The Inn at Dead Man's Point by SUE FINEMAN Page A

fresh in his mind.
    Jenna stood in his office door, a smile on her face. “Guess what I found?”
    “The money?”
    “Proof that the money was there. Now all I have to do is find the paper trail.” She yawned. “God, I am so tired.”
    “Too tired for me?”
    She walked over and put her arms around him. “I could fall asleep right here on your shoulder.”
    He scooped her up and carried her into his bedroom, kicked the door shut, and set her on his bed, but by the time he brushed his teeth, found a condom, and pulled off his clothes, she was curled up on top of the covers, sound asleep.
    So much for the power of his sex appeal.
    He grabbed a comforter from the closet shelf, lay down beside her, and covered them both. She snuggled in, and they both slept.
     

 
    Chapter Seven
    E arly the next morning, a man knocked at the door of the inn and asked for Alessandro Donatelli. As the man drove away, Al opened the envelope he’d just signed for and stared at the papers. Brian Baxter was suing him for assault. He claimed to be permanently injured from the unprovoked attack and he wanted ten million dollars. “Only ten million?” Al muttered to himself. He had to be kidding.
    Al went inside and called Gerry, who said, “That ambulance-chasing attorney he found will sue anyone for anything. This isn’t going anywhere. You have three witnesses, four with Jenna, and I can’t imagine that a judge will take the claim seriously.”
    “Can I counter-sue for harassment and trespassing and whatever?”
    “You can, but it’s not worth the time and expense. I’ll get statements from the witnesses and we’ll take it from there. Brian has no witnesses to corroborate his claims. This won’t ever get to court.”
    Al trusted Gerry. With her money, Cara could have hired a high-profile attorney, but she didn’t. She hired Gerry Merlino. Now the entire family used him. He handled their legal affairs with a trained legal mind and a large dose of common sense. Gerry would take care of the problem with Brian Baxter.
    <>
     
    Angelo brought his pickup over and helped Alessandro load Mattie’s chair, television, and a small dresser to take to the nursing home. Jenna packed some clothes, but she refused to go to the nursing home with the men. She had no desire to see Aunt Mattie again, not when the sore on her arm was still inflamed.
    As soon as the men left, Jenna went through Aunt Mattie’s closet and all the dresser drawers, looking for something, anything, that would point her to the missing money. But there was nothing there.
    She cleaned the bathroom, stripped the bed, and moved on to the next room.
    As long as Jenna had lived in the inn, Uncle Charlie had never slept in the same room with Aunt Mattie. His room was the one beside hers. Jenna stood in the doorway and scanned the room, wondering if he’d put something in here that would lead her to the money. Checking the closet and dresser drawers, all she found were clothes. His wallet was in the top drawer with his belts. She fingered the worn leather and then put it back where she’d found it. If there was something here, Mattie would have found it by now.
    Uncle Charlie had been increasingly confused the last few years of his life, and then one day he’d gone for a walk and disappeared. They’d found his lifeless body on the rocks near the point. He’d been gone for several hours before they found him. Good thing Alessandro got the fence put up along the edge, so nobody else would fall over. The fence was pretty, black, with spiked spokes of varying heights. It was low enough that it didn’t obstruct the view and high enough to keep little girls back from the edge.
    Alessandro’s oldest brother, Vinnie, came over to help him put in the posts for the new gate. They seemed to think the gate would keep Brian out, but Jenna knew better. If Brian wanted in, he’d find a way to get in. But he wouldn’t have the nerve to come here now, not after he’d filed the lawsuit