Free Ring for Murder (Lighthouse Inn Finale) by Tim Myers Page B

with her for
protection, but from everything we’ve seen, can you imagine that
she had the forethought to plan anything as rational as packing
extra ammunition? If she’d brought a gun with her to kill Tony, I
have a feeling she would have used it. It wouldn’t surprise me at
all if we find out Jackson’s got a weapon himself, along with who
knows what else in his arsenal?”
    “I don’t disagree with that, but if we’re
wrong, the learning curve is going to be kind of steep.”
    “We could always hide it under the bed,”
Alex suggested.
    “How could that make any sense?” Elise
asked.
    “If she asks us about it, we can say we were
making the bed and her purse fell off it. The gun could have gotten
accidentally kicked under the bed and out of sight.”
    Elise shook her head. “That’s an awfully big
line of coincidences, don’t you think?”
    “It’s not all that important
that she believe us,” Alex said. “What matters is that it might be true, and the
shadow of that doubt is all we really need.”
    “We can’t do that,” Elise said. “I don’t see
how she could believe it for a second.”
    “Then we’ll have to be happy doing this.”
Alex pocketed the bullets, and then started to reach for Tony’s
ring.
    Elise noticed him hesitate. “Go ahead and
take it. It’s rightfully yours.”
    “Not if Tony really gave it to Monique. It’s
not mine, legally or morally.”
    “Alex, did your brother even have a will?”
Elise asked.
    “I have no idea how current it might be.
Uncle Jase wrote wills for both of us when our folks died, but
mine’s changed since then, and I can’t imagine that his hasn’t as
well.”
    “Really?”
    He nodded. “Six months after we met, I made
you my sole beneficiary. If something happens to me, Hatteras West
is all yours.”
    Elise took the news like a blow to the
chest, reeling back a step before catching herself. When Alex
looked at her, it appeared that she was crying.
    “I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “I didn’t mean
to saddle you with this place. It’s just that it was clear that you
loved Hatteras West just as much as I do. I thought of Emma and
Mor, but they aren’t suited to be innkeepers, and besides, I’m
leaving all of my books, my tools, and a nice piece of change for
Mor. But you get everything else.”
    She was openly sobbing now. Alex put his
arms around her, and then said, “I don’t know what to do.”
    “Just hold me,” she said, and he did as he
was asked, taking in the smell of her hair, the way she felt in his
arms.
    After a few moments, she pulled away. He
said lamely, “I really am sorry. I thought it was a good idea at
the time.”
    “Trust me, it does. It means more to me than
your marriage proposal,” Elise said simply.
    “I’m not sure how to take that, to be honest
with you,” Alex said.
    Elise just laughed. “Alex, I knew in my
heart that you loved me, but to entrust Hatteras West to me says it
more than a thousand poems and a million boxes of chocolate.” She
kissed him, long and soundly, and then said, “I love you, too.”
    “That’s good,” Alex said. “For a second, I
thought I might have blown it.”
    “My dear Alex, I’m not sure you could if you
tried, but do us both a favor.”
    “What’s that?”
    “Don’t try,” she said with a smile. “Now,
back to your brother.”
    “I’m not sure Tony had anything to bequest,
so it may be a moot point.”
    “Is there any way to find out?” Elise
asked.
    “I’m not sure. Why, do you think it’s
important?”
    “It could be,” she said. “Who stands to be
better off with Tony dead?”
    “Hello?” they both heard a familiar voice
call out from downstairs. “Is anybody here?”
    It was the sheriff, and knowing him, he
wasn’t there to compliment them on their new drapes.
     
     

Chapter 8
     
     
    Elise started jamming everything back into
Monique’s purse as she said, “Go talk to him. I’ll be down in a
minute.”
    Alex did as she asked, and he