Read Murder Checks Inn (Book 3 in the Lighthouse Inn Mysteries) Online

Authors: Tim Myers

Tags: #blue ridge mountains, #cozy, #fiction, #inn, #lighthouse, #mystery, #north carolina, #tim myers, #traditional

Murder Checks Inn (Book 3 in the Lighthouse Inn Mysteries) (2 page)

BOOK: Murder Checks Inn (Book 3 in the Lighthouse Inn Mysteries)
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As Alex walked the grounds, he marveled at
the work Vernum had done in the short time he’d been at Hatteras
West. The unofficial arborist had thinned and pruned the stand of
oak and hickory trees that had grown up around the lighthouse’s
base, transforming the area into a park-like setting, revealing
rather than obscuring the stone and brick foundation. Even the
copse of trees between the lighthouse and Bear Rocks had never
looked so good.

Alex finally found Vernum thinning the
plantings around the inn’s main building.


Got a second?” Alex
asked.

Vernum looked startled as he realized Alex
was standing so close by. The man never failed to remind Alex of a
spooked horse, afraid to stay in one place too long, especially if
anyone else was around.


What can I do for you?”
the man grumbled as he started to move away.


Elise is worried about you
sleeping out in the shed. Are you sure you don’t want to move into
the inn while you’re working here? We’ve got plenty of room right
now.”

Vernum called out over his shoulder, “I’m
fine where I am, thanks,” as he disappeared into the copse of trees
that led to Bear Rocks.

Alex didn’t have time to chase him down. He
had an inn to run. Peering inside through the glass, he could see
the Trask family still gathered around the patriarch’s urn. It was
time to finish dusting that desk.

Hopefully, he hadn’t missed much.


Where is that man?
Honestly, he shouldn’t be wasting our time like this,” Cynthia said
as she looked at her watch for the hundredth time in the last
fifteen minutes.

Steven asked, “Is there somewhere you need
to be, Mother? I thought we were all going to be staying the entire
week.”


We are. That was your
father’s last request, and goodness knows, he’ll probably come back
and haunt anyone who tries to leave early. It’s hard to imagine
this dreadful town was his boyhood home. He never showed any
interest in coming back while he was alive, so why in the world did
he feel the need to drag us all here against our wills? I just wish
we could get this part of the ordeal over with.”

Ashley said, “Do you think it’s possible he
actually left us something valuable? The attorney hinted as much
when I spoke with him on the telephone last week. Maybe he still
has his stamp collection. That was worth a fortune twenty years
ago.”

Steven said, “I’m not so sure any of us
deserve his money or anything else. He was gone a long time. Father
carved out a new life for himself.”

Cynthia said, “Donate your share to the poor
if it eases your conscience, Steven. I for one earned every dime
coming to me.”


We all did,” Ashley
said.

Steven stood abruptly. “It’s getting a
little stale in here. I need some fresh air.”

Ashley snapped, “You’ll just have to get it
later, little Brother. Nobody’s going anywhere until this lawyer
shows up.”

Alex watched openly as Steven and Ashley
locked glares. The older sister ultimately won as Steven
reluctantly slipped back into his seat.

Alex was so caught up in the exchange
between the brother and sister that he was startled when Sheriff
Armstrong walked into the inn. Normally, Alex knew it whenever a
car approached on the gravel entrance outside. As the sheriff
headed straight for Alex, the innkeeper had a sinking feeling in
the pit of his stomach that he was there to deliver bad news.
Armstrong didn’t come to Hatteras West on many social calls;
something had to have happened to dynamite him off his barstool at
Buck’s Grill.


Afternoon, Sheriff,” Alex
said, trying to act more casual than he felt.


Alex, I’m afraid I’ve got
some bad news.” “What is it?” Alex asked as a wave of dread swept
over him.


It’s your uncle. I’m
afraid he’s dead.”

Chapter 2


Dead,” Alex said softly.
“Was it his heart?” His uncle Jase was getting on in years, but a
part of Alex had believed the older man would live forever; he was
so robust and full of life.

The sheriff shook his head and lowered his
voice. “I wish I could tell you it was from natural causes, Alex,
but it was nothing that tidy. Somebody killed Jase in his
office.”


What?” Alex shouted. He
knew he was causing a scene as everyone in the lobby stared at him,
but he didn’t care. Who would want to kill his sweet old
uncle?

Elise was beside him in a heartbeat,
touching his shoulder lightly. “What’s wrong?”


Somebody killed Jase,”
Alex said blindly. The words felt like ashes in his mouth. He
turned to the sheriff and asked, “What happened?”

Armstrong looked as if he’d just swallowed a
bug. “You know that miniature lighthouse he kept on his desk?”


The brass one? Of course I
do, I gave it to him for Christmas last year.”

Armstrong said, “Well, somebody cracked him
on the back of the skull with it. Irene said there were no prints,
it was wiped down pretty good, but the points of impact match
perfectly.”


So my lighthouse killed
him,” Alex said in disbelief.


It could have been
anything, Alex. The killer struck at the last minute and happened
to grab that paperweight you bought him.”


I still can’t believe it,”
Alex said haltingly.

Armstrong coughed once, then said, “I hate
to do this right now, Alex, but I have to ask you something. Is
there a Trask family staying with you?”


They’re over there,” he
said softly. “Jase was on his way out to talk to them. Do you think
one of them might have had something to do with his
murder?”

The sheriff ignored his question and walked
over to the group.

Armstrong approached Cynthia and said,
“Ma’am, are you Cynthia Trask?”


Cynthia Shays-Trask,” she
corrected him. “What can I do for you, Officer?”


It’s Sheriff, ma’am. I’m
afraid I’ve got some bad news for you. Jase Winston isn’t going to
be able to make his appointment with you today.”


Why not?” Ashley
demanded.

Armstrong explained to the family, “I’m
sorry to have to be the one to tell you folks this, but Jase
Winston is dead.”

Cynthia said, “What do you mean, he’s dead?
Who could possibly have a reason to kill an old country
lawyer?”


Now, I never said anything
about murder,” Armstrong said calmly.

Cynthia was unruffled by the intensity of
his stare. “So he died from heart failure. He’s still dead, isn’t
he?”

Alex fought the urge to strangle her.

Armstrong said, “No, as a matter of fact it
was murder, but I’m curious to know why you jumped to that
particular conclusion.”


Sheriff, I live in a large
city. When I hear someone has died, my mind jumps naturally to
murder.”

Steven asked, “Have you caught the
killer?”


Not yet,” Armstrong
admitted.

Ashley said, “I’m assuming you’re not out
here on a courtesy call. Sheriff, what exactly does this have to do
with us?”


That’s what I was hoping
you’d be able to tell me. The safe in his office was standing wide
open, but as far as his secretary can tell, there’s only one thing
missing. She found an empty folder inside with the heading. ‘The
Last Will and Testament of Mathias Trask.’”

At that moment, Cynthia Shays-Trask fainted
dead away.

Ashley cradled her mother’s head in her lap.
The matriarch quickly came around from her faint.


Mother, are you all
right?” Steven asked softly.


I’m fine, Steven, it was
just the shock of hearing the horrid news.”

She hadn’t fainted when she’d found out Jase
was dead, Alex thought bitterly; it was the fact that the will was
missing that had made her swoon.

Elise said, “Maybe you should drink this,”
as she offered Cynthia a glass of water.

After taking a healthy swallow, Cynthia
said, “That’s much better. Thank you, my dear.” She turned to
Armstrong and asked, “Now, why in the world would anyone want a
copy of Mathias’s will?”


It’s more serious than you
think. Seems it was the only copy there was.” Armstrong looked at
the people gathered in the lobby and asked, “Would you all mind
telling me where you were between six and nine this
morning?”

Ashley exploded, “Do you mean to tell me
we’re suspects?

You’re out of your mind, Sheriff. Do you
honestly believe any of us would kill a stranger for our father’s
will?”


The way I figure it, one
of you didn’t like the contents of that new will. I’m sure the
thief didn’t mean to kill old Jase, but it happened. If Mathias
wrote one of you out of the will, I’m betting you figured a little
cut of the pie was better than nothing at all. That’s probably
what’s going to happen if this will doesn’t turn up; most likely
his worldly goods will get split up between the three of you. Now,
one at a time, I need to know where you were.”

Steven said, “Back up a second, Sheriff. We
didn’t know there was a will involving us until last week, or even
that there was anything my father had that was worth leaving to any
of us. How in the world could we have learned the contents of it in
that short a time?”

Armstrong said, “Now, how can you prove
something you didn’t know? I’ve got just your word for it that your
dad didn’t have contact with any of you all along.”


All we got were postcards
once a year, and they were always addressed to Mother,” Steven
said.

Armstrong shrugged. “I still need to know
where you all were this morning.”

Cynthia regained enough of her composure to
say, “I’m afraid we won’t be answering any of your questions until
we consult with our attorney, Sheriff.”

Armstrong said, “Unless you’ve got a Ouija
board, I don’t think you’re going to have much luck doing
that.”


We’ll find new
representation in Charlotte,” Cynthia said stiffly.

Steven said, “I’m going to call Sandra
Beckett. She’ll know what to do.”

Ashley said, “Honestly, Steven, do you think
your old girlfriend is up to it?”


She was never my
girlfriend, Ashley; we just went to college together. Sandra’s the
only top-notch attorney I know anywhere near Elkton Falls, and I
doubt we’re going to get a decent lawyer from Charlotte willing to
come up here. If Sandra isn’t acceptable, do you have a better
idea?” It was more of a challenge than a question.


Just make the call,”
Cynthia said. “Let me meet her first, and then we’ll
decide.”

As Steven went off to make the call, Alex
still couldn’t believe it. Jase was gone. And it wasn’t the quiet,
peaceful death he’d deserved, either. Alex realized long ago that
Jase wouldn’t be around forever, but losing him to murder was too
much. Alex stood there in the lobby in a daze, Elise close by, not
talking but giving him space and time to get used to the fact that
his uncle was gone.

After Steven finished his call, the
threesome sat with Sheriff Armstrong until Sandra came in fifteen
minutes later, along with a young woman in her early twenties Alex
didn’t recognize.

Sandra ignored the family and walked
straight to Alex. She wrapped her arms around him and said, “Alex,
I’m so sorry. I know how much you loved your uncle.”


Thanks,” he said as he
returned her embrace. Elise had stayed close, but what he’d truly
needed was a hug. He just hadn’t realized it until Sandra had put
her arms around him. They had dated for quite some time, but it
turned out that Sandra was a much better friend than
girlfriend.

When he and Sandra broke free, Alex noticed
that Elise hadn’t moved an inch away from him.

Sandra turned to the group and said, “Hello,
Steven. It’s good to see you again.”


Thanks for coming,” Steven
said.


I’m afraid there’s a
problem. I won’t be able to represent you in this matter. I’ve got
a conflict of interest.”


What are you talking
about, Sandra?” Steven asked.

Sandra motioned to the young woman with her
and said, “I was supposed to meet with Jase this morning before he
came out here to read the will.” She gestured toward the woman,
then said, “There’s no easy way to say this. Everyone, I’d like you
all to meet Julie Hart. She’s Mathias’s other daughter.”


That’s absurd,” Cynthia
said as she scowled at the young woman. “Mathias Trask had only one
daughter.”

Julie looked as if she might cry, but she
kept her bottom lip steady as she said, “I only just found out
myself. I’m still having a hard time believing it.”

Ashley said, “It’s obvious she’s a fake.
Why, she doesn’t look like any of us.”

Julie said simply, “I favor my mother.”

Steven asked, “Is it true, then? Are you
really our sister?”

Sandra stepped in. “It appears so. A few
weeks ago, Julie received a letter from Mathias’s business manager
in South America. There was an explanation in the packet, then a
message from Mathias himself. There was no doubt in Mathias Trask’s
mind she was his true daughter, and he promised to treat her as
such, in writing.”

Cynthia scoffed. “A letter from a dead man
will not stand up in court. We’ll have DNA tests run! She’ll get
nothing. I’ll make sure of that.”

Sandra grinned. “Oh, I think she has a very
good chance of inheriting her share, Cynthia. With Mathias’s
declaration, a DNA test isn’t necessary. He wanted her to have a
full share in his will, regardless of her parentage, and she’s
going to get everything she deserves. That’s why I’m here, to make
certain that happens.”

BOOK: Murder Checks Inn (Book 3 in the Lighthouse Inn Mysteries)
4.18Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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