The Inn at Holiday Bay: Message in the Mantel

by Kathi Daley

  I nodded. “I like it. We could even stay with the black-and-white theme in one of the rooms and call it the Tuxedo Suite.”

  “Oh, I like that. It sounds like it would be an elegant room for some of our more discriminating guests. Are you still thinking of doing black and white in the attic?”

  “Not if we use it on the third floor. I may just go with a deep blue in the attic and call it the Sky Suite, although using oranges and yellows and calling it the Sunset Suite would work as well.”

  Georgia smiled. “I like both ideas. I guess we can see what we can find in terms of granite and take it from there.”

  “Biscuits and gravy and a veggie omelet,” Velma said as she set our plates on the table. She refilled both our coffees, poured a mug for herself, and then pulled up a chair to the end of the booth to sit down with us. “So, what are the two of you up to today?”

  I was about to give a standard answer about errands and writing, but Georgia jumped in with the mantel we were having refurbished and the research she’d been doing. She shared a lot of the things she’d uncovered, as well as much of the folklore that might never be proven. I could see that the latter appealed to Velma most, as it had to the two of us.

  “Wouldn’t it be something if you found a note meant for Paul Revere stashed away in a secret drawer?” Velma said.

  Georgia grinned. “Can you imagine? I know that it is unlikely this mantel is home to any forgotten correspondence, but I can’t help hoping . . .”

  “You know,” Velma said, “if you want to talk to someone who knows a lot about the Revolutionary era, you should talk to TJ Franklin.”

  “I’m afraid I don’t know anyone by that name,” Georgia replied. “What does the TJ stand for?”

  “Thomas Jefferson. And before you ask anything else, Thomas Jefferson is a woman.”

  “TJ’s parents named her Thomas Jefferson Franklin?” I asked.

  Velma nodded. “I know it seems like an unusual name for a girl, or a baby of either sex for that matter, unless they’re direct descendants, but TJ doesn’t seem to mind, probably because everyone has been calling her TJ and not a variation of Thomas her whole life.”

  “Is Franklin her real surname?” I wondered.

  “Yes, it is. TJ’s brother is Samuel Adams Franklin, and he runs a bar in Rhode Island these days. Personally I would say the name Samuel Adams is perfect for a man who owns a bar, but everyone just calls him Sam.”

  “So why do you think Abby should speak to TJ?” Georgia asked.

  “She owns an antique store on Nantucket. It’s called We the People and it’s filled to the brim with anything and everything having to do with the Revolutionary War and that era. TJ really knows her stuff. If you want to find out more about the history of your mantel from someone who might know the details, she’d be the one to talk to.”

  I glanced at Georgia. “I guess we could do a two-night trip. If Nikki is willing to stay at the cottage and watch the animals, that is.”

  Georgia smiled. “I’m game.”

  I looked at Velma. “You are welcome to come along if you can find someone to cover for you at the café.”

  “If you’re willing to go during the week rather than on a weekend, I’ll just close the place. I’d love to get out of town for a few days.”

  “Okay.” I took out my phone and looked at my calendar. “We’d have to check on the ferry schedule from Hyannis to Nantucket, but if there’s one in the midafternoon, we could leave here early on Monday morning. If everything works out as I’m hoping, we’d have time to arrive on the island, check into a hotel, and have a nice dinner, then go to TJ’s store on Tuesday morning. We can talk with her and then maybe do some shopping in the afternoon. We can be ready to head back to Holiday Bay on Wednesday.”

  Georgia volunteered to talk to Nikki about staying at the cottage to watch the animals and Velma offered to call TJ to let her know we were coming; she knew her from other visits to Nantucket, and wanted to give her a heads-up about the mantel we were interested in learning more about. I found that I was really excited about the trip. Not only had the mantel and the mystery of its origin gripped me, as it had Georgia, but it had been a very long time since I’d headed out of town on a girls’ getaway. I’d never visited Nantucket but had always wanted to, particularly since I moved to the East Coast.

  “I guess you heard about Bruce Palmer,” Velma said once we’d firmed up our plans for the research trip.

  I nodded. “Colt wanted me to go with him to look at the house. He is thinking of making an offer for it.”

  “It would be a good house for him. Big yard. Lots of room for the kids to run around when they come to visit.”

  “Did you know Mr. Palmer?” I asked Velma.

  “Sure. He’d lived here for a long time. Nice man. Generally liked to keep to himself, but he came in for a bite from time to time.”

  “Colt said it looked as if he died of natural causes, but I wonder about that, with his place was such a mess, and the volunteers from the meal service never reporting it to anyone. It seems he had been sick for weeks. You would think that someone would have mentioned it to someone.”

  Velma shrugged. “Folks don’t always like to get involved in other people’s business. The volunteers might even have tried to help the old coot. Knowing Palmer, he might very well have refused. Colt is a good cop. I’m sure he’ll look in to it. If he finds any evidence of foul play, he’ll get to the bottom of it.” Velma stood up. “I’ll head back and get your to-go order ready. I’ll add some sausage for Ramos. A big boy like him needs adequate protein.”

  “Okay, but not too much. Ramos is a big boy, but I need to watch his diet,” Georgia said.

  As soon as we got home, I headed over to the big house to check in with Lonnie, and to see if he had any news about the mantel. I wasn’t sure if Bobby planned to start with the crown molding in the dining room or the mantel, but if he’d started with the latter and it did have a secret compartment, maybe he’d already found it.

  “It’s quiet in here today,” I said to Lonnie. Usually, my arrival was greeted by the sound of saws, hammering, and rock and roll music.

  “The crew is on another job this morning, but they’ll be here tomorrow. We are about ready to start on the third floor. Did you choose colors and materials?”

  “Georgia and I are going to take a trip to the granite store in Portland. If we can find what we want, I think we’ve settled on creamy white granite with black cabinets and rose accents for one of the suites, and the same granite and cabinets, continuing the black-and-white theme for the other.”

  “Sounds nice. Just let me know what you find and we’ll get started.”

  “Is Bobby here today?”

  Lonnie nodded. “He set up a workspace in the old carriage house. He is working to reproduce the crown molding for the dining area right now.”

  “Has he done any work on the mantel?”

  “Not yet. After he got a look at it, he wanted to do some additional research before he dug in. He seems to think it might be an important piece of both art and history and wants to do it justice.”

  “I appreciate that. Georgia and I have done some research of our own and found that Samuel Garrison did a lot of mantels in Boston during the eighteenth century. He was famous for adding secret compartments to his pieces. I wanted to let Bobby know so he could keep an eye out for one while he is working.” I explained what we knew so far, and the ideas we’d cooked up about possible hidden letters.

  “I can let him know, or you can go out to the carriage house and tell him yourself. Wouldn’t it be something to find an old message that was never picked up by the intended recipient?”

  “Georgia and I are planning a trip to Nantucket next week. Velma knows a woman who is something of an expert on the Revolutionary War era and antiques from that period, so we are going to have a chat with her to see what she might be able to tell us about our piece. I’m going to take a bunch of photos. I guess I should do
that before Bobby starts working.”

  Lonnie nodded. “He tends to work on a section at a time, and he wraps the sections he isn’t working on with plastic, so it would be best to take your photos now.”

  I took my photos and then headed back toward the cottage. Colt had just pulled up as I was crossing the drive.

  “What brings you out on this dreary day?” I asked, glancing up at the overcast sky. At least the rain had paused momentarily.

  “I actually stopped by to talk with Lonnie about plans we have to meet up tonight.”

  “He’s working on the second floor. It seems his crew is working elsewhere today.” I glanced back at the house, behind Colt, who was still sitting in his cruiser. “I’m glad I ran into you. Remember I mentioned a man named Frank Ribaldie, who emailed me about a case file he thought Ben might have had with him when he died a few weeks ago?”

  Colt leaned an arm on the frame of the window he’d rolled down when he pulled up. “Yeah, I remember. What about him?”

  “I got a follow-up email from him today, the first time I’ve heard from him since I answered that first one he sent. He seemed a bit more insistent now. He even asked me if Ben has a safety-deposit box or a locker where he might have kept things like files if he didn’t have them in his office.”

  Colt frowned. “What did you tell him?”

  “That I didn’t know anything about a locker or a safety-deposit box. I also reaffirmed that Ben didn’t have any files in the car with him or in his home office when he died. But that isn’t exactly true. Ben did have files, but they were copies of cold cases, like the ones involving the Stinsons. He always left the originals where they belonged, and no one ever knew he had copied them. I didn’t see a reason to mention that I had some of those files, so I didn’t. You mentioned that you were going to look into the guy. Did you have a chance to do it?”

  Colt rolled up the window, opened his door, and stepped out. “I did a quick check when you mentioned his name. As you indicated, he was a homicide detective who worked out of the same station Ben did. He’s been working homicide for just two years, so Ben and Frank wouldn’t have worked together for long. Maybe six months. Prior to that, he worked in narcotics. He seems to have a decent record. I didn’t find any evidence of disciplinary action, but I didn’t spend a lot of time looking into his background once I didn’t find any immediate red flags. I can dig deeper if you are concerned about his inquiries.”

  “There is no need to do that at this point. So far, all he has done is email me a couple of times looking for a file or files that he suspects that Ben may have had. It could just be that files are missing and they are trying to track them down. They may not necessarily suspect Ben of taking them. They could be asking everyone who had access to the missing file or files the same questions. Ben isn’t around to ask, so he came to me.”

  Colt leaned a hip against the front fender. “Okay, but if you change your mind or hear from him again, just let me know. I can do some additional digging if need be.”

  “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind. By the way, while you are here, I wanted to ask if you decided to do an autopsy on Mr. Palmer.”

  “Actually, I did decide to do one. I haven’t received the results yet. To be honest, I’m not expecting anything other than death by natural causes to show up, but after thinking it over, I decided that an autopsy might be a good idea.”

  “At least you will know for certain what the cause of death was. I would think that the man’s son would want to know that as well. Did you talk to him about making an offer on the house?”

  “I arranged to call him about it this evening. I know the place is a mess now, but I really think it could work out for me. A large house with a huge yard is exactly the sort of setup I’ve been looking for. I know I only have my niece and nephew with me some of the time, but I’d love for them to each have their own room at my home. A room they can decorate themselves. A room that will make them feel at home.”

  “I think that is a wonderful idea. It will mean a lot to the kids to have their own space. Between the den and the office, it seems like there is plenty of space for everyone to hang out and still have privacy.” I put out a hand as a drop of rain fell from the sky. “I should head inside. Let me know how the house thing works out. And have fun hanging out with Lonnie tonight.”

  Chapter 5

  The turnout for the twins’ play was a lot larger than I’d expected for a preschool production held at the community center on a Saturday afternoon. Not only did all the kids seem to have parents and siblings in attendance, but there were a fair number of grandparents and aunts and uncles as well. Lonnie and Lacy were sitting in the third row with their four other children, the three boys sitting between their parents and Lacy holding the baby on her lap. Lacy had held three seats to her left, two of them for Georgia and me, and perhaps the other one was for Colt. I hadn’t asked him if he was planning to be there, but he was Lonnie’s best friend and godfather to all six of his children, so it made sense that he might.

  “Thanks for saving us seats,” I said as I made my way down the aisle. “I had no idea it would be this crowded.”

  “The spring production is quite a big deal here in Holiday Bay. By the time everyone gets here, there will be standing room only in the back.”

  “Good to know for next time.” I smiled and waved at Lonnie and Lacy’s triplets as I settled into the seat next to Lacy. “I guess we should have come earlier. I’d hate to have to stand for the entire performance.”

  “I was going to mention that the seating fills up when I was at the house yesterday, but you and Georgia had already left for Portland by the time I dropped the kids off at school and I guess I forgot to call to leave a message. Did you find the granite you wanted for the suites on the third floor?”

  I nodded. “We did. It is a creamy white granite with tiny gold flecks and black streaks running through it. It isn’t anything I initially imagined using, but it’s really striking. And when you add in the rich black cabinets, creamy white walls, and either rose-colored or black accents, depending on the suite, I think it is going to be stunning.”

  Lacy handed the baby a stuffed toy to hold just as she began to squirm. She seemed to be able to anticipate the needs of all her children, but I guessed when you had six children, that was an important quality to have. Once the baby was settled, she turned back to me. “I think a light granite with black cabinets will be elegant. I can’t wait to see it. I have to say, your remodel has been a blast. I love watching as the old layers are stripped away to be replaced by something fresh and unique.”

  “I’ve rather enjoyed the journey as well, and it has been extra-fun sharing it with you and Lonnie. You are both so passionate about your work.”

  Lacy’s eyes sparkled with genuine enthusiasm. “Refurbishing items that have experienced a previous life is sort of our thing. In a way, it was the common ground the first attracted us to each other. Not only do we enjoy our jobs, but I feel like what we do is important.”

  “I couldn’t agree more. The two of you are preserving history and legacies that might otherwise be forgotten. It’s important work.”

  “By the way,” Lacy said as the baby leaned back and rested her head on her mother’s chest. “I found an armoire and a chest of drawers at an antique store up the coast that I think will be perfect for one of the suites. I hoped you would have time to look at them next week.”

  I leaned over and picked up the stuffed toy the baby had dropped and handed it to Lacy. “I’d love to go antiquing with you, but it will need to be the end of the week, or even the week after that. Georgia, Velma, and I are heading to Nantucket to do research on the mantel. We leave on Monday and won’t be back until late on Wednesday.”

  Lacy sighed as she adjusted her position to accommodate the now sleeping baby. “That sounds like so much fun. If I didn’t have six children, I would tag along. It’s been such a long time since I’ve been anywhere. You’ll need to come for dinner when
you get back. I want to hear all about the trip.”

  “We can do that.” I nodded. “I’ll be sure to take a lot of photos, and I can text you updates while we are on the road.”

  Lacy turned her attention to the stage as the lights were dimmed. She tightened her arms around the baby. “The girls have been really nervous about singing their song in front of so many people. I hope they remember the words.”

  “Either way, I’m sure it will be adorable.” I felt a tug at my heart as I dealt with the fact that I would most likely never have my own preschooler to watch on stage. If Johnathan had lived, he’d be toddling around by now. I could almost picture his rosy cheeks and large, expressive eyes. I would never know if his hair would have turned out to be curly or straight, or if he’d have had his father’s height or my slighter frame. I tried to imagine how he might have looked as he’d gotten older, but the truth was, it was all just fantasy. What I knew for certain was that I missed him every minute of every day. Most days I was able to push my grief into the back of my mind, but at times like this, when it really hit home what I was missing out on, my grief pushed toward the surface and I felt my heart break all over again.

  “I feel kind of nervous. Like we are waiting for the start of a Broadway premiere,” Georgia said from her seat on my other side.

  “The school did a good job of building the hype,” I whispered, hoping my voice sounded normal, and not all tight and emotional like I felt.

  Georgia took my hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. I was glad she didn’t say anything else. If she had, I might have lost it completely. I took a deep breath and looked past Georgia toward the seat beside her. Colt had slipped into the empty chair just as the preschool teacher took the stage to welcome the audience. He looked good today. He always looked good, but today, I found it necessary to focus on his chiseled features rather than my own musings. Johnathan was gone and there was nothing I could do about it. Dwelling on what might have been could only serve to drag me down into a dark place.