“This is so fascinating,” Laurel said. “You’re like an investigative reporter.”
“Speaking of reporters…” Charlie pointed to a photocopy of a page from one of the hotel’s earliest ledgers. “This entry is from 1924, and it’s dated around the time of the tragedy. Two lump-sum payments were made toThe Victoria Daily TimesandThe British Colonist—Victoria’s two major newspapers. Neither one ever published anything about the murders.”
“Do you think they were paid off?” Selena asked.
“Without a doubt. I scoured the ledgers and didn’t see any other instances of a payment like this occurring in 1924 or 1925. Assuming they were bribes, that could be the reason the papers kept this incident quiet.”
“Can we come look at the board?” Laurel asked.
“Sure.” Charlie swelled with pride. She’d never tackled a project like this before, and she was pleased at how much she’d discovered in such a short time.
As they crowded around the board, Rosie placed a hand on her shoulder. “I can’t believe you pulled this off during a week filled with needy guests. Knox must have been so impressed.”
“I guess.” Charlie shrugged. “I sent him an email this morning with all my notes. He said he’d forward it to Logan.”
Selena pinned Charlie in her gaze. “You didn’t show him this fabulous murder board in person?”
Charlie’s cheeks tingled with heat. “No. I figured he was too busy. Anyway, I’m done with my presentation. Let’s move on to our fall events.” She took a seat at the conference table.
Laurel sat back down and passed her a plate of cookies. “Take one. Last night, I needed a sugar fix and made peanut butter chocolate-chunk cookies.”
Charlie grabbed one and bit into it, savoring the crumbly texture and the tasty blend of peanut butter and chocolate. “Thanks. Your cookies are the best.”
Once Rosie and Selena joined them at the table, Charlie expected them to start reviewing the hotel’s upcoming activities. But Selena spoke first. “Charlie, you need to tell us what happened between you and Knox. I thought things were going well.”
Charlie flinched, wishing she could fade away like a ghost, rather than endure the Damsels’ scrutiny. “They were, but I think it’s hopeless. He’s not a romantic guy.”
“I don’t buy it,” Selena said. “And I’m not letting you wimp out. Not when you’ve come this far. You need more courage.”
“Courage?” Charlie burst out laughing. “I’ve gotten out of my comfort zone a lot this month. I invited Knox over to my apartment, I got locked in a haunted storage room, and I’m halfway through a Stephen King book. How’s that for courage?”
Selena shook her head. “It’s not enough. You need to try harder.”
Charlie groaned. Why couldn’t Selena understand she’d never have that kind of confidence? “This thing with me and Knox isn’t going to happen. Can we please move on?”
“Nope, because we need you to help us out.” Laurel passed the plate of cookies to Rosie. “Take another one. Or save one for Drew. I don’t need all these cookies tempting me.”
“Why do you need my help?” Charlie asked. “Isn’t it enough that I spent days researching the hotel’s sordid past?”
“We appreciate all the work you did,” Rosie said. “But there’s one event we want to add to our calendar, and we can’t do it unless Knox cooperates. We want to hold a costume contest at the Gilded Lily on Friday, October twenty-third. It would include themed cocktails, fun prizes, and a DJ. The last time I asked him, he said no.”
Selena snorted. “He said ‘no way in hell,’ if I recall correctly. So, we need you to talk him into it. After everything you’ve done for him, he owes you.”
While it was true he owed her, he wouldn’t be enthused about holding a costume party at the bar. Even if he liked Halloween, he hated dressing up. “Do I have to?”
“Yes,” Rosie said. “We’ve got plenty of kid-friendly activities planned for October, starting with our first ‘Spooky Saturday’ on the third. Lots of crafts, cookie decorating, a kiddie costume party, and a magician who dresses in wizard’s robes. We’ve also got two family-friendly ghost tours scheduled with Celia, but we need an adults-only event.”
Charlie knew when she was outgunned. If she didn’t try to convince Knox, the Damsels would keep hounding her until she conceded.
“Okay, I’ll do it. But you’re all going to be in my debt.”
Nine
When Knox arrivedat the Gilded Lily on Friday, he braced himself for a busy evening. Ever since Wednesday, he’d been slammed, dealing with all the guests who were in town for the international wine festival. Even if a lot of them were self-professed wine snobs, that didn’t stop them from turning up at happy hour, intent on pre-gaming with a complimentary glass of the house red. At least he wouldn’t be managing the Lily on his own. Miles, who worked as the lounge’s other full-time bartender, would be arriving shortly after five.
To add to Knox’s stress, Preston had left one of his irksome notes by the cash register.
Hey, Knox. Spending the summer in the tropics has been a blast, but it’s time to put away your flip-flops and bring out those fall-themed cocktail specials for happy hour. Pumpkin spice vibes FTW!
