by Kathi Daley
Georgia smiled. “Very good.”
“Did the group have any special requests?”
Popping the meat in the microwave, she answered. “Fiona has a lot of things planned for the week. Some of the events will be held here at the inn, while other events will be held in town. I understand that in addition to the eleven people staying here at the inn, there are other guests who will be staying in town. Fiona requested a formal dinner on their second night here for eighteen guests.”
“Sounds like a nice round number. Anything else?”
“Fiona also requested that a color photo printer be made available in a common area along with a bunch of easels.” She opened the microwave and stirred the meat. “I guess she’s going to ask everyone to take photos of everyone and everything and then use the photos to create a memory book.”
“I love that idea. Do we have everything she requested?”
Georgia nodded. “I’m going to set up a table with the printer and several easels in the library. I have a feeling that Fiona is the sort of person who is used to getting what she wants when she wants it, so I guess we’ll all need to be on our toes during their stay. A good rating from someone like Fiona can really help us to get the word out, but a bad rating could very well be the kiss of death.”
“I agree.” I watched as Georgia ladled the soup from the stovetop into ceramic bowls. “Do we know what color scheme she would prefer for the flowers and such?”
“Pink and white. To be honest, that isn’t my favorite color scheme for a pre-wedding party, but that’s what the bride-to-be wants, so that’s what we’re doing. I have flowers for all the suites, plus the common areas on order. They will be delivered on Wednesday. As I’ve mentioned, the guests are due to check in on Thursday. Fiona also provided a menu for several of the meals, and added her likes and dislikes so I would be able to plan for the meals where she did not make a specific request.”
“The woman sounds organized.”
She took the meat out of the microwave and began filling the rolls she’d warmed in the oven. “I have a feeling this isn’t the first party she’s planned. She’s having baskets sent to the inn which she wants to be put in each suite, and she verified that we had ice and ice buckets for the gallons of champagne she assured me the group will be imbibing.”
“So we have a long weekend of drunken twenty-something-year-olds to look forward to,” I groaned.
“Most of the guests are in their thirties, and most are professionals in prestigious positions, so I don’t think it will be the drunk fest you’re dreading, but who knows. I suppose even professional men and women drink when on vacation.” Georgia walked over to the desk and picked up a piece of paper. “Fiona did send along a list of the liquor she wanted me to have on hand, so maybe we will be in for a drunk fest. At least Fiona has the means to make good any damage that may result from the group, so I guess there is that. And so far, she has been happy to pay top dollar for every single add on, so, all in all, I think this will be a very profitable weekend.”
“And the upfront costs?”
Georgia smiled. “She sent me a very nice check ahead of time.”
“I guess that counts for something. Do we have any guests between now and Thursday when the group checks in?”
She picked up the plates and headed toward the small dining table near the window overlooking the bay. “No. I did have a few inquiries for the weekend, but not for the weekdays. It’s just as well. I want to be sure that everything is perfect for the Arlington/Devonshire party, and having an empty inn will allow me to get things ready.”
“I agree that it’s probably best that we aren’t booked up this week.” I took a sip of the wine Georgia handed me. “Is there anything else going on that I should know about?”
“Lacy called and asked if we wanted to go antiquing with her tomorrow. I told her that I was definitely interested and that I’d ask you.”
“I’m in. Is she looking for anything specific?” I asked, moving from the counter to the dining table.
“Several items, actually.” Georgia sat down at the dining table before she continued. “It seems that Lonnie got a job refurbishing a house near Bar Harbor.” Lonnie Parker was a good friend and the man who’d rehabbed the inn, and Lacy was his wife. The couple had six children, triplets, twins, and a toddler named Madison. “The house is owned by a man named Baron Chadwick,” Georgia continued. “Apparently, he inherited the house from his grandfather, who inherited it from his father.”
“I take it the house has been in the family for quite some time.”
She nodded. “The house has been in the Chadwick family since eighteen eighty-four. Ozzie Chadwick originally built it as a summer home. Ozzie owned a shipping company based in Boston that delivered cargo up and down the east coast and the Caribbean. According to Lacy, who also ended up with a job out of this, Ozzie was quite wealthy, and as a gentleman of wealth, he outfitted his summer home with the finest furniture money could buy. The problem is that while the furniture has been handed down with the house, Ozzie’s descendants didn’t care for it the way they should have, and a few pieces are missing. Baron Chadwick hired Lacy to search for those pieces. She told me that she’s been scouring the internet and is fairly certain she found the two chairs that are needed to complete the dining set in an antique shop about an hour and a half up the coast. She called the store owner, and she agreed to hold the chairs until tomorrow.”
“That sounds like a bit of luck.”
Georgia nodded. “Lacy said the pieces Baron has commissioned her to find are old, but they were widely available at the time of purchase, so she’s cautiously optimistic she’ll find what is needed.”
“I take it the original set came with a table and twelve chairs, and two of the chairs are missing at this point?”
“Actually, the set included eighteen chairs. I suppose that it’s amazing that sixteen of the eighteen are still in one piece. Lacy said that she’s refinishing the table and all the chairs.”
“So what happened to the missing chairs? It seems if they were damaged, they could have been repaired.”
Georgia shook her head. “Lacy told me that as items became damaged, a few were repaired, but many were disposed of. The home currently contains a hodge-podge of items purchased by the various owners. Baron is an art and antique lover who wishes to restore as many of the original pieces as possible. Lacy said he’s paying her a ridiculous amount of money to track down some chairs, a desk, an end table, and a few other things.”
I smiled as I refilled my wine. “That’s wonderful. I’m sure with six kids to feed, a rich client is very much appreciated. I’d love to drive down to Bar Harbor and see the house Lonnie’s working on. If it was built by a shipping magnate, I have to assume it’s amazing even if it was just his summer home.”
“Lacy said it’s gorgeous. I’m sure we can arrange a tour at some point.”
I took a sip of my wine. “Did Lacy say what time she wanted to go tomorrow?”
“Early. She mentioned dropping the kids at school and then coming by to pick us up. I imagine she’ll be here by eight-thirty. We should be ready by eight just in case she’s able to talk Lonnie into doing the drop-offs.”
“Sounds good. If we get an early start, we should be back early. I’m still hoping to find the perfect piece for the entry. The table we have in there now is fine, but I want something that really makes a statement. I have no idea what that might look like, but I’m sure I’ll know when I see it.”
“There are actually several antique shops along the coast. I’m sure we’ll have time to browse a bit. I’d like a few ornamental objects for the garden as well. Maybe something with a nautical theme since the garden overlooks the sea.”
“We’ll keep an eye out.” I took a bite of my sandwich. “This is delicious, by the way. Did you do something different to the meat?”
“I tried a slightly different rub than I used the last time. It does have more of a kick. I think I might
prefer this over the original recipe.”
“Both are delicious, but I do enjoy a bit of spice. I’m surprised Jeremy and Annabelle didn’t come over for dinner tonight.” Jeremy and his niece, Annabelle, lived in an apartment we’d built in the basement of the inn. It had a very small kitchen area, which wasn’t big enough to cook an entire meal, so when guests were staying at the inn and Georgia prepared a meal, they usually ate what she prepared, but on those nights when we had no guests, they often joined us.
“Annabelle had something going on at school this evening. I think they were going to pick up something for dinner on their way home,” Georgia informed me.
“I guess Annabelle must have a basketball game this evening. I think the season for the youth league is over, but Jeremy did mention something about playoffs.”
“She’s really good,” Georgia said.
“She is. She’s talented in many areas. I think living with Jeremy has been good for her. She told me that before Jeremy agreed to take over as her guardian, she was forced to suffer through a series of nannies when her mom was overseas. I’m sure the nannies were fine, but with her mother gone so often, I’m equally sure that none managed to fulfill the role of surrogate mom.”
“No one is going to love that girl the way her Uncle Jeremy does.” Georgia got up and began clearing the table. “I’m going to take the dogs for a walk along the bluff after I clean up the kitchen. Do you want to come?”
“I do.” I got up from the table and began putting the leftovers away. “I hear Tanner has puppies.”
Georgia’s boyfriend, Tanner, owned a dog training academy. He lived next door, within easy walking distance.
“He does. If you want, we can walk down and play with them. They really are pretty cute. I know they’ve been selected to become dogs with important jobs to do, but right now, they are just adorable little imps who love to bite at your feet.”
Georgia’s dog, Ramos, weighed close to two hundred pounds, and my little dog, Molly, was a senior canine. Neither were all that playful, although I loved them both with all my heart. Still, it would be fun to have puppies to roll around with for a bit.
“Raising and training these dogs to serve as rescue dogs and service animals is a noble thing to do. You have yourself a good guy there.”
Georgia smiled. “Yes, I really do.”
Chapter 2
True to her word, Lacy arrived to pick Georgia and me up at eight-thirty on the dot. I really had no idea how the woman was able to get six kids up, dressed, fed, and dropped at school, preschool, or daycare all before eight-thirty in the morning. Most days, I was barely able to get myself up, dressed, and fed by then. Lacy Parker truly was an amazing mother, but more than that, she was an amazing person. She was sweet and caring, and a true artist when it came to the furniture she refurbished. She saw a table not as a table but as a piece of an intricate web that made up our lives. As she lovingly sanded the wood, instead of seeing the pockmarks, she saw a lifeline that told a story. The more time I spent with this incredible woman, the deeper my appreciation and understanding of what came before us.
“So tell me more about this new client,” I said as we sped up the highway toward the antique shop.
“As I’ve already told Georgia, Baron Chadwick is a rich businessman who inherited the summer home that has been in his family since his ancestor built it in eighteen eighty-four,” Lacy replied. “As far as Baron knows, no one has ever lived in the house full time, but generations of Chadwicks have enjoyed it during the warmer months.”
“So why did Baron inherit it from his grandfather?” I asked. “What about his father?”
She sped up slightly as the road opened up before us. “Baron’s father, Richard, died when Baron was eight, and he was raised by his mother who was not a Chadwick by birth so she couldn’t inherit the property. According to Baron, neither his grandfather nor his father spent much time in the house, so it has been sitting mostly empty for decades. I guess Baron’s grandfather died not all that long ago, and Baron was next in line to inherit. He has decided on a major renovation.”
“I guess that’s good for Lonnie.”
She nodded. “It’s good for both of us. The house really is a grand old gal, but she’s fallen into disrepair. That’s where Lonnie comes in. Additionally, while the man who built the house, Ozzie Chadwick, took care of the furnishings, the Chadwick heirs since Ozzie have not been as meticulous, and as furniture was damaged, rather than having it repaired, they’ve simply replaced it with something similar. Baron wants to find as many original pieces to replace those now missing as possible. That’s where I come in.”
“After all this time, it seems like that would be a nearly impossible task,” I said.
Lacy shrugged. “Maybe, but it’s fun looking, and Baron seems to have an endless supply of money to throw at the project. Not only is he paying me for the pieces I find, but he’s also paying me for my time and expenses as I track everything down. I found an end table that was part of a pair when first purchased. It needs to be refurbished, but Baron is paying me to do that as well.”
“So Baron has the mate to the end table you found?” Georgia asked from the backseat.
Lacy nodded. “He does. And it’s in pretty good shape. Once I refurbish the table I found, he will be back to having a pair. Today we’re looking at dining chairs. Based on the photo and my conversation with the antique dealer, it appears they are exactly what I’m looking for. Fortunately, while Ozzie took his time with selection and spared no money on his purchases, he didn’t go for original pieces for his summer home, so most everything on my list was mass-produced at the time it was acquired. That helps quite a lot.”
“Yeah, I guess it does,” I replied. “So tell me about the family. Are there any deep dark secrets worth digging into?”
Lacy laughed. “Leave it to you to always be chasing a mystery. In this case, as it happens, the Chadwick family has been host to some interesting events since Ozzie first built the house. Nothing recent, but according to Baron, the reason his dad never used the house was because his mother died in it, or at least while staying in the house.”
I frowned. “Well, that’s sad. What happened?”
Lacy merged onto a side road leading toward the small town where the antique shop was located. “When Baron’s father, Richard, was nine-years-old, his mother, Olivia, took him and his sister to the summer home in Maine. Richard’s father, Conway, had business to attend to, so he didn’t go with them, but Richard’s mother invited her cousin, Diana, and Diana’s half-brother by a different father, Will. According to Baron, the story handed down through the family tells of an altercation between Will and Olivia, which resulted in Olivia’s death.”
“So Richard’s mother, Olivia, argued with the half-cousin and ended up dead. Sounds suspicious and pretty darn awful.”
“It gets worse,” Lacy said. “Shortly after Olivia’s death, Will died mysteriously after falling down the stairs in his home in Boston. Some say his death was the result of Richard’s father, Conway, getting justice for the death of his wife, while others attributed the man’s death to nothing more than a horrible accident.”
“And the cause of the fall was never proven one way or another?” I asked.
“Baron said it wasn’t. There was an inquiry at the time of Will’s death, but it never went anywhere. With the help of a passel of nannies and household staff, Conway raised Richard on his own after Olivia’s death.”
“And then?” Georgia asked from the back seat.
“And then Richard grew up and met Baron’s mother, Sarah, in college. The two wed, and Baron was born a year later. When Baron was eight, his father, Richard, died after contracting pneumonia, and his mother, who didn’t want anything to do with the house in Maine, raised him. Baron said that before he inherited the house from his grandfather, he’d only visited once with his father when he was very young. He thinks around four or five.”
“So did Baron ever try to determine
his grandmother’s cause of death?” I asked. “I would have.”
“He did dig around a bit, but he told me that he didn’t find anything that would really prove what happened. According to the incident report, Olivia was out walking on the bluff, slipped, and fell into the sea. Baron said his father and his grandfather blamed Will for Olivia’s death. Baron was told that Will and Olivia had argued and that it was the argument that led to Olivia’s death, but they never told him what Will and Olivia argued about. After Baron became an adult, he found correspondence between Olivia and Will locked in an old wall safe in the estate in Boston. Baron said it appeared his grandmother was having an affair with the man who, as it turned out, was not actually a blood relation to Olivia or the family.”
“I thought he was a half-cousin,” Georgia said.
“He was, but he was the son of Diana’s mother, who was related to the Chadwicks by marriage, and a man who was not related to Diana or the Chadwicks.”
She thought for a minute. “Okay. I get it. He was a half-cousin due to his relationship with Diana but not related to the Chadwicks in any way. Go on.”
“Anyway, as I was saying, Baron found evidence that suggests that Olivia and Will had been having an affair. Baron made it clear that he doesn’t want to believe this of his grandmother, but he did say the evidence is lining up that way.”
“So Olivia went to the summer home to be with Will, and Diana was just a decoy,” Georgia said.
“That’s what Baron believes. He also believes that at some point, Will and Olivia fought, Will lost his temper, and he pushed Olivia off the bluff. There was no proof that this is what occurred, so when it looked like Will was going to get off scot-free, Conway killed him or perhaps paid someone to kill him. Baron didn’t think his grandfather would unnecessarily get his hands dirty and do the deed himself.”
“This must be hard on Baron,” I said. “Based on what you’ve shared, it does sound like Will might have killed Olivia, and in retaliation, Conway killed Will, but without something more, I don’t see how Baron can ever really know what happened.”
