by Tim Myers
She snorted once, then said, “Since I’m here, how about if I check the place out?”
“Didn’t you look around when you were here to see the Carolina Rhapsody?” Alex asked. He remembered Cliff asking her to step away from the rope, and her disgruntled reply.
“I was here for the emerald, not for the inn.”
Alex said, “Be my guest then, look around all you’d like.”
After she tottered off, Elise approached. “What did she want?”
“She was looking for a job,” Alex said simply.
She raised one eyebrow. “I didn’t realize you were hiring.”
“Come on, you know better than that. I can barely afford to pay the two of us. And even if I was looking for more staff, there’s no way in the world I wouldn’t run it past you first. You’re head of personnel, didn’t I tell you?”
She said, “Wow, does that come with a raise?”
“All the muffins you can eat,” he said, and she laughed.
“That’s the best offer I’ve had in a while. So if you didn’t offer her a job, what’s she doing now?”
“I told her she could look around while she was here.”
Elise started after her, and Alex asked, “Where are you going?”
“I want to see what she’s up to.”
Alex shook his head after Elise was gone. Following Rose Lane around Hatteras West was the last thing he wanted to do. Life was too short to add any more misery to it that wasn’t necessary.
Alex had just finished checking the next night’s reservations, as few as there were, when the front door to the inn banged open and Reston Shay walked in, an entire crew of men and women dressed in white coveralls following closely on his heels. They had the most thorough assortment of pails, brooms, vacuums, and cleaning supplies he’d ever seen outside of a supply catalogue.
“Reston, welcome back,” Alex said. He nodded toward the people milling behind the millionaire and asked, “What have we here?”
“My crew. I’ll be with you in a minute.” He turned to the folks behind him and said, “Let’s go, people. It’s down the hall to the right, room number 3.”
Before Reston could deploy his cleaning troops, Alex saw Rose Lane duck her head and bustle past them as she hurried for the door. Elise, close on her heels, followed without a word to Alex. He would love to know what was going on, but he had Reston to deal with at the moment.
“We cleaned your room earlier,” Alex said. “There was no need to bring your staff.”
“These people aren’t on the payroll, at least not permanently. They’re specialists, Alex.” Reston got close to him, then asked softly, “Have you been in my room after I left my message, Alex? When I give an order, I expect it to be honored.”
“I don’t doubt it for a second,” Alex said. “We haven’t been in your room since you called.” With the exception of the foray he and Elise had taken inside to check on Reston, it was true.
“Good, good,” Reston said, banging Alex’s shoulder, the smile back on his face. “No offense, I’m sure you and Elise do a fine job around here, but I’ve got the best people working for me. They’ll give me just the service I demand.”
“And pay handsomely for,” Alex said.
“Now don’t get your shorts in a knot, son, there’s no intentional slam there.”
“None taken. Since your crew has your room covered, I hope you’ll excuse me. I’ve got sheets to fold.”
Reston either missed or chose to ignore the ice in Alex’s voice. “Good man. Keep at it, then.”
Before he could get away, Reston asked, “Has that insurance man been back out here?”
“No, I heard he was still in town, though.”
“That man’s like a tick,” Reston said. “He just won’t let go-”
Before Shay could go on another diatribe, Alex retreated to the laundry room and pulled a load of sheets from the dryer. He was still folding when Elise came in, a look of triumph on her face.
“What’s behind that smile?” he asked her.
“I caught our would-be maid snooping around Reston Shay’s door. She was trying to get in, and when I called her on it, she shot past me and bolted for the door. I caught up with her in the parking lot. She denied everything, said she was lost and thought it was a restroom, but I don’t believe it, not for one second.”
Alex said, “Elise, she could have been lost. I’ve had folks lose sight of the lighthouse when they’re sitting on the front porch, and it’s right there in front of them.”
“She’s up to something, Alex.”
“Do you have any proof?” he asked.
“Just a feeling in my gut,” she said. “If she comes back, let me know, would you?”
“I promise. In the meantime, we don’t have to worry about Reston Shay or his room. He’s got his cleaning crew in there now scouring the place.”
“Was that the crowd out in the lobby? I thought we were being invaded by a Mr. Clean convention.”
“Don’t laugh, they looked pretty focused.”
She said, “I can’t believe he doesn’t think we’re thorough enough in our cleaning. Most likely we’re better than his staff.”
“I wouldn’t bet on it. They looked like cleaning machines. Hey, let’s not sweat it. This way we have more time for other things.”
“What did you have in mind?” Elise asked.
“I’ve been meaning to take a crack at the lobby windows, but I never seem to get around to it.”
She nodded. “Now you’re talking. Tell you what, you do the inside and I’ll tackle the outside.”
“That’s hardly fair, the outside has to be dirtier.”
Elise said, “Let’s race. Loser buys dinner.”
“You’re on.”
It was a race Alex didn’t care who won. Either way, he was going to get to share another meal with Elise. It didn’t matter who picked up the check.
She had just beaten him, rather handily at that, when Reston came back into the lobby, his crew behind him.
“Finished already?” Alex asked. “I hope your room is to your satisfaction now.”
Reston said, “You know what? It’s not. Alex, we need to talk.”
“What about?” Alex asked.
“It’s about something I lost, something extremely important to me,” Reston said. “And I’m not talking about the emerald.”
If he’d been trying to get Alex’s attention, he’d succeeded masterfully.
Chapter 11
“What exactly did you lose?” Alex asked.
Instead of answering, Reston gestured to the crew. “We’re finished here. You can leave.”
The woman in charge said, “Again, we’re sorry we couldn’t—”
Reston broke in. “Yes, yes, I’m sure.”
After the crew was dismissed, Reston said, “Alex, could we talk out on the porch?”
“Sure thing,” Alex agreed as he followed Reston Shay outside. Once they were on the porch, Alex again noticed how the paint was bare on parts of the lighthouse. He knew he really should get it repainted, but without another major windfall, one he couldn’t predict or count on, the cost was beyond his means. He’d even gone so far as to get an estimate from the folks who painted the Outer Banks Hatteras lighthouse the year before, and found the $72,000 quote way too high for his meager budget. He loved owning Hatteras West, but sometimes the prospect of maintaining the property was overwhelming.
Reston Shay took one of the rockers, and Alex sat in the one beside him.
The rich man had wanted to talk to Alex in private, but he was having a tough time getting started. Alex knew better than to break the silence. Reston would tell him when he was ready.
Finally, Reston said, “I feel like a fool coming to you like this, but I don’t know what else to do. Alex, can you keep a secret?”
“I can be trusted, if that’s what you’re asking, but if you’re not sure of that, maybe you’d better not tell me.”
Reston wave
d a hand in the air. “I trust you. I don’t have much choice, do I?”
“How can I say, until I know what we’re talking about?”
Reston nodded. “You’ve got a point. Alex, let me ask you a question. Do you believe in luck? Good or bad, talismans that can help or hurt you?”
Alex studied his hands a moment before answering. “I understand how a lot of people embrace them, but no, I’ve never believed in rabbit’s feet or four-leaf clovers. I believe we have a hand in our own destinies.”
Reston nodded. “Certainly, I agree with that as well. But there are some objects, some things, that seem to be inherently lucky. Believe it or not, I found such an object.”
Alex thought it was a load of hogwash, but it wouldn’t be diplomatic to tell Reston Shay that, so he merely shrugged as he looked at the lighthouse.
“I lost my touchstone, and a few hours later that guard was dead and the Carolina Rhapsody was stolen. You can’t tell me that’s just a coincidence.”
Alex said the only thing he could think of. “It’s not up to me to say. So what is this talisman you lost?” It suddenly dawned on Alex what this was all about, including the cleaning crew that had just left the inn. He added, “No, don’t tell me,” as he reached into his pocket, took out the scored piece of metal he’d found in the display room, and dropped it in Reston’s hand.
Reston Shay looked incredulously at Alex, then stroked the steel delicately with his fingertips, an expression of rapturous glee on his face. “How did you know it was mine? Where did you find it?”
Alex said, “I was cleaning the room before you decided to stay there and I found it by the grate. What exactly is it?”
Reston held the piece up between his forefinger and thumb and said, “It’s a meteorite, Alex. I don’t know what it is about this piece, but it gives off energy to whoever holds it. Didn’t you feel it?”
Alex shook his head. “Sorry. Maybe you have to be a believer for it to work.”
Reston Shay shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. What counts is that you found it. The reward I offered that crew belongs to you.”
The man pulled out his wallet and removed five crisp new hundreds and handed them toward Alex.
“I can’t accept that,” Alex said. “I was just doing my job. You lost something at my inn, and I returned it.”
“I insist,” Reston said. “You can’t imagine what you’ve done for me.”
Alex tried not to look at the extended bills. He could certainly use the finder’s fee, but his conscience wouldn’t let him. If Elise had found the metal herself, he would have had no problem with her taking the money, but there was a difference between them; she was an employee, no matter how valuable, but he was the owner.
When Reston saw that Alex wasn’t going to take the money, he put the bills back in his wallet, then said, “If you won’t accept my money, I’ll find another way to make it up to you.”
“It’s really not necessary,” Alex said. “I’m glad to help.”
“I know it’s not necessary,” Reston said, a spark of anger coming through his voice. “But it’s something I need to do.” He tossed the metal up in the air, grabbed it with delight, and then put it in his pocket. “Things are going to work out, Alex, you mark my words.”
As the rich man headed for the parking lot, Alex called out, “Will you be staying here with us tonight?”
“You never know. I never knew myself. Thanks again, my friend.” He paused, then added, “By the way, I’d appreciate it if we kept this between ourselves. It’s hard to explain if you know what I mean.”
“It’s already forgotten.” Alex said. He wasn’t about to advertise the fact that he’d just turned down five hundred dollar because of his stubborn streak of pride. Reston Shay was allowed his foibles just as much as Alex was allowed his.
At least it cleared up one of the mysteries at Hatteras West He only wished the rest of the puzzles could be solved so easily.
The next morning as Alex was making his cleaning rounds, he had a tough time not staring at the bathroom in Patrick Thornton’s room. He’d managed to suppress his curiosity about the tube he and Elise had found hidden in the toilet tank, but the proximity of it was driving him crazy.
He had to know what was in it. With duct tape and plastic from the supply closet, he should be able to cover his tracks and rewrap the packet as he’d found it, but even if he couldn’t, it was a chance he was going to have to take.
After deadbolting the door, Alex felt his hands shake as he lifted the lid of the toilet.
It was empty! Thornton must have moved his secret stash somewhere else. But why? Surely the small distance Alex had moved the tube wasn’t discernable. Perhaps Thornton moved the tube every so often out of caution. Alex did a rather thorough search of the room, but if the tube was still there, he wasn’t able to find it. He did stumble across a sheaf of maps and a few chunks of rock, but nothing helped him determine exactly what he’d been looking for.
At the owner’s insistence, Alex and Elise had agreed to lunch at Monet’s Garden. He’d discuss the situation with her then. Normally Alex and Elise would never leave the inn together at noon when they had a healthy stream of guests, but on occasion they made an exception; otherwise, they would never have a chance to be together away from the inn. As much as Alex loved Hatteras West, and most especially the lighthouse, there were times when he just had to get away, if only for an hour or two. Maybe Harry’s offer of an inn swap would do them both good. It was one more thing to discuss with Elise over lunch.
After his rooms were cleaned, he went in search of Elise. She had finished before him and was changed and waiting for him behind his desk, going through a stack of bills, organizing them in the order they needed to be paid.
Alex said, “Wow, you’re getting faster every day.”
“My building’s not as full as yours. I’ve barely got enough to do to keep me busy.”
“We could always switch,” Alex said, adding a smile.
“And you could take over this,” she said.
Alex shook his head. “I take it back. Let’s leave things exactly the way they are.” Alex had struggled with the sheer volume of bills long before Elise came to Hatteras West. He was notorious for paying them as soon as he got them, as long as he had money in the bank to cover the requested amounts. Elise had shuddered at his system, and had quickly set up a schedule to pay them just before they were due, and no sooner. The interest on their account wasn’t much, but every little bit helped.
“I need to take a quick shower and I’ll be ready to go,” Alex said.
Elise stood. “I’ll meet you here. I want to call Emma before we go.”
“They’re not joining us again, are they?” Alex asked, trying to hide his disappointment. As much as he loved Mor and Emma, it seemed that lately he and Elise were spending all of their free time with the newlyweds.
“No, you’re going to have to suffer through lunch with just me. Can you handle it?”
Alex grinned. “I’ll find a way to manage. Give me five minutes and I’ll be ready.”
She looked at the watch pinned to her polo shirt. “You’re on the clock. Go.”
He was ready with thirty seconds to spare. From experience, Alex knew that the quicker they left, the less chance someone or something at Hatteras West could cancel their plans. He walked Elise out to his gray Ford pickup in the parking lot. The truck had seen better days, probably in the mid eighties, and Alex had briefly considered replacing it when he’d gotten his windfall, but ultimately he’d decided against it. The truck, though it might not have been aesthetically pleasing, ran well and did everything he asked of it, while the inn had been in dire need of a serious cash infusion.
Besides, Elise seemed to like the old truck as much as he did, duct tape on the seats and all. He held the door open for her and she slid in onto the bench seat. As Alex walked around the front of the truck, he tapped the hood lightly.
Once he was in the driver’s seat,
Elise said, “You always do that, did you realize that?”
“Do what?” Alex asked as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed down Point Road.
“You rub the hood as you walk past. Is it for luck?”
“I’m just checking how much paint I have left,” he said.
She laughed softly. “You’re as sentimental as I am. Admit it.”
“I never denied it.”
Alex could feel Elise’s gaze on him. “Go ahead, ask.”
“What are you talking about?”
Alex said, “I can feel a question in the air.”
She nudged his arm. “You think you’re so smart.”
He waited her out, and in a minute she said, “Okay, I’m dying to know. What was in the tube?”
“Tube?” he asked.
“Alex Winston, I know you better than that. There’s no way in the world you could let that tube go unopened. I rushed through my rooms, then waited all morning for you to come tell me, and I can’t wait any longer. What was in there?”
Alex admitted, “I was ready to open it, but Thornton beat me to it. It was gone.”
“Did you search his room? He may have moved it. Strike that, I know you looked, I would have torn the place apart myself. Oh Alex, I hope it wasn’t drugs.”
“There are a thousand things I hope it wasn’t. All I want now is that it’s gone for good. Whatever it was, my gut tells me it couldn’t have been something I wanted at Hatteras West.”
“I think we still need to keep our eye on Patrick. I saw him a little bit ago.”
Alex took a second and glanced over at her. “Today?”
“Just before we left. There’s something I don’t understand. I thought he was supposed to be doing this big survey project?”
“That’s what he said,” Alex admitted.
“So why is he staying so close to the inn property? If he hasn’t been on Winston land the entire time, he’s been close enough to see it. Vince Darcy told me he saw Patrick walking through the old orchard with a shovel in one hand and a map in the other.”
