Room for Murder (Book 4 in the Lighthouse Inn Mysteries) by Tim Myers Page B

the steel steps in single
file, Mor’s tool belt clanking a little each time as he moved. When
they got to the top landing, the handyman said, “Now let me take a
look at this.”
    Mor killed the circuit breaker tucked over
by the door going up to the lens itself, then unscrewed the switch
and hooked it up to a meter secured onto his belt.
    “ Is that the problem?” Alex
asked.
    Mor studied the readings for a second,
handed the old switch to Alex, then said, “It’s deader than a
doornail.” Alex had dreaded changing the button to a modern switch,
so he was delighted when Mor pulled a replica out of his shirt
pocket.
    Alex asked, “Where’d you find that?”
    “ You know Les, he
subscribes to every magazine he can find, and his name must be on a
list for all the catalogue folks, too. A couple of months ago I
spotted one that handled old-house reproductions. I knew this thing
would wear out sooner or later, so I wanted to be ready when you
needed it.”
    Alex slapped the big man’s shoulder.
“Thanks, I really appreciate that. That’s one bill I’ll be glad to
pay.”
    Mor shrugged. “Hey, you’ve done your best to
keep us in business. This one’s on the house.”
    After making up the new connections, Mor
screwed the plate back in place and flipped the breaker. “You ready
to try it?” he asked Alex.
    “ Without Elise and Emma?
They’d both have my hide. No thanks.”
    “ So let’s go take in the
view while we wait on them,” Mor said.
    The two men walked out onto the observation
platform and leaned on the outer rail, taking in the growing
twilight and the fresh breeze of the night air.
    There was an easy, comfortable silence
between them that was broken only by a police siren echoing in the
distance.
    Mor shook his head. “It sounds like old
Strong Arms is on another bad guy’s trail.”
    “ He does like his light and
siren. Has he said anything else to you about
Sturbridge?”
    Mor shook his head. “Truth be told, I’ve
been doing my best to avoid him, and he hasn’t come looking for
me.”
    Alex said, “I guess that’s a good sign.”
    From below, Alex saw Elise come out onto the
porch and wave to them. She had a picnic basket tucked under one
arm, and a blanket draped across her shoulders. From the other
direction up Point Road, they saw Emma driving toward them.
    Mor said, “Looks like the party’s about to
get started.”
    “ I’m ready.”
    As the two women disappeared together into
the base of the lighthouse, Mor said, “So the big day’s finally
here.”
    Alex asked, “Changing the switch? It’s not
that big a deal.”
    Mor said, “I’m talking about your date with
Elise. It’s about time, if you ask me.”
    Alex smiled. “If you ask me, it’s past time.
Tomorrow night’s been a long time coming.”
    “ Are you taking her to
Charlotte for some fancy dinner?”
    Alex said, “No, we can’t afford the time
away, not with an inn full of guests.”
    Mor said, “I hope you’re at least going to
Hickory. They’ve got some pretty nice places there.”
    Alex answered, “We’re going to Mama
Ravolini’s. It’s the best I could manage with the time we’ve got.
Irma’s promised me the best table in the house, though.”
    Mor shook his head. “Alex my friend, after
all these years studying at my feet, I thought you’d be able to
come up with something better than that for your first date with
Elise.”
    Alex laughed. “You must not be half the
teacher you thought you were.”
    Mor pretended to consider that for a moment,
then said, “No, even a brilliant teacher can’t do anything with a
backward student.”
    Alex couldn’t help the laugh that escaped
just as the ladies joined them.
    “ What’s so funny?’ Elise
asked.
    Mor said, “Just some man talk.”
    Emma smiled briefly. “Discussing curtains
and manicures again, boys?”
    Mor said, “Enough guff, woman.” He gestured
to Elise. “What’s in that basket?”
    “ I made some baloney
sandwiches and brought