A Leaf of Murder by Maggie Benton

Author:Maggie Benton [Benton, Maggie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Summer Prescott Books
Published: 2023-11-15T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

As it was a lovely September day, the foursome set out on Main Street, making a northward turn onto Poplar Street, and then hanging a right onto North Hickory Lane. The Goose Grove Inn was tucked in on the corner, next to the Poplar Street bridge.

Alice and Finley Knody, who owned and operated the inn, had been dear friends of Hazel and Harry all the way back to their younger days.

“The police already searched and released the room,” said Alice, who was standing behind the check-in desk in the inn’s pretty lobby. “Such a terrible shame, to think the poor man left his room on an ordinary Wednesday night and never returned.”

“Next of kin are supposed to send instructions on what to do with the, uh, deceased person’s things,” said Finley. “We’ve got that room booked beginning Monday next week, so we haven’t touched it yet.”

“So had Mr. Campbell reserved the room for the whole weekend?” asked Helen.

“Yes,” said Alice.

“Seems odd to stay so long if he was just in town for the council meeting,” said Annie.

“Maybe he was going to do some sightseeing while he was here,” said Alice with a small shrug. “Regardless, we’re planning to box up his things and clean the room this evening.”

“Are you lot on the case?” Finley asked with a wink.

“Everyone in town is counting on you helping the police get to the bottom of the mystery,” added Alice.

“You know we always help when we can,” said Hazel with a modest smile.

“I bet you’d like to take a peek at that room,” said Alice.

“Could we?” asked Annie.

“I don’t see why not,” said Alice, turning to get the key from a peg on the wall behind the desk. “Come with me.”

While Finley watched the desk, Alice led Helen, Annie, Hazel, and Harry upstairs and down a hallway.

“So Alice, when was the last time you saw Mr. Campbell?” asked Helen as they walked.

“Let’s see . . . it would’ve been Wednesday evening, right around dinnertime. He’d only checked in that afternoon. We never saw him again, and Finley and I were on desk duty all evening.” She stopped at room nine, unlocked the door, and opened it.

Everyone stepped inside and looked around. The bed was still made, but from the indentation in the pillow and bedspread on the left side, it was likely Denver Campbell had taken a nap after checking in but before he’d gone to dinner.

“He was tidy,” said Hazel, opening the closet to find quite a few clothes hanging neatly inside, with three pairs of expensive looking shoes in a perfect row beneath them.

“High maintenance, too,” Annie called from the bathroom. “He’d laid his toiletries out in here and everything is expensive and perfectly organized. Wow, he’s got an eight-step skincare system in here.”

“You can tell a lot about a person by the books they read,” said Helen, crossing to the nightstand. She read the title aloud. “Making Money, Living Large. I know this book. It’s about making your fortune while squashing the little guy, basically.

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