Lights Out at the Lighthouse

by Danielle Collins

  The next instant Ralph reached for it, stowing it behind his back and out of reach of the man. Henrietta thought he was about to attempt to arrest William—a citizen’s arrest at this point—when she heard footsteps behind her.

  “You’re under arrest,” a young voice said.

  Henrietta sat on the tailgate of Ralph’s truck with one of his jackets wrapped around her shoulders. William Cone had been taken off to jail, and they were awaiting permission to go home. It had been a long night, much longer than Henrietta had anticipated, but she was happy to know that it had ended without additional bloodshed.

  Ralph walked up to where she sat, slipping his phone into his pocket, and climbed up next to her.

  “I just got off the phone with Amelia,” he said, letting out a sigh. “I let her know about everything, and she is so thankful. She has closure now and is flying out to see her fiancé.”

  “I’m so glad. I can only imagine what she’s gone through. Thankfully, the truth always comes out—it just takes longer in some cases.”

  They sat in silence for a few more minutes. Ralph stared off into the distance, the city lights across the harbor reflected back on the water creating a dreamy type of atmosphere. If it weren’t for the events of the night, she would have enjoyed sitting here with Ralph, taking in the scenery. But this was a very different time.

  “Did they say we could leave?” she finally asked.

  “Yep.”

  “What else did they say?”

  “Not much, actually. Wanted to know how we knew about this place—I’m sure they asked you as much.” When she nodded, he continued. “They were impressed that an old guy like me still had it.” He laughed, and she knew he was just teasing her.

  “It was an intense situation,” she commented.

  “I had it under control.” He spoke with raw honesty.

  “I know. That’s why I wasn’t worried.”

  He turned to look at her. “I don’t think anything can ruffle your fathers, Henrietta Hewitt. I’ve seen you weather some pretty impossible storms.”

  “Perhaps,” she admitted, “but tonight was a bit frightening.”

  “I think William has some serious mental issues that will need to be addressed.”

  “What I don’t understand,” Henrietta said, “was why Deborah—Dee—put up with it. Why not leave him?”

  “Some women aren’t as strong as you, Henri.” He turned to look at her, his mouth quirking up into a smile.

  She blushed and looked down.

  “Speaking of strong,” he said, which drew her attention back up to him. “Would you want to go to the Valentine’s Day Dance with me? I mean, I already have the tickets, so it would be pretty cruel if you said no.”

  She laughed. “Of all the times to ask me to the dance.” She rolled her eyes, but noticed that he was anxiously waiting for her reply. “Yes, Ralph. I’ll go to the Valentine’s Dance with you, on one condition.”

  “Oh? What’s that?” he asked.

  “You must dress up.”

  He grimaced, and she wondered if she’d pushed too far when he didn’t answer right away. But then he turned to her and, with a resigned sigh, said, “Oh, fine. If I must, I must.”

  14

  Songs from the best of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Victorian-era comic operas played over the loudspeaker and delicate lace hearts hung in the air as Henrietta and Ralph walked in, arm in arm, to the Very Victorian Valentine’s Day dance.

  Seeing her decorations come to life, in a way, took Henrietta’s breath away. It was exactly what she’d hoped for. Perhaps even more, with the dimmed lighting and those dressed up in Victorian period costume.

  “Wow,” Ralph said, stopping to gape in awe at the room. “Henri, you outdid yourself.”

  “I had help,” she said, smiling at his praise. “But thank you. I think it turned out even better than I’d hoped.”

  To the back of the dance hall, she saw tables set up with refreshments and snacks. There was a dessert auction next to it that would help raise money for the city, and even a bar where Victorian-era drinks could be purchased—everything from lemonade to champagne.

  Along the left side were small vignettes of furniture and antiques that Henrietta and Olivia had pulled together. Opposite that were small seating areas where you could rest and chat if you didn’t want to dance the whole time.

  Then, next to where they were standing after coming in, was a coat check and a small game area, with parlor games for those who preferred to interact on a different level than merely chatting or dancing.

  All in all, it was everything she’d hoped for and—hopefully—everything that the mayor and planning committee had hoped for.

  “Mayor incoming,” Ralph whispered into her ear.

  “Henrietta, Henrietta,” Rickey said, coming toward her with open arms. “The woman of the hour. Don’t you look fabulous.”

  She accepted his compliment with a smile. She had chosen the burgundy dress from her shop collection to wear. She’d also brought Ralph a matching tie and admired how well his tweed suit, including a vest and vintage pocket watch, fit him.

  “The evening is a success—more than a success. A smash.”

  She smiled again, unsure of what else to say. I told you so didn’t seem appropriate.

  “I know,” he said, laughing as if he’d told a joke, “I should have trusted you to begin with. But truly, from all of us at the city, thank you a thousand times over.”

  “You’re very welcome.”

  “Ah, I see Barbara, got to run and say hello.”

  “That man needs to lay off the caffeine,” Ralph muttered.

  She laughed. “Be nice.”

  He grinned at her. “I’m always nice.”

  She made a noise and looked around the room one more time. “It’s a shame that Olivia couldn’t see this.”

  Ralph coughed, which drew her attention to him. He was doing a terrible job of not meeting her gaze. “Ralph. What is it? You know something.” She pulled him to the side near one of the vignettes.

  “I know nothing,” he said, making a face.

  “Spill it, or I’ll leave you here by yourself.”

  His eyes widened, but just as he was about to talk, he clamped his mouth shut and pointed instead.

  “Don’t think you can get away with—” She turned in the direction where he pointed and saw why he’d been acting strangely.

  Olivia came in to the dance hall, on the arm of none other than Scott Gershwin.

  “They came together?” she said, hope oozing from her words.

  “Calm down, now,” Ralph said, turning her around. “They are just coming as friends, as I understand it. She really wanted to attend, but things have…er…happened.”

  “She is now single, you mean.”

  “Now look, Henri, don’t go stirring up trouble.”

  “It’s not trouble,” she insisted.

  “You know what I mean.”

  “I do not,” she said, raising her eyebrows. “I am only interested in seeing my friend happy.”

  He gave her a look that said, Sure, right.

  Olivia walked on Scott’s arm, looking excited. They didn’t exactly look like more than friends, but Henrietta wouldn’t have expected that. Olivia needed time to heal. Still, seeing her with Scott meant that perhaps healing was on the way.

  Henrietta turned to Ralph and smiled sweetly, patting him on the cheek. “I promise to leave them to their own devices. I think they’ll get along just fine.”

  Ralph rolled his eyes, and then smiled. “You are something, Henri.”

  “And now,” an announcer called out, “it’s time for the costume judging contest. If we could have our judges come forward.”

  Henrietta turned to Ralph. “That’s me. I’ll be back.”

  Henrietta congratulated the happy couple, who had come in full Victorian-era dress down to the shoes and up to the hair. They were by far the best dressed of those who entered the contest, though she w
ished she could have given honorable mentions to many of those in attendance. She said as much from the stage and, after applause for her and the winners, she stepped down and made her way to where Ralph stood with a lemonade in one hand and a slice of cake in the other.

  “Nice job,” he said, offering her the cake.

  She accepted and took a bite, savoring the delicious strawberry filling. “Thank you.”

  “I think you missed your calling as a performer.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Flattery will get you everywhere, Ralph.”

  His grin widened as Oliva and Scott came their way. “Hey, Pops,” Scott said.

  “You look lovely, Olivia,” Ralph said, ignoring his son.

  “Thank you, Ralph,” she said, blushing.

  “You do,” Henrietta agreed. “That deep sapphire blue is your color.”

  “Thank you,” she said again.

  It made Henrietta happy to see Olivia so at ease, and so content as well. She knew that there would be challenging times ahead for her, no doubt, wondering if she’d done the right thing to break up with Nelson, but Henrietta thought that Scott might just be the one to help her get past that.

  “Thanks for letting me have the night off,” Olivia said, winking at Henrietta.

  “I didn’t have to do anything either,” she explained. “Rickey took over with his committee, and they did the rest. I’m very happy with how things turned out.”

  “Great job, Henrietta,” Scott said.

  “You did this?” a voice said from behind her.

  Henrietta turned to see none other than Detective Paige. “Why, hello, Detective,” she said, offering him a genuine smile. “Yes, Olivia and I helped decorate.”

  “And when she says helped, she means ‘did completely’,” Olivia added with a laugh.

  “I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure of being introduced,” the detective said, his eyes honing in on Olivia.

  Ralph bristled. “I don’t think any of us have met you yet.”

  “In fact, I’ve met Mrs.—er, Miss Hewitt.”

  Ralph shot her a look that said something along the lines of traitor, but he merely pursed his lips.

  “Yes, we did meet at the lighthouse. It’s a shame it burned down.”

  “It is.” The detective’s eyes held Henrietta’s for a moment. “I meant to say thank you for your call, though we would have been there not soon after. I was running down a few leads at the marina. You’ll be happy to know that William is behind bars. He admitted to killing Gerald and making it look like a suicide. He claimed he’d found letters to his wife that justified his actions, but we all know there’s no justification for murder.”

  “Did he burn down the lighthouse as well? For the land?”

  Abe looked slightly impressed, but didn’t let the emotion show fully. “He admitted to that as well. Thought if he would have anything left, it could be the land he’d always wanted. He said he had some deal with a development company to make condos…it doesn’t matter, though, since he’ll never get that opportunity and Miss Folsom won’t be selling.”

  Henrietta knew that she could afford to keep the land no matter what, and she hoped that perhaps a lighthouse rebuilding project would happen sometime in the future.

  “That is good to know.”

  The detective nodded at her, still looking smug. She could see that, while he had a solid head on his shoulders and obviously was good at his job, the young detective was just that: young.

  “You’re the new guy in town, huh?” Scott said.

  “I am. And you are?”

  “Scott Gershwin, private investigator with my father, Ralph.” He indicated his father. “He used to be on the force,” Scott added, as if to remind the detective who he was dealing with.

  “Ah, I see. Nice to meet you both.” The minute he said it, his gaze turned back to Olivia. “But I’m still waiting to be introduced to you.”

  Henrietta felt as if Abe Paige had just turned into a shark smelling blood in the water.

  “Olivia Braddock,” she said, shyly holding out her hand.

  With an over-the-top air of Victorian gallantry, Abe bent over her hand and kissed her knuckles lightly. “Abraham Paige, though feel free to call me Abe.’

  “Have we moved back in time?” Ralph muttered under his breath. Henrietta elbowed him.

  Only then did she take in the detective’s attire. He was dressed in period clothing that seemed to fit him well. He was clearly a man that didn’t do anything halfway.

  “Might you be willing to take a turn around the dance floor with me, Miss Braddock?”

  Olivia turned wide, round eyes to Henrietta, who merely smiled. It wasn’t every day a woman was fawned over by two handsome young men.

  “I, uh…” Olivia looked to Scott, who merely shrugged. They were at the dance as friends, and it appeared he was going to hold her only to that. “Sure.”

  The detective smiled and, as he extended his arm, turned to look between Henrietta and Ralph. “Thanks for the help, but,” he dropped his tone, “please don’t get in my way.”

  He then spun Olivia around onto the dance floor, and they slipped into the gently swaying crowd.

  Ralph turned back to his son and Henrietta. “Well he’s a piece of work.”

  “I think I like him,” Henrietta said.

  “You what?” Ralph bellowed.

  She laughed. “Yes, he’s got a bit of arrogance—”

  “A bit?” Scott said, his eyes following Olivia and Abe as they danced.

  “Yes, a bit, but I think he’s genuinely trying to do a good job here.”

  “Pfft.” Ralph shook his head. “There was nothing wrong with the way we did things before.”

  “Of course not,” Henrietta mused, “but things have to change. We have to learn to adapt to that. Just look around the room.” She held out a hand that encompassed the various vignettes she’d set up. “This shows a more elegant time. A showcase of the past, as it were, but are we still living like this? Are women still not allowed to vote? Are we still wearing petticoats and yards and yard of fabric? Are men forced to sit on uncomfortable settees?”

  “Thankfully not,” Ralph agreed.

  “Exactly. With the transition of time, men like William are fewer and farther between as well. Women are gaining equal rights, and that is a good thing.”

  “You’re taking it too far, Henri,” Ralph said with a congenial grin.

  “I know it’s a stretch to include this new, albeit young, detective. But just as he thinks we can learn from him, maybe he’ll also learn a few things from us.” She winked at Ralph, and he barked out a laugh.

  “You know what? Maybe he will.” Then Ralph extended his arm. “Let’s start with the dance floor.”

  She smiled and accepted his arm, feeling bad that they were leaving Scott behind. But in that moment, she wanted to enjoy a dance with one of her closest friends and the reality that they had helped catch a killer before it was too late.

  Thanks for reading Lights Out at the Lighthouse. I hope you enjoyed the story. If you could take a minute and leave a review for me, that would be really appreciated.

  The next story is called A Body Below Ground and involves a murder that takes place in the secret city below Port Angeles. You can order it now on Amazon.

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  nbsp; Danielle Collins, Lights Out at the Lighthouse