Murdering the Roses (A Heavenly Highland Inn Cozy Mystery) (6 page)

"What?"
Vicky asked with surprise at his words. "Why would you say that?"

"Well," he hesitated and glanced around to be sure that no one else was listening in on their conversation as it did not qualify as official police business, and the sheriff would not be pleased that the discussion was taking place. "You never called, so I just assumed," he explained quietly. "I know I'm not the most exciting person in the world."

"Mitchell," Vicky groaned as she started to shake her head and then stopped because of the bolt of pain the movement ignited. "I was waiting for you to call me," she said with a lopsided grin. She felt very silly for all the times she had checked her phone now. She wondered if Mitchell had been checking his phone just as often. 

"Really?" Mitchell's eyes lit up for a moment, then he cleared his throat as he remembered exactly what he was there for. "Well
, what I was trying to say was, I'm telling you all this, because, Bob was a very dangerous individual who was involved with other very dangerous individuals. I don't want to see you get hurt, more than you already have, understand?" he arched an eyebrow slightly. Vicky couldn't help but smile at how sweet he was. He was concerned about her, but he was still not being open about it, he was just giving her all of the facts.

"I understand,"
Vicky said softly. "But, you should understand that I have a very anxious bride who is going to be calling me every single hour on the hour until that crime scene tape comes down, because her wedding is scheduled for this weekend. So, even though I get that I am not a police officer, if there's some way I can help the investigation, I am more than happy to contribute."

Mitchell sat back in his chair and sighed as he studied her. He admired
Vicky's strong personality and her determination. But he wondered if that would get her into some serious trouble.

"Just promise me, that if you come across something, and you're not sure if it's dangerous or not, or if it might be important to the investigation, that you call me first, okay?" he suggested.

"I will," Vicky assured him and reached out to lightly touch the back of his hand. "I'm sorry that we had a misunderstanding after our date. I really would like to see you again sometime."

Mitchell smiled as he closed his hand over hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'd like that too," he nodded.

"All right, Bob’s room was ransacked as well so we've got the forensics team going through both rooms right now," the sheriff announced as he walked back into the kitchen with an officer behind him. The officer walked Henry out of the kitchen to obtain a list of valuables that might be missing from his room. Vicky swiftly drew her hand away from Mitchell, knowing that if the sheriff spotted the gesture, he might be upset with his deputy sheriff. "It's going to take some time for the results to come back. Until then, stay out of the staff quarters, and if you see anything suspicious, do me a favor and call the people with badges and guns, hmm?" he eyed Vicky with a paternal glare. Vicky forced a smile to her lips and nodded slightly.

"I think I've learned my lesson," she lied, knowing that she was more determined than ever to find out who had attacked her and killed Bob. After all how could she be expected to feel safe until whoever had hurt her was behind bars? When Henry returned to the kitchen, looking stunned by how his room had been destroyed, she was reminded of just how real this situation was.

"Henry, you can stay in the inn," Vicky suggested in a kind tone.

"Sure there are plenty of empty rooms now,"
Sarah sighed, her shoulders slumping. Several of the guests had opted to leave early due to the investigation, and she couldn't blame them. After all, the entire time they had all assumed that the killer was long gone, he had been lurking in Henry's closet. Was he still hiding somewhere?

"How do we know he's not still on the property?"
Sarah asked with a slight shudder.

"I have my officers doing a thorough search," the sheriff said with confidence. "If they don't find him on the premises, then he isn't here. However, you should all be cautious, because he could very well come back. This place is large and it's going to be impossible to keep it secure.”

Vicky and Sarah nodded at his words. With so many sprawling gardens, small outbuildings, and many rooms, the inn was a perfect hiding place. Aunt Ida walked over to the kitchen window and stared out wistfully at the staff's quarters.

"Just have to wonder what he could have been looking for," she said to herself, her mind
racing as she tried to unravel the mystery. "What could be so important that it would warrant taking the life of another person?”

“Are you sure you don't want to come
and stay with Phil and me tonight?” Sarah asked Vicky and Aunt Ida with a frown. “I hate to think of you being all alone here. I think it would be better if we were all together.”

'We won't be alone,”
Vicky said firmly as she pushed herself up from the table. “Aunt Ida will stay with me tonight, won't you?” she asked, and glanced over at Aunt Ida.

“Of course,” Aunt Ida agreed. “Didn't I ever tell you girls
that I have a black belt in Jujitsu?” she smiled proudly. Both sisters stared at her with wide eyes at those words. It wasn't too much of a stretch for Vicky to imagine Aunt Ida flipping someone right over her shoulder, despite her diminutive size. She wouldn't put anything past Aunt Ida.

***

Aunt Ida settled into Vicky's apartment that night, but she didn't seem very comfortable. Vicky could tell that she was not at all pleased with how plain it was. She could see the woman's mind spinning with ways she could brighten it up and make it more fun to live in. But she was tactful enough to keep it to herself.

"Are you okay sweetie?" she asked
Vicky as she glanced in her niece's direction. "Do you want some water or an aspirin for your head?"

"No
, it's not too bad really," Vicky said with a small smile. It did hurt, but it did not hurt as bad as it had earlier. She was feeling a lot clearer in her mind as well.

"We can't let this chump get away with this kind of behavior," Aunt Ida said fiercely as she began to pace back and forth across the carpet. “We have to figure out who it is!”

"I know," Vicky said as she watched her aunt pace. "But we have no idea who he is. All I know for sure is that he had the same tattoo that I saw on Bob's arm, that awful one with the snake and the blade," she scrunched up her nose at the memory of it.

"Well
, maybe they're friends," Aunt Ida suggested and then laughed at her own words. "Well I guess not anymore."

"Aunt Ida,"
Vicky sighed and tried not to encourage her aunt. She tended to say some rather inappropriate things.

"W
e're alone now so we don't have to pretend that we're all upset. Bob wasn't exactly a good person," she reminded Vicky as she sat down beside her on the plain brown couch.

"Maybe not,"
Vicky said quietly. "But he was still a person, and he didn't deserve to be killed."

"Then the best thing we can do is figure out what happened, and get this guy in jail," Aunt Ida said firmly as she clenched her hands into fists. "We just need a place to start. What about that strange fellow, the one who checked in recently?" Aunt Ida suggested.

“You mean Timothy?” Vicky shook her head slightly as she had suspected the man as well. She had even asked Mitchell about him.

“Mitchell said Timothy told him he was in the lounge a
ll night, and the bartender who worked last night said he was serving Timothy until almost two in the morning,” she sighed as yet another suspect was crossed off the list. “So he may be a drinker, but not a killer.”

Aunt Ida looked just as disappointed to hear the news. “Well
, there has to be something that can give us a clue as to who the killer might be,” Aunt Ida said thoughtfully.

"M
aybe we can take a look around the garden tomorrow and see if there are any clues that the police missed," Vicky said with a mild shrug. "But Mitchell was right, we need to be very careful. Whoever this person is he could have killed me today if he wanted to, and I don't think he'll be giving out any second chances."

"Absolutely," Aunt Ida nodded. "We'll make sure we are very cautious. Speaking of Mitchell," she added without even taking a breath between her words. "Isn't he just the handsomest young man that you've ever seen?" she asked with a twinkle in her eye. “And he sure does seem to like you.”

"Don't get any ideas Aunt Ida," Vicky warned as she met her gaze. "We only went on one date. He's a very nice man, but I'm not looking for anything too serious,” Vicky reminded her firmly.

"Oh sweetie," Aunt Ida chuckled, as if
Vicky was a well meaning child. "No one looks for serious, serious finds them," she winked lightly at her and then yawned. She stretched out her arms above her head. "I think I'm going to turn in for the night. Are you sure it's all right for me to use your bed?"

"Yes it is,"
Vicky said firmly. She couldn't even imagine putting her aunt on the couch. "I'll feel better knowing that I'm closer to the door in case anyone tries to get in," Vicky added, her voice breaking slightly with the fear that was randomly bubbling up within her. 

"Good night," Aunt Ida kissed her gently on the forehead.
Vicky smiled a little at the affectionate caress. It meant so much to her to still have that from someone. Without Aunt Ida she was sure that she and Sarah would not have been able to recover from their parents' deaths so easily. As she watched her aunt head off into the bedroom she was reminded of what an amazing woman she was. There was no doubt in her mind that she really did have a black belt, and that she wasn't afraid to use it. Though Aunt Ida had never married or had children of her own, her life seemed to be very full with stories of places and people that she would never forget.

As
Vicky curled up on the couch she tried to think of those memories that Aunt Ida had shared with her instead of the terror she had felt today when she heard that closet door swing open. She hadn't admitted it to anyone, but she was scared that the man would come back. Would he decide that he needed to finish the job? Her fear was all the more reason to continue to pursue the investigation with her aunt. If she had to wait on the police to capture the suspect she might not live to see it.

As she drifted off to sleep her mind was filled with a mixture of all of Aunt Ida's adventures and that shadowy figure striking her from behind. Her dream was all about a snake
that was chasing after a man carrying a blade. The snake never seemed to be able to catch up, and the blade glimmered in the sun. Vicky was terrified in the dream. She was certain that the snake was about to turn around and attack her. But no matter how afraid she was, she kept chasing after the snake!

***

She woke the next morning with a start. Her heart was pounding. She thought that she had heard that closet squeak again. She sat up on the couch and looked at the front door. It was still closed and locked.

"Aunt Ida?" she called out. Aunt Ida poked her head out of the kitchen and smiled.

"Just getting some coffee on," she called out cheerfully. Vicky sighed in relief as she was sure that the sound she had heard was the cabinets in the kitchen, not someone breaking into her apartment. She hurried to get dressed for the day, eager to see what they might be able to discover in the garden. As they shared their coffee over Vicky's small kitchen table she was reminded of the delicious brew that Henry made for the guests at the inn.

"You know, I probably should talk to Henry," she said thoughtfully. "He may think that we suspect him, like the police did. I just want to make sure that he understands he has our support. I mean this has been frightening for him too, his entire room was turned upside down."

"That's true," Aunt Ida agreed. "I'll start looking in the garden, and you go off and talk to Henry, then meet me there," she smiled in anticipation of the search.

"Are you sure you'll be okay alone?"
Vicky said hesitantly.

"Remember," Aunt Ida started to say.

"Right, black belt," Vicky laughed and shook her head. She was relieved that she didn't feel any pain when she did. As she stood up from the table she leaned over to give her aunt a light kiss on the forehead. “Just remember, if you see anything strange, or notice anyone suspicious, come find me or call Mitchell!”

Then she headed out to find Henry. He was staying on the second floor in one of the empty guest rooms. When she knocked on his door, he answered it right away.

“Hi Henry,” she said with a small smile. “I just wanted to check on you.”

“Thanks,” Henry said with a sigh.

“I'm sorry that the police questioned you so much,” Vicky explained quickly. “I just wanted you to know that I told Mitchell there was no way you would have been involved.”

“I appreciate that,” Henry said with a sigh of relief. “It's
all right now, I just had a call from one of the officers to let me know that the surveillance cameras proved my alibi. At least I won't be a suspect anymore.”

“Oh that's good,”
Vicky said with a wider smile. “Please, if you need anything, just let me know, okay?”