Death on the Page

by Essie Lang

  She sighed. Oh well, she should be happy for people to show up at all rather than worrying about the splash situation. It would probably be a good day to shift some of the shelves around. Now that they were into the final month before the castle closed for the winter, she was ordering fewer books, and that was apparent in the empty shelves. But some creative positioning would help fill in the gaps. She didn’t want to put customers off with too much empty space. She finished her toast and felt better now that she had a plan.

  She was just about to grab her raincoat when her smartphone rang. She was surprised to see that Erica was calling at this hour.

  “Good morning, Erica. What can I do for you?” She wondered if she should have planned to stop at Chocomania that morning after all.

  “Nothing really. I just thought, in case you didn’t stop by, that I would call to thank you for bringing that truly awesome guy into the store yesterday. I’d been wondering who he was ever since seeing him pass by on the street on Saturday as I was closing. In fact, truth be told, I was hoping I’d see him again. And there he was, thanks to you. Did he ask about me?”

  Shelby laughed. “Well, he did look interested, but I’m sorry, our talk was all about Savannah.”

  “Oh, okay. Well, he knows where to find me, and I do hope he’ll remember. See you later.”

  Shelby smiled as she hung up. That shouldn’t have been a surprise, after seeing Erica’s reaction the day before. But then, as she walked to the shuttle, she wondered how Erica could have seen Bryce on Saturday if he had arrived in town on Sunday.

  * * *

  Once in the store, she carefully took her wet items to the back room and then turned on the coffeemaker. She’d be working alone today, unless Taylor was desperate enough to brave the weather. She hoped not. Alone would be fine, and she worried that Taylor might be taking on too much. That thought surprised her. Or rather, how concerned she was that Taylor have a safe pregnancy. In fact, Shelby realized she’d changed in the few months she’d been in Alexandria Bay from someone whose sole concern was herself to the new Shelby, who seemed worried most of the time about any one of her new friends. That was the secret—she now had several friends and didn’t spend all her time wrapped up in her own world.

  She thought back to her first day working in the store. She’d been so anxious about talking to the customers that she’d almost fainted. Social situations made her tense, probably because as a child she’d spent many of her nonschool hours with just her dad, a somewhat reclusive college professor. In high school, she’d had a small group of girlfriends but only one date, which she initially thought was a success. But she’d never heard from the guy again. Then came college, and after a few dates with a few guys, she’d fallen hard for one classmate in particular. This time they dated for almost a year, but when he dropped her, she decided that caution was called for in the future. There had been a couple of guys when she’d lived in Lenox, but nothing special. And now, here she was in Alex Bay with new friends, family, and Zack, who might actually be the man of her dreams. It felt good.

  She glanced at the clock; there were still twenty minutes before the castle opened for business. Maybe the right time to take a look at the suite where Savannah had stayed. Not that she expected to find any clues. The police would have found anything if that was the case. But she wanted a look at the room, to get a feel for what it would have been like to stay there.

  She didn’t bother locking up the store behind her as she walked over to the grand staircase, smiling at the volunteers who were heading to their locations. As often happened, she found herself wondering how it had felt for Millicent Blye, walking up this magnificent staircase she and her husband had chosen for the castle when having it built. In fact, how it had felt to leave behind everything they knew, to start a new life in a different country, although at least the language was the same as in England. But the Blyes had been wealthy and, from what she’d heard, part of a large, well-known family. That must have made it even harder for the young wife with an adventurous husband.

  Shelby allowed herself to continue the daydream until she reached the second floor. To her dismay, when she reached the newly dubbed guest suite, a strip of yellow crime scene tape still blocked the door. Fortunately, it wasn’t sealed but anchored on either side of the doorframe. She glanced at her watch and then looked around. There was no one nearby. She tried the door, and it opened. Ducking under the tape, she pulled the door shut and waited to hear if anyone was coming after her. She took a deep breath and began looking around.

  The king-size four-poster bed kept drawing her attention to the opposite side of the room. The pale blue–and–white quilt set off the oak bedframe, making it look comfortable and inviting. It was still turned back, waiting for someone to crawl into the bed. All the walls sported a blue-and-white wallpaper that looked like brocade. She didn’t reach out to touch it, though. There was a dressing table, a bedside table, and a tall double-doored armoire, all in a rich dark oak carved in minute detail. On the floor was an almost threadbare multicolored Oriental rug, and a chandelier hung centered in the white ceiling. To Shelby, it looked almost as large as the one in the formal dining room downstairs.

  She realized she’d spent more time than she’d planned in the room and glanced around a final time. There was nothing out of the ordinary to be seen, and she had to admit that it hadn’t really provided her with anything. It was more the idea of seeing what Savannah had seen during her final hours.

  She heard a noise at the door and held her breath. It sounded like the door was being locked. She crept over to it and cautiously tried the handle. Sure enough, it was locked, and she couldn’t see a way to unlock it from inside.

  She leaned against the door and tried to figure out what to do. The obvious solution was to pound on the door and call until someone came. She’d be reamed out for going inside, but that would probably be the extent of it. Of course, unless Chief Stone had locked it and was still on-site. That might land her in jail, if she was lucky.

  After a quick look for another door, which turned out to be a closet, she pulled out her cell phone and called Chrissie Halstead.

  “It’s Shelby, and I’m locked in the guest suite. Can you find a key and let me out?”

  “What are you doing in there?”

  “Long story. Please, please?”

  She heard Chrissie sigh, although her voice sounded almost like she was laughing. “I’ll be right there.”

  A couple of minutes later, Shelby heard the door lock click open, and Chrissie slipped inside.

  “This doesn’t look good. What are you doing here? Are you investigating the murder?”

  “That’s a leap,” Shelby said. “I wanted to take a look around; just curious, you know. And then I heard the door being locked.”

  “That was me. I’ve been bugging the police since yesterday to take the tape down. It’s too lurid for the tourists to see that and draws attention to the suite. Chief Stone finally called and said it was okay to remove the tape but to lock the door for now anyway. Which I would have done anyway. I don’t want everyone flocking in there. Now, can we leave? Or did you find something?” Chrissie’s shoulder-length blonde hair swung from side to side as she glanced around.

  “Nothing except that I’ve learned my lesson. No more poking my nose where it doesn’t belong. Lead the way.”

  As they left the room, Shelby noticed the tape had indeed been removed. When they stopped at the top of the staircase, Shelby asked if the nanny’s room was also under lock and key.

  “No, it’s not. Why?”

  “That was the room used by the butler, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, we thought it was the easiest one to prepare.”

  Shelby decided not to waste time with it just then. She could check it later if she wanted. The underground passage was another matter. “Could I please take a look at the secret passageway?”

  “It’s off-limits.”

  “I won’t disturb anything. I just want
to see what they look like and get a sense of what happened to Savannah.”

  Chrissie thought about it a few seconds and nodded. “Okay, but you need to make it quick. When the tourists start traipsing up here, I don’t want them seeing you coming out from the stairway.”

  Shelby followed Chrissie along the hall to the sewing room. Chrissie turned back to look outside in the hall, making sure no one else was around, then unlocked the door to the passage.

  “Do you have a master key or what?”

  “Exactly. Now, make it quick.” She flicked on the light.

  Shelby started with an overview. The walls looked like unpainted drywall, but the steps were stone, some crumbling at the edges. She wanted to look at the bottom and peek along the hallway. She’d really like to follow the passageways and see if there was a way to the outside, but she knew there wasn’t time.

  She noticed right away how narrow the stairs were and realized it would be easy to trip and fall down them. Is that what had happened to Savannah? When Shelby reached the bottom, the appearance of the passageway changed. It looked rougher, almost like it had been fashioned out of rock. She knew the island was basically solid rock, so that would explain it. She could also feel how cold it had gotten.

  She pulled out her cell phone to use the flashlight and studied the floor near the base of the stairs. She noticed some staining, and that brought shivers to her body beyond the colder temperatures. There didn’t seem to be anything else to see. She glanced up at the top of the stairs and tried to picture Savannah falling, then wished she hadn’t thought about it. Had Savannah screamed? Of course she must have. Wouldn’t Frank White have heard it and come to help? Was he hiding something? She might just pay him another visit. She turned to peer along the hallway and noticed that it branched into two farther along.

  “Hurry up,” Chrissie called out.

  “Coming.” Shelby walked quickly but with care. When she reached the top of the stairs, she took another quick look behind her, then pulled the door shut.

  “Thanks, Chrissie.”

  “Did you find anything?”

  “Not really. Have you ever been down there?”

  “No. I knew about the passageways but had no desire to see them. And I still don’t. Come on, I hear voices downstairs. It might turn out to be a busy day.” She crossed her fingers and held them up for Shelby to see.

  They quickly returned down to the main hall without saying anything. Shelby was surprised when Chrissie followed her into the bookstore.

  “I was actually on my way to see you when you called,” she said.

  “Oh, yeah? What’s up?”

  Chrissie looked from one side of the room to the other, and then behind her. “How is business these days?”

  Shelby indicated the empty store. “Slow, but I’m told that it can be like that at this time of year, especially on a soggy day.”

  “Not so for the rest of the castle, I’m afraid. We’ve had more than enough crime scene gawkers. I guess that’s all they’re here for, a look at the second floor, although we’ve locked the door to the passage. And they’re asking a lot of questions, but the volunteers aren’t allowed to say much. In fact, I’ve written a script for them all. The customers don’t hang around long once they realize there’s not much to see or hear. I’m sorry they don’t take the time to shop in here, though.”

  “If that’s the real reason they’re here, I’m happy they’re giving us a pass. At least you’re getting their admission fees.”

  “There is that. What I want to ask is if you’ve noticed anything that’s gone missing in here.”

  “Missing? Like what? Anything specific? A few books? There’s always a small shrinkage factor, but nothing we’re really worried about.”

  “No, I mean something more valuable.” She approached the counter and lowered her voice, even though they were alone. “Do you keep a float here? Or, I don’t know, how about a piece of artwork from the walls?”

  Shelby followed Chrissie’s gaze. There was no space for artwork of any kind in the small store.

  “Or maybe you had an expensive clock sitting on the table over by the bay windows?” Chrissie sounded exasperated. “Oh, frig, has anything been stolen?”

  “Stolen? Nothing along those lines. It’s not easy to get around the counter and open the cash drawer, and we don’t keep a float here overnight. I take it home every afternoon and bring it back the next morning. And we don’t really have anything of value here, aside from the books. What’s this all about?”

  Chrissie slumped against the counter. “Well, thank goodness for that. I wish we could say that about the rest of the castle.”

  “Something’s actually been stolen? What? When? Do you have any clues?”

  “The only thing we know for sure at this point is that several small items have gone missing, but we have no idea when or how. What’s most upsetting is that the architectural drawings for the castle are gone. I don’t know if you’ve seen them, but they’re kept in a glass cabinet under lock and key in Mrs. Blye’s sitting room on the second floor.”

  “Seriously? And you think they were stolen? How?”

  “It seems like someone jimmied the lock on the cabinet, or whatever they do, in order to get inside the cabinet.”

  “When were they taken?”

  “I have no idea. It’s not like we take inventory every day.”

  Chrissie sounded so distraught, Shelby reached out and squeezed her arm. “That’s really terrible. You’re right, it was obviously well thought out. It also sounds unlikely that it happened during the day.”

  “That’s just it. How could anyone get in at night? There are motion sensors, and Matt lives close by.”

  Shelby shrugged. It didn’t make sense, but neither did Savannah’s death. Unless there was a connection.

  “What if the person came in through the underground passageway? It must have a door leading outside. What if the thief came back to steal something larger, something he couldn’t take out of the castle during the day? And then there was Savannah, intent on exploring the passageway as part of her research. So, maybe she wasn’t the target, but instead she interrupted the intruder.”

  “Interesting idea, Shelby,” said Chief Stone from the doorway. “In fact, I had the same one, so you can be assured, we’re following up on that. Which means, this time, you can stay out of this.”

  Shelby felt her face turning a telltale shade of red. “I wouldn’t dream of interfering, Chief Stone.”

  Stone made a noise that sounded somewhere between a grunt and a laugh. Shelby decided it was time to change the topic. Plus, she was curious what had brought the chief to her store.

  “What was it you wanted to see me about?”

  Stone looked at Chrissie before answering. “I’d imagine it’s the same thing that brought Ms. Halstead into your store. I’d like to know if there’s anything missing from your bookstore.”

  Chrissie nodded, fidgeting with her iPad. “Well, I’ll leave you to your questions, Chief Stone. Thanks, Shelby.”

  “No problem. And thanks again.”

  “So,” Stone continued, “anything missing?”

  “Not that I know of. Of course, I’ve only taken a cursory look around. This is the first I’ve heard of anything being stolen in the castle. And what would we have of value in the bookstore that would attract a thief?”

  “You tell me. Nothing, you say?”

  “Right, but if it appears something is, I’ll let you know right away. I’ll also check with Aunt Edie in case she can think of an item I should check on.”

  “Good.”

  “May I ask you a question now?”

  Stone looked at her but didn’t say anything. Shelby took that to be consent to ask away.

  “What about the cleaning staff? Did they see anything useful on Sunday morning?”

  Stone’s face remained unmoved, although her eyes seemed darker. “Not that it’s any of your business, but they didn’t show up. The husband
was sick, which is good for us because they hadn’t yet messed around with things. Is there anything else?”

  “Seriously?” Shelby couldn’t imagine the chief was willing to answer questions.

  “I think I’m better off knowing what you’re thinking about rather than finding out after you’ve stuck your nose in somewhere it doesn’t belong. I will tell you one thing, though. Miss Page’s laptop is definitely missing. It wasn’t in her hotel room either, and the fiancé says he hasn’t seen it lately. Now, if you know anything about that, I’d be happy to hear it … No? Okay, no more questions on your part, to me or to anyone. Got that? Have a nice day.” After taking a final glance around the store, Stone put her hat back on and left.

  Shelby sucked in a deep breath. Why did she still feel nervous around the chief? She had nothing to hide.

  Yet.

  Chapter Twelve

  Shelby stood with her hands on her hips, slowly scanning the bookstore, hoping to see if anything was indeed missing. Then she ran her hands along the window ledges and frames. Nothing felt out of place, and there’d certainly not been any signs of broken glass at any point over the last few days or weeks. Next, she checked the door lock. Again, nothing wrong that she could detect. In fact, there were no signs at all of someone breaking in or even making an attempt. And although she couldn’t think of anything of real value in the store, nor picture anyone stealing something while she or Taylor had been working there, she decided to take advantage of what might be a slow day and do a more thorough search.

  She started by standing at the door and taking an objective look at what she could see from that vantage point. If she wanted to steal something, what area would she focus on?