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

surprised to find himself explaining,
“She was crying, so I offered her what comfort I could.”
    Elise shook her head. “That’s not why I came
looking for you. Alex, there’s something I need to tell you. I’m
sorry about the timing, but I can’t do anything about it.”
    “ You’re leaving, aren’t
you,” he said woodenly. The thought had been constantly in the back
of his mind since Elise had first come to Hatteras West. She was
more qualified than he was to run the inn, with her degree in hotel
management from a major university. It was just a matter of time
before she got bored with the drudge work at Hatteras
West.
    She looked genuinely surprised by the
notion. “No, I’ll stay here as long as you want me. I thought you
knew that. I love this place.”
    Alex couldn’t hide the relief that swept
through him. “So what’s on your mind?”
    Elise bit her lip, then said, “It’s Peter
Asheford. He’s coming to Elkton Falls.”
    Alex felt a wrenching in his gut. He’d
always hoped that as long as Elise and Peter stayed apart, there
might be a chance for him someday. It looked like that chance was
gone.
    “ How can he do that? I
thought he ran some great company he owned and couldn’t afford to
leave it.”
    Elise said, “It was just a toy for him, and
he got bored with it, so he sold the business. Peter’s family has
serious money, Alex.”
    An unpleasant thought struck him. “Is he
staying with us at the inn when he comes?”
    She shook her head. “You don’t understand.
Alex, he’s not visiting. Peter is moving to Elkton Falls to be
closer to me.” She held his gaze a moment, then added, “I just
thought it was something you should know.”
    Before Alex could say another word, Elise
left him alone on the observation deck with nothing but his
thoughts. Just when he thought life couldn’t get any more
complicated, it had managed to throw him another curve, and this
one was a real dinger.
    Elise had originally moved to Elkton Falls
to get away from her job and her fiancé, to find time to decide
what she really wanted out of life. A part of him had been hoping
the new plan would include him.
    But with Peter Asheford on the scene again,
Alex realized that was probably never going to happen. Most likely,
Peter would persuade her to leave, and that would be the end of
that.
    It was time to move on with his life. Alex
knew he couldn’t wait around for Elise forever. He’d have to accept
the fact that they’d most likely be nothing more than friends.
Besides, romance should be the last thing on his mind at the
moment. He had a murderer to catch, and Alex had a sneaking
suspicion that the killer was lurking somewhere near Hatteras
West.

Chapter 4

    “ The place looks great,”
Tony said as he walked into the lobby of the Dual Keepers’ Quarters
the next day, the only part of the inn fit for guests at the
moment. “I can’t believe you’re rebuilding the main quarters. It
must be costing you a fortune.”
    Alex looked at his brother and smiled.
“There are more things in life than money, Tony. It’s really
important to me to restore the place to all its glory.”
    “ And you actually got
someone to loan you the money for the reconstruction? I know your
insurance couldn’t have covered all you lost in the fire. Smiley
O’Reilly is still using actuarial charts from the
1950s.”
    Alex couldn’t deny that. The money from his
insurance policy had barely covered some of the new furniture he’d
needed, but Alex wasn’t about to admit to his brother that there
was the possibility of an emerald-rich vein somewhere on the
property. He knew what Tony’s reaction would be without even
asking; dump the inn and sell the land for all he could get. He’d
never felt the pull Alex did for Hatteras West.
    Tony looked out the nearest window and said,
“Some homeless guy’s out there, Alex. You really should run him off
before he drives your guests away.”
    Alex laughed. “That’s my arborist. His