No Good Deed

by Susanne Matthews

  Alexa nodded. “I can’t argue with that. Let’s get this show on the road.”

  Mike pushed the wheelchair out of the room and closed the door softly behind them.

  “So, what’ll it be?” he asked when they reached the SUV. “Sitting up or lying down?”

  “I’ll sit up and read for a while. I’ve got my brace on, so if I do doze off, I’ll have plenty of support,” she said. “Thanks for downloading those books onto the tablet for me. You’re sure these won’t point to us?”

  “They shouldn’t. Andy assured me the credit card was safe to use. Let me put your stuff in the back, and I’ll get you settled.”

  He picked up the suitcase and moved around to the back of the SUV. Soft, gentle snow dusted the vehicle. The weatherman wasn’t calling for a significant amount, which was good since the last thing he wanted was a repeat of Sunday’s drive. The restaurant parking lot was empty with no sign of Pipette. Either the bastard had gotten up under his own steam or he’d been found. Let the jerk go and tell Zabat. He probably already knew. It wasn’t the fact that he was alive that was important, it was his location, and he wanted to keep that secret.

  After placing Alexa on the seat and covering her with the fake-fur throw, he folded the wheelchair and placed it inside the SUV behind his seat.

  “All set?” he asked.

  “Yes. I’ll be fine. I’m really not that breakable. Where are we going?”

  “Château Montebello, it’s a resort in the Laurentians, but we’ll probably just drive around all night. I’m staying away from our previous destinations. My gut tells me we need to shake things up a little. I phoned ahead, and we have a reservation there for three nights. We’ll only be an hour from Saint Sauveur. Andy would probably kick my ass from here to kingdom come if he knew what I plan to do, but I need to have a look at the chalet, maybe talk to the locals about the fire, and see what they say. Too many things aren’t adding up, and that body Henri mentioned is just one of them.”

  She nodded. “I can actually understand why you want to do that, and it is incredibly dangerous and more than a little reckless, but I thought we had to be in Magog.”

  “I can’t explain it, but I don’t think we want to go there. I told Henri we were going to the Eastern Townships, and if there’s even a chance his phone was bugged . . . This is safer.”

  She nodded. “I trust you to make the best choice.”

  He frowned. Those had been Thea’s words, too.

  Seven hours later, Mike turned into a driveway edged by two fieldstone walls. He’d come here once in his teens to attend a wedding, but it was doubtful anyone would connect the location with him. At the time, the gateway to the resort had reminded him of the entrance to some seventeenth-century fort. Right now, he needed a fortress, and this fit the bill nicely.

  Alexa had remained absorbed in her book during the drive, looking up every now and then when he commented on something. She’d joked when the radio station had played “Burning Bridges,” saying it looked like she was doing it again and had hummed along with the tune. What he wouldn’t forget was the look of amazement on her face when she’d seen the massive moose standing by the side of the road as they’d driven through the Larose Forest.

  Mike pulled into the guest arrivals area. Even at this hour of the morning, a doorman rushed to be of service. He pulled open the passenger door.

  “Bonjour. Bienvenue au Château Montebello.”

  “Merci,” Mike answered. “My wife broke her ankle a few days ago, so if you’ll get her wheelchair out of the back, I can take her in to register. Can someone park the car?”

  “Of course. I’m sorry, madame,” the man said. “Rest assured, there are still plenty of things to do here.”

  He set up the chair, and Mike lifted Alexa out of the car, settling her in it. Stepping around to the back, he was about to remove their suitcases when the man reached for them.

  “I’ll take care of those, sir. I’ll have someone park your vehicle momentarily. If you would follow me?”

  Mike grabbed Alexa’s crutches, handed them to her, and then pushed the chair up the ramp and into the hotel.

  “Oh my God,” she exclaimed as they entered the massive room. One floor above, a veranda ran all the way around the room. In the center, a massive stone fireplace with four grates, one on each side of it, dominated the lobby.

  He chuckled. “It does make an impression on you, doesn’t it?”

  “I’ve never seen anything like it,” she whispered.

  He approached the desk. “Good morning. Lucien Gravelle. I reserved a room yesterday.”

  “Oui, monsieur. We have a suite ready for you on the ground floor, as you requested.” He snapped his fingers, and a young man materialized next to the desk. “Phillipe will show you to your room. Madame, which would you prefer? Coffee, tea, or chocolate?”

  Alexa’s eyes lit up. “Chocolate, please.”

  “Very well, it shall be delivered shortly, and you, monsieur?”

  “Coffee will do, thanks.”

  “De rien.” The desk clerk picked up the phone, spoke rapidly in French, and then hung up. He handed a small white envelope to the bellhop standing next to the desk.

  “If you will follow me?” the young man asked in heavily accented English.

  “Thank you.” Mike moved behind Alexa’s chair. “Shall we, darling?”

  “Yes. I can’t wait to see the rest of this place.”

  “There are tours every half hour,” the young man explained, “or if you prefer, a private tour can be arranged. We are very proud of our hotel. Aux Chantignoles, our dining room, will be open for lunch and dinner. We have entertainment tonight, a folk singer. Very accomplished. L’Excalibur, the bar, will be open at noon as well.”

  The chatty bellhop led them down one of the hallways off the main foyer, extoling the virtues of the resort. He stopped about halfway down. Slipping the keycard into the lock, he opened the door.

  “I hope the room meets with your approval,” the young man said, handing Mike the electronic key. He crossed the room, placed the suitcases he carried on the luggage caddy in the bedroom, and then returned to the sitting room to flip the switch on the gas fireplace.

  “It’ll do nicely,” Mike answered, slipping the boy a twenty-dollar bill.

  “If you need anything else, just ask for Phillipe.” He bowed and left the room.

  “What do you think?”

  Alexa’s eyes were the size of quarters once more.

  “I feel like Alice down the rabbit hole. I thought places like this only existed in movies.”

  He grinned. “The rich like their luxuries. The bathroom is through here and opens into the bedroom, too.”

  “How do you know that?” she asked. “Have you been here before? Did you bring Thea?”

  “No. I’d made a reservation for our anniversary, but she died the week before. As to your question, the desk clerk mentioned it when he was signing us in.” Thinking about Thea wasn’t as painful as it had been. “Like you, my wife would’ve loved the old-fashioned elegance of this place.”

  “It’s like stepping into a room in a castle.”

  Mike smiled, but before he could answer, a knock at the door made him jump. He was still on edge.

  “Who is it?” he asked, ignoring Alexa’s frown.

  “Room service.”

  “It must be the chocolate,” he said.

  He looked through the peephole and then admitted a liveried man with a large tray balanced on his shoulders. Mike moved aside to let him pass. In addition to a pot of coffee and another of chocolate, there was a basket of French pastries and a sheet detailing the day’s activities.

  Again he tipped the server and then poured chocolate for Alexa and coffee for himself.

  “Thanks,” she said, accepting the cup he offered. “What’s that?” She pointed to the sheet in his hand.

  “The events calendar. The place is a resort, after all. They wouldn’t want anyone to get bored. As P
hillipe said, we can take a hotel tour, visit the manor house on the grounds, or if you want to leave the grounds, there’s an art gallery we can visit in the old train station. Or we can just look around the town. If you feel like doing something outdoors, we can take a sleigh ride around the grounds. They’re quite impressive. Most winter activities are out of the question, but there’s a large indoor pool and hot tub. I think they have a sauna, too.”

  Alexa licked her lips and looked at him. “Can we do something as normal as pretend we’re tourists and not fugitives?” she asked. “For the most part, I enjoyed yesterday, but I still think you’re keeping secrets from me.”

  “Lex—”

  “Laura,” she interrupted. “Lex no longer exists.”

  He nodded. “You’re right. I can’t shake the feeling I’m missing something. I thought we were being followed. It makes no sense. Someone would have to know our itinerary, but . . . I’ve trusted my gut this long. I can’t turn my back on it now. Andy’s advice was to cut and run. That’s what I’ve done.”

  “I see. She stood and raised her hand to his cheek. “Thank you for being honest with me. It wasn’t easy, I know.” She stood on tiptoe, leaned against him, and kissed his cheek.

  The touch of her lips on his face ignited a burning inside him and he turned, bringing his lips down on hers and pulling her into his arms.

  The kiss began as a gentle one, an expression of gratitude for her trust, and then it turned into a hungry exploration of her mouth. His tongue licked her lips and sought admission, and she opened to him, giving as good as she got. He slipped his arm under her sweater, and the touch of her brace was like a dousing in ice water. What the hell was he doing?

  He pulled back.

  “Don’t you dare apologize. I wanted that as much as you did. We just can’t let it happen again.”

  He nodded. “You never cease to amaze me. Come on. I’ll help you unpack.” He wouldn’t apologize. Having her in his arms felt right, and when the danger was over, he intended to explore why.

  Chapter Twenty

  Alexa pulled Benji out of the suitcase and set him on the bedside table. She wheeled herself from the suitcase to the dresser, an armful of clothing on her lap.

  “Why this particular resort?” she asked. “Not that I’m complaining.”

  “Why not? It’s high end, not a place where people just drop in. I was actually surprised they had a room—of course it’s probably one of the most expensive ones in the place, but . . . Besides, the location suited me. As I told you, we’re within an hour of the chalet. Tonight, after we eat, I’m going to drive over there. Someone knows the truth about that body, and the more we know, the better I’ll like it. You’ll be safe here.”

  “You’re going to leave me?” she asked, unable to school her face to hide her terror.

  “I have to. This place is like Fort Knox. No one gets in who doesn’t belong. You saw the concierges when we came down the hallway. I would take you with me if I could, but it isn’t possible. I’m going to park on a side street and visit the town bars. A fire like that, especially one with a corpse, will be big news. I need to know who found it so quickly.”

  “I see. Will you be gone all night?” She chewed her lower lip.

  “No. I expect I’ll be back sometime after midnight, but you’ll be safe here. No one followed us. We’re going to do the newlywed, honeymooning tourists thing today, and if anything sets off my spidey senses, I promise to abandon my plan, and we’ll leave. We’re getting pretty good at sneaking away in the middle of the night. Fair enough?”

  She nodded. “But no more fires. I’ll be fine. So, what will we do first?”

  “Let’s unpack. Then, if you’re game, I suggest we tour the place. We can see the manor house tomorrow.”

  He finished emptying his suitcase before she did and scowled at her.

  “We’ve got a problem.”

  “You mean another one?” she asked, chuckling.

  “Yes, but this is one we can fix. I’m not prepared for dinner in a place like Aux Champignoles. I don’t need a suit, but a couple of dress shirts and ties and a pair of decent pants wouldn’t hurt. What about you?”

  “I’ve got a long skirt and top that might do, but for the most part, it’s leggings and long sweaters.” She held up a black skirt. “Maybe another top? We’re just here a couple of nights, right?”

  “True, but if you want a whole new outfit, I’m good for it. Are you done?”

  She nodded.

  “Then, let’s finish the coffee and chocolate. I’m certain there’s another croissant in the basket calling my name.” He followed her back into the main room. “Afterward we can tour the hotel. That should take a good bit of time. They may even have something you like in the stores on the premises. We can lunch here or go into the village. Your choice.”

  He poured himself a second cup of coffee.

  “I want to see as much as I can in case I never get back here again,” she said. Who cared if she resembled a kid waiting for Santa to arrive?

  “As you wish, my lady. Today is yours to plan.”

  She grinned. Here she was with a monster on her trail, and she’d never been happier.

  Alexa O’Brien, you’re crazy.

  • • •

  Alexa turned off the water, stepped out of the shower stall, and reached for the towel. She could hear jazz music in the background.

  With all the music available today, couldn’t they play something more upbeat than “Stardust”? That had been Richard’s go-to song. She hated the damn thing. Why hadn’t she realized the walls were so thin? It might look like stone, but looks were deceiving.

  Hopefully, Mike would get back soon. Having someone to talk to would drown out the unwanted noise, and she was anxious to hear what he discovered.

  She frowned. The damn music seemed to be growing louder. Maybe someone needed to turn up their hearing aid instead of the radio.

  “I’m not going to let the heebie-jeebies ruin this day for me,” she said, sticking her tongue out at the reflection in the mirror. “So there.”

  Quickly drying her short curls, she put on her flannel nightgown and propelled herself into the bedroom. The music was just as loud here as it had been earlier. Maybe she should call the desk and complain, but that would mean someone might come down to check and discover she was alone.

  Mike had left about an hour ago, after admonishing her not to open the door to anyone. No doubt he’d snuck out the side entrance as planned and walked to the rental car he’d parked outside the main gate. Since it was Friday night, there should be a lot of people hanging around Saint Sauveur’s bars, and someone was bound to be willing to talk about the fire.

  The music stopped, and she exhaled.

  What a wonderful day it had been. As Mike had promised, after breakfast, they’d toured the hotel, visited the shops downstairs where she’d purchased a beautiful angora shawl, and then had gone into town.

  After shopping for the clothes they needed, they’d shared a Quebecois lunch in a quaint little café. They’d wandered down the street looking in various craft and souvenir stores, until she’d found a wool shop. Mike had demonstrated great patience as she selected a variety of yarns, patterns, and needles.

  After they’d returned to the hotel, they’d used the pool and hot tub before going to dinner. She’d ordered surf and turf, while he’d had a steak—rare, just like he was—and they’d shared a bottle of red wine. It was well after eight when they’d left the dining room and past nine when he’d made his furtive escape.

  Settling against the pillows in the bed, she reached for the circular needle and started casting on the required stitches for the ivory fisherman’s knit sweater she intended to make for him. In the background, the jazz had started again, but she was determined to ignore it, even though it seemed to be coming from inside the room.

  “Enough, already,” she cried loudly, and the music stopped.

  Maybe she was on edge because she was more
tired than she thought. She hadn’t slept much in the past twenty-four hours. Yawning, she reached for the bottle of antianxiety medicine beside the bed and took a tablet. Gathering her work, she put it inside the knitting basket Mike had bought her and reached for the doll on the other side of the bed to put it on the table.

  Familiar laughter erupted from the doll, and she shrieked, dropping the object.

  “Why, Alexa, you disappoint me,” a voice she hoped never to hear again spoke to her while Benji’s painted mouth stayed as closed as it always had.

  She gasped. Reaching for the doll, visions of horror movie-possessed toys streaming through her mind, she stared into its painted eyes. One pupil looked slightly different from the other. She brought the doll closer for a better look.

  “Boo!”

  She yelped and dropped Benji. Perhaps there had been some kind of toxin in the lobster, and she was reacting to it, seeing and hearing things that weren’t there.

  “Are you contemplating your sins?” the voice asked.

  Terrified, she grabbed the doll and tossed it across the room.

  “Temper, temper, darling. Is that any way to treat your prized possession?”

  As if magnetized, Alexa’s gaze fixed on the doorknob, watching the lever go down. The bedroom door opened, and she stifled a scream. The aroma of his aftershave reached her first.

  No, this isn’t real. I’m imagining it.

  “What? No hello?” Richard asked. “You used to be far more loquacious, but since you’re waiting so patiently in another man’s bed—your husband’s bed—you should keep your deceitful mouth shut.”

  “It’s not like that,” she begged. “How . . . how did you find me?” Her heart thumped so loudly, she couldn’t be sure she’d said the words aloud.

  His laugh chilled her. “Why, darling, I haven’t left your side for a second.” Bending, he picked up the doll. “Benji and I have been with you every moment. Well, maybe not every minute, since the storm knocked out the satellite link, but you told me exactly where you were every step of the way. Knowing you would be alone tonight, I came to get you. It’s time.”

  He scowled. “I can’t say I’m impressed with your little disguise. You look like an Annie wannabe. We can get you a wig until it grows out again.” He shook his head and moved closer to the bed where she was trapped. “You’ve been a bad girl and have cost me valuable time, but that’s over now. Your detective has a lot to answer for. That particular chalet was one of my favorites. I wasn’t planning on blowing it up just yet.”