Part 15 (1/2)

”I don't like it either,” Julie added. She'd lived in places where people had to lock their doors at all times, but Straussberg had a different vibe. A small, country town feel. An everyone-knows-everyone kind of place. She hated the fact that it seemed to be changing right before her eyes.

”Of course, back in the day ...,” s.h.i.+rley was saying.

Julie nodded politely. Time spent with s.h.i.+rley was entertaining, to be sure, but she wouldn't cla.s.sify it as relaxing. She tried her best to keep track of s.h.i.+rley's colorful storytelling, but her mind kept wandering.

Perhaps whoever ransacked her office wasn't trying to find the journal. What if that person was merely trying to scare her? What if the art thieves who swore their revenge on her had finally caught up with her?

That made more sense than any of her other theories. Though the thought sent her heart sinking to her toes.

With as many tourists as had been in and out of the inn lately, it could have been anyone. Most had been gawkers, not registered guests. And there had been a lot of them. That narrowed the potential vandal down to ... well, almost anyone in town.

Julie's phone buzzed in her pocket. ”Excuse me,” she said to s.h.i.+rley, checking the screen before answering. She did not recognize the number.

”Julie dear, it's Sadie Davidson.”

”Sadie! Good to hear from you. How is Joyce?”

”Well, they have her stabilized, but they're going to keep her overnight to make sure she's OK. Personally, I think she's fine. She's sitting up in the bed, flirting shamelessly with the male nurses. I suspect she'll be right as rain by tomorrow.”

Relief flooded through Julie. ”I'm so glad to hear that. Have they determined what caused her collapse?”

”It was just as I suspected. Somehow she got ahold of some peanuts. We're lucky it didn't kill her right off.”

ELEVEN.

Julie had no more than hung up with Sadie and closed the door behind s.h.i.+rley when she spotted Carrie meandering around near the tearoom.

”I thought you were going to bed,” Julie said, bypa.s.sing a normal greeting.

Carrie jumped as if she hadn't been expecting Julie to say anything to her-or as if she hadn't noticed Julie at all. The pet.i.te girl b.u.mped into the wall, nearly knocking a painting onto the floor.

”Sorry,” she mumbled, pus.h.i.+ng her gla.s.ses up on her nose and straightening the picture. It was more crooked when she was finished fixing it than it had been before she began.

”What are you doing down here?” Julie asked, her suspicions rising.

Carrie's eyes grew wide. ”I thought I forgot something in the tearoom.”

”Really? What was it? I'll help you look,” Julie said with as much care and concern as she could muster.

”Uh, my handkerchief.”

Julie blinked. Did anyone under the age of seventy carry a handkerchief anymore? ”Unfortunately, it looks like s.h.i.+rley has already closed up for the night. You'll have to ask her in the morning.”

Carrie nodded and pushed at her sleeves. ”OK. Good night then.” She turned on her heel to leave.

”Is there something you'd like to tell me?” Julie asked.

Carrie paused for a moment and then slowly shook her head. ”No.” Without another word she crept up the steps as quietly as she'd come.

Julie stood in the foyer and watched her leave, a jillion thoughts zinging through her head. Carrie seemed the least likely of the guests to commit a heinous crime. Julie doubted the pet.i.te blonde even had enough strength to wield the overlarge candlestick that had been used to knock Alice over the head. But her bizarre behavior ... always creeping around ... so jumpy when spoken to. ...

Was Carrie even in the room when Alice was murdered? Julie couldn't remember if Carrie had been there or not. The girl was just so quiet, as if she wanted everyone to forget she existed.

But had she been there?

Julie thought back to the minutes before the power went out and promptly blew out an irritated breath. That was the problem. She simply couldn't remember. Of course, at the time, she hadn't been concerned about real murders. She hadn't been watching everyone with suspicious eyes. Her attention had been focused on making sure the murder part of the mystery went off without a hitch and on gearing up for a weekend of solving a fake murder ... not a real murder.

Julie rolled her shoulders, trying to ease some of the kinks out of her neck and back. On a whim, she started toward the back of the inn, where Hannah's room was located. The power had gone off right before the dessert service. Had Carrie been in the room at the time?

She lightly rapped on Hannah's door.

”It's open,” came the soft reply.

Julie opened the door and found Hannah propped up on the bed as if she'd been expecting her friend to drop by.

”You're up late,” Julie said.

Hannah shrugged. ”Too much excitement, I guess, but I need to turn in soon. Morning comes quickly around here. Did you hear from Sadie?”

Julie nodded. ”It was peanuts, but Joyce is going to be fine.”

Hannah's eyes widened. ”I'll clean out the pantry tomorrow. I don't know how it happened-maybe some type of cross-contamination.”

Or purposeful contamination, Julie thought. ”I'm sure it was just an unfortunate accident.”

”Still.” Hannah was clearly distraught over the incident.

Julie suspected Hannah would throw out the remaining ingredients from the evening meal and offer to pay for it herself if need be.

”I need you to think back for a moment,” Julie said. ”Do you remember seeing Carrie at the dining table Friday night?”

”Of course.”

”OK. But was she there when you served the entree?”

”Yes. Well, I'm pretty sure.” Hannah frowned as she tried to recall. ”I mean, I took her a plate. She had to have been there. You don't think-?”

”I don't know.” Julie perched on the edge of Hannah's small bed. ”The problem is, I can't remember that specific detail.”

”Even if she wasn't at the table, that doesn't mean she killed Alice.” Hannah sat up a little taller. ”Also, if she hadn't been there, don't you think someone would have mentioned it?”

”You're right.” Julie ran her hand through her hair, an unthinking gesture she often did when she was frustrated.

”Although, she does have an amazing ability to go unnoticed,” Hannah said.

Julie was going to be so glad when this weekend was over. In less than twenty-four hours, crime solved or not, the police had to at least let the guests leave town. That time couldn't come soon enough.