Life at Christmas
Chapter 20
Kate spent the next two weeks in her apartment and struggled to get any sleep. She'd gone back to her normal eating habits and was drinking coffee almost constantly. Two weeks later she got two days off and caught the train that night to get back to Holly so she could spend as much time as she could there. It was only in her bed at the inn that she got any real sleep.
She never saw him or heard him or even felt him but she knew Rick was there. He was always going to be there until the day she either solved his murder and found his body or she waited until December then tried again.
Then she was gone for two weeks before she was able to come back. This time she got a call on her cell phone. It was her architect. He had a lot to tell her and show her if she had the time. "I'll make the time." She would let Captain Montgomery yell at her for being late if that was what it took.
"Ms. Beckett." David shook her hand; Kate helped him unload his car and took everything into one of the conference rooms. This time it was the main one since the smaller one had been rented out and was being used.
"What have you got, David?" Kate was anxious to see what he had and what he'd learned.
"I'll tell you the good news first. The owner of the land has agreed to sell it to you under one condition. They want a room for their son for a week every Christmas. Apparently he lives in London now and they know the reputation of the inn," David said.
"Granted! I'll give him two rooms if he needs it!" Kate was over the moon happy. Then he told her what Charles Linden wanted for the land. "I'll still take it."
"In that case let's go over what I've got for you." David dug into his big portfolio to show her.
"The dotted line is where your mechanical room is now. This is where your new mechanical room will go. Thanks to the size of your propane tank we need to be a certain distance away from your building and the property line per fire protection codes. The bigger the tank the greater the distance. Now to get around this a little we can install more than one tank. Those tanks are going to go here." David pointed them out.
"Now right next to them is going to be your temporary trailer that will be making all of your hot water while we demolish your mechanical room and build you a new one. It won't go away until we're ready to make the change over to your new one.
"We won't know what the new one or even the temporary one will be until you hire a mechanical engineer. I have three names for you and can make a recommendation for you if you want," David offered. "I've decided how much space they'll need but we won't know if that's enough until they do their design, or what the cost will be."
"So how does this work exactly?" Kate inquired.
"The propane tanks will be first, then we will bring in the trailer. After that we'll install temporary piping between your inn and the trailer for the cold, hot, and hot water return piping. We'll also route a temporary electrical line from your panel to the trailer.
"Once we're ready we'll connect your new system to the existing and disconnect the temporary. If we have our timing right each we can do this each time during the night so that your guests will never know. They'll see it but not feel it save for having to walk farther than normal.
"There may be a chance that it will take longer but we won't know that until the contractor starts work," David warned her.
"Now this is your room. Since the parking lot across the street is even bigger than your existing one I took up a lot of the existing parking lot to give you more space." David pulled out a different board to show her that area.
"I've moved your entrance, kept the fireplace, and your bathroom. I took up the space on either side and came out into the parking lot. Since three bedrooms and two bathrooms are standard I stayed with that. I also stayed with the Jack and Jill bathroom concept for the two now a bit larger bedrooms. Also your kitchen's a bit bigger than just a kitchenette.
"What we need to discuss are the finishes," David said after showing her his not yet complete floor plan.
"That's easy. I love the existing bathroom. I've realized that I love almost anything that's antique and I love wood," Kate told him.
"Guess that takes care of a lot of samples I brought with me. Should have just called first and then brought those. Well live and learn. I'll get started on those. Where does the antique stop?" David asked.
"It doesn't," Kate quickly replied.
"Okay, I'll see what I can do. They do make a great many kitchen appliances today that look like antiques on the outside but function the same as brand new appliances if that will work for you," David queried.
"Just as long as I'm not cooking with wood or coal that's fine with me. Or using large blocks of ice to cool food."
David laughed. "We can handle that. Let me know what engineering firm you want to use and I can get them started. I'll work on buying the land, send you the paperwork to sign, and where to send the money."
"Just pick one so long as you can prove that they are trustworthy and capable." Kate didn't know what to look for in the first place. That's what she had him for.
"In that case you might want to warn your staff that as each utility comes out the engineer and his team will also be out for several days to find out what they're working with and take measurements."
"I'll warn them. Thanks for coming out. I'm going back to New York tomorrow." Kate shook his hand and helped him carry it all back out to his car.
Kate warned the two at the front desk and retreated to her office to look at the bank account for the Inn. Her first auction had brought her $890,000 while the second topped out at $910,000. A whopping 1.79 million dollars! A godsend given that December had not been a good month thanks to them being closed and taking time to get back open again. So far the new year was back up to standards expected of this place in the past.
All of the Christmas trees were gone now along with a fair amount of the Christmas decorations and lights. Even her little one in her office was gone. While it wasn't real and Abigail might be rolling her eyes at it, Kate had found a ceramic tree one that was 18 inches tall and with fake snow and these little colored plastic pieces stuck into holes. The lone light on the inside of it was what lit it up. Everything else was still there and the Confederate money was untouched.
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Three months later, though it was still cold outside construction was well underway. At the moment Kate was standing out in what used to be their parking lot. It was mostly gone now as was her bedroom. She was sleeping in a room up on the third floor that overlooked the construction site. No guest was going to want that room anyway.
The parking lot was done. The propane tanks were here as was the long trailer that held boilers and storage tanks with an electrical panel. Temporary electrical was hanging overhead held up with a makeshift bunch of 2" x 4"s. Even the temporary piping was installed along with a connection to the propane tanks.
The contractor was going to show up in force shortly and work all night under lights to make the plumbing connections between the trailer and their inn. Once that was done they would start demolition of what was in their existing mechanical room then tear down that part of the building and permanently close it off save for an emergency exit door. If all went as planned no one would notice the difference.
Kate watched as Bailey came out to be picked up by her mother after completing her shift. "It's actually going to happen." Bailey stood next to her and looked it all over. It looked like a big mess to her but so long as it worked. "Still haven't seen him?" Bailey asked quietly.
Kate knew exactly who she was talking about. Besides her dad she was the only other person who knew much of anything about Rick.
"No, and I won't until I can find his body. I have a theory on who murdered him and why. I need his body to have tests run on to verify my theory. The ground penetrating radar will be out the first week of May. So far I just have what the cadaver dog found," Kate explained.
Kate felt Bailey put an arm around her. "He's standing right here, Kate. We both know he is and I have faith that he'll be back. I've done all I can to make sure of it," Bailey promised her.
That took Kate a moment as she was trying to see or feel Rick. "All you can? What have you done, Bailey?" Kate turned to look at her.
"And ruin the magic? Not a chance. We're just going to have to wait." Bailey wasn't blabbing and ruining it. "Mom's here, gotta go. Keep the faith, Kate. This place is magical as you've learned or you would still be in New York City." Bailey gave her a squeeze and jogged over to her mom's car to go home.
Technically she was still in New York City. Until she found his body she was going to be there since that was where Lanie and the boys were. Besides, it was her only paying job. Any money she made at the inn went right back into the inn. Right now she was waist deep in tax returns. She had a company doing it for her but it had taken her days to gather all of the paperwork she could find for the entire year. Today she was busy having her own done thanks to inheriting the inn. Her taxes used to be simple. Not anymore, that was for sure.
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Kate knew she couldn't keep Lanie at bay forever and since she was right outside her door and holding up two bottles of wine for her to see, it was looking like today she was going to have to come clean with her best friend.
It wasn't so much that she didn't want Lanie to know. It was just she didn't need her telling her what she already knew. That she was in love and not sleeping well because she missed him horribly.
"Hi, Lanie." Kate wasn't surprised to find Lanie walking into her apartment without being invited. That was just Lanie. So Kate closed and locked the door.
"You've been avoiding me for months," Lanie griped and went in search of glasses for the wine.
"I have not been avoiding you. I see you every week," Kate countered even if that was a white lie.
"At work, yes, but when I ask if you want to go somewhere you deflect. I'm your best friend so you need to talk to me," Lanie insisted.
"I assume you want the whole story." Kate took the glass of wine and sipped it. Two bottles later and her lips just might get loose enough to say something she didn't want to.
"The truth and nothing but the truth, your honor," Lanie said.
Kate chuckled. "The beginning. It wasn't quite December when a lawyer came to see me. An aunt I barely remembered and hadn't seen since I was just a kid had passed away and left an inn in a small town in Connecticut to me." Lanie tried to jump in with questions and Kate glared at her.
"An inn, I'm listening." Lanie shut up and drank some of her wine.
"A Christmas inn in a small town that was in love with Christmas. …Where's my computer?" Kate went looking and came back with a laptop then pulled up her website for her inn.
"Magical Inn in Holly, Connecticut. It looks really nice, Kate. Lots of Christmas everywhere." That had to have put Kate off so now Lanie was wondering what she had done with it.
"Sixty-three rooms that have been renovated in the past using millions of dollars. It's presently going through another one, thanks to me," Kate said.
"You? Are you trying to say you kept the inn?" This was not the Kate she knew if she had.
Kate got right to the point. "I kept it and as soon as I can find something I'm quitting my job here and moving into the inn in nowhere Holly, Connecticut."
That shocked Lanie into silence. "What about your mother?" Lanie knew that meant a lot to her.
"A year of therapy showed me that I had to let go of her case or it was going to destroy me."
"A year of…! You've been having therapy sessions and didn't tell me?" This was definitely not the Kate she thought she knew. "What else? I know what you think of Christmas so there has to be something else."
There was something all right and Kate couldn't stop from smiling when she thought of Rick.
"There is something else. Or someone else. What's his name and where did you meet him?" Lanie put 2 + 2 together and came up with boyfriend.
"His name is Richard Rodgers. He's a photographer and I love him. Even Dad has met him and likes him." Kate winced as she listened to Lanie squeal.
"Kate Beckett." Lanie didn't know what she was going to do with her. She had really been holding out on her. "He's obviously handsome and you fell in love with him. Do you have a picture of him?" Lanie wanted to see this guy.
"Oops." Kate hadn't really thought about that. "There is one thing and it's really important. If I'm lucky I'm going to be sending you some bones that I want you to examine and if you can, tell me what killed him."
"Not part of a case, I take it?" Lanie asked since it sounded personal to her and watched Kate shake her head.
"You're my best friend so I'm going to do all I can. If it's possible I'll find it," Lanie promised.
"Thanks, Lanie, I really need this to work." If she couldn't find what killed Rick she was in big, big trouble.
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It was May 1, 2012 and Kate had asked for yet another week off work which had shocked Roy completely. She hadn't taken time off since he had met her and suddenly she had taken three weeks off.
Kate had decided to show off one of the new dresses she'd found. It was of the same era as the others, but it was a copy. It was a spring green, a color very appropriate for the season. The dress had a shallow scooped neckline that was edged in ruffled ecru lace complimented with a darker green ribbon sewn down the center of the ruffle. Attached just beneath the ruffle was a gorgeous ecru lace drape about four inches long. The dress had short sleeves with an inch long pleated lace ruffle around the bottom of the sleeve. Kate had been so happy that this dress didn't have a train. So she didn't have to worry about anyone stepping on it!
The bodice was fitted and closed in front with deeper green cloth buttons. There was a wide belt made of the same fabric as the dress with a slightly yellower green ribbon flower on the front. The skirt was plain except for a narrow darker green ribbon sewn on about six inches from the bottom of the skirt. All in all she was quite pleased with it.
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It was a Tuesday and her ground penetrating radar tech showed up with his team. Kate took the three men into her office and showed them her map. "Each location is marked by an American flag stuck into the ground. I want you to start with these four here. If you don't find anything in any of those you can do the others. If you still don't find anything you can do the entire grounds. We have a lot of construction going on out back where you can park and unload your equipment so if a flag was there you can skip it."
Kate was standing on the upper balcony watching them work when suddenly Bailey, in her work uniform, walked up next to her. "Are these the guys?" she asked.
"Yes. They have the first four best flags to start with to find something. This needs to work. I really need a body to have investigated or I'm back to square one. Even if they find something I have to get a digging crew out here. It'll look like I'm digging for dinosaur bones." Kate couldn't help but smile. "Maybe I can explain it as being just that. We're digging up a T-Rex."
"Just don't let Rick hear you call him a T-Rex," Bailey teased and bumped her in the hip. Kate laughed.
"Probably already too late," Kate grinned. Her smile faded as she watched them tow their radar across the first site. "Don't you have work to do? I promise to tell you first if they find anything."
"I'm going. I'll even help them dig when I'm not working. You might get the entire staff to help them if you asked, you know." Bailey left her and went back to work.
"They might at that. But I need pros who know what they're doing," Kate told herself.
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Kate watched them do all four sites. Two set up for the next site while one of them walked inside with a laptop in hand. Kate hurried downstairs to meet him.
They were both soon in a conference room with him showing her what he'd found at each site. "We surveyed the first four sites for you, however this site here appears to have what you're looking for. You can see here the density of the area. I don't quite understand exactly what's going on though I do have a theory," Trevor said.
"I'm listening." Kate would take his theory and use it or simply dismiss it. Either way it was looking like she was going to be digging up this site first.
"I made a phone call after finding this. It has a similarity to what you would find at a multiple person grave site though on a far smaller scale. If I had to I would guess that there's more than one body buried at this site," Trevor told Kate.
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Kate had him do all of the other sites with flags just in case but she had her own theory as to why his theory about more than one body worked so well. Now she just needed to get that site dug up and get what they found, if they found anything, to Lanie for analysis.
Kate was really hoping she was one step closer. One step closer to what her heart wanted most and what it also feared the most.
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Kate spent most of the next month and a half when she was at the inn every two weeks on her two days off on the second floor balcony watching as a bunch of college students were using her site to train on how to dig for dinosaur bones. The school and the professor had jumped at the chance, especially when Kate had told them she would feed them from her kitchen free of charge.
Even now she was watching as yet another bone was removed from the site and placed in a container for transport. Construction on the opposite side of the inn was taking place but she didn't really care about that. The construction didn't need her supervision and neither did this. However, watching these kids dig was all that she cared about.
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Kate was staring at her murder board trying to figure out what it was telling her when her cell phone rang. "Beckett." Her mind was still on her board.
"We've completed our work at the dig site. What we found is presently in your office under the watchful eyes of your staff. We greatly appreciate the opportunity to do a dig that actually had real bones. It was a great learning experience for our students. Please let us know if you have another site," Professor Rose Hume said.
That call had her mind off her board and scrolling until she found the name she wanted. She was going to have them pick up the bones tomorrow and transport them to Lanie that same day.
"I'll be in the morgue if anyone wants me," Kate told Ryan and Espo as she left them. She had something to tell Lanie. She knew she would need to tell Lanie something especially once this was over. She just hoped her best friend wouldn't be too angry at her for withholding information from her.