The Inn at Holiday Bay: Boxes in the Basement Read online

  “I just moved here. I bought the big house on the bluff. My name is Abby Sullivan.”

  “Denver Thomas,” he replied. “I heard someone bought the bluff house. You’ve taken on quite the project.”

  I wished people would stop saying that. It was causing all sorts of angst I wasn’t prepared to deal with. I made a noncommittal reply, then asked about the girl whose body had been found in the woods.

  “Darcy Jared.”

  I nodded as I took another sip of the beer. “I understand she left here on foot the night she disappeared. This town seems like the sort of place one could walk around at night and not be in danger. I’m sorry to find out that isn’t the case.”

  “I don’t think the town or its residents are the problem,” Denver replied as he began to wipe the already spotless bar. “Darcy was a friendly girl. Overly friendly, in my opinion. Her habit of striking up conversations with the customers from out of the area was the main reason she received such big tips, but I warned her more than once that being too familiar with folks she didn’t know had the potential to get her into trouble.”

  “So you think she was killed by someone who was passing through?”

  He picked up a different rag and began drying glasses. “Had to have been. There isn’t anyone around here who would do such a thing.”

  “I don’t suppose you have a theory as to who might have killed her?”

  He looked at me with suspicion on his face. “You some kind of a cop?”

  “Mystery writer.”

  “Oh, sure,” he said, although he continued to look cool. “Guess being the curious sort is part of the job.”

  “Yes, I guess it is.” I slipped a twenty out of my purse and set it on the bar.

  He glanced down at it, then began to speak again. “I can’t say who might have killed Darcy. At least not for sure. There was a group in the bar that night from somewhere way south. I think I heard South Carolina. They were on their way to a hunting lodge north of here to do some kind of male bonding thing. Planned to be there for several weeks. Anyway, they drank a lot, and with an overabundance of alcohol comes a lowering of inhibitions. The drunker they got, the more money they tossed around. Darcy was all over it. Flirting and whatnot. One of the guys got a little handsy, but she handled it. Still, I noticed that when she rejected him, he gave her a look.”

  I raised a brow. “What kind of look?”

  “You know. The kind that promises that while he might be willing to take a break, things weren’t over between them just yet.”

  “You were working that night?”

  “No. I work days. I was here with a couple of friends. We have a pretty heated darts tournament going on.”

  I turned to the back wall, where several dartboards were hung. “I don’t suppose you caught the name of the guy who gave Darcy the look?”

  “Nope. And if I did know it, I wouldn’t say. At least not to you. A little girl like you ought not to get involved in tracking down a coldblooded killer, no matter how curious you are,” he scolded. “This town survives on its reputation as a warm, cozy small town with buildings made of gingerbread and roads made of cotton candy. Finding another little girl dead in the woods wouldn’t be good for business at all, now would it?”

  I wanted to assure him that I could handle myself but rolled my eyes instead. He was a chauvinist who would never understand it didn’t take testosterone to be self-sufficient. I found I wasn’t in the mood for a beer after all and left the twenty on the bar, got up, and went back to my car.

  I’d just gotten back at the cottage when Lonnie called to let me know he could be by in an hour if that was convenient. I made a quick sandwich while I waited for him. I had to admit I was a little nervous. After talking to Lonnie about the possibilities the house had to offer, I’d become really excited about tackling everything right away. I just hoped I could afford to do that. I didn’t know a lot about home remodel and repair, but it seemed as if renovating a couple of rooms could eat up most of my budget.

  I expected Lonnie and Sadie to show up with a document several pages in length given the scope of the project; what I didn’t expect was for him to have not only a very detailed bid but a binder with photos, drawings, material and color samples, and even a section on redoing the outdoor space come spring.

  “Wow,” I said. “You’re really are thorough.”

  “This is a major renovation. You’ll have a lot of choices to make. Not only in terms of finances and priorities, but also colors, materials, overall concept. I wanted you to have everything you needed to help bring your vision to life.”

  I’d never been involved in a remodel before, large or small, but from the work he’d already done, I could see why he’d been so highly recommended when I’d asked around town. “This is great. So great. I don’t even know where to start.”

  “You might want to start with the budget, although I think you should be sitting down when you do. Don’t let the total freak you out. You don’t have to do everything I’ve priced out, and even for the things you decide to go ahead with, you don’t have to do everything at once.”

  I opened the binder and found the tab labeled budget. Hello six figures. Not that I was surprised by the amount exactly, but it was sobering to see it written down in black ink.

  “If you look here,” Lonnie pointed to additional tabs, “I have things broken down several different ways. If you want to know how much it would cost to do just the floors, you can look at the flooring tab, which takes into consideration several options from refinishing to replacing. If you prefer to tackle things by room, I have budgets worked out for each room, depending on which materials you choose. I know the cost as a whole is overwhelming, but if you break it down, I hope you’ll find it manageable.”

  I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. I looked at the total again, then leafed through each page. Lonnie had done a thorough job. I felt a mild panic attack coming on but fought it down. I knew what I wanted and I knew how to get it. At least I thought I did. I took another breath and then looked up at Lonnie. “Okay.”

  “Okay to which part?”

  “All of it,” I said with more conviction than I felt. “I bought this house with the intention of refurbishing it, so let’s refurbish it.”

  “You did notice the cost at the bottom of the page?”

  I nodded. “It’s a lot of money, I admit, but I’m looking forward to the project. I know it’s going to cost a lot, and it might make sense to do the renovations spread out over time, but I can’t continue to do construction after I begin renting out the rooms, so I think we should go for it and get it all done up front. What I’d like to do now is come up with a plan so I can work out a budget and a timeline.”

  Lonnie hugged me hard enough to chase the breath from my chest. “Thank you. I can’t begin to tell you how much this means to me.”

  I hugged him back, trying to catch some air as I did so. “It means a lot to me as well. You really have no idea. When can we start?”

  “How about Monday? I’ll need to get materials ordered, but there’s a lot of teardown to see to, and we can start that right away.”

  “Monday works for me. I think I’d like to start with the kitchen. It’s the most expensive part, so I’d like to get it out of the way.”

  “Sounds workable.”

  “I’ve been fooling around with some sketches I feel will make the most of the space. My number-one priority is windows. A lot of them. I want to be able to see all the way down the coast. I’m also going to want to convert the fireplaces to gas, as we talked about. I’ll leave the pacing of the renovations to you once we get started. How long do you think it will take to complete? I’d love to be able to begin renting rooms by this summer.”

  Lonnie paused before he answered. I liked the fact that he was really thinking about my question, not just spouting off the answer he thought I was looking for. “We can certainly shoot for late June or early July. I’m going to start lining up subcontract
ors right away. As long as we don’t run into any unforeseen problems, we should be able to get the place finished by the time the tourist season really kicks in. I’d like to walk through the house again to make some decisions that will help me line up materials and subcontractors.”

  We agreed the kitchen would be a total gut job. It would be fun to start from scratch, but I’d need to pick out cabinets, countertops, flooring, and appliances. I also wanted to convert one of the half baths on the first floor into a walk-in pantry. It was an awkward room anyway and would provide a lot of additional storage. In terms of aesthetic appeal, the most important thing would be to remove the small slider off the kitchen and put in a bank of French doors that would bring in a lot of natural light.

  I wanted a lighter feel overall in the kitchen and eating area, so we talked about sanding down the dark floors and refinishing them in a lighter shade. The cabinets would be dark, the granite for the countertops light, and the walls painted a neutral color to tie everything together. I was a little disappointed we couldn’t remove the wall separating the kitchen from the dining area to create an open concept, but once I started having guests, a division between work and eating space would be preferable. Once the glass doors were added, the space was going to be bright and cheery even without the open concept.

  As for the upstairs, I definitely wanted to go with the four suites. It made sense to offer fewer luxury units rather than more with shared baths. Each suite would have sleeping and sitting areas with a gas fireplace, as well as a private balcony and jetted tub. I loved the idea of a library for the common room on the second floor and a seating area for the smaller common room on the third floor. I’d been calling the room on the first floor near the entry the game room in my mind, so I referred to the one on the third floor as the parlor. For some reason, I felt it important that each room have its own name. I even planned to name the suites once I’d given it some thought.

  After we’d gone through the entire house, I walked Lonnie out to his truck. He paused and looked at me. “I have something to say I’m not sure I should.”

  “It’s okay. What is it?”

  “Lacy called me after you left today. She told me what happened. With the baby. She felt terrible and wanted me to make sure you understood how very sorry she was.”

  I placed my hand on Lonnie’s arm. “I know. She didn’t do anything wrong and it wasn’t her fault. Most of the time I’m fine, but every now and then, everything comes rushing back.” I took a moment to gather my thoughts. “I like Lacy. I want us to be friends and I don’t want her to feel weird around me. I need to be okay. I need to move on with my life. I need to be able to hold and enjoy someone else’s baby.”

  Lonnie put his hand on my shoulder. “Lacy suggested you come to dinner on Sunday. It’ll give the two of you time to visit and spend some time with the kids. I can’t imagine what you’re going through. I guess no one can who hasn’t experienced what you have. But Lacy and I are here for you. Anything you need.”

  I smiled. “I’d like that. Really. But if I come to dinner, you have to promise you won’t treat me like a piece of glass. I’ve had enough of the kid gloves treatment to last a lifetime.”

  “Got it. With my boys, I can promise glass isn’t something that lasts long in our house anyway. I’ll have Lacy call to set things up.”

  “I’m looking forward to it.”

  I was relieved to have this huge project to focus on, and now that we were getting details down on paper, I was even more excited and terrified. The success of this enterprise would depend on having the right person to run the inn, which I was afraid might be hard to do. The right person would be cheerful, organized, creative, and a master in the kitchen. He or she would need to have excellent customer service skills and be adept with finances. I hoped I’d find someone who would be as passionate about the inn as Lonnie was. I began to list the skills and personality traits I was looking for. I’d need someone experienced and mature, maybe fifty-five to sixty-five, a grandmotherly type looking for a second career as she eased into retirement. I’d begun to list additional attributes my perfect candidate would possess when Georgia Carter showed up at my door and my list went out the window.

  “Are you Abby Sullivan?” A tiny pixie with huge blue eyes and long blond hair that looked like a halo under the setting sun asked when I answered the knock on my door.

  “I am.”

  “I’m Georgia Carter, and this,” the girl, who looked as if she couldn’t be more than twenty-five but I suspected might be older, turned to the huge black dog beside her, “is Ramos.”

  I wondered why this girl and the dog, who had to outweigh her by a good fifty pounds, were standing on my front porch. I was about to ask when she continued.

  “I spoke to Velma at the diner. She thought you might have a job, and maybe even a place for Ramos and me to stay.”

  “A job? I’m afraid there’s been a misunderstanding. I don’t have either, and while I do plan to turn the big house into an inn, we’re months away from that.”

  Georgia looked at the big house. “You’re going to open an inn?”

  “Eventually.”

  “I’m an excellent cook and I’m good with people.”

  I paused as I considered my reply. “I will be hiring someone to cook and manage the inn, but as I said, I’m quite a while away from opening. I haven’t even started the renovations yet.”

  “Which is another thing I’m here to inquire about. I don’t have a contractor’s license, but I’ve worked on a lot of crews and I’m good with a hammer.”

  I hesitated, unsure how to proceed.

  “And I’ll work cheap.” Georgia looked at the ancient Ford truck I assumed she was driving. “Ramos and I have been on the road for a while. We’ve taken on odd jobs along the way, including the construction jobs I referred to. I’m a hard worker and I know I can do a good job for you, whatever you need me to do.” She looked me in the eye. “Ramos and I just rolled into town and we really need a place to stay that will allow dogs.”

  I hesitated.

  “Please. We’ve been on the road for over a year, but there’s something about this place that feels right. Do you know what I mean?”

  Actually, I did know what she meant. And I recognized the look in her eyes that, despite her outward cheerfulness, clearly communicated fatigue and despair.

  “We can bunk anywhere,” she added. “If there’s a room in the house you plan to renovate that we can use for the time being, that would be great. I could sleep in my truck, but it’s started to get cold at night.”

  “You said you’ve been on the road. Where are you from originally?”

  “Boston. I lived within twenty miles of the house I grew up in until a year ago, when…” she hesitated, “when my world was turned upside down and I found myself broke, homeless, and suddenly single after seven years of marriage. I know you don’t know me and you have no reason to help me, but I promise you that if you take a chance on me, I won’t let you down.”

  I thought about the second bedroom in the cottage and my air mattress, which I’d no longer need now that I had a bed. “I’ve hired a general contractor to take care of the renovations in the main house, so you’ll need to talk to him about a job, but I do have a spare room. You and Ramos are welcome to stay with me for a few days, at least while you sort everything out.”

  The girl’s face lit up. “Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to us.”

  I did know how much it meant to her. While I hadn’t ended up broke or homeless, I too had found my world shattered a year ago, and I’d been looking for a place to rebuild my life ever since. Perhaps Georgia and I were kindred spirits, meant to share a moment while we found a new footing. I stepped aside to allow her and her dog to enter the cottage. “Does Ramos like cats?”

  Georgia looked around the room. “Ramos is fine with cats. Do you have one?”

  Did I? I hadn’t definitely decided to keep the cat, but I couldn’t kick him o
ut in the snow any more than I could leave this poor girl and her dog out in the cold. “For the time being,” I finally answered as I realized my solitary life had suddenly become very crowded indeed.

  ******

  Later that evening, I settled in with my laptop. I wasn’t sure Annie would respond to my emails, but I’d given it some thought and decided that even if she didn’t, I was still going to send them. She was my sister, after all, and despite everything between us, that would always be the case.

  I knew Mama would want us to stay in touch. Sisters were God’s way of ensuring we’d always have a friend. I suppose we were both to blame for the rift that had torn us apart, but I was finally at the point where I was willing to work past the part that was mine, if only she’d be willing to do the same with the part that was hers.

  My fingers hovered above the keyboard as I contemplated where to start. I wasn’t certain Annie would ever read this, so I’d keep it short. I could hear Rufus purring next to me. I found his presence gave me comfort and, in an odd way, the courage, to do what I needed to do. And it gave me a topic with which to begin.

  Dear Annie,

  You’ll never believe this, but I’ve adopted a cat. Actually, the cat adopted me. His name is Rufus and he’s huge. He’s somewhat opinionated and pushy, but he’s a real sweetie as well. I can’t wait for you to meet him. He sort of reminds me of that old cat Mrs. Green had when we lived next door to her before Dad left. Of course, Rufus isn’t full of the devil the way Mrs. Green’s old cat was.

  I hope you’ll be able to come out and visit soon. I want to share my view with you, and I want you to see that I’m okay. I have an extra room, so you can stay as long as you want. Well, there’s currently a homeless waif and a giant dog living in the extra room, but if you come, I’ll make room for you.

  Things with the house are going well. I’ve hired a general contractor to handle the remodel. I really think the place is going to be amazing. I’ve attached a few photos of the house and the town so you can start to get a feel for my new life. I have difficult moments every now and then, which is to be expected, but overall, I’m happy. Please be happy for me.