Outside That Door
Page 21
Rose snickered. “Aha, Brody’s the same way when it comes to watching television. What is it with men and the remote? It drives me crazy when he goes from one channel to the next ten in a blink of an eye. That’s why I have my own TV in the den. I can go in there and watch something for more than a few seconds.”
“All kidding aside, I hope they won’t get into trouble again like last year.” Debra set her cup down on the coffee table. “I can just see it now when the cops pull up to the cemetery, catch them roaming around at night, arrest them and haul their sorry butts off to jail. I don’t need to be bailing Nathan out.” She yawned and got up from the sofa. “Well, it’s getting late, and I’m tired. The rummage sale at the church did me in.”
“It was lovely having you over.” Rose stood as well and gave her friend a sisterly hug. “If you get lonely without Nathan, feel free to drop by again tomorrow.”
“I’m sure I’ll miss him eventually.” Debra snickered. “But when you hear from them again, let me know. Nathan isn’t one to call me often, not unless he needs something. And there’s no point texting him. He never checks his cell phone, anyway. Sometimes I think he forgets he even owns one.”
* * * *
With a crash of thunder, streaks of lightning lit up his room. Brody sat upright, rubbing his eyes with both fists. “Great!” he muttered as he threw his legs over the side of the cot and stood up. The next clap of thunder shook the whole cabin. He slipped into his jeans and grabbed his shirt on his way out the door, almost running into Nathan, who’d just stepped out from his room.
“I see the storm woke you, too,” he said as he walked down the hallway next to Brody. “I guess nothing can disturb our young lawyer. He’s probably sound asleep in there.”
But Daniel’s door opened. “I’m up. Who can sleep with that racket out there? What time is it?”
“Don’t know,” Brody answered. “Didn’t look at my watch.”
“It’s five after twelve,” Nathan said as they entered the kitchen.
“We’re not going to be in any shape to head out early after being disturbed at this hour,” Brody grumbled, but was cut off with another loud bang of thunder. “I’ll put on a pot of coffee!” he yelled over the noise.
The window over the sink lit up with the lightning stabbing the skies overhead. Brody filled the coffeepot with water and switched on the machine, just as the power went out. “What about a beer instead?” He sighed, then set the pot down on the counter and opened a drawer to retrieve a candle and matches.
“Good thing we remembered those candles,” Nathan remarked. “Debra was the one who insisted we pack them. She’s a good wife … sometimes.” He chuckled.
Brody placed a lighted candle in a jar and brought it to the table. “Want a beer, anyone? I’m gonna get me one.”
“Yeah,” both men replied simultaneously. “I hope this storm don’t last too long,” Nathan added. “I’d like to get some sleep. I’m still bushed from all the exercise this afternoon. I’m not used to it.”
“Doesn’t seem to be letting up none yet.” Daniel rose and went to the window. The rain came down in a vicious downpour, so hard he couldn’t see past the front of the cabin. “Are we still thinking about going to the graveyard?” he asked.
“Sure, if the rain lets up, and I can find out more about it.” Brody popped open a can of beer and put two of the same on the table for the others. He sat down beside Nathan. “I’ll do a little research when the power comes back on and I can fire up my laptop.”
Daniel strolled back over to the table to join them. “It may be a while before this storm passes over. I just hope the power comes back on soon and we aren’t stuck for hours or days with no electricity.” He sat, opened his beer, and took a long draw from it.
The light above the sink flickered and came on. “Well, you got your wish.” Nathan peered over at Daniel. “And let there be lights.”
“I think the storm is moving on.” Brody took another swig of beer and set the can down on the table. “I’ll finish this and I’m going back to bed, or to my lumpy cot. You guys can sit up if you want, but we still have tomorrow—oops, today—to use up our time here.”
“Yeah, it’s now officially Halloween.” Nathan pushed back from the table and rose to his feet. “Some shut-eye sounds good to me.”
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