Murder and Mystery at the Bluebird Inn: A Totally Gripping Small-Town Cozy Murder Mystery (Ingrid Moon Cozy Mysteries) by Fern Cooper

Author:Fern Cooper [Cooper, Fern]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2024-12-27T00:00:00+00:00

19

Until There Are None

The dining room was transformed by the time the guests began to filter in for breakfast. The white tablecloths were gone and the wooden tables polished to a high shine. Bright summer flowers with sprigs of fragrant rosemary and touches of elegant baby’s breath sat as centerpieces. If it weren’t for the incessant rain, slowing but still persistent, the day may have seemed like a normal end of summer morning.

Nervous chatter accompanied each group of guests as they walked through the doors and glanced around. Each boasted a smile, tentative and fake, that twitched almost as nervously as their eyes. Ingrid could see waves of unease in various colorful rings around each head as they stepped through the door and then froze near the walls, seeming fearful of approaching the tables.

Slowly they edged toward the tables and began to rest their hands on the backs of the tall chairs, getting closer to actually sitting but not quite ready yet. The energy in the room just about crackled in Ingrid’s ears.

“What in the world is that?” Victoria Blackstone asked with a wrinkle twisting her nose.

“A candlestick, dear,” Paul answered with a slightly embarrassed chuckle. He looked around as if wondering if the other guests noticed how silly the question was.

“I know that, Paul. What I mean is why in the world would it be there on the edge of the table? Surely even the staff here knows that centerpieces belong in the middle of the table,” Victoria said, brushing off imaginary dust from her turquoise sleeve.

The comment got everyone’s attention. Not because of her rude tone, Ingrid guessed, but because she was correct. The candlestick was definitely out of place.

“There’s something under it,” Victoria said, snatching the folded piece of paper before anyone could tell her to leave it. With a flourish she opened it and began to read, “Until there are none. Well, isn’t that cryptic?”

“What does that mean?” Sandy asked, directing her question to anyone in the silent room who might have an answer..

Nobody hazarded a guess but Ingrid felt her palms begin to sweat.

“Who was sitting there? Where you found the candlestick?” Mr. Brenner asked.

“The Williamsons. Clark and Candy,” Marianne answered at the same time the Universe decided to give Ingrid a big, giant shove.

“Are they here? Has anybody seen them?” Mr. Brenner asked, voice vibrating with fear as he wrung his hands.

“Not since last night,” Matthew said from where he stood with his back leaning against the wall.

Nobody said another word. Nobody moved, except to take quiet breaths. The heaviness in the room pressed down on Ingrid, squeezing her shoulders. Then the spell broke and everyone was talking at the same time, their words blending into a frantic buzz in Ingrid’s head.

“We have to check on them,” Ingrid murmured to Marianne. She met her friend’s eyes and made her gaze steady as she whispered. “Right now.”

“Alone? Are you crazy?” Marianne choked out.

“Of course not. We’ll take Lucas and Archie, if we can find them.”

“What about Mr.

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