“We’re in the initial stages of the investigation, and there’s no indication Hailey would harm anyone. Having said that, Grace needs to keep an eye on her, and I’ve told her as much. Although it’s worth repeating.”
Morgan resisted the urge to hug him. “You’re the best, Grady MacDonald. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
“You’re welcome. We’re all capable of letting our emotions take control. Based on my conversation with Greg, he understands the seriousness of the situation, and I don’t believe it will happen again.”
“I’ll chat with him as well.” On her way back to Locke Pointe, Morgan thanked God that Grady had let Greg go. Her friend and employee might be off the hook, but something told her Hailey’s troubles were only just beginning.
Chapter 20
“Are you okay?” Morgan turned to face Tristan, noticing how he gripped his backpack tightly, his happy-go-lucky smile nowhere to be found, and her heart pinched. This was it…the real test of what the future might hold for the youngest Easton…his first day of school.
“Yeah. I like my teacher, Ms. Blanchard. She told me and Uncle Jeff that the other kids in my class are nice and I’ll make friends.”
“But it’s tough being the new kid,” she said softly.
“I’m only the new kid for today.”
“An excellent point. I know you’ve probably heard this before, but remember to just be yourself, and I’m certain making friends will come easily.”
Tristan reached for the door handle. “Who is going to pick me up?”
“Brett had to travel to Toronto. He’ll be back later this afternoon, so it’s gonna be me.” Morgan promised him she would be waiting at the curb as soon as class was dismissed. She wished him luck and watched him climb out of the passenger seat.
He crossed over in front of her vehicle, adjusting the straps on his backpack as he shuffled toward the building. “Please, God. Let Tristan have a good first day and make friends,” she whispered.
As soon as he disappeared inside, Morgan drove straight to Locke Pointe. Between worrying about Tristan’s first day andwondering how Hailey and Greg were doing, not to mention wondering if Jax would finally get an update about Jason’s whereabouts, it had been a restless night.
First things first, she parked and made a beeline for the Lilac Inn. Unfortunately, Grace had left to run errands. Backtracking, she returned to Locke Pointe to track Greg down.
She found him in the carriage house sanding the armrests of her Adirondack chairs. The acrid smell of solvent filled the room. “Good morning, Greg.”
He stopped what he was doing and gave her a friendly wave. “Morning. I figured I would refinish the firepit’s chairs, seeing how I have some extra time on my hands.”
Morgan pinched the end of her nose. “The solvent smell is pretty strong. You might want to turn a fan on.”
“Is it?” Greg reached behind him and flipped the switch on the floor fan. “I have a little more sanding to do on this last one, and then I’ll start painting. Red, white and blue, right?”
“You got it. I figured patriotic American colors in honor of my Michigander side of the family would be fitting.” Morgan perched on top of an overturned bucket. “How is Hailey?”
“Freaked out. She thinks Grady is gonna arrest her and haul her off to jail.”
“Why would he do that?”
Greg rocked back on his heels. “Because of the dead guy Hailey found at the hotel where she used to work.”
“Did she tell you what happened?”
“Yes, ma’am. She was cleaning her assigned rooms. When she got to the guy’s room, she knocked on the door. No one answered, so she let herself in.”
“And found him?” Morgan prompted.
“In his bed.” Greg told her she knew right away the man was dead. “She didn’t touch anything and went right to the front desk to tell the manager.”
“Did she notice anything odd about him before she found him in his room?”
“She said he didn’t want it cleaned.”
“Which might not be unusual depending on how long he was staying.” During brief hotel stays, Morgan always made a point of skipping the disruption of having the housekeepers come in. Instead, she would track them down in the hallway, asking for supplies when needed. “I’m not sure why you think Grady plans to arrest her if she’s innocent.”
