The Lodge at Whispering Pines

by Melissa R. L. Simonin

  “How long have you owned the Lodge?” asked Sarah.

  “The sale went through today,” said Miles.

  “This all happened extremely fast then, didn’t it,” said Morgan.

  “It did,” said Miles. “The Lodge is special to us because of the memories we’ve made there. We had dinner at Elizabeth’s, the Lodge’s restaurant, the day we became engaged. It’s where we celebrated special events in the months after that. We spent our honeymoon there, also. So, after our eventful last semester… and then upon discovering that the Lodge was suddenly for sale, I bought it as a surprise for Anika.”

  “I was very surprised this morning when Miles told me,” I smiled. “And very excited that it’s ours! It will be different visiting there, now that it belongs to us. We get to go behind the scenes and see what’s on the other side of all the ‘employees only’ doors!”

  Everyone smiled and laughed at that.

  “So… what do you know about this place?” asked Morgan.

  He probably put a lot more investigation into buying the Inn for Sarah, than Miles did in buying the Lodge at Whispering Pines for me. It was a legitimate question from a business standpoint, and like Miles, Morgan was a businessman.

  “Financially it’s a solid investment,” said Miles. “It has a lot of untapped potential, which I’m sure Anika will have fun developing.”

  Miles spent several minutes discussing the Lodge’s pros and cons, upgrades to the building that were made in recent years and those he intended to make now that we own it, the amount of profit it brought in over the past several years, and Morgan and Sarah had several questions which he answered. I listened, more surprised with every fact Miles brought forth.

  “Did you sleep at all last night?” I finally asked.

  “Of course,” said Miles.

  “How on earth did you get all of this information so quickly, then?” I asked.

  “Our accountant knew I was interested in buying the property if it ever went on the market, so he kept his eye on it. When the owner decided to sell last week, our accountant let me know. He’s been working on it since then.”

  “I had no idea!” I exclaimed.

  “I know,” Miles smiled. “It would have ruined the surprise if you did.”

  “Oh my goodness, I can’t believe I knew nothing about it!” I said, squeezing his hand. “Thank you.”

  I leaned over and kissed him.

  “Sarah, why did I not get that response when I bought the Inn for you?” Morgan teased her.

  “What on earth would you have thought if you had?” she laughed.

  “I might have figured out on my own how much I love you, without Miles and Nate having to point it out to me,” said Morgan, and Miles and I smiled at each other. “You never know, we might have even gone on a date before we got married.”

  Sarah laughed again, and so did Miles and I.

  “Well if I had it to do over again, then I would,” she smiled.

  Our server returned with our drinks, took our orders, and left us another basket of rolls.

  “These are the best,” said Morgan, buttering another roll. “I could eat these all day.”

  “You almost do,” smiled Sarah.

  “It’s a good thing we’ve got a gym at the Inn,” Morgan said. “Otherwise, Sarah might make me cut back. And that would just break my heart. How about you, does your lodge have a workout center?”

  “It doesn’t, but that’s something I’d like to change,” said Miles. “I’m sure we’ll have guests in the future who will appreciate that.”

  “I’ll appreciate you being able to stay at our lodge and work out, instead of driving down the mountain to our gym in Glen Haven every day,” I said. “How soon can you have one put in?”

  “That will depend on whether or not a space currently exists that can be utilized for that purpose.”

  “Well I hope there is one,” I said.

  “There’s a lot you don’t know about the place then, since you’ve only seen it as guests,” said Morgan.

  “That’s right,” said Miles. “We’ll have a lot of exploring to do and a lot to learn.”

  “This is going to be so much fun!” I said. “I am so glad we’re doing this.”

  I managed to stop talking before I said I couldn’t bear the thought of spending the spring semester, the same way I did the fall. Miles smiled back at me and the look in his eyes told me he understood, and was glad he could offer me an alternative I looked forward to.

  “So… do you know the staff at all?” asked Sarah.

  “We don’t,” said Miles. “Our only contact has been as guests.”

  “The staff are the heart and soul of an inn or lodge,” said Sarah.

  “I still say you’re the heart and soul of this inn,” said Morgan, smiling in Sarah’s direction. “The Inn is as successful as it is because of the relationship Sarah built with the staff over the years. They’re fiercely loyal to her, and personally invested.”

  “Do you plan to make changes in the staff at the Lodge?” asked Sarah.

  “I have no plans to do so,” said Miles. “Whether that changes or not will depend entirely on the staff themselves.”

  “The times we’ve visited we’ve been pleased with our experiences, so I don’t suspect we’ll need to replace anyone,” I said.

  “That’s good,” said Morgan. “Any idea whether they know there’s been a change in ownership?”

  “Yes, the previous owner informed the staff today after the sale was complete,” said Miles. “It’s my understanding that they were unaware the Lodge at Whispering Pines was even for sale.”

  “I can’t believe how fast this all happened,” said Morgan. “That’s not usually how it goes.”

  “The seller was highly motivated,” said Miles.

  “Oh? Why is that?” asked Sarah, a concerned look in her eyes.

  “He believes the Lodge is haunted,” I said.

  “Really?” replied Morgan, excitement in his voice. “Why does he think that?”

  “It isn’t like Katharine, is it?” asked Sarah, her voice sounding tired, rather than excited. “It bothered me to no end how guests would make up stories claiming to have seen her. I do appreciate so much your help in putting those stories to rest.”

  Morgan smiled.

  “I’m looking forward to talking to the next guest who claims to have seen her ghost.”

  “We both are!” said Sarah.

  “I can imagine!” I sympathized. “That’s how I felt when I proved Miles was innocent of murdering his brother over my great-great-great grandmother.”

  Miles squeezed my knee, and I realized how that could sound—it could sound like the truth! So I kept on talking.

  “The episode of History Detectives that told the story of what really happened got the word out, though. I’ve never encountered anyone who still believes that.”

  “It’s crazy how much you look like your ancestor,” said Morgan.

  “It’s positively unbelievable, isn’t it,” I said. “And amazing.”

  “No kidding,” said Morgan. “You saw the painting I told you about the last time we were there, right Sarah?”

  “Yes, I did,” said Sarah. “You look a lot like James also, but you’re identical to the other Miles.”

  Miles just smiled.

  Our food arrived, which was just as well. I felt of my locket, which once belonged to Miles’ mother, and was glad once again that lockets are meant to be closed. If anyone saw the black and white photo it contained, they might notice that Miles’ “ancestor” also had the exact same scar on his jawline. Fortunately, the artist who did Miles’ portrait way back in 1870 didn’t include that, so it wasn’t an issue.

  “So tell us about your ghost,” said Morgan, as our server placed the last dish on the table, and left us to enjoy our scrumptious looking meals.

  “There’s not much to tell,” said Miles. “A figure is alleged to appear, and then vanish without a trace. This appa
rition is said to be Elizabeth, after whom the restaurant was named.”

  “However,” I said, “No such person ever lived or died on the site of the Lodge. It was a marketing ploy on the part of the previous owner.”

  “How strange,” said Sarah. “This guy is the one that made up the story, but he came to believe it?”

  “That’s correct,” said Miles.

  “How long did this go on before he decided to sell?” asked Morgan.

  “That, I don’t know,” said Miles. “There’s a lot that we don’t.”

  “Man, I envy you,” said Morgan, turning part of his attention to the plate of food in front of him. “Sarah and I had so much fun researching our mystery. I wish we had another.”

  “I can hardly wait,” I said, and smiled at Miles.

  I was looking forward to getting to know our lodge, and working there this semester, and having a break from classes and exams and hopefully darkness, too.

  But mostly, my blood was tingling and my fingers were itching to get started on this mystery!

  Chapter 3

  “I’m looking forward to seeing the kids again,” I said, as Miles drove the familiar streets to my parents’ house.

  “I am too,” said Miles. “I hope your brother and sister aren’t too disappointed at having to give Trix and Chip back, though.”

  “I don’t know why Mom and Dad don’t get them a dog,” I said. “When I lived at home I had Chip.”

  “How is it that Chip was so clearly your dog and not a family dog?” asked Miles.

  “I found him as a stray and brought him home. Mom wasn’t thrilled, I can tell you that! The agreement was that I’d search for his owner, and until I found the person then Chip would be completely my responsibility. I did put up fliers and asked around, but no one responded.”

  “I’m sure that didn’t disappoint you,” said Miles, laughter in his eyes. “How many fliers did you put up?”

  I laughed.

  “For your information, there were several! He was really thin though, he may have been on his own for a while. Either that, or whoever had him didn’t take care of him. I did, though. He’s such a good boy and he wants so badly to please, my parents couldn’t help but be won over by him. I took him to obedience classes too, and after a while everyone was calling him ‘Anika’s dog,’ instead of ‘the dog.’”

  Miles pulled into my parents’ driveway, and I saw a curtain move upstairs in my little brother’s room.

  “Tryon knows we’re here,” I said.

  “We better hurry, he may be making a break for it with Chip out the back door,” Miles smiled, and I laughed.

  “You’re probably right,” I said, as Miles opened my door and held my hand as I stepped out of our SUV.

  We walked up the path to the front door, and knocked. The door opened, and there stood my sister Doreen, and Trixie.

  “Hi Trix, how are you!” said Miles, his hazel eyes lighting up as he knelt so he could give her a hug and pet her. She bounced, and smiled, and wagged her whole body happily.

  “Hi Doree, how are you?” I asked my eleven year old sister. I gave her a hug. She wasn’t as glad to see us as Trixie was, and I felt sympathy for her.

  “Okay, how are you?” she asked, hugging me back.

  “Doing great,” I said. “We brought you something.”

  “Really?” she looked a little less disappointed.

  “Yes, you wouldn’t believe the gift shop at the Inn we stayed at.”

  “Cool,” she said.

  “It’s good to see you Doreen,” said Miles, standing and giving her a hug. “Thank you for taking such good care of Trix for me. I can tell she had a great time.”

  Trixie held out a paw, and I laughed.

  “I love your manicure,” I said. “Pink is definitely your color.”

  Trixie smiled, and Doreen did too a little.

  “You’re welcome,” she said. “I can take care of her anytime you need me to.”

  “Thank you, we’ll take you up on that the next time we go out of town,” Miles smiled.

  “So how about Tryon and Chip?” I asked her, as Miles and I walked inside and closed the door behind us. “You didn’t happen to see them making a getaway, did you?”

  Doreen laughed, but before she could respond, I heard the pounding of feet. Chip ran in, smiling and happy, Tryon right behind him.

  I hugged Chip and ruffled his fur, and he grinned.

  “Hi, Miles!” said Tryon. “Wanna play basketball? Dad and Uncle Mark put up a net!”

  “Sure, I’ll shoot a few baskets with you,” smiled Miles. “Let us say hi to your Mom and Dad first.”

  “Hi busy boy,” I said, giving my five year old brother a hug.

  “Hi,” he said, then grabbed Miles by the hand and tried to hurry him along.

  “Sorry Try, he can’t be dragged,” I said. “I’ve tried.”

  Miles laughed and put his arm around me, then we all followed Tryon into the family room at a leisurely pace, in spite of Tryon’s best efforts to make Miles go faster.

  Mom and Dad’s house was huge. Not by House of Bannerman standards, but then again what was? It was a big house though, a lot roomier than anything they had in the past. A lot bigger than the house we had when Dad lost his job the year before I met Miles, and we ended up losing just about everything. It felt good to look around and see how much life had improved for my family.

  Mom and Dad sat on the couch together watching TV.

  “Hi Mom, hi Dad,” I said, and they looked up.

  “Hi, honey!” Mom smiled, as she and Dad both stood and came over to hug us.

  “It’s great to see you both,” said Dad, as he hugged Miles and Mom hugged me, then they traded.

  “It’s great to see you too,” said Miles.

  “How was the party?” asked Mom.

  “It was amazing,” I said. “We had the best time. We should spend New Year’s this way, every year.”

  “We’ll make it a tradition if that’s what you want,” said Miles, as Tryon tried harder to drag him to the back door. “Why don’t you grab the basketball Try, and give me a chance to kiss my wife goodbye, then I’ll join you out there.”

  “Eew!” Tryon made a face and ran, while the rest of us laughed.

  “I’ll be back soon,” Miles said, then kissed me before following after my brother.

  “You look good,” Mom said, turning back to me and motioning toward the loveseat.

  “Thanks,” I said. I had a seat, and Mom and Dad sat back down on the couch. Doreen disappeared with Trixie. She probably wanted to get in a little more dog-time, before having to give her back to Miles.

  “You looked a little run-down the last few times we saw you,” said Mom. She was concerned.

  “I was,” I said. “Last semester was hard on me.”

  “I can imagine,” said Mom.

  And she only knew about the first murderer Miles and I investigated and put away! Well, actually, the guy managed to get himself killed trying to murder Xander’s cousin, but… we put the rest of them in prison.

  “It wore me out,” I said. “I feel much better after our extended weekend away though, and we’re going to do something different this semester. Miles bought the place where we spent our honeymoon. I’m going to intern there as part of my major. It’ll be a nice change of pace, and Miles is going to do his classes online, so we’ll get to see each other more. We’re both really excited about it!”

  “That certainly is different,” said Dad. He and Mom both looked surprised.

  “Yeah, it’s kind of spur of the moment. In a way. Miles has been wanting to buy the Lodge, and it finally worked out. He could tell I needed a change of pace after what happened last semester, so… he made it all happen.”

  Mom’s eyes were a little teary.

  “We appreciate how he looks out for you. I don’t know why I worry, I should know by now.”

  “He’s the best,” I smiled. “Miles takes good care of me and makes
sure I have everything I need, and so much more. So no more worrying about me! Tell Mom not to worry, Dad.”

  “Stop worrying, Samantha,” Dad said, and Mom and I laughed.

  “Alright, John,” Mom said, then turned to me. “Will you and Miles be able to stay to dinner?”

  “I wish, but we need to get to the Lodge. The sale just went through, and we’re anxious to meet the employees and let them know the ship isn’t without a captain. Miles and I have some changes we plan to make, and the sooner we get there, the sooner we can implement those.”

  “Of course, that makes sense,” said Mom. “Maybe another time soon, then.”

  “Sure, that’ll be great,” I said. “I hope you guys will come see us at our Lodge. We have an amazing restaurant—have you ever been?”

  “Yes, actually we have,” said Dad. “We were very impressed with it.”

  “Okay, well, you’ll have to come again and have dinner with us, sometime.”

  “We’ll do that,” said Mom.

  I glanced at my watch.

  “I better help break the news to Tryon that I’m going, and taking his big brother… and my dog, with me,” I said.

  “I’ll do it, maybe Tryon will accept me as a substitute,” said Dad. “You can break it to your sister that it’s time for Trixie to go.”

  “Okay, I’ll do that,” I said. Dad and I stood and hugged each other, then he and Mom went outside, and I went upstairs.

  I paused outside my sister’s room, and knocked softly.

  “Come in,” I heard from the other side of the door.

  “Hi sis, I hate to break it to you, but we need to get going,” I said, as I opened the door and went in.

  “I know,” she said, and made a face. She hugged Trixie. “I’ll see you soon, Trixie.”

  “Come visit us,” I said. “We just bought a really cool lodge outside of town, and that’s where we’ll be this semester. Get Mom to bring you by. You can spend a Saturday, or even a weekend maybe. You can play with the dogs, and see what it’s like to run a lodge.”

  “Okay, I will,” she said, her eyes lighting up. “How soon do you think I can come?”

  “Give us a week or two to get settled in, and then… whenever Mom says it’s okay.”