The Inn at Holiday Bay Books 7 - 9

by Kathi Daley

  Jeremy came in a few minutes later, looking a lot paler than when he’d left.

  “Is something wrong?” I asked.

  “I think you’d better call Colt now rather than waiting. When I opened the shed to deposit the trash bags, I found something.”

  “Something?”

  “A body. Alvin Connor’s body, to be exact. It looks as if he’s been dead since last night.”

  Chapter 7

  By the time Colt arrived, it was after two a.m. The guests had all returned to their suites, so I’d sent Georgia to bed as well. I could see that she was exhausted, and she was going to have a busy day tomorrow, which I guess was actually today. I tried to get Jeremy to go to bed as well, but he insisted on waiting with me. Once Colt had a moment to view the body, he called the coroner and arranged for transport. At least the shed was far enough away from the main structure of the inn that it was unlikely we’d wake anyone.

  I asked Colt if he wanted to wake and interview the guests, but he decided that since no one had vehicles, it was unlikely they’d be going anywhere. He called central dispatch and asked for a patrol car to be stationed out front just to be certain that someone didn’t notice the lights and decide to take off.

  Once the coroner took the body away and the patrol car took up residence out front; Colt, Jeremy, and I returned to the cottage, where Colt began gathering the basics.

  “Did either of you notice anything that might explain how one of your guests ended up dead in the shed?” he asked Jeremy and me.

  Jeremy answered. “Alvin disappeared the first night the group arrived, so I’m going to assume that whatever happened to him happened that night.”

  “Can you describe the general atmosphere of the party that night?” Colt asked.

  “Rowdy,” Jeremy answered. “Everyone was drinking heavily to the point where people were passing out before they even made it up to their suites.”

  “And were you the one who served them so much alcohol?”

  “No.” Jeremy shook his head. “I started off manning the bar, but eventually, the best man, a guy named Mike, took over. I helped Georgia clean up in the kitchen, and then I put Annabelle to bed. At some point, Mike gave up his bartender duties, and I think people began to serve themselves. Before turning in, I took a few laps around the place, mostly to be sure that no one was doing anything to damage the furniture. By that point, most everyone was totally wasted.”

  “What time did you turn in?” Colt asked.

  “I guess around eleven,” Jeremy answered.

  Colt took a small notepad and pen out of his shirt pocket and jotted down a few notes. Once he’d recorded what he set out to, he looked back toward Jeremy and me. “So, walk me through what you remember about the evening.”

  Jeremy thought for a moment and then responded. “Once everyone arrived, the guests gathered for a cocktail reception. During the cocktail reception, I tended bar, which I’ve already stated. At this point, people were drinking steadily, but I didn’t feel that anyone was overdoing it. Once dinner was served, the bar was temporarily closed since wine was provided by the bride and groom-to-be. After dinner, Mike took over at the bar and started serving shots and mixed drinks. It did seem to me that everyone was drinking a lot more at this point, but no one was driving, and the bride and groom-to-be had provided the alcohol, so I wasn’t overly concerned.” Jeremy took a breath. “I’m not sure if this is normal for this group or if there was something else going on, but the atmosphere seemed more like a frat party than a sophisticated affair.”

  Jeremy looked at me as if for confirmation of his assessment. I nodded.

  “Go on,” Colt encouraged.

  I jumped in. “After dinner, Fiona passed out little boxes of chocolates. She had a bottle of cognac, which she served to everyone, and then she made a speech that ended in a toast. After that, she encouraged everyone to take lots of photos and explained that there was a photo printer in the library on the second floor. She even said that at the end of the weekend, there would be prizes for the funniest photo, most romantic photo, most embarrassing photo, as well as several other categories. It seemed like a fun idea, and I think the women at least were into it since the prizes she mentioned were fun and original.”

  “And then?” Colt asked.

  “Everyone took out their phone and immediately began snapping photos,” I answered. “It was all in fun, but seriously, it was like a feeding frenzy of flashes around the room. I think it was at this point that Fiona announced that the bar was a serve yourself type thing, which is when Mike took over and started making the drinks. A few guests went up to the library to check out the printer, and I saw at least two of the women walk into the parlor.”

  “Do you remember which two women?” Colt asked.

  “I think it was Willa and Stephanie. I had no idea anything was going to happen, so I didn’t pay all that much attention, but they did seem to be having a serious conversation.”

  “Do you remember where Alvin was at this point?” Colt inquired.

  I looked at Jeremy, who slowly shook his head.

  “Not specifically,” I said. “I remember seeing Carson sitting in a chair with Fiona in his lap. They were talking to Ambrosia, who was sitting across from them. I didn’t stay much longer since you were coming by for dinner, so I can’t say what happened after that.”

  Colt looked at Jeremy.

  “Initially, I was helping Georgia in the kitchen, so I just walked through every now and again, checking for any behavior I felt might become violent or destructive. I really wasn’t noting who was where.”

  “And did you notice any violent or destructive behavior?”

  “No. At that point, everyone was happy, but as the night progressed, I did notice a shift. A few people passed out. I remember seeing both Willa and Lisa passed out on the sofa. It seems like Jordan and Stephanie went into their room for a while, but then they came back out. I’m trying to remember what Alvin was doing. The only thing I remember for sure was that he was on the phone with someone at one point and that it appeared as if he wasn’t at all happy to hear from whomever he was talking to. I know this isn’t much help. Hopefully, once you’re able to interview the others, you’ll be able to establish a better timeline.”

  “Did you notice anyone go outside?” Colt asked.

  “I did notice Fiona and Jennifer sitting in the swing on the front porch at one point,” Jeremy answered. “They were all bundled up, swaying gently. They were smiling and laughing and didn’t seem to be in any sort of distress. When I came back through later, both had rejoined the group inside.”

  “Earlier in the evening, I remember seeing Fiona and maybe three or four of the other women on the front porch,” I said. “They were sitting in the rockers and chatting. Carson and some of the men were in the back.”

  “Other than these two instances, did anyone else leave the inn?” Colt asked.

  “Not that I noticed,” I said.

  “Yeah, that’s all I remember as well,” Jeremy seconded.

  “I guess Alvin must have left at some point,” Jeremy tapped his chin as he considered the situation. “Now that I really think about it, I don’t remember seeing Alvin the last time I walked through before heading down to bed, but everyone stayed up for quite a while after I retired, so I really have no idea what happened next.

  “Was anyone else missing during the time you were doing the walkthroughs?” Colt asked.

  Jeremy narrowed his gaze. It appeared he was thinking back. “There was a group at the dining table playing a drinking game. I remember both Fiona and Carson being in that group, as well as Mike and Ambrosia. As I’ve already said, Willa and Lisa were passed out on the sofa, and it seems to me that Naomi and Jordan were in the library looking at the photos that had already been printed. I don’t remember seeing either Alvin or Stephanie, but I think Jennifer was with the group at the dining table, so maybe Stephanie killed Alvin.”

  “No,” I said. “Lisa said that sh
e went upstairs before Alvin, so he must have left the party after she woke up and headed upstairs. I also remember hearing that Lisa and Alvin had a fight, which caused her to go up alone. If Lisa was passed out with Willa at one point, then Alvin must have been around somewhere. Otherwise, he couldn’t have argued with her.”

  “Good point,” Jeremy acknowledged. “I guess Alvin came back from wherever he was after I went to bed and argued with Lisa. She went up at that point, which is when he must have gone out with whoever killed and stashed him in the shed. If that happened after I turned in, there’s no way to really know when this all went down or who was involved.”

  Colt replied. “Maybe once we know the time and cause of death, we can narrow things down a bit. I’m going to head over and see what the coroner can tell me. I’ll be back in a couple of hours, probably long before your guests begin to stir. If you’re going to head to bed, it would be great if you could leave the cottage door unlocked for me.”

  “You don’t think we’re in any sort of danger from the killer, do you?” Jeremy asked.

  “No. I’m willing to bet the murder was personal, and like I said, I am leaving a man here at the inn to keep an eye on things.”

  Chapter 8

  Colt pulled back into the drive shortly after five a.m. I’d been dozing on the sofa, so I’d seen the light from his headlights. I wrapped a blanket around my body, went to the door, opened it, and stepped out onto the deck.

  “Do you want to come in for coffee?” I asked.

  “I do. I just want to check in with my guy in the car first.”

  I went back inside and started a pot of coffee while Colt headed toward the inn to speak to his man. By the time he made it back to the cottage, the coffee was ready.

  “I’m going to take a cup over to my guy out front. I’ll be back after that.”

  “Here. Take a thermos.” I poured the entire pot into a thermos and then added a mug. “I’ll make another pot for us.”

  “I’m sure Joe will appreciate this.”

  After Colt left, I started a second pot of coffee. I’d nodded off from time to time during the early morning hours, but I suspected Colt hadn’t slept a wink. The poor guy must be exhausted.

  The second pot of coffee was ready by the time Colt returned. I poured two mugs, and then we settled in on the sofa in front of the fire.

  “So do we know what happened? How Alvin died?” I asked.

  “There are no obvious wounds, such as a gunshot or a stab wound. There wasn’t any visible blood on his clothing, nor did the coroner notice any bruising. At this point, the cause of death is unknown, but we should know more once the autopsy is complete, and the test results are received. Based on a lack of any obvious cause of death, I’m assuming something like poison was the murder weapon. I guess we’ll see how it all works out. The coroner did say that he suspects that Alvin died between two and four on Friday morning.”

  “What about smothering?” I asked. “If someone held a pillow or something similar over his face, there wouldn’t be a wound, blood, or bruising.”

  “True. Normally, it would be difficult to smother a healthy male the size of Alvin, but he’d had quite a bit to drink, so maybe. Once everyone from the group wakes up, I can interview them to get a better idea of what went on that first night. At this point, it would be helpful to know where everyone was at all points during the evening.”

  Colt finished his coffee, and I refilled his mug.

  “Should Georgia make breakfast as planned?” I asked.

  “She should make something that she can serve buffet style.”

  “The group requested a continental breakfast, so that works.” I refilled my mug. “I wonder how the news of Alvin’s death will be received. I didn’t know him or any of them well enough to know if he was popular within the group.”

  Colt shrugged. “I guess Carson was fond of him, otherwise why ask him to be one of his groomsmen.”

  “Based on what I’ve overheard, Carson met Alvin through Lisa, who is Fiona’s friend. It was suggested that Carson asked Alvin to be in the wedding as a political move and not necessarily because they were friends.”

  Colt bobbed his head. “Good to know.”

  As they had been the previous morning, Fiona and Carson were the first to emerge. Colt gently told them what we’d found and then asked to speak to each of them individually. We’d set up an interview space in the parlor so that the door could be closed and the conversations Colt had kept in confidence. Carson volunteered to go first. Fiona poured him a cup of coffee, kissed him, and then returned to the kitchen with us to wait for her own interview.

  “I just can’t believe this has happened,” she said as she appeared to be struggling to keep her emotions at bay.

  “Were you close to Alvin?” Georgia asked.

  She smiled a little half-smile. “No. Not really. Alvin is a friend of Lisa’s. Actually, they’re more than friends. They are, or I guess I should say they were, romantically connected. I hope it doesn’t make me look guilty to say as much, but personally, I didn’t really like the guy. He is or, again was, a very aggressive stockbroker, who seemed to be all about the money. I was always concerned that the reason he was even dating Lisa was because of her money. She has a lot of it. Or at least, her daddy does. Alvin has done well for himself, and most would consider him to be wealthy, but he seemed to be after something more.”

  “He was after the prestige that comes with old money,” I guessed.

  Fiona looked surprised. “Exactly. Most people don’t get that, but there is a certain distinction that comes from being part of a family whose wealth extends generations into the past. It isn’t something I care about, but there are those who do. For Alvin, no matter how much money he made on his own, he was never going to have money that was old and musty and told a story. I believe that’s where Lisa came in. Her family history goes back to before her ancestors came to America from England not long after the Revolutionary War.”

  “I think it’s fascinating to be able to trace family lines so far back,” I said. “I’ve only recently become interested in family histories, but now that I am, I find the whole thing captivating.”

  “Well, my family, as well as Lisa’s, goes way back. Not only do we come from old money, but we come from a history complete with longstanding feuds, family ghosts, and plenty of skeletons in our closets. Sometimes I wish I didn’t know where I came from, but most of the time, I’m proud to be an Arlington.”

  “So if Lisa and Alvin are from such different worlds, how did they meet?” Georgia asked.

  “Actually, Naomi introduced them,” Fiona answered. “I’m not actually sure where she met him, but probably at a party. Naomi has made a career out of attending all the important parties.”

  “So Lisa and Naomi are friends?”

  She nodded. “We’ve all known each other since childhood.” She frowned. “I never was all that comfortable with the pairing. I understand what Alvin got from his relationship with Lisa, but I’m really not sure what Lisa got in return. There are those who say I’m only with Carson to tee off my father, but the reality is that I love him with all my heart. Lisa, on the other hand, might just be dating Alvin to make a statement to her parents. They do tend to be controlling.”

  “But she’s over thirty. How much control can they have over her?” I asked.

  “Lisa doesn’t work or have income from any source other than her trust fund and her family. She’s burned through her trust fund, which has put her in a position where she’s totally dependent on her parents for her lifestyle. If they cut her off, she’d be destitute. Or at least less able to travel and party the way she does now.”

  Georgia got up and refilled everyone’s coffee. “I don’t mean to be rude, but you and Lisa are both from wealth, but you run a successful business while she lives off her parents. To the outsider, it doesn’t appear the two of you have a lot in common, and yet you’re friends.”

  She smiled. “We are friends.
We’ve been friends since we were born. Our parents are friends. At this point in my life, I have a lot more in common with Jennifer and actually spend a lot more time with her than I do with Lisa, but growing up together does count for something in my book.” She looked toward the door. “I wonder how Carson is doing.”

  “I’m sure he’s fine,” I said. “Colt’s a good guy who just wants to figure out what’s going on. He plans to interview everyone, but unless one of you killed Alvin, I wouldn’t worry about it. He isn’t going to trap anyone into saying anything that isn’t true. You can trust him.”

  She took a sip of her coffee. “Good to know.”

  Right about then, Mike and Ambrosia walked into the kitchen. We all moved out to the dining table, so there was room for everyone to sit while we filled the best man and his date in on what was going on. Jeremy came up about then as well, so there were six of us waiting for Colt to complete his interview with Carson.

  “Whatever could have happened?” Ambrosia asked after we’d all settled in around the dining table. “Alvin was alive and well when we went up to our suite.”

  “And when was that?” I asked, more out of curiosity than anything else.

  Ambrosia looked at Mike. “I guess around one. Fiona, Carson, Mike, and I were sitting around the dining table, talking. We had been playing a drinking game, but we were getting pretty tipsy, so we quit and just talked. I guess it was around one a.m. when the four of us decided to go up to our suites. Willa was passed out on the sofa, and Mike didn’t want to leave her downstairs, so he carried her to her room.”

  “And the others?” I asked.

  Mike answered. “Lisa was passed out on the sofa as well, Alvin was in the parlor, talking to Jordan and Stephanie, and Jennifer was sitting on one of the chairs near the fireplace, chatting with Naomi. When I stopped to pick up Willa, Jennifer mentioned that she was heading up as well, and I did notice her going into her suite by the time I’d dropped Willa in her room and made it to the third floor.”