Checking Inn by Emily Harper Read Free Book Online

tonight, but a part of me really wants to see Vivienne and Greg.  I know I can’t tell them anything about what is going on, but I don’t get to see them that often.  Work is really busy for Greg right now.  “Is six o’clock still okay with you?”
    “Absolutely, and tell your mother I look forward to one of our lovely chats,” she says.  Vivienne is fully aware that my mother can’t stand her, and I think she enjoys watching my mother swallow her pride and be nice to her.  It’s actually one of the few things about Vivienne that irks me a little. 
    “Okay, see you then,” I say, pressing the end button on my phone.
    “Who was that?” Detective Gable asks, and at first I find the question a little rude.  I shrug it off, though, as it  is  part of his profession to be inquisitive. 
    “It was my boyfriend’s mother.  We’re all supposed to have dinner tonight at the Inn,” I explain.
    He nods, but doesn’t say anything else about it.
    “So, you wanted to talk to me about something?” I ask.
    “I talked to my captain about the case, and he isn’t happy with the way things are being handled.”
    I open my mouth to protest, but he holds up his hand. 
    “I convinced him that given the circumstances, and the fact we haven’t found any physical evidence, we don’t have a lot of options.”
    “And tell him your team is welcome to keep the costumes,” I say, “in case you guys want to use them again.”
    “I didn’t tell him that part, I already got an ear full without it,” he says.
    I feel a bit guilty at his confession because I know that if it weren’t for me and my staff his whole investigation would be further along at this point.
    “I’m really sorry, I honestly didn’t mean to get you in any sort of trouble,” I say.
    He finally smiles, and it softens his sharp features.  His hair is still really messy though. “When you’re a detective you are always in trouble, and when you finally catch the bad guy you’re lucky if you get a grunt of appreciation for your efforts.”
    “Oh, okay.  Well, I meant what I said before, if there is anything I can do to help,” I offer.
    “There is.  I need to stay at the Inn under the pretense of being a guest,” he says.
    “What? Why?”
    “You’ve made it clear you want to keep this under wraps, which I have agreed to, honestly because I think it’s the best chance we have of catching the murderer.  If I'm hanging around the Inn all the time people are going to start to get suspicious, but if I am a guest just getting to know people around the town and asking casual questions, hopefully people won’t catch on.”
    That does make sense.
    “Okay, not a problem,” I say, and then shake my head.  “Actually, there is a problem.  We are fully booked and the only room that is now available is– was– Samantha’s.”
    “That’s okay, dead people don’t bother me,” he says, and I wish I was as lucky as him.  Standing in that room while the investigators were working, I had decided to redo the whole thing, including all the linens, to rid the room of any sense that someone might have died inside it.
    “When do you want to check in?” I ask.
    “I already have my suitcase in the car.  I was hoping we could do it now,” he says.
    “I’ll call Luisa and tell her to get the room ready.”  I pull out my cell phone again and make the call.  After much reluctance on Luisa’s part to go in “the room of death”, I finally convince her.  Of course, I had to offer her a paid vacation to do it.
    “I’ll just put Maggie in the house and meet you there,” I say.
    “I can drive you,” he says.  “I noticed that you walked home, so it saves you walking back.”
    “Oh– er– okay, thanks,” I say.
    I look from him, to Maggie, to the front door and I’m not sure how to proceed.
    “Do you need help?” he asks in an off-handed tone.
    “No,” I say.  
    Honestly, I run a sort-of successful Inn (minus the death today).