Murder Checks Inn (Book 3 in the Lighthouse Inn Mysteries) (20 page)

“
I made a mess of it,
didn’t I,” Alex confessed.

“
Don’t be so sure,” Elise
said. “You didn’t say anything all that bad. Ashley definitely
overreacted. She’s rattled about something.”

“
About what, I
wonder?”

Elise said, “Alex, all you can do is stir
things up and see what happens. You can bet she’ll tell Cynthia
about your conversation the second she and Steven get back to the
inn. So where do we go from here?”

“
I think we should go ahead
and talk to Julie,” Alex said. “If the will was never modified
after Mathias’s letter of intent to her, she’d have a huge motive
to make sure that particular document never saw the light of
day.”

“
So what are we waiting
for?” Elise asked as she headed for Alex’s truck.

As they drove to Amy’s, Elise asked, “So who
are your main suspects now?”

It was a game they’d played before, laying
out their thoughts as they drove somewhere in Alex’s truck.

After a moment of thought, Alex said,
“Cynthia’s got to be near the top, but Steven and Ashley aren’t far
behind. Julie could be guilty; I’m not as willing to count her out
until we find out a little more information.” Alex drove a minute,
then added, “I hate to even mention it, but I guess there’s still a
chance that Tony’s lying and I’m wrong about him after all. But I
don’t believe it.” Alex gripped the steering wheel harder. Were his
mixed feelings about his brother tainting his logic, causing him to
overcompensate for the battles they’d had in the past?

Elise said, “Alex, you don’t even need to
consider that possibility at the moment. Leave that avenue to
Sheriff Armstrong. The best thing you can do for Tony is to focus
on the people Sheriff Armstrong isn’t looking at.”

“
Yeah, I know you’re
right,” Alex said as he drove. He tapped the steering wheel.
“Anybody else we should add to the list of suspects?”

“
None that I can think of.”
Elise looked out the window as she added, “How about Sandra? Could
she be wiping out her competition?”

Alex said, “Come on, I’m serious,
Elise.”

“
Sorry, I shouldn’t joke
about that. I might as well accuse Vernum of the
murder.”

“
If shears had been used,
or maybe even a tree saw, but honestly, I doubt the man could stand
being that close to anyone long enough to kill them.”

Elise said, “There’s one other suspect you
haven’t considered. Alex, is it possible Nadine killed your
uncle?”

“
My grade school teacher?
Come on, Elise, what motive could she possibly have?”

Elise said, “What if she was stealing from
Jase and he caught her? Could she have killed him in a panic and
taken the files to throw the sheriff off her trail?”

Alex shook his head. “I’d trust that woman
with my life. No, that’s a stretch I can’t make.” Alex looked down
the road as they neared Amy’s studio and asked, “Elise, what’s
that?”

She looked ahead as he pointed to the sky,
where a billowing mushroom cloud of smoke had suddenly exploded
into the air.

Elise said, “Oh, no, it’s not the inn again,
is it, Alex?”

He shook his head. “No, it’s in the wrong
direction. I’m afraid it’s Amy’s place.” Alex pushed his old truck
harder, forcing it over the ruts of Amy’s road. By the time they
got closer to the house and barn-studio, they were assaulted by

burning odors, as well as waves of dancing
ashes floating in the air.

Amy’s barn was on fire.

Without a second thought, Alex stopped the
truck well away from the burning barn and raced toward it on
foot.

Elise yelled, “Do you think anyone’s
inside?” over the roaring of the flames.

Alex pointed to the door. “If they are,
they’re trapped in there. Elise, I’m going in.” There was a long,
wooden pin jammed firmly into the hasp, securely locking the barn
door. Alex couldn’t free it no matter how hard he tried, so he ran
around the barn, searching for some way in.

There was no other way in or out. The rear
door had been sealed ages ago, and the whole bank of windows were
engulfed in flames. Alex was back at the front, trying to figure a
way to get inside, when he heard the pounding. Someone was trying
to get out!

Alex fought the pin with everything he had,
but it was no use; it was wedged firmly in place, as if someone had
driven it in with a hammer. Looking around frantically on the
ground for something to use as a pry tool, Elise saw what he was
doing and retrieved the handle of the truck jack. “Try this,” she
said, coughing from the smoke.

Alex took the steel rod and in less than a
minute, he had the hasp completely off. As the barn door swung
open, the fire inside exploded with the extra oxygen. Two figures
lay against a nearby wall covered with wet blankets. Alex thought
he might be too late until he saw one of the blankets move.

At least one of them was still alive!

He jumped through the flames licking at the
opening and was relieved to see that the fire hadn’t spread
everywhere yet. Pulling at the blankets, Alex saw Amy’s jet-black
hair peek out. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

“
I’m not leaving Julie,”
Amy said, her voice raspy from the smoke.

“
I’ll carry her. Can you
walk?”

“
I can make it, but I’m
going to help you.”

Alex screamed, “You need to get out! Now!”
as the top of the barn exploded with flames and heat. The roar of
the fire was unbelievable! Alex figured the barn couldn’t stand
very much longer under the assault, and he could feel the heat
slapping at his skin as he struggled with Julie’s unconscious
body.

Somehow Alex managed to drag her to her
feet, then he threw her over his shoulder. As quickly as he could,
Alex raced toward his last hope of getting out alive.

As he took his third step out of the barn,
the roof collapsed, sending shooting sparks at his heels as he ran
for safety with Julie draped across his back.

Once he was well clear of the fire, he put
Julie down. Amy, lying nearby, screamed, “How is she?”

I don’t know yet,” Alex answered as he tried
to find a pulse. Julie hadn’t been burned, that was something, but
Alex knew that a great many people who died in fires expired from
smoke inhalation, not the fire itself.

Elise said, “Move over, Alex,” as she gently
nudged him out of the way. She bent over Julie, then started
administering CPR.

Alex heard a fire truck in the distance,
then an ambulance siren close behind. He saw that Elise was doing
everything for Julie that could be done, so he approached Amy.

Through a coughing spell, she asked, “How’s
Julie? Is she going to be all right?”

“
Elise is doing all she
can. What happened in there, Amy?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. I was
showing Julie

how to weld, and the next second, it was
dark. The barn door slammed shut. I thought it was a joke at first,
then I smelled smoke. The whole side of the barn went up at once,
and we were blocked off from the windows. I always keep a bucket of
water around when I’m welding, so I soaked a few tarps in it and
covered us up. It was the only thing I could think to do.”

“
You did great,” Alex said
as the ambulance pulled up first. Two EMTs jumped out and headed
toward them. Alex said, “She needs your help first,” as he pointed
to Julie and Elise.

One of the paramedics said, “What about
her?” as he gestured to Amy.

“
I’m fine,” Amy yelled.
“Help her!”

The fire truck rolled up a few seconds
later, with Mor and a dozen other volunteer firefighters from
Elkton Falls on board. Chief Weston, the small wiry man who crewed
the staff, took one look at the blaze, then asked Alex, “Anyone
else inside?”

Amy shook her head. “We’re both out.”

Weston said, “Thank heaven for small favors.
Okay men, let’s hose down the perimeter and keep that fire from the
house.”

Amy tried to stand, and Alex had to help her
climb to her feet. “You’re not going to try to save my studio?”

Alex looked at the inferno and watched as
the chief tried to explain. “Ma’am, it’s too far gone. I can’t
afford to risk any of my men when there’s no one inside. I’m
sorry.”

“
But my life is in there,”
Amy cried. She tried to run to the flames, but Alex held her
tightly in his arms.

“
Amy, it’s
gone.”

“
It’s just not fair,” Amy
cried as she melted into Alex’s arms. “Who would do such an awful
thing?”

That was something Alex wanted to know
himself. He looked over to see the EMTs load Julie into the
ambulance, strapped firmly to a gurney.

As they started to close the doors, Amy
said, “Wait. I’m going with you.”

“
Sorry, there’s no room,”
one of the techs said.

Amy said, “Then make room, I’m coming
along,” as she forced her way aboard.

Alex said, “She was in the fire, too. You’ve
got to take her with you.” There wasn’t time to argue, and Amy’s
singed presence surely added to the urgency of her demand, so the
attendants acquiesced.

After they pulled out, Elise joined Alex.
They watched the barn burn in on itself, the flames leveling
everything within reach. Alex looked over at Elise and saw tears
tracking down the soot on her face. For the first time since he’d
known her, there was no light in her eyes.

“
What is it?” Alex asked
her gently.

Elise could barely mumble out her next
words, “Alex, I didn’t get any response the entire time I worked on
her. I don’t think she’s going to make it.”

Chapter 18

Alex put an arm around her. “Elise, you were
the only chance she had, and you did the very best you could. The
rescue squad was still working on her when they pulled out. There’s
still hope.”

Elise whimpered, “Oh Alex, what I did just
wasn’t good enough. I know it.”

Alex wrapped her in his arms, and she
started to cry. In all the times he dreamed of holding her, he
never thought it would be because of anything like what had just
happened, After a few minutes, Elise pulled back. “You smell like
smoke,” she said as she crinkled her nose.

“
I know. Are you
okay?”

She wiped a few errant tears from her cheek.
“I will be now. Thanks, Alex.”

“
No thanks necessary. If
you’ll wait for me in the truck, I’ll just be a minute. I need to
talk to the chief.”

“
Take your time. I’ll be
okay now.”

Alex walked over to Chief Weston and said,
“I thought you should know, it was arson. Amy said someone slammed
the barn door, then torched the place with them inside.”

“
I don’t suppose she got a
look at who did it, did she?”

Alex shook his head. “They were working on
something inside and were distracted.”

Mor trotted up to them, his face smudged
from the fire. He was holding a scorched gas can gingerly by its
handle. “They didn’t even try to hide it. We found this right out
in the open.”

Weston said, “Leave it for the fire marshal;
this is a case for him.”

Mor nodded. “How are the women, Alex?”

“
Julie was still
unconscious when the ambulance left. I think Amy’s going to be all
right.”

Mor asked, “How’s Elise doing?”

Alex said, “She was a little shaken up, but
both women would be dead if she hadn’t done some quick
thinking.”

Weston said, “I understand you get some of
the credit yourself. Amy said you were the one who carried Julie
out of the burning building.”

“
Anybody would have done
the same thing if they’d been here,” Alex said.

Weston replied, “Don’t be so sure. You did
good, Alex.”

“
Let’s just hope she makes
it.”

Weston nodded his agreement, and Alex asked,
“Can you let me know what happens here after the fire marshal
leaves?”

“
I’d say you’re an
interested party. Sure, I’ll give you a call.”

Alex joined Elise in the truck.

“
What did they say?” she
asked.

“
They agree that it’s
arson, but nobody has the slightest idea who did it.”

“
No one but us,” Elise
said.

Alex nodded. “So you think it was one of our
suspects? I guess Ashley’s off the hook, anyway.”

“
Alex, she could have run
over here and set the fire before we could drive the distance in
your truck. You said yourself how close the two places really are.
I’m afraid she’s still on the list.”

Alex sighed. “So we’re right back where we
started.”

Elise said, “I wouldn’t say
that. There’s one thing we know for sure. Tony didn’t have anything
to do with the
fire. Even Armstrong should
be able to see that.”

“
You’ve got a point, but
I’m not sure Armstrong will believe the fire is related to Jase’s
murder.”

As they neared the inn, Elise said, “So what
do we do now?”

“
Tell you what. After we
get cleaned up, why don’t you talk to Steven, and I’ll focus on
Cynthia. If we can split them up, maybe we’ll be able to get more
out of them.”

“
Cynthia, can you spare a
minute?” After Alex and Elise had taken showers and changed, they
had spotted Cynthia and Steven in the lobby, sharing a whispered
conversation. Elise had agreed to hang back while Alex got
Cynthia’s attention before taking her turn with Steven.

“
I’m busy at the moment,”
Cynthia snapped.