A Timely Vision

“Someone’s sitting at the desk, all right,” Kevin said. “I think he or she has been here for a long time.”

Chapter 7

Tim and Kevin hustled Shayla and me out of the room before calling the police. When Chief Michaels finally arrived, he came trudging up the stairs rather than using the elevator. Who knew the chief and I had a fear of elevators in common? Not that he’d admit it.

“I don’t understand why we couldn’t look around a bit,” Shayla complained from the floor where she’d plopped down at least half an hour earlier. “You both have police training. They wouldn’t have known we were in there.”

“It’s about crime-scene preservation,” Tim began. He paced up and down the dark hall ranting about people who disturb crime scenes and how difficult it makes life for police officers. “Don’t you agree, Brickman?”

“Yes. Otherwise I’d be in there cleaning out that mess.”

“Imagine whoever it is being in there all this time,” I added. “We thought Duck had a low homicide rate. Instead, dead people are lurking everywhere.”

“I’m sure that’s not the case, Mayor.” The chief came out of the room as another man came up behind him. “This is Agent Brooks Walker of the SBI. He’s here to check this out with us.”

Agent Walker shook my hand briefly. He was a short man, barely five feet. I could see his graying brown hair in the flashlight beams as several other Duck police officers joined us. “Mayor O’Donnell. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I wish it were under better circumstances. You seem to have a knack for finding dead people.”

I was about to vigorously defend myself when Kevin stepped in and shook hands with him. “It looks like we meet again, Agent Walker. Whatever bad luck Mayor O’Donnell is going through right now, I seem to be part of it too.”

Agent Walker looked up at Kevin, and a small smile appeared on his mouth. “Yes, that much is evident. Who are these people?”

Tim introduced Shayla, then said, “We already met, Agent Walker. I’m Officer Mabry, the chief’s assistant.”

“That’s right. I knew I recognized you.” Walker shook his hand, then glanced around the crowded hall as he put on some latex gloves. “Let’s take a look at what we’ve got here, gentlemen.”

Two hours later, Shayla and I were still waiting to find out what was going on. The chief had informed us as delicately as he could that he didn’t want us to leave the Blue Whale until they’d had a look at the crime scene, in case he had any questions. Kevin and Tim had become part of the group investigating upstairs while we waited downstairs in the bar.

“You think they like us for the murder?” Shayla asked as she sipped a Coke.

“You watch too much TV.”

“There’s nothing else to do out here in the winter. I’m lucky if I have one or two tarot readings a week. What do you do?”

“I read. Books, not palms or cards. Once in a while, I watch TV or help Gramps work on the boat. Last winter, I painted the house. You know that.”

“Sounds to me like your life is as boring as mine. Without tourists, we’re nothing.”

It was a depressing thought but one I knew many permanent residents (especially those with businesses) agreed with. People talked all the time about ways to bring tourists down to the Outer Banks in the winter. It never quite seemed to happen. I was glad I didn’t make it a campaign promise.

“How long does it take to do this anyway?” Shayla whined.

I heard the squeak of the old elevator. “Sounds like it must be done. Quit slumping over that drink and sit up straight.”

“Yes, Mom.”

Kevin, Tim and Agent Walker entered the bar as we heard the elevator heading back up to the third floor. “Where did you say you found that gun, Brickman?” Agent Walker asked.

“It was behind the old cash register.” Kevin showed him the secret drawer. “I was fooling around and found it.”

I started to speak but managed to catch myself. This might be one time where showing off wasn’t to my advantage. Kevin seemed all right with the idea of me telling the SBI the full truth about finding Miss Elizabeth. Why was he protecting me now?

“We’ll have to keep the gun until ballistics has a look at it.” Agent Walker barely glanced at the secret drawer. “I expect there are plenty of secret passages and places in here. My granddad used to help raid these old hotels regularly during the twenties and thirties. Probably found a still or two out here too.”

“I haven’t done much on the upper floors,” Kevin said. “This is the only secret compartment I’ve found so far.”

Agent Walker nodded, obviously beginning to get bored with the conversation. “Well, it’s a nice place, Brickman. I don’t know why anyone would give up your position with the FBI for this, but to each his own, I always say.”

Shayla and I were apparently not to be questioned by the SBI. Probably because we were with Kevin and Tim when we found the dead person. It probably helped that the person had been dead for a long time. I shuddered, thinking about the skeletal form at the desk.

When Agent Walker had left the bar, Shayla pounced on Kevin. “What happened? Who’s dead now?”

“A man by the name of John Simpson, according to his wallet,” he said. “It looked like he’d been shot once in the back of the head. Whoever did it was secure about leaving his personal possessions with him. All his personal effects were intact.”

Tim frowned. “Why didn’t Agent Walker tell me? You’re not even a real FBI agent anymore.”

“Are you saying that’s Wild Johnny Simpson up there?” I demanded in disbelief. How often is it that you come face-to-face with a legend?

“You mean, you know that guy?” Shayla seemed amazed. Of course, she wasn’t from Duck and hadn’t grown up with all of the stories I’d heard about the two sisters and their lover.

“Not personally,” I explained. “It’s like folklore around here. Everyone knows about Miss Elizabeth and Wild Johnny Simpson.”

“Well, I don’t know about it, and Kevin probably doesn’t either. I think we should go get a drink and discuss it.” Shayla smiled at her date.

“I could make us a drink right here,” he said.

“Please! There’s a dead guy upstairs. It was bad enough that I had to see him. And smell him.” Shayla grabbed her purse. “Let’s get out of here.”

We decided to walk back to Wild Stallions since it would be the only place open this late. Somehow as we walked down the narrow road between the heavy bushes, Shayla ended up in front with Tim, and I found myself in back with Kevin. Except for the sound of the ocean, the night was quiet. Most of the traffic on Duck Road was already gone.

“I hope you don’t mind that I took credit for finding the hidden drawer,” he said.

“I was a little curious about why you did it. You were the one who told me I should be honest with Agent Walker tomorrow.” I corrected myself: “I mean, today.”

“I know. But it’s my place, and I felt like I should take the responsibility. I can correct it, if you want me to.”

“That’s all right. I guess I’ll have enough to talk about with Agent Walker at our interview.”

“That’s what I was thinking.” He glanced around as the steady breeze stirred the bushes near us. “This place has atmosphere, doesn’t it? Even without finding a thirty-year-old corpse in the inn.”

“He wasn’t thirty,” I corrected. “He had to be in his sixties when he was killed. He would’ve been about the same age as the sisters.”