Part 9 (1/2)

There was also Jenny to consider. After all, she'd dated the blacksmith recently, and Alex knew firsthand how her moods could swing. How about Rachel? The woodworker was powerful enough, she'd proven it when she'd grabbed his arm, and she was certainly capable of it if she felt her lover was threatened. For that matter, all of the women at the fair were physically strong enough to have done it.

Alex had a thousand questions and not one solid answer for any of them. He wished yet again that Elise was there to talk it all over with him. Even if they didn't come up with a solution on their own, they'd make a go of it, he was certain of that. He pulled the bracelet of hers he'd found from his pocket and toyed with it, wondering what Elise was doing at that very moment.

Chiding himself for his behavior, Alex got up and stoked the fire. As the embers danced upward, Alex tried to clear his mind of murder, kidnapping and Elise.

He didn't have any luck forgetting any of them, not even for a moment.

Chapter 12.

Alex was just about to douse the fire and head off to bed when he heard footsteps coming down the staircase. Who could it be prowling around this late?

Jenny Harris came down the steps dressed in a lacy white nightgown only partially covered by an open silk robe. ”I thought I heard someone down here.”

Keeping his eyes on the fire, Alex said, ”I was just about to call it a night.”

She asked softly, ”Would you mind keeping me company for a little while?”

Alex didn't feel all that sociable, and he certainly didn't want another discussion with Jenny about their past. He said, ”Sorry, but I'm beat.”

She stared at him a full ten seconds, and for the life of him, Alex thought she was about to cry.

”What's wrong?” he asked gently.

”I just can't believe how you've been treating me lately,” she complained. ”Alex, we had something together once, and now it's like you can't even stand being in the same room with me.”

”Jenny, it's not that. I like you. I'm just not interested in pursuing it any further than that.”

”Okay, I believe you, Alex. Does that mean we can't at least be friends?” Her voice was barely a whisper.

”Friends.h.i.+p is fine with me, as long as that's where it starts and stops,” he said.

As Alex started to stand, Jenny leaned forward. ”Please, don't go. Alex, I don't want to be alone. Could you stay? Please?”

”Just for a little bit,” he agreed reluctantly, ”but it really has been a long day.”

Staring into the fire, Jenny said, ”Alex, these past few days have been like some kind of nightmare. I can't believe Jefferson's dead, can you?”

”I hate the idea of anybody being murdered, especially at Hatteras West, but I didn't know him as well as you did.”

Jenny started to cry softly, and Alex couldn't just sit there and coldly watch her tears. He moved beside her and put his arm around her shoulders, offering comfort in the only way he knew how. Jenny instinctively turned to him, burying her head into his chest. There was nothing false or manipulative or even s.e.xual about it. The woman genuinely needed a friend. Ironically, as the sobs finally subsided, Alex was suddenly very much aware of Jenny's physical presence.

As he started for the other couch, she said, ”Hold me just a little longer.”

”I can't.” It was obvious she needed someone to cling to, but it couldn't be him. For the first time since she'd been gone, Alex was just as happy that Elise wasn't there to see this.

Suddenly the front door opened. Jenny still had her hand on his arm. Alex jumped up and found Rachel Seabock standing at the door, a surprised look on her face.

”Excuse me, I didn't mean to interrupt,” she said as she started past them.

”You didn't,” Alex said a little too loudly. ”We were just enjoying the fire. Why don't you join us?”

Averting her eyes, Rachel said, ”Thanks, but I'm going straight to bed. I've been looking all over Elkton Falls for Bill, but I couldn't find him anywhere.”

”There's a lot of that going around,” Alex said.

”Is Elise missing, too?” Rachel asked.

Obviously she was the only person left in all of Elkton Falls who didn't know Elise had gone to West Virginia. ”No,” Alex said, ”she was called away for a family emergency.”

Rachel's eyebrows rose as she asked, ”So who else is missing?”

”That's right, you haven't been around. Craig Monroe is under the impression that his wife was kidnapped this evening. The sheriff thinks she's shacking up with her mystery lover. I think they both have overactive imaginations.”

Rachel shook her head. ”What's happening around here, Alex?”

”It's not Hatteras West's fault,” Alex said.

”I'm not blaming you, but this Golden Days Fair has turned out to be a real nightmare.” She stared at the fire a second, then said, ”I'm going to bed.”

”Me, too,” Alex said before Rachel could leave. As he moved to kill the fire, Jenny said, ”I think I'll stay up a little longer, if you don't mind.”

”Good night, then,” Alex said while he still had a chaperone. It wasn't that he didn't trust himself to be alone with Jenny; it was just that the woman seemed to know the right strings to pull to get to him. At least this would be her last night at Hatteras West, since the fair was shutting down tomorrow.

Alex dead-bolted his door after he closed it behind him. He suffered through a miserable night of sleep, missing Elise but remembering the smell of Jenny's hair.

Alex woke up grumpy the next morning, having tossed and turned all night, fighting off nightmare steel lances rus.h.i.+ng toward him in his sleep. Alex knew he was a real bear without the proper amount of rest, and he always tried to get at least eight hours every night, but as an innkeeper that wasn't always possible, not by a long shot. He wasn't normally a coffee drinker, but this morning he made an exception and brewed up a pot. Elise had been after him to start offering at least bagels, fruit and some juice to their guests each morning, and Alex realized he'd been wrong to stubbornly fight her on it. Starting tomorrow, he'd implement her suggestion. He just hoped she came back to see it.

Alex was just finis.h.i.+ng his second cup of coffee when there was a hearty knock on his door.

Emma Sturbridge, dressed in neatly pressed but well-worn jeans and a faded flannel s.h.i.+rt, was ready to start work.

”Morning, Alex. Point me to today's to-do list, and I'll get started.”

”Would you like a cup of coffee first?” Alex asked.

”No time for that,” Emma said stoutly. ”There's work to be done.”

Alex laughed and felt his earlier bad mood lifting. Emma was a dose of energy, and that was exactly what he needed at the moment. ”We can't get started on the rooms yet, no one's up, but we've got more laundry from yesterday I didn't get around to and all of the floors in the common rooms need sweeping.”

”I'm on it,” Emma said, bustling off toward the small laundry room in back.

Alex said, ”Let me grab a quick bite, then I'll join you.”

Emma waved her hand in the air. ”Take your time, Alex, I've got the situation well in hand.”