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do the feature on the inn had been for nothing?
    Seeing her expression, he raised his hands in defense. “I didn’t even realize for a while that you thought I was a TV reporter here to do a story on this place.”
    “And when you did realize it?” she asked, her tone icy.
    “By then,” he replied, “I’d decided I wasn’t leaving until there were other people around. I thought a dangerous criminal might be headed this way.”
    “Did he say dangerous?” Nana asked, sounding more titillated than frightened.
    Zach glanced at the elderly couple seated at the table and at the maid standing by the sink. Then, finally, back at Holly. “The dead guy in your pantry is a thug named Leo Meaney. He and his partner, Fred Kipling, are wanted armed robbers and are on the run. I’m following the story.”
    Feeling the strength leave her legs, Holly sagged against the counter.
    “The owner of that tree lot caught Kipling there last night and chased him off with a shotgun. I had assumed he’d hidden something in the tree.”
    “He had,” Holly whispered. “His accomplice.”
    “Exactly. I bet they were meeting up to divide the take, had some kind of disagreement and Kipling killed him. When the owner of the tree lot showed up armed, Kipling did the first thing he could think of.”
    “Shoved his little buddy in a twelve-footer and put the whole thing through the tree binder.”
    “Exactly. When he found out you’d bought the tree, he must have panicked.” Zach stepped closer, reaching up and brushing a strand of Holly’s hair off her face. The warmth of his fingers reassured her in a way all of his words had not. “I’d originally worried he’d follow his stolen goods up here…and that you might be in danger.”
    Oh God. A killer might be coming after them. Stunned, Holly slowly began to quiver. “You can’t be serious.”
    Zach reached for her, both hands comforting, strong and confident on her shoulders. Lending support—and making a promise. You’re going to be fine. I won’t let anything happen to you. Releasing her, he murmured, “that’s why I didn’t tell you the truth right away.”
    Though she knew she should be angry at him for his deception, Holly couldn’t be. She, after all, had been hiding much more than that from him. Namely, a body.
    “Do you think…” She cast a quick look at her grandparents, wanting them out of the inn. “Regina, maybe you could take Nana and Grandpa down into town….”
    “Absolutely not!” Holly’s grandfather replied. “A Cavanaugh would never run.” Her grandmother nodded so hard in agreement that her blue-tinged hair came down from its tight bun.
    She should have known. These two would probably love the chance to take a frying pan to the head of an attacker.
    “Actually,” Zach said, “I suspect things aren’t as dangerous as I’d thought. Stolen jewels would be worth Fred Kipling’s time and effort and that’s what I figured was in the tree. But a dead accomplice whose body he has to figure has already been discovered, probably would not.”
    Feeling hopeful for the first time all day, Holly nibbled her lip. “You really think so?”
    “I do. When Kipling went back to the lot and realized the tree where he’d stashed the body was gone, I’m sure he took off. I’ll bet he’s a few states away by now.”
    Holly certainly hoped so. Especially because, right at that moment, someone knocked on the front door. Everyone in the room flinched, but a quick glance out the side window confirmed the presence of a TV news van.
    Perfect. The travel show crew had finally arrived.

Chapter Thirteen
    For the next hour, Zach kept his promise to Holly. He guarded her secret—the dead guy in the pantry—while a crew from the show Weekend Getaways scoured the inn.
    Damn, he hoped Holly hadn’t been exaggerating about how critical this interview was. Because every instinct was telling him he should have picked up the phone and called his buddy, Detective Mark