House at Road's End

by Peggy Staggs

  To ward off the onset of stress induced insanity I decided to read.

  It lasted ten minutes.

  I rubbed my temples. Then my neck.

  Jane was right across the way. I felt the corded muscles in my neck and shoulders relax. We’d made a plan, in the morning we were going to go through Dad’s things. Get them in order. And see if we could find the blasted attic in the house out back. With a plan in place I went to bed.

  »§«

  I know I’d fallen asleep because a crash woke me up. My feet hit the floor before I realized the sun was peeking around the folds of the curtains.

  I’d survived the night. We’d survived the night.

  Another bang came from downstairs.

  I went to the top of the steps.

  Jane appeared in the kitchen door. “Sorry, Miz,” her voice was a loud whisper.

  “Miz,” I said in a low voice. “It doesn’t work for me.”

  At least we were eliminating names. “It’s okay. I’ll be right down to help with breakfast.”

  I jumped in the shower, dressed, and with cat-in-arms I hurried downstairs. “Good morning.”

  “How’d you sleep? We’re brave women aren’t we? More than once last night I thought about Ralph and that Sergeant. How did he end up in our backyard in Ralph’s truck that was stolen?” She sliced off more pieces of fresh bread, and put them in a baking dish. “Baked French toast,” she said.

  “The truck was stolen?”

  “I heard it from my sister.”

  Two Jane’s in one town? “How would she know?”

  “It would be her idiot son, Kenny, now wouldn’t it? I don’t know what happened to that boy.” Finished with the bread, she poured an egg mixture over it.

  “Coffee is on the counter.” She paused, large bread knife in midair. “Do you cook?” She pointed the knife in my direction.

  “Sort of.”

  “That won’t feed the guests now will it?” She laid the knife on the cutting board next to the bread. “I just bake the bread.”

  “I’ve been thinking about that. I could take some classes.” I’d heard the words. They’d come from me. It was my voice and everything. I had no idea why. I had a plan and it didn’t involve staying here long enough to take cooking classes. “Who cooked before?” I’d come to the conclusion the B&B would be worth more if it had paying guests when I sold it.

  “Mostly Ralph.”

  “I had no idea.” Dad preparing gourmet breakfasts? “What did he make?”

  “Started out with hash browns and scrambled eggs. Nothing fancy. People liked them. Wasn’t long before he could match anything you could get in Twin Falls. Everything from scones to goat cheese casseroles.”

  “I can’t compete with that.”

  “All on his computer.” Jane shrugged. “Bet you can do as well. Only cooking classes around here are at the Extension Office for beginners. Kids today don’t learn it in school.” She thrust the baking dish in the oven. “Now, just how are these kids supposed to get along in life if they can’t bake a decent loaf of bread or fix a truck?” She retrieved bacon from the refrigerator. “I know most of their mamas and dads teach them. What about those city kids, I ask you?” She waved a package of bacon at me.

  I poured a cup of coffee. Before I could say anything she went on. I knew one thing about cooking...I couldn’t.

  “I can tell you most of the kids now days want to escape to the city. Boise looks like the promised land until they get there.” She gathered up the crumbs and went to the backdoor. After spreading them on a make-shift bird feeder she returned. “Where was I?”

  “We need to get some fruit for breakfast. All these carbs are going to settle in my butt.” I was going to have to start running on a more regular basis. Alone.

  “You know, I wouldn’t mind losing a few pounds. Bill might like me thinner. We’ll have to go with apples for now. It’s too late for much else. I’ve got some frozen berries, I’ll make a nice coffee cake with them.”

  As it turned out we were making French toast, eggs, bacon and sliced apples.

  “This is great,” Mr. Tyson said.

  “Any idea how long you’re staying?” Jane asked as she brought in more coffee.

  “The week at least. Won’t be a problem will it?”

  “Not at all. I need to know how many groceries to buy.”

  “How much extra would you charge us if you packed a lunch?” Mr. Tyson asked. “There will be five of us.”

  Jane settled on ten dollars each. Mr. Tyson thought it was a deal and Jane was sure it was a windfall. I was glad they were staying for a whole week.

  With the dishes done, the little cat asleep on the porch, and curiosity rampaging in my head, I turned to Jane. “We’ve got to get into the attic,” I said.

  Chapter Eighteen

  If I was going to be here for several months I didn’t want to pay the rent on the U-Haul for all that time. “Is there someplace I can store my things?”

  “Always Glenn House.”

  “Glenn House?”

  “We’ve been calling it the house out back. Before the family was killed and the ghosts moved in, they called it Glenn House. Probably because it’s in the stand of trees. Ralph seemed to like it fine, until he moved back in here.”

  “It might work.” If Dad could live there I could. “Why did he move out?”

  “I don’t know. It was right after he closed up this place.” She finished putting food down for the cats. “If you move in there we’ve got to do something about those ghosts.”

  “I’m not worried about them right now. It would give us another room to rent. Two if we cleared out the storage room, which was really the old library.” I’d use one of the bedrooms and not worry about the rest of the house. And if I was staying there maybe I’d be able to find the attic. It was a plan. “I’ll stay out there tonight.”

  “Shouldn’t be much trouble to move you in.”

  “Besides, we may need all the rooms in here for Halloween.” We’d gotten five reservations. “What would it take to clear out Dad’s old room?”

  “We just need someone young and strong to move things. I’m not throwing my back out. I’ve got too much to do.” She paused. “If we’re going to get you settled for tonight we should get started. I’m going to go get a basket with a handle so it’ll be easier to haul the little cat around. She’s taken to you. I think the cats should stay with you. No room for them in my place. I don’t want to leave them here alone.”

  I wondered if they were now officially mine. All I needed was a couple of cats to drag around while I interviewed for jobs up and down the west coast. I wasn’t sure you could haul cats around the way you could a dog.

  “Where’s the road to the house?”

  “Twisted around behind the carriage house and old stables. If you didn’t know the road was there, you’d never find it.”

  “I’ll moved the trailer around to Glenn House.” I liked the idea of living in a house that had a name.

  “We should call Mazie,” Jane said when I opened the back of the U-Haul. “Bet that band of hers would like the money.”

  “Now all I have to do is decide which bedroom to stay in.”

  “If it were me, I’d take the one on the north east side of the house.” She hesitated before she added. “It’ll be cooler in the summer.” She watched me.

  I had no intention of being here next summer. It would do until early spring. Maybe April. I should be able to get everything ready for sale by then.

  Upstairs the door swung open on the perfect room. The spacious area opened onto a balcony. There, large urns graced the corners. Inside, a window seat under the double window looked like it came straight out of a movie. The only thing missing was a delicate woman in a graceful chiffon dress, reading. The bookcases flanking the bench were full of books, vases, and pictures.

  “The closets in here,” Jane called.

  I expected a tiny affair with minimal room. What I found was
a walk-in closet large enough to hold all my clothes and shoes. In the past three years, with Sophie’s help, I’d acquired quite a wardrobe. “I didn’t know they built closets like this in those days.”

  “House is odd. Several things like this don’t fit the time.”

  As promised, Crystal and the rest of the band showed up after school. In a couple of hours they had all the extra furniture moved from the B&B to the stable and my new bedroom and the hall were lined with boxes from the U-Haul.

  While they brought things in, Jane and I began removing the sheets from the furniture. When we were done we found the room filled with incredible hand carved antiques. Oak leaves framed the golden oak of the headboard in my room. The end tables had the same oak leaves for handles. A round table sat near the window. Ivy twined up its pedestal.

  The kids brought the boxes upstairs. When I left DC I was in a hurry. I left most everything on the hangers. So it was only a matter of opening the box and hanging the contents. The boxes of things that didn’t belong on hangers, I had the kids put in another room.

  “Those can stay packed.” I told Jane. I had no intention of opening a single one of them. They were all things I’d need for my next place. I wouldn’t need them until I found a job. Maybe USC.

  It didn’t take as long as I thought to settle in. If I was going to sleep in this house I was definitely going to have my .38 with me. Right with me. That threatening phone call still concerned me. I know Jack said it wasn’t from here, but still...

  To my amazement the cats seemed to not care where they were. I’d always thought cats were fussy about traveling. But then I’d never had a cat before.

  The little one was very happy to sleep in the basket Jane had found for her. The big cat kept himself busy either scrutinizing the birds outside or hunting the last rays of the day’s sun.

  “Jane, I can’t thank you enough. You’re great.”

  “Thank you, Ma’am.”

  No. That wasn’t going to work at all. Jane shook her head.

  With the U-Haul returned to the dealer in Mullen I walked back in the Glenn House to find Jane fussing with the cats.

  “You’re back. Good. I’ve got the cats fed and settled. You need some alone time after everything. A little yoga would relax you.”

  “You do yoga?”

  “I do. I’ve got to stay limber.” When she saw the look on my face she added. “Good for my knee.”

  I smiled. She was a constant surprise.

  In my room, I put my gun in the top drawer of the bedside table. Then I took it out and laid it on top. I’d be ready.

  Only Jane knew I was sleeping out here tonight. So I was safe. Maybe I should tell Jack.

  No.

  I sat on the hand braided rug that covered the polished wooden floor. The big cat jumped to the top of the dresser as if he considered my yoga a spectator sport. “I don’t need an audience,” I told him. He agreed and began washing his face.

  I stretched out on the rug. It took half an hour and included nearly every yoga pose I knew to relax my muscles and return me to a calmer state.

  My cell phone rang. I was half afraid to look at the caller ID. What if it was Don, or worse Jack? It was Sophie. “Hi.”

  “Ensley, what are you into out there?”

  “Why?” She had no idea.

  “I haven’t gotten very far yet, but this is a tangled mess. I think I’m on the right path then, it just vanishes. It’s going to take some time, if there’s an answer out there I’ll find it.”

  I thanked her. It was more or less what Jack said.

  Jack.

  Chapter Nineteen

  After I made sure the cats were both comfortable I decided to immerse myself in something I couldn’t possibly mess up. Cat names. I went to the closet for my nightgown then the bathroom. The two cats gaped at me as I returned spreading moisturizer on my face. “Hey, it feels good.” I took out my laptop. “You guys need names.” Dad had the foresight to install wifi. “Let’s search the internet for—”

  I heard a loud knock on the front door. The last thing I wanted to do was answer it. But I figured there was probably some inn keeper’s oath requiring me to welcome all comers. I threw on my bathrobe, picked up my 38 and headed downstairs, turning on every light I came to.

  From the staircase I could see Deputy Kenny peeking through the leaded-glass window that made up the top half of the entry door.

  After throwing the lock I greeted him with, “Is there trouble?”

  “No.” He stepped inside. “Saw the lights on and I wanted to check to be sure everything was okay.”

  “I thought you did that earlier?” He worked in the Sheriff’s office. He could have intercepted the letter. I squeezed the door handle. I was beginning to see everyone as a boogie man. I had to get a grip. Still, I asked, “Did the Sheriff send you?”

  He gave me a nod.

  That made sense. He was making sure I was okay.

  “Outside is good. I’d like to check inside, too. Make sure everything’s secure.”

  He glanced around the entry. “There are lights on in the basement over at the B&B. Your guests must be back.”

  He walked past me into the living room, then back through the dining room, kitchen and finally the library. I wasn’t about to follow him around. The floor was cold and my slippers were somewhere in a box.

  He stopped and turned. “Do you want me to run their license places?”

  “No, it won’t be necessary.”

  “Better to be safe. I’ll run them.” He smiled.

  I didn’t like his smile. “That’s very nice of you.” And dumb. The two trucks had logos on them and Mr. Tyson’s was rented. He was Jane’s nephew, I reminded myself. I needed to meditate and do some deep breathing exercises. Chocolate. I needed chocolate.

  “Everything’s secure. Good evening.” His smile was more of a smirk this time. “Someone will come around later. You can turn out the lights, now.”

  Fat chance. “Tell the Sheriff thank you.”

  I left the front porch light on and went upstairs. It was even quieter here than in the B&B. I laid down on the bed, picked up my Kindle and started reading. After a few minutes the device grew heavy in my hands. Maybe if I closed my eyes for a few minutes.

  A sharp knock startled me awake.

  »§«

  I flipped off the bedroom light, hoping it would allow me to see better and so no one outside could see me. I went to the top of the stairs.

  Below, the porch light stretched out into the darkness. I inched my way down the treads. Darkness pressed into the light as if to keep it from escaping.

  A louder knock insisted on my attention. This one came from the back of the house.

  Bang.

  Evidently my semi-awake mind hadn’t seen the need for a bathrobe. Or a weapon. They were both still upstairs.

  I stopped in the shadows by the stairs. Maybe if I didn’t go back there, whoever would go away.

  Bang.

  Bang.

  I paused and glanced out the front door.

  No one stood in the light.

  Bang.

  I hurried through the dim light to the kitchen. The screen door slammed in the wind.

  I felt the muscles in my neck relax. Deputy Kenny must not have checked it before he left. “That was careless of him. And the reason he came back here.” I pulled open the backdoor and stopped. It hadn’t been locked. I was going to have a talk with Kenny. I latched the screen door and locked the inside door.

  He’d been through the whole house. I went around and rechecked everything. Doors, windows, everything.

  Upstairs, I made sure the cats were safe and slipped into bed. With the bedside lamp at the correct angle, I set my laptop on my lap. I typed baby names into Google. First I selected baby girl names.

  I leaned back. This whole conundrum of names suddenly seemed funny. I didn’t know what I wanted Jane to call me. Jane didn’t know what to call me. I didn’t feel comfortable calling
the Sheriff, Jack any longer. And the poor cats didn’t have names at all, and I wasn’t sure they cared.

  I figured Jane and I would get our situation figured out soon enough. But the Sheriff.

  The cats slept. One in her basket, the other right in the center of the bed. The big one softly snoring. “Not very stealthy,” I whispered.

  I closed my computer and switched off the light. My thoughts spun around in my brain like cars on a track. These cars were going ten times too fast. To add to the bedlam, random cars kept entering the track, confounding the turmoil. Just about the time the cars began circulating in unison, one would reverse direction, throwing the others out of balance. One idea after another slammed into my consciousness like a mental demolition derby. I took several deep, cleansing breaths.

  Great. This was going to be one of those nights.

  I crawled out of bed and sat on the floor next to the little cat’s basket. The big cat moved to the edge of the bed and batted at me to pay attention to him. I tickled the bottom of his chin. “This isn’t where I thought I’d end up. I’m a city girl,” I told them. “I don’t know what to do out here in the mountains of Idaho. And I sure don’t know how to go about solving a murder.” The little cat looked as lost as I felt. The big cat rolled over on his back and stretched out to his full length. “And then there’s the Sheriff. I’m an idiot. He probably has some stunning redhead.” I stroked the now sleeping big cat. “That’s right I have an ego the size of this house. Because only a super model could possibly be the reason he didn’t kiss me.” I wanted to bang my head against the wall until my brain cells realigned.

  I needed to sort things out. I had to fall back on what I knew worked. The scientific method. All the inquiries I’d made up to now had done little more than confuse me. The only thing I could think to do was list everything. I pulled my notebook from the nightstand.

  I leaned back against the bed. “How can I make this all work?”

  My audience slept on, completely uninterested.