by Tim Myers
Grandy stepped back from the doorway, and the other two men quickly followed him into the room, “My God, it was an innocent chess game. Surely you don’t think I’d murder someone over a friendly match, I never laid a hand on him. Ask anybody.”
“It didn’t sound too friendly to me the way it was described.”
Joel shrugged. “Tempers flared a little, but I didn’t kill him. There’s been enough death in my life lately without my adding to it. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but I recently lost my wife to cancer.”
Armstrong changed tacks. “Where were you between the hours of three and five yesterday afternoon?”
Grandy leaned into the sheriff. “Unless you’re planning to arrest me, I’m through with you and your questions.”
Armstrong replied, “You may be a material witness to a murder, so I’m formally requesting that you stay on site until I’m done with my preliminary investigation.” Alex started to protest, but it was too late. Armstrong turned on his heel and started out of the room. Alex didn’t know whether to follow or not, until the sheriff turned to him with a steely gaze. “Let’s go.”
Alex didn’t like either man’s bullying tone, but he wanted to stay close to Armstrong in case the sheriff learned anything new about the murder.
Once they were in the hallway, Alex asked, “Why did you give him such a hard time?”
Armstrong frowned. “I didn’t like his attitude. People should have more respect for the law.”
Alex was about to reply when Elise joined them. The second he saw her face, Alex knew that something was wrong.
“What’s happened? You’re as pale as a ghost.”
“It’s about Mrs. Sturbridge.” Elise’s voice was as weak as her complexion.
Armstrong stepped in front of Alex to get closer to Elise. “What happened? Don’t tell me she’s been murdered, too.”
Elise shook her head, and Alex wondered what could shake her so. Elise, unlike her cousin Marisa, was a strong woman with a deep spirit.
He said, “Wait a second. Let me get you some water.”
Alex hurried into the lobby and got a glass from behind the desk. He thought about adding some bourbon, but decided it was too early in the morning for that, even for medicinal purposes. Instead, he filled the glass with icy well water and offered it to Elise.
“Calm down, take a drink, then tell us what happened.”
Elise took a healthy swallow of the cool water. When she spoke again, her voice was steady and solid, though more subdued than Alex was accustomed to.
“Mrs. Sturbridge was out on Bear Rocks. That’s where she must have fallen. Mor Pendleton was hiking on his day off and found her at the base of one of the formations. He called an ambulance on his cellular phone and went with her to the hospital.”
Bear Rocks was a part of Hatteras West’s property, even though the formation was tied to the lighthouse area by the narrowest of trails. Alex wasn’t surprised they hadn’t heard the sirens. A dense copse of heavy hickory, oak and maple trees buffered the guest quarters, shielding them from even the most obvious sounds. Alex’s father had cleared a parking area off the highway for townsfolk who wanted to hike or picnic at the site. It was more a public park than Winston land, though the property’s deed was in Alex’s name.
A related question came unbidden to Alex’s mind. Why was Mor Pendleton out hiking in the first place? Alex knew the man’s football injuries still nagged him with pain. He was the last person Alex would think would take up hiking as a hobby or a form of exercise. He’d have to ask his friend about that later. Right now, Alex had Mrs. Sturbridge’s welfare on his mind.
Alex asked, “How bad is she?”
Elise patted his arm gently. “I’m sorry, the doctor said she’s still unconscious, Alex. They just called from the hospital to tell us what happened.”
Alex pulled away and headed for the front door as he called out over his shoulder to Elise. “I’m going to go see if there’s anything I can do.”
Elise caught up with him, and Alex noted that Armstrong was not far behind. She said, “Should I go with you, or stay at the inn?”
“I need you here.” Alex grabbed his coat and turned to Armstrong. “Are you coming?”
The sheriff must have been feeling mulish, having his questioning sessions so harshly interrupted. “Why should I? The lady fell off some rocks. You’d better hope your insurance is paid in full. She’ll probably sue the place right out from under you.”
Though the family had opened the rocks to the guests of the inn and the townsfolk, there was no doubt that legally Alex was personally responsible for anything that happened on his land. Maybe he should have taken his brother’s advice and deeded Bear Rocks to the county before anyone was injured on the property.
It was too late to worry about the liability now.
Alex snapped, “You don’t think the two incidents could be related? Maybe Emma Sturbridge saw something, and someone was trying to make sure she didn’t have the chance to tell us about it.”
Armstrong snorted. “You’re stretching, Alex. If I were you I’d take the lady some flowers and candy in case she comes out of it. As for me, I’ve got a murder to solve.”
Alex kept his mouth shut and headed to his truck. In his rearview mirror, he spotted Elise waving good-bye.
As Alex drove to the hospital, he worried about his guest. He was hoping with all his heart that Emma Sturbridge was holding on. Alex honestly liked the woman, but that wasn’t the main reason he desperately wanted her to revive. He had to believe her plunge and Reg’s murder were related. At that moment, she held the best chance of identifying the killer, and her own assailant. It was only the faintest of hopes, but it was all Alex had.
Alex made his way through the halls of the hospital until he got to the intensive care unit nurse’s station. Nearly out of breath, he said, “I’m here to see Emma Sturbridge.”
A stern-looking young nurse glanced up from the chart in front of her and asked, “Are you a relative of the patient?”
Alex said, “No, but I’m the closest thing to a friend she’s got around here.”
The nurse’s eyes softened. “I’m sorry. No one can go in but immediate family.”
Alex asked, “Can you at least tell me how’s she doing?”
“Wait here. I’ll check.”
In five minutes, the nurse came back. “Come with me. You can peek through the Intensive Care window, but that’s as close as you can get.”
Alex thanked the nurse and followed her into the hospital’s restricted area. The smell of chemical cleaner permeated the air. Alex wondered for the thousandth time if the odious scent had any other function but to disguise the smells of death and dying.
They arrived at the Intensive Care Unit, and Alex peered through window at Emma Sturbridge. He had to take the staff at their word that it really was Emma. The hale and hearty woman Alex had met the night before was now enshrouded in hoses, cords and monitoring equipment. There was barely enough of her showing to make a proper identification.
A pretty young nurse working inside spotted Alex and came out. “Hi. I understand you were asking about Mrs. Sturbridge. Do you know her very well?”
Alex shook his head. “She’s staying at my inn, Hatteras West.”
The nurse smiled softly. “I’m Theresa DeAngelis. I just moved to Elkton Falls, but I’ve already heard all about your place. It sounds charming.”
“Thanks.” Alex gestured toward Emma. “How’s she doing?”
Theresa stopped to consider the question. “Between us, it’s too soon to tell. The doctor can probably tell you more, but he’s on rounds right now.”
Alex asked, “Did she manage to say anything when they brought her in?”
Theresa shook her head. “She hasn’t so much as quivered a finger since she’s been here. I don’t know if anyone’s told you, but she’s in a coma.”
Alex asked, “If she comes out of it, even for just a moment, would you have someone call
me at the inn?”
Theresa’s smile was filled with compassion. “I’ll make sure somebody lets you know, even if she wakes up on a different shift.”
Alex said, “I’d really appreciate that.”
The nurse nodded, and Alex added his good-bye and left without turning back. The sights and smells of the hospital were making him nauseous. Suddenly, the only thing Alex needed was fresh air. He stumbled out a nearby exit into the bright, autumn day and leaned against the coarse stone of the building’s exterior wall. The stone was warm on the back of his neck from the sunlight, and the smell of marigolds in a nearby flowerbed helped him forget the noxious odor of that corridor. It was hard for Alex to believe that the robust woman he had joked with the night before was fighting for her life on the other side of the wall.
Chapter 10
Since Alex was already in town, he decided to pay a visit to Mor or Les’s fix-it shop. He had a few questions for his old friend. Mor Pendleton was perched on his stool behind a long wooden workbench. The top was currently covered with the inner workings of an ancient cash register. The walls of the shop were filled with shelves, housing everything from a discarded vacuum cleaner chassis to a dismantled hand pump that Alex recognized as being the same kind that was used at the inn when he was growing up. There were magazines everywhere, from Soldier of Fortune to This Old House. Alex knew Mor’s partner, Les, was a junkie for a particular form of the printed word, and he subscribed to just about every magazine he could get his hands on. School-kids doing fundraisers absolutely loved the crusty old man.
Mor was so deep in thought, tinkering with the register’s bulky pieces, that he failed to hear Alex came in.
Alex picked up a piece of the register and said, “Looks like this one’s down for the count.”
Mor grinned at Alex. “These old printwheels are the dickens to fix, and to top it off, I can’t get parts anymore. I’ve been robbing old machines to keep a few of them running, but there aren’t that many left to vandalize.”
“Why don’t you tell the owner to give up and come into the electronic age?”
Mor’s smile widened. “In the first place, that would lose us business. In the second place, this particular register happens to belong to Irma Bean. We swap repair work for free meals, and Les and I are both too set in our ways to take up cooking on a full-time basis.”
Alex nodded absently and laid the part back down on the workbench. “I hear you found one of my guests at Bear Rocks today.”
Mor nodded solemnly. “She was in pretty bad shape. Have you heard how she’s doing?”
“I just saw her at the hospital. She doesn’t look good.” Alex picked up a large bright cog with a few specks of grease on it and twirled it in his fingers. “When did you take up hiking?”
Mor looked down at the printer again and removed another part. “There’s the problem. I sure hope I can scrape up another paper-advancing gear. What did you say?”
Alex laid the cog back down on top of the workbench and asked, “When did you start hiking?”
As Mor worked, he explained, “A specialist in Charlotte told me it would be good for my knees to start walking some. I didn’t want to go around town, so I figured you wouldn’t mind if I worked out on your loop trail.”
Alex said, “It’s always open to you, you know that. When did you start? I’m surprised I haven’t seen you around before.”
Mor turned a slight shade of red. “I saw the doctor last month, but today was the first chance I had to get out and exercise. Don’t tell on me, okay?”
Alex smiled. “Your secret’s safe with me. Well, I’d better be getting back.”
He started to leave when Mor called out, “You’re not done here, fella.”
“What’s up?”
Mor’s devilish smile came back. “I hear you got considerably farther with Miss Danton last night than I ever managed to. What’s your secret, Alex? I thought you and Sandra were an item.”
“She’s out of town and I just wanted some company last night. My God, can’t I change my underwear in this town without everybody knowing what color it is?”
“Buddy, you’re the talk of the town. Every single man in Elkton Falls has asked that girl out, and you’re the first one she’s even smiled at. Irma told me all about it when I picked the register up this morning. When’s Sandra due back in town?”
“She’s coming in this afternoon. Elise Danton is a sweet girl and a pleasure to be around, but I’ve already got a girlfriend.” Alex turned and had his hand on the door when he heard Mor choking.
He turned back in alarm, only to find the huge fix-it man doubled over in a badly controlled laughing fit.
Alex said, “Okay, so maybe I’m a little touchy, but she really is a nice girl.”
Mor managed to stop his humor jag. “Irma thinks so, too. She wants to adopt her. Listen, I didn’t mean to hit a nerve, I’m sorry. You’ve had a lot happen lately, haven’t you?”
“More than I even want to think about.”
Alex walked out of the shop feeling better, but that soon turned to dust when he spotted Sam Finster getting out of his Jeep Cherokee. Alex tried to duck back into the repair shop, but the eagle-eyed little weasel caught him before he could get inside.
“Alex Winston, just the man I want to see. You’ve saved me a trip out to the lighthouse.”
Alex fought the urge to run. “Finster, I’m not selling. I told you, it’s final.”
Sam Finster missed Alex’s cutting tone, or more likely chose to ignore it. “Since you’ve saved me the gas, at least let me buy you a cup of coffee and a doughnut.”
Alex shook his head. “You go ahead, don’t let me stop you. I was just on my way back out to the inn.”
Finster smiled, his canines gleaming in the sunlight. “Now Alex, surely you have time for an old friend. Especially in your time of need.”
Of course, with Finster’s connections, he probably knew more about the murder and Emma Sturbridge’s fall than Alex did himself. If he didn’t go with the realtor now, he’d be hounded by the little ferret until he agreed to hear him out.
“I’ve got ten minutes to spare. Let’s get this over with.” Alex had found early on that no matter how rude he was to Sam Finster, the realtor still acted as if the two of them were the best of friends. Finster was the only person on the planet Alex was patently discourteous to, but then the rest of the town acted the same way toward him too. Finster had a way of bringing out the worst in people. For a fleeting moment, Alex wished if anyone had to take that fall from Bear Rock, it should have been the real estate man, then he quickly chided himself for wishing bad on anyone, even Sam Finster.
They walked over to Buck’s Grill and found the owner’s daughter Sally Anne waiting tables. Sally Anne could always be counted on for her bright, sunny smile.
In the hours between breakfast and lunch, the restaurant was oddly deserted.
Alex had heard from Buck that Sally Anne had decided to postpone college a year in order to save more money, but local gossip had it that she was more interested in seeing which college offered a scholarship to the town’s local football hero, and incidentally, her boyfriend.
Alex asked, “How’s Eric doing this season?” as he walked in.
Sally Anne’s smile brightened even more. “He’s on his way to breaking all the old school records. You should come out and watch him play sometime.”
“I’d like that.” He glanced at the menu board on the wall behind her. “Let me see, I’ll have two of your freshest glazed doughnuts and a glass of chocolate milk. Finster’s buying.”
Her smile shifted to a grim crease as she turned to Finster. The real estate man winked broadly and said, “I’ll have the same, honey.” He turned to Alex. “You grab a booth, will you? I’ve got to make a quick call. Time is money, you know what I mean, sport?” His hacking laughter followed him all the way to the pay telephone outside the diner. The realtor was too cheap to invest in a cellular telephone even as the world
around him went wireless.
Sally Anne delivered the two milks and the doughnuts before Finster had a chance to come back from the pay phone.
Alex said, “You don’t like him much, do you?”
An uncharacteristic fury crossed the girl’s face. “Every time he’s in here he tries to pinch my bottom or find an excuse to brush against me. The man makes my skin crawl.”
“You shouldn’t have to put up with that. Why don’t you tell Eric or your father?”
She grimaced. “Are you kidding? Eric would get thrown off the team if he got caught beating Finster up, and Daddy would kill the little sleaze.”
She had a point. Her father, Buck Wilson, had been a state Golden Gloves champ, knocking down every opponent he met. Clippings on one wall chronicled his climb to the regional finals, where he had the misfortune to meet a future contender for the heavyweight championship title of the world. Buck’s nose still bore the bend that Bomber Maxwell had put in it. He wore the crooked nose with pride, regaling every new customer with his blow-by-blow account of the fight. At fifty, Buck still looked like he could go ten rounds with any up-and-comer.
Alex suddenly thought of something. “Is your dad back in the kitchen now?”
“No, he’s off on his morning jog, ten miles, rain or shine.”
“Chances are Finster doesn’t know that. Here’s what you should do.” Alex whispered his instructions to Sally Anne, whose grin grew wider with the telling.
Finster came back just as the two of them finished their discussion. Sally Anne managed to dodge Finster’s groping paws; the realtor chuckled as he sat down.
Finster smiled and said, “What are you trying to do, Alex, go after every eligible woman in town? Leave a few for the rest of us, will you?”
Alex jammed a doughnut in his mouth to keep from saying something he might regret. Sally Anne made the doughnuts fresh every morning, and Alex loved the smell of the batter frying almost as much as the tender, moist taste of the pastries themselves. He ate both doughnuts, drank the milk, then glanced at his watch. “You’ve got two minutes, starting now.”
