I resolved to be more forthcoming with Mac about my plans for the future. I knew that I wanted him in it and we wouldn’t make it if I kept trying to hide who I was.
I allowed myself five minutes. I knew I would be missed if I stayed any longer and didn’t want to be found with a red nose and swollen eyes. I went into the bathroom to splash water on my face. The dogs trailed after me and watched quietly.
“Okay, guys,” I said at the door. “I’ll be back soon—you be good.” Both dogs wore the forlorn expression of being left behind.
A loud swell of voices greeted me as I walked in. I was only able to distinguish two sounds: Mac’s deep rumble and Vi’s “I knew it!”
I rushed to the lounge and straight toward Mac. I had to touch him to be sure he was really there; my imagination had run so wild. His face was bleeding and he was developing a black eye, but he was safe. My vision became blurry and I turned away from the watching crowd to hug Mac and get control of myself. Mac seemed surprised at my tearful greeting but held me close until I was ready to face the rest of the gang.
Kirk stood to the side, clutching Emmett’s arm and glowering. He also looked like he’d been in a brawl, with scrapes on his face and a split lip.
Emmett appeared worst of all. His nose was bent at an odd angle and dripped blood onto his coat. He held his right arm carefully cradled in his left and kept his eyes on the ground.
Officer Harris had followed me into the room and quickly took control of Emmett. He handed him off to one of the other officers and went out into the hallway with Kirk and Mac.
“What are they talking about out there?” Vi said. She sat up and stretched her neck to see over her admirers. “Mac was just getting to the good part, where Emmett crashed into a tree and they had to chase him through the woods.”
“That must be why I didn’t hear them return,” I said.
Mom nodded. “They had to walk back through all that snow and Emmett tried to get away twice!”
“Emmett was the one stashing the cell phones,” Seth mumbled through a mouthful of cookie. He sat with Vi’s plate on his lap.
“I can’t believe we’ve been staying here right under the nose of a thief and a murderer!” Mavis said. She sat down next to Selma, who nodded and patted Mavis on the back.
Holly rushed into the room. “I heard they’re back, where are they?”
“They’re talking to the police in the front room,” Isabel said.
“Is he all right?” Holly said.
“Who? Emmett?” Mom said.
“No, Kirk!” she said.
Heather and Tina narrowed their eyes at her.
“He’s fine,” Dad said. “A little beat up, but Emmett looks worse.”
Wally stepped forward and talked quietly to Holly. She sat in a chair by the door and mangled her apron in her lap.
She jumped up as Mac and Kirk came back into the room. She gasped when she saw his cuts and bruises and he quietly reassured her that he was fine.
He put his arm around her and they stepped out into the hallway.
Vi waved Mac over to the couch and imperiously patted the spot next to her. He glanced at me and sheepishly sat with her.
“Now tell us the story,” Vi demanded.
Mom nodded, and the rest of the crowd murmured agreement.
Mac wasn’t used to reporting to civilians on his cases, but he did an admirable job of reassuring them that everything was wrapped up without giving away too much.
“Emmett and Linda were involved in a stolen cell phone ring,” Mac began.
“Linda?” Mom asked.
“Rose! Let the man tell his story,” Vi said.
“Yes, Linda. She needed money to keep the inn going,” Mac said. “Apparently there were a lot of necessary repairs and they don’t have the kind of steady business to support costly renovations.”
I remembered how proud Linda was of the antiques and artwork. She must have been desperate to save it all.
“When Clarissa moved here after her father died, it became clear that she had the majority stake in ownership and that her vision for the future of the castle was very different from Linda’s.”
Isabel shook her head and her mouth pulled down into a frown.
“Her father, David, had loaned some money to Linda back when they first opened and that gave him the majority ownership. He had promised to keep it as a handshake deal, but Clarissa got wind of it and made him formalize the agreement.”
Mac nodded thanks to Wally, who handed him a mug of hot coffee.
“Emmett told us he thought Linda may have killed Clarissa because that fight they had on Wednesday was about selling off some of the art work and antiques to fund Clarissa’s spa project.” Mac turned to where I stood next to Mom and Dad. “He didn’t tell us the whole story—he knew what the meeting was about because Linda told him they would have to get a good price for the cell phones so she could buy Clarissa off.”
“Linda found me in the turret room with Duchess.” Vi interrupted Mac’s story. “She thought I was trying to get information from the cat, but I wasn’t. Duchess had just come in the room and I was petting her, but not trying to interview her.”