However, one thing she’d noticed during that time, was that pretty much everyone in attendance seemed to know Rick, or at least of him. He had quite a reputation. While that might have been good for him in business, it made figuring out who killed him more complicated. Everyone there had to be considered a suspect.

  “What do you think?” Mary leaned close to Suzie as she watched the others hovering around the large space. “Who do you think did it?”

  “No idea.” Suzie pursed her lips. “It’s hard to say just yet. I’d like to get up to that turret when we get a chance.”

  “I think that’s going to be difficult for a while.” Mary had a sip of her water. “I doubt they’ll let anyone past the police tape.”

  “One thing’s for sure. Rick’s killer was up in that turret with him. If they’re going to find any evidence of who it was, it will be up there.”

  “Hopefully, they’ll figure it out fast.” Mary leaned close to Suzie and whispered, “I’m so sorry, Suzie. If I hadn’t pushed for us to come here, we wouldn’t be in the middle of this.”

  “Oh, Mary, you have nothing to apologize for.” Suzie placed a hand on her arm. “Since we’re here, maybe we can be useful. I’m sure the detective’s good at his job, but it wouldn’t hurt to look into things, right?”

  “Right.” Mary smiled. “How did I know you would say that? You do love a mystery.”

  “I do, and we need to make sure that the truth’s revealed, especially for Pippa’s sake.” Suzie’s voice grew softer. “Unless, of course, she’s the one who wants it to stay hidden.”

  “It couldn’t be, could it?” Mary’s eyes widened at the thought. “She was so devastated.”

  “I’m not saying it was her, but we did hear them arguing. If someone’s guilty, they’ll do whatever they can to look innocent.”

  “It’s so hard to believe,” Mary said.

  “It is.” Suzie took the last sip of her drink, then covered a yawn with her hand. “Listen, Mary, we already spoke to the detective and an officer. Let’s go back to the room. You can get a nice shower, relax a little. I’ll take Pilot for his walk and see if there’s anything to be found.”

  “Are you sure you want to go out alone?” Mary asked.

  “Yes, it’ll be fine. Pilot will be with me.”

  Suzie signaled to one of the officers. Once he walked over she gave him a small smile.

  “I know you’re busy. We just wanted to let you know we already gave our statements, and we’re going to head back to our room. Is that okay?” Suzie asked.

  “Names?” The officer glanced at the list in his hand, then looked up at them. “Yes, you’re free to go, but please don’t leave the property. We may have some follow-up questions.”

  “Anything you need,” Mary said, then headed for the door, eager to get away from the noisy crowd. She hoped a shower would be enough to calm her nerves.

  CHAPTER 6

  Suzie turned down the hallway toward their room. The combination of the plush plum carpet and the maroon painted walls with gold accents gave off a regal feeling. She made a mental note that it might be fun to decorate one of their guest rooms at Dune House like a throne room. Having a royal option might just draw in some interesting new guests.

  Mary opened the room door, and Pilot rushed up with his leash dangling from his mouth.

  “Oh, Pilot, no need to be dramatic,” Suzie laughed. “We’re only a few minutes late for our walk.”

  “I’m telling you, he definitely knows how to tell time.” Mary gave him a few pets before she headed for the bathroom. “I promise, after a shower I’ll feel calmer.”

  “Hopefully, I’ll feel the same way after our walk.”

  Suzie led Pilot out of the room and through the halls of the castle-style building. The stone walls gave it an authentic feeling, and the statues and antiques added even more old-world charm. The interior had dazzled Suzie when she’d first arrived, and as she took in the finer details, her admiration only grew.

  As she stepped out through the front door, she drank in the expansive gardens that surrounded the exterior of the building and stretched out about as far as the eye could see, until thick woods took over. Being surrounded by nature gave her a sense of isolation and connection at the same time.

  As Pilot took the lead, Suzie sank into her own thoughts, and tried to imagine how Rick might have felt as he walked the same grounds. Did he love this place? Did he assess it for ideas for his own inn?

  She recalled the argument she and Mary had overheard between Rick and his wife. It was easy to assume the spat had led to murder. But making assumptions always clouded her thoughts. She wanted them to be clear, and having another look at where Rick had been found might help with that.

  Pilot sniffed every inch of the ground, curious about the new environment and eager to explore.

  Suzie kept a tight grip on his leash as they approached the patch of grass where Rick had landed.

  The police had a large area cordoned off with bright yellow tape. It rippled and snapped in the light wind.

  “This way, Pilot, this way.” Suzie tugged him away from the tape.

  She jumped as a man stepped into view from the side of the inn.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you, Suzie.” He held up his hands.

  She recognized him from the icebreaker.

  “John. Right?” Suzie willed her heart to settle as she tried to focus on his words over its pounding.

  “Yes.” John crouched down and looked into Pilot’s eyes as he ruffled his fur. “Though, I don’t recall meeting this beautiful pup.”

  “This is Pilot.” Suzie reached down to pat the top of Pilot’s head as she sensed tension build in his muscles.

  Pilot was usually friendly and a good judge of character, but maybe the police tape had him on edge, because a low growl rumbled in his throat.

  “He’s not quite used to this new place yet.” Suzie pulled him close beside her. “Did you know Rick well?”

  “Not personally, no. But we’d been competing for business for a couple of years. I opened my place quite close to his, and he didn’t like it. He even told me once that the town wasn’t big enough for both of us.” John glanced toward the taped-off area. “I really thought it was. People want choices, and tourism is only ever good for a town. What I saw as friendly, healthy competition, he seemed to take personally.”

  “If you were cutting into his income, maybe it was personal for him.” Suzie relaxed as Pilot found something new to sniff on the ground.

  “Maybe. But he never seemed to have any money trouble. I’d hoped that being here would help us forge some kind of alliance, or at least an understanding. But I think I was dreaming.”

  “Why?” Suzie asked.

  “Rick was furious when I opened my inn. He made it his mission to lodge every complaint he could against me and my business. He demanded extra inspections, reported me for safety violations that didn’t exist, and even claimed I didn’t have the proper permit for a mailbox. It was petty, but it was exhausting, and costly.” John shoved his hands into his pockets. “I just wanted things to calm down between us.”

  “And did you get a chance to speak to him?” Suzie sought his eyes as he averted his gaze. “John? What did you two talk about?”

  “I wanted to talk with him, but every time I got close, Pippa pulled him away. It was like she didn’t want me to get a single word in.” John rubbed the back of his neck. “Although, I can’t really blame her for that.”

  “Why is that? Did she have a reason to keep you two apart?”

  “She probably thought so. Our last encounter didn’t go well. I was angry, because the building inspector had been out to my place yet again, so I went over to their inn. They had a few guests, and Rick didn’t want to talk to me in front of them. But I didn’t care. He was trying to promote his zip line, so I warned them that a fatal accident had happened on one of their runs and they should be careful or they might end up dead, too.” John winced, his cheeks flushed. “It wasn’t my best moment. Rick lost his temper, and it almost got out of hand, but nothing actually happened in the end. Pippa’s been upset with me ever since.”

  “I can see why,” Suzie said. “Was there actually a reason to blame Rick for that death?”

  “No. It was an unfortunate accident. A storm had weakened a tree supporting the zip line, and Rick didn’t know. The man who died went out on his own, without Rick’s permission, so Rick didn’t have a chance to inspect it first.” John shook his head. “There were things I said about Rick I stand by. Not everything I said was just out of anger. But I never should have said what I did.” His voice wavered. “And now it’s too late to make it right.” He turned and headed for a rear door.

  As Suzie watched him go inside, she noticed the slight stumble in his step. Clearly, he’d had too much to drink, which had seemed to loosen his tongue. Given his conflict with Rick, it was easy to assume he might be a good suspect, but the sorrow in his voice when he talked about not getting the chance to straighten things out with Rick made her think he might have truly felt remorse.

  As Suzie walked with Pilot back toward their room, questions clouded her mind. Why had Pippa been so determined to keep Rick and John apart? Had she worried that something like this might happen? And if John and Rick had such animosity between them, could Rick have had similar conflicts with any of the other guests at the Primrose Inn?

  CHAPTER 7

  Mary tightened the sash on her bathrobe, and padded out into the room in the fluffy slippers that had been provided beside the shower. She already knew that was something she wanted to add for her own guests. It was a lovely surprise to find them. She dressed quickly, gathered the damp towel, and stepped out into the hall. She guessed that in a building of this size there was probably a laundry chute on every floor.

  Sure, Esme would likely collect the towel if she left it in the bathroom, but after decades of cleaning up after herself and others, it was a hard habit to break, and if she could do it herself, why shouldn’t she. She spotted the chute at the end of the hallway and walked toward it.

  As she did the door snapped closed behind her. She was relieved she had taken her key card with her.

  When she pulled open the chute handle she found that it would only move an inch or two before jamming. Frowning, she gave it another hard tug, but it wouldn’t budge.

  “Have you tried shouting at it?” a sweet voice spoke up from a short distance behind her.

  Mary turned to see Tanya standing in the doorway of her room just a few feet away.

  “Have I tried what?” Mary asked.

  “It always works for me.” Tanya offered a shy laugh. “When something’s frustrating me, I shout at it a bit, or sometimes I give it a swift shove, and that usually does the trick.”

  “I see.” Mary couldn’t resist a smile at the image of the willowy, mild-mannered woman launching into a spirited outburst. “I’m not sure that will work here.” She tugged again.

  “Let me give it a try.” Tanya walked over to join her, then tugged on the chute, let out a grunt, then suddenly swung an elbow into it.

  The chute slammed closed, and whatever must have been blocking it, slid down with a thunk.

  Tanya’s lips curled into a triumphant smile as she opened the chute all the way for Mary. “See? It always does the trick.”

  “It sure did.” Mary’s eyes widened. “Did you hurt yourself?” She dropped her towel into the chute.

  “No, I’m fine.” Tanya waved her arm around to prove it. “I guess I’ve developed some thick skin over the years.” She turned to walk back toward her room.

  “Tanya, hold on.” Mary followed her. “It is Tanya, right?” She stopped as the woman turned back to face her.

  “Yes, it is.” Despite Tanya’s quiet tone, she met Mary’s eyes with an eager gaze.

  “You said you’re a consultant,” Mary said. “What type of things do you consult on?”

  Mary noticed Tanya hesitate for a moment before answering.

  “I look at things like trends, best practices, things other inns might learn from.” Tanya gave a short laugh. “Finding out which place serves the best scones at breakfast, that type of thing. This industry can get very competitive, and every business wants an edge.”

  “I’m sure.” Mary nodded. “Do you have any idea who might have done this to Rick? Maybe you saw something.”

  “No, not really, but I saw the detective having some pretty strong words with John,” Tanya said. “I know that he and Rick had some issues before, due to their competitive spats.”

  “Maybe it’s something more than that.” Mary hoped that Tanya might provide more details.

  Tanya met her eyes for a moment, then glanced toward her door. “I wouldn’t know. But it did seem as if the detective was determined to get him to answer some questions.”

  “Interesting.” Mary watched as Tanya opened her door and stepped inside. Something about the way she spoke and her mannerisms, as if she was weighing every word, left Mary curious about her.

  Mary turned back down the hall and noticed Suzie and Pilot walking toward her.

  “How was your walk?” Mary smiled as she used her key card to open the door and held it for them.

  “Interesting.” Suzie filled her in on her conversation with John. “I just ran into Martha downstairs, and she’s asking all the guests to gather in the dining room. The owner of the inn, Saul, wants to make an announcement. But if you don’t want to go, you can stay here.” She took Pilot’s leash off and he walked over to his water bowl.

  “No, absolutely not, I want to be there.” Mary smoothed down her hair, then picked up her purse. “I want to see what he has to say, and who else shows up. I spoke to Tanya, you know, the consultant? She mentioned that the detective was questioning John earlier.” She walked toward the door. “Maybe they’ve already decided John’s the murderer.”

  “Maybe.” Suzie followed her out the door. “But I don’t know. Everything he told me about his relationship with Rick makes him a great suspect, but he also seemed genuinely upset.”

  “I’d be upset, too, if I thought I was about to go to prison for murder.” Mary made sure the door locked behind them.

  “True.” Suzie led the way down the hall.

  They stepped into the elevator with a handful of other guests who all seemed to be discussing the same thing. Suzie recognized them from the meet-and-greet, but couldn’t recall their names.

  “Listen, I understand that this is serious and real life, Pearl.” A young man with slicked-back black hair, wearing a bright blue button-down shirt paired with sleek leg-hugging jeans, sighed. “But you can’t say that it’s not intriguing to have a real-life mystery to solve.”

  “It is, you’re right.” The woman with long black hair and a strong voice turned to face him. “And I happen to know who did it.”

  “You do?” Suzie and Mary both questioned her at the same time.

  “Uh, yes, I think so.” Pearl backed up a little as all eyes focused on her. “The chef, Antonio.”

  “The chef?” A burly man near the doors of the elevator chuckled. “Not a chance. Why would he do it? And if he did, why wouldn’t he just poison him?”

  “I can’t tell you the why, but I do know that they were arguing. Whenever I stay at a new place I always check out the kitchen. My B&B specializes in gourmet getaways. We offer freshly made meals all day long, and our kitchen is absolutely pristine. So, when I stay somewhere I get a little paranoid about where my food’s coming from and try to always sneak into the kitchen and have a look around. I saw the two of them arguing, and snuck right back out. I don’t know what it was about, but it looked intense.”

  “Did you tell the detective about that?” Suzie asked.

  “No.” Pearl shook her head.

  “You really should,” Suzie said.

  “Apparently there’s no camera footage around here.” The burly man raised his eyebrows. “Crazy, isn’t it?”

  “And hardly anyone has an alibi because we all scattered after the presentations,” Pearl said conspiratorially, then she took a sharp breath as the elevator doors opened. “I guess we’re about to find out what Saul’s big announcement is.”

  CHAPTER 8

  As their group entered the dining room, Suzie observed the packed space. Despite there being several tables available, many people still stood, hovering along the edges of the room, and keeping space between each other. A sense of anticipation hung in the air, revealed in the nervous glances and restless hands of the guests who waited to hear Saul’s announcement.

  “There’s John.” Mary leaned close to Suzie and pointed to a man hunched near a door on the opposite side of the dining room. He clutched his phone and pressed it against his ear while speaking in forceful whispers.

  “He seems upset.” Suzie continued to watch him. “Who do you think he’s talking to?”

  “Maybe his lawyer?” Mary scanned over the guests.

  A man who looked to be in his fifties, dressed in a navy suit and deep-emerald tie walked to the front of the room. He looked out over the sea of faces. His clean-shaven face and neatly combed hair gave the impression of a man carefully put together, but his eyes looked around with a hint of panic. He started to speak, then stopped. He cleared his throat, then tried again.

  “Hello, everyone. I know we haven’t all had a chance to meet. I’m Saul Harvish. I’m the owner of this establishment.” He stumbled over the last word, as if he’d forgotten how to pronounce it.

  Saul drew a deep breath, which caused his wide chest to stretch, threatening to burst the small white buttons on his crisp white dress shirt.

  “Thank you all for being here.” Saul paced back and forth in the narrow space between the tables and the kitchen. “I know that today’s events were shocking, and we’re grieving. It wasn’t the day any of us had planned. Still, I hope you’ll take part in the activities we’ve organized. I’ll be hosting a moonlit walk tonight, and with Pippa’s permission, we’ll end with a candlelight vigil to honor Rick’s memory.” He spread his arms wide as he looked over the people who’d begun to assemble at the tables. “Some of you may have only met Rick today, but many of us have known him for years. He and Pippa were among the first inn owners to move away from a traditional inn approach and into adventure travel. He had a big influence on me both as a business owner, and as a friend.” His voice wavered and he shook his head. “I’m sorry. I’m going to have to stop. But please enjoy the meal that Antonio has prepared for you tonight. I asked him to go off the menu and serve seared salmon. It was one of Rick’s favorite dishes. Of course, you’re welcome to choose other options.”