Murder Checks Inn by Tim Myers

Author:Tim Myers
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: mystery, lighthouse, cozy, Mystery & Detective, north carolina, Fiction, traditional, tim myers, inn, General, blue ridge mountains
ISBN: 9780425188583
Publisher: Berkley
Published: 2003-01-07T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

They were all the way to the second window inside the lighthouse when Tony said, “I dropped the slip of paper with my lines on it for tonight. I’ll be back in a second.”

Alex said, “Can’t you just do your best from memory?”

“Alex, this is important to me.”

Alex said, “Okay, I’ll go back down with you and help look for it.”

Tony protested, “That’s okay, I’m sure I dropped it at the door. You go on ahead, and I’ll be with you in a minute.”

Alex said, “Fine by me,” as he moved up the steps.

At least the place was deserted for their rehearsal. Several townsfolk used the lighthouse as a StairMaster with a twist, and Alex tried to climb the steps whenever he could manage to get away himself. Unfortunately, running an inn didn’t always give him enough free time to do that, though he did manage to get in his walk to the mailbox and back almost every day, a pretty long hike itself.

But there was nothing like being inside the lighthouse.

He caressed the walls as he climbed, feeling the coarse, cool texture as he ascended.

Alex got to the top and was relieved to find the observation platform itself deserted. That was a little unusual; normally, at least somebody was up there during the afternoon.

As promised, Tony joined him a few minutes later. Alex asked, “Did you have any luck finding your note?”

“I had it in my pocket all along,” he admitted sheepishly.

Alex looked down at the two buildings of the inn, one the same as always and the other being reconstructed right beside it. He said, “I figure we’ll pour his ashes out here. If there’s any wind at all, they’ll spread out over half of Canawba County.”

“That’s fine,” Tony said. He hesitated a moment, then added, “Alex, we need to talk.”

Alex asked, “About what?” as he took in the view he so cherished.

His brother said firmly, “It’s about Jase’s money.”

“What about it? You got most of it, and the Preservation Society got the rest. It was nice of you to offer to share your part, but I can’t take it. This is how Jase wanted it, and I’m respecting his wishes to the letter.”

Tony snapped, “I’m not trying to break his will, I’m trying to give you a gift. Why can’t you take it? Are you too proud to ask for help from your big brother?”

Alex said, “I honestly just want what Jase wanted me to have. Would I have accepted a ton of money from him? Absolutely. Am I happy with what he chose to leave me? You’d better believe it. His books were the most important part of his life. In a way, you got the short end of the stick, Tony.”

“If I live to be a hundred, I’ll never understand you,” Tony said, exasperation thick in his voice.

“I never claimed to be all that easy to figure out,” Alex admitted.

Tony looked out at the view, taking in the edges of the

Blue Ridge Mountains. After

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