Chapter 25
“You know I can’t disclose an ongoing investigation.” Wyatt placed a light kiss on Morgan’s lips.
“I figured as much,” she grimaced. “I’m worried about Greg’s involvement with Hailey and not knowing who she is or about her past.”
“Because you think her finding a body in the hotel room wasn’t by accident?”
“I’m not sure. I want to believe she had nothing to do with the guy’s death.” She told him what Grace had mentioned, that Hailey was carrying a knife around in her apron pocket. “She claims she was cutting a rope and forgot it was there.”
“Which could have been the case.”
“Still, something isn’t right. I wish I could run a full-blown background check on her. Not the kind I’ve used before hiring my housekeepers, but one that’s more in-depth.”
“You can. It’s called ICHAT. Internet Criminal History Access Tool,” Wyatt said. “For a few bucks, you can search Hailey’s history to find out if she has a previous record.”
Morgan promptly opened her laptop and reached for her mouse. “How do you spell it?”
“I-C-H-A-T.”
She typed in the letters, and the site popped up. “Crud. I don’t know when Hailey was born.”
“Grace would have this information on her employment application.”
“Good point.” Morgan promptly texted her friend, asking for Hailey’s birthdate.
If you’re running a background check, I’ve already done it, Grace texted back. Call me when you get a chance.
“Grace beat me to the punch. She’s already done a background check on Hailey.” Morgan hit the call button on her phone. Grace picked up almost immediately.
“Was I right? Were you going to run a check on Hailey?”
“I was.”
“I ran a full check on her before hiring her, but apparently the site I’ve been using isn’t as thorough as some of the others. Grady gave me the name of the one used by the police, so I created an account and ran a full report.”
“It’s probably the same site Wyatt told me about. ICHAT.”
“It was,” Grace said. “I found something interesting.”
Morgan’s scalp tingled. “Good or bad?”
“She was arrested last year for drug possession and intent to distribute.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Unfortunately, I’m not.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. I’m still trying to process it. I mean, she doesn’t act like she’s on drugs, so maybe she got cleaned up and moved to Easton Island to start over.”
Morgan rubbed her forehead. “Her being questioned by Grady might have to do with not only the man’s death but also Hailey’s record.”
“I was thinking the same thing. I’ve decided to keep quiet but also continue to keep an eye on her.” Grace told her Grady had stopped by earlier, which was another reason she’d gone ahead with the extensive background check.
“Has Grady changed his mind and is suggesting you fire her?”
“No, but he seems more concerned. The last thing I need is for a guest to end up dead.”
Morgan’s heart skipped a beat. “I hadn’t thought about that, but with the knife, her drug arrest and finding a body in the hotel, I mean these incidents could be related.”
“I’ll admit, I’m tempted to let her go.”
“For good reason.”
The women talked at length, both agreeing the situation was worth monitoring closely.
After ending the call, Morgan waved her phone in the air. “Grace has already run an ICHAT background check. Hailey was arrested last year on drug charges with intent to distribute.”
“Not good. What about Greg?” Wyatt asked. “He and Hailey spend a lot of time together. What does he think?”
“He’s on her side, although I’m not sure if he’s aware of the drug charges,” Morgan sighed. “He gave me Hailey’s version of what happened. With this new information, maybe we should have another conversation.”
“The sooner, the better,” Wyatt said.
*****
Morgan sat facing the café door, waiting for her lunch date to arrive.
Greg stepped inside, his eyes scanning the room until he noticed her. He gave Morgan a friendly wave and hurried over. “Hey, Morgan.”
“Good afternoon, Greg. Thanks for meeting me here on such short notice.” She slid the menu across the table. “Ariel Vanmeter insists they have the best homemade chicken noodle soup on the island, and the sandwiches sound tasty.”
“I love soup and a sandwich on a cold winter’s day.” He hung his coat on the back of the chair and took the seat opposite her. “Got the driveway all plowed, and the sidewalks shoveled. Ronni told me that we’re booked solid for the weekend into next week.”
Morgan tapped the side of her forehead. “Ronni is a marketing genius. Ever since she started running ads with pictures of cross-country skiers, business has picked up.”
“Using the photo of Harlow standing on our porch didn’t hurt either,” he reminded her.
It was true. The combination of splurging on a half-page mainland ad showing Ronni clad in cross-country skiing gear with a pristine, wintry backdrop of snow-covered trees behind her, along with the photo of the famous actress standing on Locke Pointe’s front porch had helped boost bookings.
“It sure hasn’t.” Multiple times Morgan had been asked about the actress, her visit, how long she’d stayed. A few guests had even hinted that they hoped to meet the star during their visit.
Perhaps Harlow would return to Easton Island, but from a recent conversation with her father, David Wynn, it wouldn’t happen anytime soon.
The woman had her hands full dealing with sneaky paparazzi who had infiltrated the Mackinac Island community, publishing some scandalous rumors in national rag magazines.
She’d learned the jerks made big bucks depending on how “good” the dirt they dug up was.
If the stories were true, Harlow’s ex had somehow convinced her to sign a contract working alongside another big name star—Derrick Flynn—an actor who had a reputation for being difficult.
A server arrived to take their order. Morgan waited until she left before broaching the reason for her lunch invitation. “How is Hailey?”
“Good.” Greg licked his lips and looked away. “She’s uh…been busy working a lot since she got back from her time off.”
“I bet. Have you heard anything else about the investigation?”
“With Grady MacDonald?”
Morgan nodded.
“No. Maybe he realized Hailey didn’t do anything wrong and decided to drop it.”
“Has Hailey said anything else to you about what happened that day?”
“She mentioned it again. Like I said before, she was cleaning her regular floor of rooms. The man in the room was a loner and kept to himself. He was supposed to check out, but didn’t.
Hailey went to his room and knocked on the door.
No one answered, so she let herself in using her key, and that’s when she found him. ”
“Did she say how he died?”
“Drug overdose.”
Morgan could feel the blood drain from her face. “The man died of a drug overdose.”
“Yeah. Pretty sad, huh?”
“Very sad.”
The conversation paused when the server arrived with their food. Creamy chicken noodle soup and half a BLT sandwich were the perfect combination. Hungrier than she realized, Morgan gobbled up her food, beating Greg, who was still working on his grilled ham and cheese.
“You know you’re like family to me,” she said. “Like a brother.”
“I feel the same way. Meeting you was one of the best things that ever happened to me.”
Morgan pinched her thumb and index fingers together. “I’ll admit I’m a teensy smidgen worried about Hailey and her past.”
Greg stopped eating, his sandwich midair to his mouth. “What about her past?”
“She has a record.”
The tips of Greg’s ears turned bright red. “A criminal record?”
“For possession of drugs and intent to distribute.” Morgan’s heart plummeted at the expression on his face, a mixture of shock and disbelief.
“There must be some sort of mix-up. Hailey doesn’t do drugs.”
“Maybe not now, but she has in the past.”
“Like a long time ago?”
“Last year,” Morgan said. “The record we found was from last year.”
Greg set his half-eaten sandwich down and shoved his chair back. “I don’t believe it. It’s a lie.”
Diners around them turned at his raised voice.
“Let’s talk about this after lunch.”
“There’s nothing to discuss. It’s not true,” he insisted.
Morgan quickly gathered up her things. She placed a light hand on Greg’s arm and propelled him toward the door. “I’m going to pay for our meal. I’ll be right back.”
She darted to the counter. Thankfully, the cashier must’ve noticed the commotion and helped Morgan settle the bill within seconds.
By the time she reached the door, a sullen Greg, his jaw clenched and his hands in his pockets, refused to look at her.
“Let’s go for a drive.”
He let her lead him to her SUV parked nearby. They climbed in and buckled up. Morgan shot him a furtive glance and wisely decided to take a breather and let the information sink in. Of course he was in shock. The woman he loved had a criminal record, and a recent one at that.
Not only a record, but Hailey was, more than likely, being questioned about a death. It was a lot to absorb.
Morgan drove out of town, taking the road along the shoreline. They rode in silence for a long moment.
“I’m sorry for blowing up,” Greg finally said. “It’s not your fault.”
“No, it’s not. I know you care about Hailey. It’s possible she had a drug problem, got clean and moved to Easton Island to start over,” Morgan said. “I certainly don’t know her history and what happened in her past, but it is something you need to be aware of.”
“Should I ask her about it?”
“I would. How do you think she’ll react?”
Greg contemplated her question. “I’m not sure. Ever since Grady showed up, she’s been moody and quiet.”
“Being questioned about a murder would put anyone on edge,” Morgan said. “I can’t tell you what to do, and I don’t want to be responsible if…this causes problems in your relationship.”
“I love Hailey.” Greg heaved a heavy sigh. “She’s perfect for me. I should’ve known it was too good to be true.”
Morgan pulled off the road and shifted into park. She reached for Greg’s hand. “Then do what your heart tells you to do.”
“I had a friend who was on drugs. He almost died and ended up in rehab. He’s been clean for years.”
“There you go.” She snapped her fingers. “You could bring the subject up in a roundabout way. Tell her about your friend and what happened.”
“Maybe she’ll confide in me.” Greg straightened his back, a look of relief on his face. “If she was a druggie and is clean, I can help her.”
“Absolutely,” Morgan said. “You never know…she could be afraid to tell you about her past, afraid you might not want anything to do with her.”
“I never thought about it like that. If she tells me what happened, maybe she’ll be happier and not so moody, like she knows someone is on her side.” Greg peered out the window. “I’ll invite her over for dinner and see if I can get her to talk.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Morgan returned to the restaurant where Greg had parked the work van.
He hopped out as soon as she pulled into an empty spot. “Thanks for inviting me to lunch. At first, I was upset, but now I feel much better. Hailey needs me.”
“It sounds like she does.”
Greg started to close the door. “What you said earlier about being family.”
“I meant every word of it,” she said sincerely.
“You’re like the sister I never had. I love you, Morgan. I mean, not like romantic but like family.”
Sudden tears burned the back of her eyes. “And I love you, Greg.”
“I’ll let you know how it goes.” He slammed the door and hurriedly climbed into the work van. With a quick wave goodbye, he was off.
Morgan watched until his taillights disappeared around the corner. “I hope it turns out for you, Greg, that Hailey’s drug record isn’t a big red warning sign.”