Murder Checks Inn (Book 3 in the Lighthouse Inn Mysteries) by Tim Myers Read Free Book Online

old town.”
    Tony stood and said, “Jase was something,
wasn’t he? Alex, are you ready to go back to the inn? We can deal
with the other stuff later.”
    “ Why don’t you head back
without me, Tony? I’ll catch a ride and be out later.”
    Tony slapped him on the shoulder. “Come on,
don’t be a sore loser about this. I’m sorry you got screwed, but
that’s the way it goes sometimes.”
    Sandra piped up, “Tony, why don’t you do as
Alex suggests and go on. I’ll give him a ride out to the inn
myself.”
    Tony shrugged his shoulders. “Suit yourself.
See you there, Alex.”
    And then he was gone. Alex wouldn’t have
been surprised to see him skipping as he left the office.
    Sandra said, “Oh, Alex, I’m so sorry. I
tried to talk Jase out of this division of property, but he was
adamant about setting things up this way.”
    Alex sat there staring at his hands, and
then a slow smile spread across his face.
    Sandra said, “What in the world do you have
to smile about?”
    Alex chuckled softly. “It just hit me. You
read the will yourself, Sandra. Jase gave Tony the money because
that’s all he ever cared about. You know how Jase felt about his
books! They were his pride and joy. No, I’m satisfied with the
will.”
    Sandra looked at him a long ten seconds,
then said, “Alex, you’re truly something, you know that?”
    Alex laughed softly, “Thanks, Sandra, I
appreciate that. You don’t have to give me a ride out to Hatteras
West, I know how busy you must be. I’ll find a way to get back out
there.”
    She shuffled a few papers on her desk, then
said, “Nonsense, I’d love to take you home. In fact,” she said as
she stood, “I’m ready to go, if you are.”
    Alex said, “That’s just it. I’d like to
spend a little time at Jase’s first, by myself. To be honest with
you, it might help me say good-bye in my own way. I’m not sure I’m
all that comfortable with the party he’s planned, so I need to do
it my way first.”
    Sandra sat back down in her chair. “I
understand completely. Let’s do this. I’ll give you an hour over
there, and then I’ll come by to pick you up, and we’ll eat at Mamma
Ravolini’s before we head back to the inn. My treat. What do you
say?”
    “ I say it sounds great, but
I have an inn full of people at the moment. I don’t feel right
about just leaving them alone.”
    Sandra said, “So let Elise take care of
them. You deserve a break, Alex. Can you even remember the last
time you took a day off, let alone a vacation?”
    Alex found himself agreeing, as Sandra
handed him a set of keys. “These are to the house. I’m afraid
you’ll have to have everything out in five days. The lease is up,
and I couldn’t get the landlord to extend it for you. He’s got a
hot prospect who’s buying it from him.”
    “ That’ll be fine. I’m not
going to move anything today. I just want to look around a
little.”
    “ See you in an hour then,”
Sandra said as Alex headed out.
    He stopped at Sandra’s secretary’s desk and
asked to borrow the telephone.
    Elise answered on the second ring.
    “ Hatteras West Lighthouse
and Inn,” she said. He never tired of hearing her say
it.
    “ Hi, it’s me. Can you
handle things there for a while? I’ve got some things in town I
need to take care of.”
    “ How did it go with
Sandra?”
    Alex took a deep breath, then said, “Tony
got the money, but I got Jase’s books.”
    Elise said, “Oh Alex, I’m so sorry.”
    “ I’m not,” he said. “Things
couldn’t have gone any better.”
    On the way over to Jase’s cottage, Alex
realized that his uncle had indeed given him the perfect gift. Long
after Tony had spent every dime of his inheritance, and Alex knew
that wouldn’t take long, given his brother’s propensity to burn up
cash, Alex would have Jase’s presence still with him, in the form
of the books they both so loved.
    It was worth more to him than ten times what
Tony had gotten, and Alex wondered if Tony