Tightrope (Burning Cove #3)(43)

He suppressed a groan.

“Right,” he said. “Your guests. Sounds like they’re back.”

Amalie did not respond. She was already halfway down the conservatory path, heading for the lobby.

With a sigh, he got to his feet, adjusted the front of his trousers, and raked his fingers through his hair. By the time he decided that he was reasonably presentable Amalie was deep in her role, playing the gracious, welcoming innkeeper.

He heard her offer Vincent Hyde a brandy. The actor accepted and told his chauffeur to go on upstairs to bed.

That left Amalie alone with Vincent Hyde. Matthias reflected on that for about two seconds. He would have preferred to retreat to his room and contemplate what had almost happened in the conservatory or, better yet, have another brandy to deal with the aftershocks, but Hyde’s dramatic, resonant voice rolled down the hall in a dark wave.

“Do join me, Miss Vaughn. I enjoyed my evening at the Paradise, but one can only take so much excitement. Besides, almost everyone there was from L.A. Tell me, what do the locals do for fun here in Burning Cove?”

Matthias remembered the gossip about Vincent Hyde and his various leading ladies. The actor was at least fifteen years older than Amalie but that wouldn’t stop him from trying to seduce her.

Matthias walked into the lobby. Hyde was annoyed to see him but he covered the reaction with the smooth, polished ease of a professional actor.

“I see I am not the only guest who is still up,” he said. “Are you on your way to bed, Mr. Jones?”

“I believe I heard someone mention brandy,” Matthias said.

“Yes, you did,” Amalie said, moving smartly to the drinks cabinet. “Why don’t you two gentlemen sit down? I’ll pour the brandies.”

She crossed the room, handed out the brandies, and then sat down in one of the big reading chairs. She crossed one leg over the other and smiled at Hyde.

“I hope that you are finding the atmosphere here at the Hidden Beach Inn inspiring, Mr. Hyde,” she said.

He smiled. “Indeed, Miss Vaughn. I can sense the eerie energy infused in the rooms of this villa. By the time I return to L.A. I’m sure I will be brilliantly prepared for my next role.”

“Another Mad Doctor X film?” Matthias asked, mostly so that Hyde could not ignore his presence.

“My old studio is begging me to return for another Doctor X film, but as I told Miss Vaughn, I’m currently negotiating a contract for a vampire movie.”

Waves of dissonant energy shivered through the words. It was a small lie, Matthias thought, and probably not important. It was just the sort of lie you might expect to hear from an actor who was trying to restore a fading reputation. But it was a lie, nonetheless.

He was sure that Vincent Hyde had not been offered a role in another Mad Doctor X film and equally certain that there was no new contract being negotiated.





Chapter 26


Matthias awoke to the light of dawn and the realization that someone was pounding on his door.

“Mr. Jones, there’s a phone call for you,” Amalie announced, her voice slightly muffled by the thick wood panel. “Detective Brandon wants to speak to you. He says it’s urgent.”

Matthias pushed aside the quilt, wondering when he had gone from being Matthias back to Mr. Jones. He reminded himself that Amalie could not be sure who might overhear her and that she probably thought she ought to maintain the appearance of a relationship that was appropriate and expected between an innkeeper and a guest.

“Tell Brandon to hang on,” he said. “I’ll be right down.”

Amalie’s footsteps retreated down the hall.

He got up and quickly pulled on his trousers, a shirt, and a pair of shoes. Ignoring the man in the mirror—some rough-looking guy sporting the dark shadow of a morning beard—he made his way downstairs.

When he reached the reception area, Amalie was behind the front desk. She handed him the receiver of the white enamel and gilt telephone but she made no move to retreat and give him some privacy. Instead, she fixed him with an intent gaze and made it clear that she was going to listen to every word.

“This is Jones,” he said into the phone.

“Got a report of a body in a cabin at an old, closed-up auto court out on Miller Road,” Brandon said. “Victim was shot twice at close range. The medical examiner hasn’t had a chance to get there yet but the officer thinks the guy has been dead a couple of days. According to the driver’s license, we just found Charlie Hubbard.”

“Pickwell’s missing assistant.”

“Yeah. Figured you’d be interested.”

“I am very interested,” Matthias said. “Give me directions to the auto court. I’ll meet you there.”

He looked around for a pencil and a pad of paper. Amalie was already thrusting both into his hand. He jotted down the driving instructions and hung up the phone.

“They found the assistant?” Amalie asked.

“He was murdered. Most likely on the night he disappeared. Evidently there were a few flaws in his plan to sell the Ares machine. I’m going to take a look at the scene.”

“I’m going with you,” Amalie said.

“Trust me, you do not want to look at a body that’s been dead for a couple of days.”

“You keep forgetting that I have a personal interest in this case.”