“Emmaline’s will? Was Mr. Marshall expecting to receive an inheritance?” Nancy asked.
Betsy laughed. “Oh, my, no. I don’t think so. But he did hope to purchase Candlelight Inn after Emmaline’s death. He wanted to make it the cornerstone of a fully restored, historic shopping district. He’s been planning this for years. Unfortunately, because Emmaline bequeathed the inn to the Guiding Eyes, Mr. Marshall’s plans will never be realized.” Betsy sighed. “We at the historical society are quite disappointed. Of course, we think the Guiding Eyes school is a wonderful project, too.”
“Yes,” Nancy said. “Thank you for your help.”
“It was a pleasure, dear.” Betsy Lesh smiled. “May I help you with anything else? A walking tour of downtown River Heights, perhaps?”
“Definitely next time,” Nancy said.
Nancy left with a handful of River Heights brochures. She looked at her watch. She’d been so engrossed in what Betsy Lesh was telling her that she’d lost track of time.
Nancy’s mind raced as she drove to the inn. Now she knew that Mr. Marshall had had access to the inn many years before. Since he and his father did the renovations, surely he must have known about the hidden room. And he had been at the restaurant the night of the broken glass incident. Could he be the counterfeiter?
Nancy turned into the driveway at the inn and was surprised to see three police cars parked under the apple trees. Penny and Marisa stood on the front lawn.
Nancy quickly parked and hopped out of her car. “What’s going on?” she asked Marisa.
“Nancy, I’m glad you’re here,” Marisa said. “On top of everything that’s been happening, now the inn’s been vandalized!”
8
Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way
“Marisa and I drove to Westmoor for lunch,” Penny said. “When we got back, the inn was a shambles. Drawers were pulled out and overturned. Paintings were slashed. There’s even some structural damage to the building.”
Nancy saw that a hollow in a giant oak tree near the house had been enlarged with an ax or a saw. Sap oozed from the gaping hole. “That poor old tree is going to die,” she said. “Why would anyone do such a terrible thing?”
“I don’t know.” Marisa shivered. “Do you think it’s safe to go inside now?”
Detective Lee and another police officer came out of the house and approached Marisa. “Ms. Henares, forensics has finished collecting evidence. We’ll be in touch as soon as we learn anything.”
“Detective Lee, do you think this sabotage is related to the counterfeiting case?” Nancy asked.
“We don’t have enough information at this time to answer that question,” Lee replied. “Right now, we’re treating it as a separate matter.”
After the police had left, Nancy and Penny guided Marisa back up the hill to the inn.
“What’s going on, Nancy?” Marisa asked. “Why would someone do this?”
“I don’t know,” Nancy said. “If it was the counterfeiter, maybe he or she was trying to destroy evidence—or was looking for more hidden money.”
Penny swept up broken glass from under Emmaline’s portrait in the study. “What a mess,” she said.
Marisa began to gather her grandmother’s papers from the floor and put them back in order.
“Let me help you,” Penny said.
Marisa shook her head. “That’s okay. I’ve got a system here. I need to do this myself.”
Penny leaned on the broom. “I don’t know what the Guiding Eyes people are going to say when they hear about this. The finances for the school were already tight. With all this damage . . . I really don’t know how we’re going to pull off this project.”
“What about the insurance?” Marisa asked.
“That will help,” Penny said. “But we’re still responsible for paying part of the cost of the damage, which is a lot of money.”
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” Marisa said.
Penny sighed. “I hope so, Marisa.”
Marisa touched her watch. “I have to get to class.” She shoved her grandmother’s papers into her briefcase. “Don’t work too hard, Penny. I’ll be back later to help.”
Nancy gave Marisa a ride to campus and made arrangements to pick her up in an hour and a half.
When she returned home, Carson Drew was sitting down to a late lunch in the dining room. A thick volume lay open next to a glass of iced tea.
“Have you eaten yet?” he asked Nancy.
Nancy shook her head. “It’s been a hectic morning.” She sat down at the table and told her father about the break-in at Candlelight Inn.
“Hmm . . .” Mr. Drew said.
Nancy’s blue eyes twinkled. “Hmm?” she repeated. “Any hunches?”
Mr. Drew nodded. “As a matter of fact, yes. Anyone interested in contesting the terms of Emmaline’s will might benefit from extensive damage to the inn. If the Guiding Eyes can’t establish the school in River Heights, other potential heirs could say that Emmaline’s wishes aren’t being followed. Then they could argue that the money should go to them instead.”
Nancy nodded thoughtfully. “That’s a good point, Dad. But Marisa is Mrs. Whitby’s only living relative, so I don’t think there are any other potential heirs. Wait a minute,” she said after a moment. “There is Larry Marshall.”
Mr. Drew blinked. “Devon and Amber’s father? Is he a relative?”
