Reservations For Murder Part 11

Emma purposefully ignored the sarcasm. "Good, it's settled then."

Mor knew when he was up against an unmovable force, so he went for his car as Emma had requested. Alex had known his friend too long not to recognize a storm on the horizon between the two of them.

After Tabby was safely loaded into the car and the two women had driven away, Mor followed Alex upstairs.

As Alex stripped Marilynn Baxter's bed, Mor said, "Why do some women get so possessive, Alex? It's not like Emma and I have anything exclusive going on. Sure, we have a great time together, she's a wonderful woman, but my word, I can't even talk to another woman without looking over my shoulder first. It's worse than being married."

Alex said, "If you're asking for my advice about women, you're talking to the wrong man. I don't have a clue."

Mor started laughing in agreement. "We're a real pair, my friend. Have you heard from Elise today?"

"No, but that's understandable. Her father's undergoing surgery today, so I don't expect to hear from her anytime soon."

Mor, in a rare serious mood, said, "You really miss her, don't you?"

"More than I probably should," Alex said as he spread the new sheets out on the bed. Despite his earlier theatrical objections, Mor helped him tuck the corners in.

"So why don't you get off your duff and do something about it?" Mor suggested.

"It's not that simple. She's got a fiance, remember? In fact, she's with him right now."

"They're engaged, Alex, they're not married. If you ask me, there's a world of difference between the two."

"I don't know," Alex said.

They were just finis.h.i.+ng the room when Craig Monroe burst in. His face was white with shock. "Is it true? Is Marilynn dead?"

Alex said. "Craig, she's still alive. In fact, she should be at the hospital by now. I looked for you at your booth to tell you I'd found her, but you weren't there."

Was there an instant of surprise on Craig's face when Alex told him his wife was still alive? Alex wasn't sure, it had flashed past so quickly.

"I was still out searching for her. I've got to get over there," Craig said, rus.h.i.+ng back out the door.

Alex called out, "Do you want one of us to drive you?" but Craig was already gone.

"Now what do you make of that?" Alex asked.

"He's pretty upset, but he's got every right to be, doesn't he? It doesn't speak well of his marriage when his wife tries to commit suicide."

Alex said, "Did you see the look on his face the instant I told him she was still alive?"

"What are you getting at?" Mor asked.

"I could swear the only thing that surprised him was the fact that she wasn't dead."

Mor patted Alex's shoulder. "My friend, your overactive imagination is at work again. The guy's in shock. Give him a break."

"I guess you're right. I probably read it wrong."

Mor sighed. "But you don't think so for a second, do you?"

Alex didn't answer. Had he truly seen what he thought he had, or was Mor right? One thing was certain. He'd feel a great deal better once Marilynn was conscious again and could tell them if she'd really tried to kill herself, or if someone had goaded her into it.

Chapter 15.

The evening came at last, and the Golden Days Fair was officially history. Shantara stood on the steps leading into the lighthouse and used it as an impromptu stage as dusk started to fall. She had planned all along to announce the end of the festival by holding the giveaway drawings visitors had registered for when they'd bought their tickets at the gate, and Alex had convinced her that she needed to follow it through all the way to the end.

Alex walked out onto the front porch in an effort to block anyone from coming into the inn as much as to watch the prize drawings. He'd had his fill of walk-ins, and he didn't care how much future business he might lose by turning people away.

Each of the crafters had donated one item from their wares for the drawings. On the first day of the fair, Alex had bought a ticket himself, though Shantara had scolded him for doing it. It was hard to believe now, looking at the crowd gathered there, but he'd actually been afraid Shantara wouldn't even make back her expenses.

"Thanks for coming," she said to the crowd as they settled down. "We've all seen some wonderful artisans at work over the past two days, and our giveaways are a testimony to their skills. I'd like us all to observe a moment of silence for Jefferson Lee before we announce the prizewinners."

The crowd quieted, and Alex could hear the whispering of the wind through the trees near the lighthouse. After a few seconds, Shantara looked up and said, "Thank you. Now let's get right to the prizes. First up is this wonderful handmade piece by Jenny Harris." Shantara held up Jenny's contribution, a shawl sparkling with velvet blues and purples.

Shantara reached down into a barrel holding all of the entry tickets and announced, "The winner of this lovely shawl is ... Mor Pendleton."

There were wild hoots from the audience as Mor stepped forward to collect his prize. It looked to Alex like his friend regretted having entered the drawing as he collected the shawl and hastily made his way back into the crowd.

Next she held up a beautiful oak chair Rachel had created. It was the real reason Alex had even entered his ticket into the drawing. He could just barely afford one of Rachel's pieces, but Alex couldn't justify spending the money to buy one for himself, not with the costs of the new construction going higher and higher.

"And the winner is ... Travis Jenks." Alex recognized one of the kids from Shantara's cleanup crew go to the steps to collect his prize. He held the chair up over his head and shouted to his crowd of friends standing nearby.

The donated pottery tea set went to an older woman Alex didn't recognize, while Bill Yadkin's iron napkin rings went to a woman from town named Ruby Garnet.

Alex thought the drawings were over when Shantara announced, "We have one last item to give away, contributed by Jefferson Lee."

As the crowd quieted, Alex looked out over the people gathered there. Many of them had come to see the murder scene as well as the festival, and Alex could feel an undercurrent buzz in the air.

Shantara broke the silence by holding up a delicately formed leafy vine a foot long that Jefferson had created out of steel. No matter what the world had thought of the man, he truly had been an artist with iron and fire.

Shantara reached into the barrel and drew out a name. "I'm pleased to announce that the winner is none other than our host, Alex Winston."

There were a few disappointed groans under the cheers as Alex stepped forward to receive his prize. The work was even lovelier up close. As he took the vine from Shantara, Alex could see the veins on the leaves etched into the iron.

He faded back as quickly as he could, clutching the prize in one hand.

Shantara said, "I want to thank you all for coming and making this fair a success. Feel free to stay for the Lighthouse Lighting, and be sure to have a safe drive home."

As the visitors made their way back to their cars to retrieve blankets and picnic baskets for the ceremony, the craftspeople began breaking down their sites. In less than twenty minutes, all that was left was Jefferson Lee's forge standing alone in one corner of the yard and the potters' booth in another. Alex found Shantara packing up the pottery exhibit, wrapping everything carefully.

"Why don't you let that wait," Alex said. "It's almost time for the lighting." He grinned. "Besides, I'll help you do this after everyone else is gone."

"I can't ask you to do that, Alex, you've done so much already." She pointed to the kids working around her. "Besides, I can't just bug out and leave them all here to finish without me."

"They're not going to take off without you, Shantara. You're buying the pizza, remember?" Alex grabbed her hand. "Come on, you can climb the steps with me."

"Can I throw the switch?"

"Don't push it," he said, laughing.

The interior of the lighthouse was dark as Alex and Shantara climbed the steps together, a single flashlight between them. By the time they got to the observation deck, the crowd had settled in, ready for the ceremony.

Alex called out to the people below, "We light this torch for those who have gone before, from the brave men and women who were the first keepers of the flame to all our comrades and loved ones who have fallen since."

With that, he ducked inside and pressed the ordinary- looking black b.u.t.ton that controlled the Fresnel lens. In a moment, the light came on and began to slowly rotate, s.h.i.+ning out into the night around them.

Alex could hear the ma.s.s of cheers from below. Normally, he loved the ceremony, an event that occurred once a year when he could light the beacon with the local government's blessing.

It just wasn't the same this year, whether because of the recent murder, the Golden Days Fair, or, he had to admit to himself, the fact that Elise was gone.

"It's awfully bright up here," Shantara said. "How long are you going to keep the lens on?"

"I always give it thirty minutes, rain or s.h.i.+ne. Let's go back down and enjoy the festivities. I think we both need a break."

Alex and Shantara split up as they walked among the blankets filled with families of all sizes and shapes. There were greetings from old friends and new ones as kids of all ages watched the light rotate into the night, mesmerized. It really was quite a sight; Alex had to admit it. He never got tired of seeing Hatteras West in all its glory, its beacon s.h.i.+ning brightly; he only wished the town council would ease up on their restrictions and let him fire up the Fresnel lens more often.

But for now, for that moment at that place and time, all was well with Alex's world as the beacon completed another turn into the darkness.

Once the light was shut off for another year and the crowds were all gone, Alex followed Shantara back to the demonstration area. Temporary floodlights lit the area showing a lawn picked clean of debris. The two exhibits still standing were the only signs that the Golden Days Fair had ever been there.

As she started to work at packing up the display, Shantara said, "You really don't have to help, Alex, I can take care of this myself."

"I know I don't have to," Alex said as he grabbed a stack of newspapers and started wrapping pottery pieces. "To be honest with you, I'm so keyed up from lighting the lens that I won't get to sleep for hours, anyway."

"Okay, then, I give up."

As they worked, he said, "So what happened to all the kids? I can't believe they left without you."

"I told them they could go. I called Irma, and she's started the pizzas." She wiped her forehead. "Besides, I just want to go home, take a good long soak and forget about the world for a while."

They worked well together, storing and stacking the pottery and equipment left behind.

Alex looked over at the murder victim's exhibit and said, "What's going to happen to Jefferson's exhibit?"

"Bill Yadkin's agreed to take it down for me as soon as he gets his own display back to his shop." She glanced at her watch. "It's getting late, though. Alex, do you mind if it stays up until tomorrow?"

"It's fine with me," Alex said, though the last thing in the world he wanted was a reminder of the slain blacksmith.

Shantara said, "Bill's thinking about making a bid on the equipment from whoever ends up with Jefferson's estate."

"I can't believe he'd want it, not after the feud the two of them had."

Shantara shrugged as she secured the lid to the final box. "He says good equipment is hard to come by, and he doesn't want the tools to just go on display somewhere. The anvil alone is supposed to be some kind of real prize for collectors, but Bill wants to keep it to use."

"So what are you going to do with all of this?" Alex asked, gesturing to the pile of filled boxes.

"I'm keeping everything at the store until Craig can pick it all up. Have you heard anything about Marilynn?"

"The last I heard, she was still unconscious." Alex didn't add his own suspicions of Craig Monroe's reaction. Shantara had enough troubles on her mind.

Shantara nodded. "I don't care how late it is, I'm changing my plans and going by the hospital as soon as we're done." She surveyed their work and said, "Thanks for helping, Alex. You'll have your inn back in no time." Her expression turned serious as she added "Are you sure I can't pay you rent for the use of Hatteras West? I've suddenly found myself with more profit them I ever could have imagined. Don't worry," she added quickly, "I'm paying Jefferson's heirs every dime I owed him, but with all the extra traffic, I still made out pretty well."

"Put it back for a rainy day, Shantara. You don't owe me a thing."

Shantara kissed Alex on the cheek, and Alex noticed that one of the workers he'd met earlier, Tom Lane, was watching them closely from the shadows.

As he stepped out of the darkness into the light, Tom looked quickly away, but not before Alex saw the young man's burning cheeks.

Alex said, "Don't look now, but I think you've got an admirer."

Shantara turned and saw Tom watching them. He smiled gently at her as he moved toward them. "Tom's had a crush on me since he was twelve. He's still just a boy, Alex."

"Don't tell him that. He's in his early twenties, isn't he?"

Shantara shrugged. "Something like that, but he's still too young for me."

Alex smiled. "Don't be so sure. Look at Bill and Rachel."

Shantara laughed. "That's not the greatest example in the world, now, is it? We both know how well that's working out, don't we? No thanks. I think I'll stick to men my own age."

Alex said, "That's really cutting down on the dating pool around Elkton Falls, isn't it? You might have to go back to your first boyfriend and start the circle all over again."

Shantara's laughter was infectious. "No thank you. he's as round as a basketball and as bald as a rock." She sighed heavily and added. "Alex. I swear I'm going to sleep for a week, and I'm starting tonight."

Tom made it a point to approach them. His voice was stilted and formal as he asked, "Where would you like these boxes?"

"Why don't you bring your truck over here, Tom, and we can load all this up. If you don't mind the extra work, you can help me haul everything back to my store. I'd be happy to pay you extra."

"You don't have to. Shantara. I don't mind helping," he muttered as he turned his back on them and walked off.

"Now what was that all about?" Shantara asked. "He's never acted that way around me before."

"He thinks we were laughing at him instead of each other," Alex said.

"Oh, my, I just hate ruffled feathers. Excuse me. Alex, I'd better go talk to him."

He saw the two of them in deep conversation, then after a few minutes, Tom walked quickly to his truck with a new spring in his step as Shantara rejoined Alex.

"Whatever you said to him, it surely worked." Alex said.

"Alex Winston, if you give me grief about this. I swear I'll never forgive you."