Two weeks into April, Grandfather’s profile still has white caps. Celeste Adams tore herself away from the mountain scenery outside her office window and sat behind the desk. Winter had produced a record snowfall and brought a steady stream of skiers to her small hotel. Yet, she found herself longing for warmer days and with them, more Blue Ridge Parkway traffic and weddings to host. She clicked a shortcut on her computer screen to bring up her financial spreadsheet. Despite a rockslide closing the road for several days and the homicide she’d rather forget, Gran Vista had a stable profit margin. Good amenities and pillowtop mattresses can offset a murder, I suppose.
Her buzzing intercom interrupted those thoughts.
“Yes, Maddie.”
“Arnold Penny on line one,” her desk clerk responded.
“Thank you.”
She poised her index finger over the flashing light. Arnold Penny owned Granny Belle’s Apples, one of her locally sourced food vendors. My bill is paid. I wonder what he needs. She pressed the button.
“This is Celeste Adams. How may I help you, Mr. Penny?”
“I want to book some rooms for a family meeting,” he said. She jerked the receiver away from her ear. He had a voice fit for an outdoor rock concert.
The request piqued her curiosity. Surely, he can accommodate his relatives in Penny Manor. Locals had assigned the moniker to his sprawling hilltop mansion overlooking his orchards.
“If you’ll give me a date,” she said. “I’ll check my reservations calendar for what we have available.”
“As soon as possible,” he said. “I can’t wait too long on this.”
His tone and choice of words tended more toward a business conference than a family get-together. She double-clicked the calendar on her desktop computer.
“I have one suite, one king-sized room, and four standard double rooms unreserved through this weekend. From Sunday on, we only have a few unbooked rooms for the remainder of April.”
“Fine. Put me down for four rooms this weekend. I’ll take the king-sized room and three standards. We’ll be checking in Friday afternoon and checking out Sunday morning.”
Celeste selected the four rooms and tapped the reserve button. “You’re booked,” she said. “Would you like your total cost?”
“Price doesn’t worry me,” he said. “I’d rather spend a little more money with a local concern than give it to one of those chain motels. Besides, you’re a customer of mine. One good turn deserves another, right? I’m sending my nephew, Lucas over there to pay the bill.”
“Sounds good,” she said. “Call me if you need anything else between now and next weekend.”
Before her last word had rolled off her tongue, his end of the line had gone dead. He didn’t say goodbye. Still, his considering her a local concern did her heart good. Six years seemed like a short time since she and her late husband had left life in Raleigh behind to purchase and renovate the hotel.
Maddie appeared at her door. “Large booking?” she asked.
“Yes, a family meeting, according to Mr. Penny. I’ve reserved the rooms, and Lucas will be by to prepay the bill.”
Her young employee twirled her dark curls with a pencil. “For some reason, I thought Lucas was Mr. Penny’s sole relative. The rest of the clan must have moved off to other places.”
“I wonder why he would need to house his family at our hotel? His house must have more than four bedrooms.”
Maddie’s eyebrows shot up over her red-rimmed glasses. “As it happens, I know he’s remodeling. My older brother works for the electrical contractors Mr. Penny hired.”
Celeste found Maddie’s news surprising. A few members of the local arts council called him Mr. Pennypincher. She’d never subscribed to their musings. Busloads of tour groups visiting his orchard to pick apples and purchase apple-related products didn’t necessarily equate to vast wealth. People might think I’m wealthy because I own a hotel. If they only knew.
“My brother said it was a wonder the sixty-five-year-old wiring hadn’t caused a fire.” She started to leave but stopped to add, “Can you imagine anything that old still working?”
“Yes, it’s amazing,” Celeste said. I’m that old and still working.
Fifteen minutes later, Lucas Penny walked through the front door. He wore his usual work uniform, a navy blue blazer with Granny Belle’s logo embroidered on the top pocket. When he ran a hand through his thick, dark hair, she saw a few silver strands. Lucas can’t be old enough for gray hair, can he? He favored his uncle—average height, square jaw, and thin lips.
She overheard him saying his Uncle Arnold had sent him over to pay a bill. She also heard him mention the party room. Maddie cracked Celeste’s door enough to stick her head inside.
“Mr. Penny would also like to rent our party room next Saturday.”
Celeste didn’t have to consult her booking calendar. The room, used most often during wedding season, would be free for another few weeks.
“He can have the whole day if he needs it, and give him a twenty percent discount off the usual price.”
As Arnold had said, “One good turn deserves another.” And he’s in a position to recommend my hotel to tourists.
“We’ll have a catered lunch delivered at noon,” she heard Lucas say. “And our business should conclude around two p.m.”
Maddie gave him the adjusted price, and he paid it without complaint. As he was leaving, he waved and smiled at Celeste through the office window. She reciprocated with her own gesture. Nice guy. Arnold is lucky to have Lucas taking care of his affairs.
“Do you think it’s odd for him to book rooms for the whole weekend to have a two-hour meeting? My sixth sense is telling me he has a big surprise for them,” Maddie said.
“My suspicious mind is rubbing off on you, Maddie. However, if Arnold Penny wants to bring his family to our hotel for the weekend—for whatever reason—he’s welcome here.”