race for his life.

  I descended the steps as quickly as I could in my high heels and chased after him. He dropped to his knees next to what looked like a heap of clothes on the paved walkway that ran along the front of the manor, bordered on one side by bushes and flowers and on the other by neatly trimmed grass. As I drew closer, horror tightened my chest and I found it hard to draw breath into my lungs.

  I slowed my steps and put a hand to my chest as I gasped for air. I couldn’t take my eyes off of what I’d thought was a heap of clothes. I could see now that it was a person. When I got three steps closer, I could see past Judson to get a closer look at the woman lying on the ground. I gasped for air again, letting out a strangled sound.

  It was Marcie and she wasn’t moving. Her left arm was bent at an unnatural angle and her eyes stared lifelessly up at the sky.

  Judson brushed damp hair off of Marcie’s forehead. His hand came away smeared with blood. He raised his eyes to mine and I could tell he was feeling the exact same horror and shock that was sending numbness through my body.

  “She’s dead,” he said quietly, his words almost swallowed up by the rain driving down on the walkway.

  I’d already known she was dead, but hearing him say the
words brought tears to my eyes.

  “What happened?” I asked, my voice sounding strained and unfamiliar.

  Judson raised his gaze and I followed it with my own to an open window on the third floor of the manor.

  “She must have fallen,” he said.

  “Sadie? What’s going on?” Linnea called from the shelter of the covered front steps.

  “Oh no,” I whispered. I didn’t want to be the one to break the news to Linnea.

  Judson got to his feet and pulled a cell phone out of the back pocket of his jeans. “I’ll call 911.”

  His hand trembled as he woke up the device.

  I took a step backward, my gaze glued on Marcie. Those lifeless eyes . . .

  I closed my own eyes and swallowed hard, trying to control the wave of nausea rolling through my stomach.

  As Judson spoke to the 911 operator, I turned away from Marcie’s body and walked slowly toward the front steps where Linnea waited, her face drawn with concern. I’d almost reached her, but I still didn’t know what to say, how to tell her that Marcie was dead.

  “Come in out of the rain,” Linnea said. “You’re drenched.”

  I was about to tell her that the rain didn’t matter, not when something so terrible had happened, but another scream cut through the air.

  “What on earth?” Linnea came down two steps so she could get a better look along the walkway.

  Karidee had appeared from somewhere and now stood over Marcie’s body, wailing hysterically. I put an arm around Linnea’s shoulders and turned her toward the door.

  “Is someone hurt?” she asked. “It looks like there’s someone lying on the ground.”

  The front door flew open and Gemma rushed out onto the steps, Connie right behind her.

  “Is that someone crying?” Gemma asked. “Has something happened?”

  There was no escaping it; I had to break the news.

  “It’s Marcie,” I said, addressing everyone but keeping my eyes on Linnea’s. “We think she must have fallen from an upstairs window. I’m afraid she’s dead.”

  All color drained from Linnea’s face. “No. No, she can’t be.”

  She rushed past me and ran along the walkway toward Marcie. Judson stood with an arm around Karidee. The young woman had stopped wailing, but it looked as though she was still crying, just more quietly. Gemma and Connie hurried after Linnea.

  I nearly followed, but a question formed in my mind, holding me in place.

  How had this happened?

  Stepping out from beneath the cover of the overhang, I counted the windows from the corner of the building to the one that stood open on the third floor. Maybe there were witnesses upstairs who could shed light on what had happened. It struck me as a slim chance, but I decided to investigate anyway. Linnea would need answers once the worst of the shock had worn off. Connie had an arm around her and was comforting her, so I returned inside and headed for the elegant curving staircase.

  I slipped on the marble floor on my way across the lobby, grabbing hold of the edge of the reception desk to save myself from falling at the last second. When I’d regained my balance, I continued more carefully, picking up my pace once I had a hand on the stairway’s smooth banister.

  On the second floor I had to head a few feet down the spacious hallway to reach the next flight of stairs. Everything was quiet when I arrived on the third floor. So much for finding witnesses. If someone had seen Marcie fall or heard her scream, surely it wouldn’t have been so peaceful.

  Counting the doors from the end of the hall, I guessed which room the open window might belong to and knocked on the door. When I received no response, I tried to open the door. It was locked. I realized that I was dripping water onto the carpet runner that ran the length of the hallway, but I couldn’t bring myself to care in the circumstances.

  I decided to knock on the next door down. If I didn’t get a response there either, I’d go back downstairs and do my best to comfort Linnea.

  I’d only moved a few paces along the hall when I heard rushed footsteps. Gemma appeared at the top of the stairway a second later.

  “Do you know how this happened?” She appeared flustered and almost distraught.

  “No. I was hoping to get a look in Marcie’s room to see if I can figure that out.”

  “This isn’t Marcie’s room. She and Linnea both have rooms on the second floor.” Gemma produced a master key card and unlocked the door. “This room’s unoccupied because the window latch—” She choked back a sob. “The window latch is broken.”

  I pushed open the door and stepped into the spacious guest room. Across from where I stood, the large French windows provided a sweeping view of the front lawn and gardens, although at the moment everything had a gray cast from the rain and heavy clouds. The windows creaked and swung slightly in the breeze, and I detected the faint sound of approaching sirens.

  In a matter of seconds, I took in the rest of the room. Two nightstands flanked a four-poster, queen-size bed, and a chest of drawers sat against another wall, its wood matching that of the bed’s frame. There was also an armchair in one corner and a small desk. A door to my left stood ajar, leading to a bathroom. The carpet was thick underfoot and the room was decorated in shades of white and pale gray. What I noticed the most, however, were the torn curtain, the toppled desk chair, and the twisted bedspread that hung off the side of the mattress.

  “Brad was planning to fix the window latch,” Gemma said from behind my left shoulder. She stifled another sob. “But he hadn’t had a chance. We were leaving this room unoccupied until it was fixed, but we never imagined someone would fall out the window.”

  A heavy weight settled in my chest. “Maybe she didn’t.”

  “What?” Gemma stepped forward, as if to move around me so she could go farther into the room.

  I grabbed her arm to stop her. “We need to get downstairs.”

  The sirens had grown louder and I caught sight of flashing lights through the window as emergency vehicles turned into the driveway.

  Gemma noticed the lights too. “Yes, of course. We’ll have to talk to the police.”

  That wasn’t the reason I wanted both of us to get out of the room, but I didn’t correct her. I was about to follow her out into the hallway when something caught my eye. An earring lay on the carpet, half under the bed. It was gold with deep red stones. I swept my gaze across the room, but didn’t spot its twin.

  Outside, the sirens cut off. I quickly left the room and shut the door behind me.

  “Will it lock automatically?” I asked Gemma.

  “Yes, all the guest room doors do.” She was already on her way down the hallway.

  As I hurried after her, I shivered, and only partly because of my wet hair and clothes.

  After seeing the state of the room we’d just left, I had a terrible feeling that Marcie’s fall wasn’t an accident.

  * * *

  The police requested that no one leave the manor while they conducted a preliminary investigation. I sat in the dining room, along with Linnea and the other manor guests, as well as the Honeywells and their staff. Linnea hadn’t said more than a few words since I’d returned from the third floor. Her eyes were red, but she’d only shed a couple of tears that I’d seen. I suspected more would come later once the shock wore off.

  After we’d all gathered in the dining room, Judson had disappeared for a moment and returned with a blanket for me and others for Linnea and Karidee. I was grateful to have the soft blanket around my shoulders. I’d become all too aware of my cold, damp dress.

  Linnea and I sat alone at our table and Karidee sat at the neighboring one by herself. She had her blanket pulled tightly around her and she kept her eyes downcast, except for now and then when she shot a furtive glance Linnea’s way. I wanted to ask her why she’d returned to the manor after Marcie had sent her away, but it wasn’t any of my business and I didn’t want to distress her further. She looked as though she could burst out crying again at any mom
ent.

  Trying to keep my mind off what had happened to Marcie, I studied the people around me. Like Karidee, the blond woman I’d seen at lunchtime sat at a table by herself. She’d removed her sunglasses and alternated between tapping her painted fingernails against the table and staring at her cell phone. Connie sat at a table across the room, twisting the ring on her left hand around and around. Another woman I didn’t recognize wore the same housekeeping uniform as Connie and sat next to her, staring off into space. Judson shared their table, though he’d turned his chair away and had his forearms resting on his knees, his head bowed.

  Brad and Gemma huddled together in a corner of the room. Brad was whispering into his wife’s ear, urgently I thought. Gemma sat stiffly, hardly responding to whatever her husband was saying.

  Other guests and staff members were scattered around the room. A couple of kitchen workers set about serving tea to everyone. When a young man set a steaming cup of tea in front of me, I thanked him quietly and wrapped my hands around it. I jerked them away when the heat stung my skin. I took a careful sip of the tea. It was a bit too hot, but I drank it anyway, desperate for the warmth it offered.

  Linnea didn’t bother to touch her tea. I wanted to say something to comfort her, but I couldn’t find any words. She was already grief stricken by Marcie’s death. How would she cope when she found out that someone had intentionally pushed Marcie through the window?

  I didn’t yet know for sure that Marcie had been murdered, but I had a terrible suspicion that she’d struggled with someone before falling to her death.

  But who would want to hurt Marcie? What was she doing in the third floor room? And how did she get in there if the door was locked?

  All those questions circled around in my head, almost making me dizzy.

  When I’d finished my tea, I wasn’t quite so cold, but I wasn’t any less unsettled.

  Finally, after what felt like hours, the chief of Shady Creek’s police force and Officer Eldon Howes entered the dining room. I’d met Chief Walters briefly back in the fall and I’d spoken to Officer Howes during a murder investigation I got tangled up in before Christmas. I hoped he didn’t remember how I’d thoroughly embarrassed myself during our last conversation.