Redemption at Shadow Lake

by J E Grace

  “Good evening. Samantha, nice to see you again. I’ll be in touch soon,” Calvin said as he smiled and walked past them to the exit doors. Before Samantha could even say a word, he was gone. Samantha sat stunned by the quick encounter.

  “Well, I better be getting home. I have to stop and check on my dad on the way. He’s getting where he can’t do much these days, and I’m all he has.” Beverly placing a tip on the table. “It was nice having dinner with you. We’ll have to do this again, that is if your client doesn’t ask you out first.”

  “You know I don’t mix business and pleasure. Besides, Mr. Benham isn’t my type,” said Samantha getting up from the table and making her way over to the counter to pay the bill. “See you in the morning.”

  “I’ll be a little late. I have an appointment before work,” Beverly smiled as she walked towards the door.

  Samantha watched as she left. So far, she was the only close friend she had since relocating to Shadow Lake. Sure, she had acquaintances at the Mayor’s office and City Hall but no one she wanted to spend quality time with.

  Samantha paid the bill and exited to the parking lot. It was dark now and the night noises along the lakefront were in full force. The different sounds reminded her that she wasn’t in South Carolina. Would she ever feel at home here?

  She drove along Sleepy Creek Road, her headlights lighting up the wooded landscape on either side. She rolled down her window to let the night breeze bring along the smells and sounds of the lake as she cruised along.

  Her decision to move to Shadow Lake came right after her sister, Gabrielle moved to Pigeon Bay. Gabrielle’s advertising company’s expansion brought with it the need for a South Carolina office, and they had chosen to locate it in Pigeon Bay. Gabrielle was their choice to head it up.

  Samantha and Gabrielle were always at odds with each other, and it seemed to worsen after their father died. They each took turns trying to console their mother, who of course, insisted she would be fine. She had her art, and that was enough to occupy her time. After a few months, their mom was back to painting again and showing at the local galleries.

  Gabrielle stayed on at the house when her mom had started doing shows. She was worried about leaving her home empty while she traveled and of course, Gabrielle was grateful for a place to stay, even though her work took up most of her time and was too busy for relationships. At least, that’s what she said. Samantha always thought there was more to it.

  Samantha made a sharp right-hand turn and pulled into her driveway. As the headlights hit the front of the house, the porch light flicked on. A full porch ran along the front of the house. Large baskets with a variety of colorful flowers hung from above, and stepping stones led the way to the porch steps.

  Grabbing her briefcase, she exited the car locking it behind her and climbed up the steps. She put her key in the lock and seconds later entered the house hitting the light switch.

  Putting her briefcase down on the end table in the living room, she made her way to the open kitchen. For a small house, the owner had done a fantastic job keeping everything functional. The kitchen was modern with up-to-date stainless-steel appliances and granite countertops.

  The walls were a rustic wood, with ceiling beams overhead and the living room opened to the kitchen, only separated by the breakfast bar. In the far corner of the room, adjacent to the sliders that went out onto a deck overlooking the lake was a gas burning fireplace. Samantha looked forward to curling up on the sofa with a good book during the cold winter nights.

  Over the fireplace hung a beautiful painting of a South Carolina beach scene; the lighthouse at Pigeon Bay where Samantha had grown up as a child. The scene warmed her heart each time she admired it. It was one of her mother’s first and given to Samantha on her twenty-first birthday.

  Samantha put on the tea kettle, kicked off her high heels, and carried them into the bedroom. She undressed and put on a robe.

  As she entered the kitchen, the tea kettle whistled blowing out steam. Poured a cup of tea she stood in front of the sliding glass doors looking out at the lake. In the darkness, Sam could see the calm water of the lake bathed in moonlight and the silhouettes of the trees that lined the shore.

  There was a sense of peacefulness here that she did like but wasn’t sure that she wanted to make her permanent home. Her heart was still in Pigeon Bay, but that part of her life was over.

  Brett had not been ready to commit, even after three long years in a relationship. How did I not see it? He wanted to live together without being married, but she loved the Lord, and there was no compromise. A lone tear rolled down her face, and she wiped it away. She had to trust God next time and not let her heart lead her astray.

  She glanced over at the plaque that hung on the wall across from her. It was her favorite Bible verse. “The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters will not fail.” Isaiah 58:11.

  Samantha placed her teacup in the sink and rinsed it out. She padded to the bathroom to take a shower, letting the water stream down over her body easing the tension of the day. She dried off, put on a pair of satin pajamas, and slipped into bed cradling her pillow around her head. God guide me in all I do, and please Lord do not let me be fearful. May I always keep you first in my heart and follow your direction.

  Chapter 5

  S amantha moaned and rolled over. Visions of Calvin Benham bounced around in her head and broke up her peaceful sleep. He held her in a tight grip; his warm breath traveled down her neck, then his wet lips pressed down hard on hers. She was drowning in the uncontrollable passion but fought for control.

  She awoke with a start, her breath coming in quick spurts. Sweat dripped down from her forehead landing on her pajama top. She threw her covers off and made her way to the bathroom. Her hair was tossed and tangled, and her eyes were bloodshot. Lord, are you trying to warn me about him?

  Samantha pulled down a washcloth and filled the basin with cold water, patting the sweat from her forehead and neck. She felt an uneasiness about having to see Calvin again. She could always have Beverly finish the transaction. But then, that didn’t make sense to put that much weight on a stupid dream.

  She padded into the kitchen and took a sip out of the bottled water and took it back with her. It was three a.m., and she had a busy day ahead.

  Samantha checked the alarm to make sure she set it, crawled into bed pulling the covers over her. She closed her eyes, rolled over on her side, and prayed that sleep would come.

  ~

  It was six-thirty a.m. when she heard the alarm go off and the radio blaring a Christian rock tune.

  She made her way into the kitchen, pressed the button on her coffee maker, and heard the drip, drip of the coffee as it filled the canister. By the time she finished her shower, it would be ready.

  She stood looking out the window at the lake. It was early, but the sun was coming up and shed light on the water. Birds flew overhead and dove into the lake capturing their morning meal.

  Samantha enjoyed mornings best. It was a peaceful time. No stress, no pressure, and a time to focus on God. It had been the start of her day for a long time.

  It hadn’t always been that way. After her breakup with Brett, she had drifted away from God for a while. Brett was her first love, and the heartache she felt was more than she thought she could handle.

  Finally, when she was at her lowest and desperate for the pain to stop, she cried out to God, and he was there to pick her up. She finally admitted to herself that she should have listened to God’s warning. She had prayed about their relationship and heard his voice loud and clear, “No!” But she continued anyway. It was a hard lesson to learn and one she wouldn’t forget anytime soon.

  Samantha was coming out of the shower when her cell phone rang. She pulled on her robe and grabbed the phone. It was Mrs. Connor verifying the time for the appointment to look at the commercial bui
lding on Commerce Way. Mrs. Connor had to set the time for an hour later so her husband could be there.

  Samantha hung up the phone and got dressed in a pale blue dress. She pulled her hair back and let the rest flow down over her shoulders. After putting on a pair of low heeled pumps, she took a few minutes for prayer and Bible reading before making breakfast.

  A half-hour later, the kitchen smelled of pancakes, blueberry syrup, and bacon. She finished breakfast, washed up the dishes, and grabbed her keys off the breakfast bar. Clutching her briefcase, she opened the door and exited locking the door behind her.

  Samantha placed her briefcase in the seat next to her and slid behind the wheel. The sun was out full force now, and she moved the visor down to block it from her eyes. She started her car and waited for it to warm up.

  She picked up her sunglasses from the console and hit the on switch for her GPS. She gave it a couple of minutes to load and added the address. The GPS mapped her route.

  When the roadway was clear, Samatha pulled out. It was going on ten a.m. and traffic was starting to pick up. People were making their way to town.

  A couple of miles up the hill she made a sharp left, followed Commercial Way for a couple of blocks, and pulled into the parking lot. She could see Mr. Connor standing next to his pickup and walked over to greet him. Mrs. Connor got out as she approached.

  The Connor’s were a middle-aged couple that had relocated to Shadow Lake a month earlier from Denver. With their children grown they decided they wanted the small town atmosphere and after lots of research had chosen Shadow Lake. They sold home cleaning products and offered a local home cleaning service.

  “Mr. & Mrs. Connor, so nice to see you again,” said Samantha shaking hands. “I believe this commercial property might be just what you are looking for,” she said as she unlocked the door.

  The Connor’s entered the warehouse, and their eyes widened as they took in the amount of space inside. “It is much larger than I expected,” said Mr. Connor as he walked over to the office area. “I think this might work nicely and the asking price is within our budget.”

  Samantha pointed out the receiving area in the back of the building with a bay for delivery of supplies and the fact that there were plenty of windows to let in the natural light from outside. “Do you have any questions?” asked Samantha standing next to Mrs. Connor.

  “Are the roads maintained in the winter?” asked Mr. Connor.

  “Yes, the county takes care of all the roads in the area. Each owner pays a fee towards yearly maintenance. I believe it is around seventy-five dollars, but I can give their office a call and double check.”

  “I would like to know the exact amount of taxes and maintenance fees before we make an offer,” he said as he seemed to be calculating things in his mind.

  “I’ll give them a call now and verify it for you. I’ll be back in a minute,” said Samantha as she walked outside.

  Samantha dialed the number and verified the amount. It had gone up ten dollars but should still work for them.

  As she entered the building, Mrs. Connor was sitting at the front counter, with Mr. Connor standing next to her.

  “Well, their office verified the amount. The roadside maintenance is a little more than I thought. They had an increase recently, and it’s eighty-five dollars,” said Samantha.

  “That sounds okay. If our bottom line comes out the way I think it is going too, we can drop by your office tomorrow afternoon to write up an offer. I’ll call you tomorrow morning to set a time. How does that sound?”

  “Great. I have a couple of appointments set up, but I can work around those,” said Samantha ending the meeting with a handshake. She walked with them outside and locked the door. “I look forward to hearing from you. Have a good day.”

  The Connor’s got into their truck and pulled away. Samantha gave her office a quick call to check on any new appointments.

  The appointment had gone well. The Connor’s were qualified buyers who knew what they wanted. So unlike some of the buyers early in her career where she had wasted endless hours showing clients numerous homes only to find that the one they wanted was outside their price range. It didn’t take her long to learn to pre-qualify them first.

  She drove along listening to the local radio station that played Christian music and hummed along. The window was rolled down, and a soft breeze caressed her face lightly blowing her hair. She reached over and pushed it back.

  What was that? Samantha glanced over at the GPS. A new route appeared on the screen that she didn’t recognize, and she leaned over to clear it. Well, that was weird.

  Chapter 6

  S amantha was beginning to lose her patience. What on earth was happening to the GPS? After a couple of times of resetting it, her curiosity got the best of her. I have to know what’s at this address.

  Up ahead was a parking lot and she made a quick turnaround. She began to climb uphill and around some sharper curves until it finally leveled out.

  The GPS told her to take a sharp right-hand turn and go 2.5 miles and then take another left on McClure Rd. She was entering an area she had never been before, and it appeared quite isolated. Samantha used her hands-free phone system and called the office.

  “Beverly, I just wanted to check in and let you know where I am. Something strange is going on with my GPS. It keeps resetting my route to a McClure Rd address. Weird, I know, but you know me, I have to follow up on it,” said Samantha.

  “I think maybe you’ve lost it, girl. That’s out in the middle of nowhere. What are you thinking?” asked Beverly concern coming across in her voice.

  “You know I can’t let a mystery rest. I’ll call you when I get there,” said Samantha disconnecting the call.

  After turning off on McClure Rd and following the address as directed, Samantha finally came to the end of the road.

  Samantha parked and sat in the car taking in the enormous structure in front of her. It was by far the most substantial house she had ever seen, and she had seen plenty of them.

  The English Renaissance style house was built of stone and was three stories tall. The roof had two gables on each elevation and two dormers on the north side and one on end. Rising high above were four stone chimneys.

  A wall rimmed alongside the house and ran the length of the back along the lakeside edge. Across from the house, there was a large garage and what appeared to be a water tower in the distance. She didn’t see any vehicles and assumed the house was vacant. No sale sign in the yard. Samantha sat in awe of the structure. What a history this house must have. I wonder how long it has been empty?

  Since it was still early in the day, she decided to take a look. but felt it was probably locked up anyway.

  She grabbed her bottled water from the holder, stashed her purse under the seat, and locked the car. Her shoes crunched on the gravel as she walked towards the house.

  Not knowing if the porch boards were stable or not, she carefully made her way up the steps to the landing. She tried the front door. It was locked, so she made her way back down the steps, walking past the hedge at the side of the house along the wall until she reached the back of the house. To her surprise, there was a significant round stone fountain with a broad walkway. Just through the trees, she could see the dock below. The wind blew her hair as she stood mesmerized by the view. There appeared to be more shoreline on this side of the lake.

  A crunch of something behind her made her jump. A rabbit took off into the brush. Boy, maybe I’m not up to this adventure after all. Something or someone wants me here and is using the GPS to accomplish it. That sounds nuts, even to me!

  Chapter 7

  S amantha turned and noticed a door at the back of the house which probably led to the basement. That could be scary depending on how long the house had been empty. She gathered up her courage and walked towards the back door. She turned the knob, and the door pushed open. Do I dare enter?

  She fished her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed the of
fice. In a few minutes, Beverly answered.

  “Well, I’m here, and it appears that the back door is unlocked, so I’m going in.”

  “Are you crazy? If it’s an abandoned house, there is no telling what might be in there. What’s the address, I’m looking it up on the city records?”

  “It’s 2900 McClure Rd, but you don’t have to do that right now. Plenty of time when I get back to the office,” said Samantha pacing by the back door.

  “Well, this is weird,” said Beverly. “Nothing pulls up under that address. It seems like the property doesn’t exist. Was there an address on the front of the house?”

  “Come to think of it there wasn’t. The road just ended, and the GPS flashed, arrived with that address,” said Samantha.

  “I’d wait until someone can go in with you to go exploring,” said Beverly. “I’ll check some other databases and see what I can find out.”

  “I’ll call you when I get back to my car. You know I’m at the end of the road. If you don’t hear from me in the next hour, send backup,” said Samantha joking with her.

  “That’s not funny. You better call me,” said Beverly.

  “Ok. Talk to you soon. The property might be ideal for Mr. Benham’s private resort. It looks as though it has been vacant for years. Bye.”

  “You be careful. Bye,” said Beverly hanging up.

  Samantha disconnected the call noticing her battery was low. Mental note to recharge it in her car before she left the property.

  She pushed the door the rest of the way open and entered the damp basement looking for a stairway to the floors above.

  The sunlight lit up an area of the basement and something rustled to the right of her making a scurrying sound as it rushed across the floor. She spotted the stairway ahead. She climbed up and turned the doorknob. It was unlocked. She took a deep breath and opened the door.