Chapter 23
Grace arrived while Morgan was placing the last tray of food on the side table. She slipped past a group of guests and eased in next to her. “Are you ready?”
“More than ready.” Morgan grasped Grace’s hand. “Now that you’re here, I figured I could introduce you and fill everyone in on how this is going to work. As soon as we finish, we’ll run over to your place and do the same.”
“Perfect.”
Morgan rang the dinner bell and waited for the room to grow quiet. “I’m thrilled to welcome all of you to the very first Li-Locke Fall Gathering.”
She placed a light hand on Grace’s arm. “This is my co-host, Grace Coates. Some of you may already know Grace, who owns the Lilac Inn next door. As soon as you’ve finished munching on the delicious treats, feel free to make your way over to Grace’s place for more goodies.”
Grace held up the scavenger hunt list. “Morgan and I, along with Ronni Lansbury, have created a list of scavenger hunt items. The scavenger hunt begins promptly at eight o’clock. All items on this list can be found either here at Locke Pointe or next door at the Lilac Inn.”
Morgan grabbed one of the gift baskets she and Grace had put together, figuring the fairest way to award prizes would be to have one for each location.
The baskets were filled with an array of local goodies, including gift cards and even a coupon for half off one night at Locke Pointe or the Lilac Inn. “We’ll be awarding a gift basket to one winner from each location, and let me assure you, these prizes will be well worth your effort.”
Grace wrapped up the presentation by reminding everyone the hunt would start at eight on the dot and they would hand out flashlights on the front porch.
After finishing, the women headed next door, making the same presentation and telling them what was up for grabs for whoever won. “Morgan has a gift basket for her winner, and I have an identical basket for a Lilac Inn guest,” Grace summarized.
The friends took turns answering a few questions and slipped out onto the front porch.
“Well?”
“They’re excited.” Grace pressed her palms together. “I wish we were joining the hunt.”
“Me too.” Morgan lifted her hand and gave Grace a high five. “We can sneak out to see how it’s going while they’re scavenging.”
“You read my mind.” Grace glanced over Morgan’s shoulder. “Some of your guests are already heading this way.”
“We’ll catch up and compare notes later.” Morgan hustled back to Locke Pointe, passing by a couple who were meandering toward Grace’s place.
The next hour flew by, with guests heading next door while Lilac Inn guests arrived.
Morgan gave several tours, and it soon became clear the idea of hosting a shared event was a brilliant marketing move. Guests who might never have taken the time to check out Locke Pointe were given a sneak peek at all Morgan’s place had to offer, and the same for her guests who visited the Lilac Inn.
At precisely eight, Morgan made her way out onto the porch and began handing out lists and flashlights. To her surprise, Amber Marais joined in.
The living room emptied and Tina, along with Ronni and Morgan, began cleaning. Working together, it didn’t take long to clear the dishes and tidy up.
While they worked, Morgan noticed several flashes of light passing by the kitchen window.
“They really are on the hunt,” Tina said.
“As Morgan pointed out, the goody basket is well worth the effort,” Ronni said. “In fact, I would be tickled pink if I won it myself.”
Nine o’clock rolled around, marking the official end of the hunt, and Morgan waited for her guests on the porch. Tallying the collected items, Ronni announced the winner, a newly married couple who were on their honeymoon.
“This was so much fun,” the young bride gushed. “We’ve stayed at B&Bs before that hosted special events. Hands down, this was our favorite. Having two fabulous places to explore together made it even better.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.” Morgan chatted with several of the other guests, all complimenting her and commenting about how much they enjoyed the shared event.
The foyer cleared. Morgan realized someone was noticeably missing. It was Amber Marais.
She tracked Ronni down. “Have you seen Amber Marais?”
“No. Now that you mention it, I haven’t seen her since we handed out the lists.”
“Hmmm.” Morgan dropped the tray of empty glasses on the kitchen counter. She ran upstairs and knocked on her door. No one answered.
Backtracking, she returned to the main floor and checked all the rooms. The woman was nowhere to be found.
Ronni caught up with her in the foyer. “Did you find Amber?”
“No. She’s not inside.”
Grabbing flashlights, the women exited the house and split up. Ronni searched the front yard while Morgan and Chester walked toward the back.
Her first stop was Greg’s place.
“Hey, Morgan.”
“Hello, Greg. I’m sorry to bother you. We finished the scavenger hunt, and it appears one of our guests is missing.” Morgan described Amber.
“I haven’t seen her. Do you want me to help you search?”
“If you don’t mind.”
“I’ll check the beach.” Greg grabbed a flashlight and disappeared down the hill while Morgan and her pup began making a perimeter sweep. A flash of bright light streaked across the tree line, only steps away from the firepit.
Picking up the pace, she and Chester moved at a brisk clip across the lawn. They found Amber near the half-completed gazebo. It was a project Steve, the construction guy, and his crew had been working on in their free time.
“Hello.”
Amber, who was kneeling on the ground, popped up. “H-hello.”
“Is everything all right?”
“What do you mean?”
“The scavenger hunt is over. I noticed you hadn’t come back with the rest of the group. I sent out a small search party to find you and make sure you were okay.”
“I’m fine. I was admiring the gazebo,” Amber said.
“It’s a work in progress.”
“It seems like kind of an odd place to put it.”
“If you were here during daylight hours, you would see it offers a view of Lake Huron. My plan is to use it for weddings or vow renewals,” Morgan said.
“Oh. Well, I’m sure you’ll find plenty of guests interested.”
“It’s in the planning stages.”
Amber shifted her feet. “I’ve been doing some research. You inherited Locke Pointe from your grandparents.”
“In a roundabout way. I technically inherited it from my mother, who inherited it from my grandparents,” Morgan said.
“Morgan Easton, a part of the Easton family.”
“And the Locke family.” Morgan’s scalp started to tingle. Amber Marais wasn’t merely making casual conversation. She was fishing…but fishing for what? And why? “Are you originally from this area?”
“I grew up on Easton Island.”
“And you now live…”
“North of Detroit.”
“Do you still have family here?”
The woman nodded. “But not family I’m close enough to stay with.”
“I see. How is your suite?”
“It’s nice. I’m sorry I gave you a hard time earlier, or if I came across as being picky.”
“My job is to make sure you’re happy. I want you to feel welcome, comfortable and enjoy your stay enough that you’ll consider visiting again.”
“Maybe I will,” Amber said. “Are you…I think I read somewhere you’re single.”
“I am.”
“Do you know Wyatt Dawson?”
Morgan hesitated. This was what the fishing expedition was all about. Amber grew up on Easton Island. There was a good chance she knew Wyatt, maybe even went to school with him. “I do.”
Amber fiddled with the handle of her flashlight. “It’s getting late. I should head back to my room.”
Morgan watched her walk away, an odd feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. The conversation had thrown up all kinds of red flags, although she couldn’t quite put her finger on why.