'Good choice,' the cabdriver said. 'Mrs. Tolvey puts on a great breakfast spread.”
“Then that will be fine'—Eve looked at the driver’s ID on the panel -'Mr.
Brendle.' She put her arm around Jane, who was leaning against her. 'Anyplace with a bed.'
'Bob. Good beds too. Mrs. Tolvey’s been running the place for over twenty years, and she changes all the mattresses every five years.'
'Incredible,' Spiro said.
'Well, they don’t get used that often.'
'Twenty years,' Joe repeated, looking at Spiro. 'My, what a coincidence.”
“Charlie’s a good man. It’s a long shot, but still we may find out something from Mrs. Tolvey.'
'Will she have enough rooms for us?' Joe asked the cabdriver. 'Six rooms. All clean as a whistle.' He nodded. 'It’s right up ahead. Two blocks.' The bed and breakfast was a large gray house with a wooden swing on the wide front porch. A light gleamed beside the storm door.
'You go on and knock.' Bob got out of the car. 'I’ll get your bags.”
“Wait,' Spiro said. 'Do you have a bar in this town?'
'You’ve got to be kidding. Four.' Bob pulled the overnight cases out of the trunk. 'You want to go get a drink first?'
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'Is there one where all the regulars go?”
“Cal Simm’s place on Third Street.'
'Take me there.' He turned to Eve. 'I want to see if I can find out anything before tomorrow.
Check me in and tell Mrs. Tolvey I’ll be along in a few hours.'
Eve nodded. To Joe, Spiro said, 'You’ll talk to Mrs. Tolvey?”
“You’d better believe it.'
The taxi was pulling away when Mrs. Tolvey opened the front door. Dressed in a pale green chenille robe, she was in her late fifties with short, curly brown hair and a wide smile.
'I saw Bob drop you off. I’m Nancy Tolvey. Need a room?”
“Three.' Joe picked up the bags and entered the foyer. 'A twin for Ms. Duncan and the little girl, a single next door for me. We have a friend who will be back a little later. We’ll check him in too.'
'Fine. But we don’t have any twins. A queen okay?' Eve nodded.
'Suppose you show Eve and Jane upstairs and I’ll stay down here to sign us in,' Joe said.
Eve picked up her and Jane’s bags, and Nancy Tolvey led the way. The room Nancy Tolvey showed Eve was clean and bright with pale green ivy twining on cream-colored wallpaper. 'No private bathroom. It’s down the hall.'
'You heard her, Jane,' Eve said. 'You shower first. I’ll bring your pajamas to you as soon as I unpack them.'
'Okay.' Jane yawned. 'I don’t know why I’m so sleepy.”
“The altitude,' Nancy Tolvey said. 'You must not be from around here.”
“We came from Phoenix.'
She nodded. 'I visited there once. Too hot. I couldn’t ever get used to that kind of climate after living here all my life.'
All her life…
Joe had told Spiro he’d talk to Nancy Tolvey, but Eve might as well do it herself. 'We’re trying to locate a family who may have lived here a long time ago. The Baldridges?'
'Baldridges?' Nancy Tolvey was silent a moment and then shook her head. 'I don’t think so. I don’t recall anyone by that name living here.' She headed for the stairs. 'I’ll bring you up some The Killing Game – Eve Duncan 02
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more bath towels.'
It had been worth a try, Eve thought. Maybe they’d find out something tomorrow.
Nancy Tolvey was frowning as she came down the stairs.
'Something wrong?' Joe asked.
She sat down at the old-fashioned writing desk in the foyer. 'It’s nothing.' She opened the guest book. 'Sign here, please. Name, address, driver’s license.' She was still frowning as she watched him register. 'You’ll share the bath with your friends. We don’t have— She closed her eyes. 'The candles…'
'I hoped you had electricity,' Joe said dryly.
Her lids flicked open. 'No, that’s not what I meant. Miss Duncan asked me about the Baldridge family, and I told her I couldn’t remember anyone around here by that name.'
