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“Stay behind us,” Mitch tossed over his shoulder to Lauren, as he overtook Harry on the stairs.
She didn’t think that would be a problem. The scream had sounded terrified and she didn’t want to be first on the scene, but she didn’t want to be left alone down in the foyer, either.
Lauren raced up the stairs behind Harry.
“There!” Donna pointed to the end of the hall with a shaking finger.
A figure lay crumpled on the floor.
“What’s happened?” Donna’s sister asked her, coming out of their suite.
“I – I don’t know,” Donna sobbed. “I heard a noise and came out to see what it was, and I saw Edna lying there!”
“Edna?” Harry sped past Mitch to the female on the floor. “No, not Edna!”
“Let me see.” Mitch joined him. “I’m a detective.”
Lauren bit her lip, watching Mitch check for a pulse.
He gravely shook his head. “I’m sorry.” He placed a hand on Harry’s shoulder.
“No.” A tear rolled down Harry’s lined face. “It can’t be. She was so excited to be opening this place. Said it was her lifelong dream to run a bed and breakfast. She thought having this contest would help put us on the map.”
Mitch helped Harry to his feet.
“I’m sorry,” Lauren said awkwardly.
“I have to call this in.” Mitch pulled out his cell phone, then looked at Lauren. “I need you to take everyone downstairs to the foyer. I’ll be there in a moment.”
Lauren nodded, hearing Mitch explain their situation on his cell.
“I can’t believe this.” Barbara looked around wildly. “Who could have done it?”
“I don’t know,” Harry said brokenly, following Lauren down the stairs. “Edna didn’t have an enemy in the world. She was so full of vim and vigor. What am I going to do without her?”
Lauren’s heart went out to him. What would her reaction be if that was Mitch or Zoe or Annie lying there on the hall floor? But it wasn’t, she told herself. Thank goodness.
They all sat down in the foyer and looked at each other. Mitch hurried down the stairs.
“The police will be here soon. Detective Castern as well.”
Lauren groaned inwardly. The officer had been in charge of the last murder in Gold Leaf Valley and had seemed keen to solve it quickly. She just hoped he didn’t think she or Mitch were suspects in Edna’s death.
“How—” Donna cleared her throat. “How did she – Edna – die?”
“It looks like blunt force trauma to the head,” Mitch replied. “But we won’t know for sure until the medical examiner completes his report.”
“Why?” Harry looked up at Mitch, who stood while everyone else sat down on the antique sofas. “Why would someone kill my Edna?”
“I don’t know,” Mitch said gently. “Has she had disagreements with anyone recently?”
“No.” Harry shook his head. “We’ve been so busy here, sprucing the place up, we haven’t had much contact with people, except when we’ve gone into Zeke’s Ridge to get supplies.”
“Ah.” Mitch nodded.
“What does that mean?” Barbara asked eagerly.
“Just that,” Mitch replied. “When Detective Castern arrives, he’ll probably take everyone’s statement.”
“Then what will happen?” Donna asked, her eyes wide.
“I’m not sure,” Mitch told her. “We’ll have to wait and see.”
Lauren knew that Mitch had run plenty of investigations, and had been involved in solving murders as well. She was certain he knew what would happen next. Maybe he didn’t want to second guess Detective Castern’s investigative methods or share too much information with potential suspects.
“Maybe we should have something to drink,” Lauren offered hesitantly. “Like a—”
“Good idea.” Barbara rose and crossed to the wooden antique hutch where a crystal decanter with matching snifters resided. “My nerves definitely need to be settled.”
“I meant a cup of hot tea – or hot chocolate,” Lauren protested. “With plenty of sugar.” She knew that sugar could help with the shock of stumbling across a murder victim.
The splash of the golden cognac into the snifter seemed to catch their attention as Barbara poured herself a stiff drink.
“That was Edna’s idea,” Harry mourned. “She thought it would add real class to have some expensive brandy down here and offer it to the guests.”
“Harry?” Barbara tilted the heavy looking decanter in his direction. “Want one?”
“I think Lauren’s idea of a hot chocolate might be better,” Mitch said. “We can all go into the kitchen together while we wait for law enforcement.”
“But you’re law enforcement,” Donna pointed out.
“And my job is to keep you all together,” he told her.
“What do you do, Lauren?” Donna enquired.
“I run a café with my cousin in Gold Leaf Valley,” she replied. “And with Annie, my cat.” The thought of her fluffy silver tabby brought a tiny smile to her face.
The sound of a vehicle pulling up outside a few seconds later brought Lauren a measure of relief. She trusted Mitch to do his job well but reinforcements couldn’t be a bad thing, could they?
Detective Castern strode into the foyer, flanked by two uniformed officers. After a quick conversation with Mitch in low tones, the middle-aged man hurried up the staircase, one officer following him. The other officer stayed behind in the foyer.
“What’s going to happen?” Lauren asked Mitch.
“Castern will question us all once he’s seen the vic – Edna,” he murmured.
Barbara swallowed the rest of her drink in a big gulp. “Excellent cognac,” she pronounced.
“Barbara, please.” Donna nudged her.
“Harry should have some.” Barbara poured some into another glass and held it out to him.
“Thanks,” he replied wanly, and took a sip.
Barbara made to pour some more for herself, but Mitch stopped her.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he told her.
“He’s right,” Donna chimed in. “Come and sit down next to me.” She put an arm around her sister and guided her to the sofa.
“What is my husband going to say about this?” Barbara sniffed. “The first chance we have to get away and have some time to ourselves and this – this happens!”
Detective Castern came down the stairs. “I’ll see you one at a time,” he informed them. “Starting with you, Denman.” He looked at Mitch.
The officer who had gone up stairs with Detective Castern seemed to have remained up there. Probably guarding the scene, Lauren thought.
Detective Castern and Mitch went outside on the porch, closing the door behind them. A few minutes later, Mitch returned, his mouth set in a firm line.
“Your turn,” he murmured to Lauren, gesturing to the front door.
Lauren walked slowly outside. She didn’t know what she could tell the detective. With a feeling of relief, she realized she and Mitch were each other’s alibi. Surely the detective would only take a brief statement from her, especially since he worked with Mitch?
Detective Castern did not seem pleased to see her. He quizzed her about winning the second prize of two nights in the Queen suite, and exactly what her and Mitch’s movements had been since they had left Gold Leaf Valley that afternoon.
He seemed especially interested in what time they had gone out to dinner, and if Edna had still been alive then.
“Of course she was,” Lauren protested. “We were all in the foyer – apart from Harry. Mitch, me, Donna, and Barbara. That was just before seven-thirty.” She felt guilty for mentioning Harry’s absence at that time, but she didn’t want to lie or leave anything out.
After jotting down the details of the restaurant she and Mitch had visited, he finally told her she could go. Mitch would take her home to Gold Leaf Valley.
“You might as well forget about staying here this weekend,” he told her. “This place is going to be closed until further notice.”
Poor Harry. Lauren’s knees wobbled as she walked back into the house.
“Are you okay?” Mitch asked, scanning her expression.
She nodded. “Detective Castern said we can go home now.”
“Yeah.”
“What about our things in our room?”
“Have they found the murder weapon yet?” Barbara’s question broke into their conversation.
“You’ll have to ask Detective Castern that,” Mitch replied. He held out his hand to Lauren. “Let’s see if we can grab our stuff.”
She followed him up the staircase, averting her eyes as she reached the top. She did not want to see Edna lying on the floor.
The officer stood guard near the murder scene.
“Is it okay to get our bags from our room?” Mitch asked him. “Castern said we could go home.”
“Yes, I guess so.” The officer scratched his head. “He hasn’t told me you can’t, and besides, you’re one of us.”
“Thanks.” Mitch gave him a brief smile, then ushered Lauren into the room.
She packed her weekend bag, then scanned the room to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything.
“All set?” Mitch asked, zipping shut his bag.
“Yes,” she replied, sadly looking around the posh bedroom – no, suite. That’s what Edna had called it.
“Everything’s going to be okay,” he reassured her.
“Not for Harry.”
“No. Not for Harry.” There was regret in his voice.