by James Nelson
“What I think is that you must be very tired.“
“I am.”
“Okay, so you get a good night’s sleep tonight. Tomorrow we’ll keep a watch out for anyone following us back to the house. What do you think of that idea?”
“That sounds good” Stephen was reassured by his Uncle’s words.
Phillip put the car in gear and pulled out of the parking lot. The cab slowly followed through the darkness, keeping a discrete distance.
Chapter 6
The next morning, Paulie was already sitting in a rental car when Stephen and his uncle finished breakfast and pulled out.
It was a beautiful morning with a clear blue sky and the temperature was a brisk sixty seven degrees. Paulie watched as Phillip walked Stephen across the street to the lakefront.
“There’s much history in this area,” Phillip said. “I can imagine French explorers paddling their canoes in this bay, with Indians watching from the woods.”
On the drive out of town, Phillip pointed out Little Bay De Noc.
“The fishing is very good here. We should go sometime.” Phillip mentioned.
Remembering Stephen’s concern from the night before, Phillip periodically glanced into the rear view mirror to see if anyone was following them. He didn’t notice anything unusual.
“Are you ready to spend your summer in the forests of Upper Michigan?” Uncle Phillip asked. “I hope you don’t get bored. It’s not like the city, there really isn’t much to do.”
“I’ve brought my sketchbook and Dad told me about your huge library and the theater room. I’m sure I can keep busy. Do you get any visitors from Hollywood?” Stephen asked, remembering his dream of being surrounded by actresses.
“Now and then, but most of my Hollywood friends find the area too isolated and out of the way.”
Stephen was a little discouraged.
“Did you hear about my girlfriend?” Stephen asked.
“Yes, your father told what happened when we talked about your trip to visit me. Women, very difficult. Don’t I know” Phillip shook his head. “But we get on with things and live to see another day. I think you staying here with me will help, right?”
Stephen nodded, “That’s for sure, this was a great idea”.
After an hour of driving, Stephen watched as the forest got thicker. The green leaves of maple and beech were replaced by dark green needles of fir and pine. Stephen could actually smell a fresh pine scent seeping into the car. Small streams and bogs appeared on both sides of the road.
Stephen turned to his uncle.
“How did you end up here in northern Michigan? It seems pretty remote.”
Uncle Phillip laughed, “Good question. That’s the same thing my California friends ask me. I was born in Germany, in the Kahle Forest area, which was named after our family.”
“Did it look like this?” Stephen asked.
“Yes, the land was very similar.”
“What made you come to the states?
“Much luck. Stephen.”
“What do you mean?”
In my late twenties, I had made a few low budget pictures in Germany that got noticed by some Americans when they were screened in France. From that, I was asked to direct a small project in Hollywood.”
“Did you like it when you first came over?”
“Oh my, can you imagine? A young man working in Germany one day and then in California, the next. The first few years in California were exciting, but after five years, not so much. I missed my homeland and the forests. I longed for a quiet retreat. Something similar to where I was raised.”
“So how did you find this area?”
“At the time, I was a fan of Hemingway’s books, yes.” He had written a story called ‘Big Two-Hearted River’ that was about this area. I came to check it out. Then I feel like I’m back in Germany. So I buy some land.
“Is that river close?”
“Only about fifty miles away. We need to go sometime and I can show you.”
“How long do you stay when you come up here?”
“That depends on how busy I am with my movies. I try to get here the first part of June and stay until the end of September. Usually I have to make a trip or two back to Los Angeles to keep up with business.”
Phillip pointed to a sign.
“Blaney Park. We turn here. Only forty miles to go. I’m sure you are ready to end your journey.”
“It will be nice to stop living out of a suitcase,” Stephen agreed.
Phillip glanced up at the rear view mirror. He was careful not to be too obvious and catch Stephen’s attention. A blue Ford had left Escanaba when they did and followed them, turn for turn. Phillip had purposely sped up and slowed down to see how the car behind would react. The blue Ford had always remained about the same distance behind, no matter what speed Phillip was traveling.
If Stephen had not mentioned the possibility of being followed, Phillip wasn’t sure he would have noticed this car.
Trying to sound casual, Phillip asked, “Stephen, who else knew you were coming to visit me this summer besides your parents?”
“Let me think. My three best friends at Bastion Academy. They gave me a hard time about spending my summer in the woods. Two nights before I left, Mom and Dad had a cocktail party and we also talked about my trip then.”
“That must have been nice. Who was there?” Uncle Phil asked casually.
“Let’s see. My Dad’s literary agent, Mr. Plotnick and his wife. The couple that live upstairs. They had just returned home from Europe so they wanted to tell us all about their trip. There was also another couple I didn’t really know. I’m not sure why they were at the party, but I think their names were Beach. Mrs. Beach had a little too much to drink and Mr. Beach just sat there. He was a quiet guy, he didn’t say too much.”
Uncle Phillip thought for a while. “Well, I want you to know I’m very happy you decided to spend your summer with me. When did you come up with this idea?”
“About a week before school got out, Dad called and said he had a great idea. When he told me what it was, I thought it sounded like a lot of fun.”
They drove passed a sign welcoming them to the Seney Wildlife Refuge boundary when Stephen spotted something running next to the road.
“What is that?” Stephen said, pointing out the window.
“Let’s see…is it a coyote, no too big.” Phillip said as he slowed the car down to a crawl. “Too big for a coyote means that’s a timberwolf.”
“A wolf?”
“I told you we were in the middle of nowhere!” Uncle Phil answered with a note of pride in his voice.
Chapter 87
It wasn’t hot, but Paulie was sweating. Nothing felt right about this job. If he had known he was headed to hicksville in the middle of the thickest, deepest damned forest he could ever imagine, he would have never accepted this worthless job. Ever since Milwaukee, the roads and towns got smaller and smaller and the woods got bigger and darker. He was never afraid walking the streets and parks of New York City alone at night, but this was something else. It was hard to concentrate on not being spotted by the Porsche. Paulie thought of Al and Mr. Sabatini. He hammered the steering wheel with his hand, “Those idiots better give me a good job after this bullshit.”
Phillip crested a hill and pointed.
“Take a look at that sign. We’re almost home.”
The sign read ‘Welcome to Grand View, Population 478’. Phillip drove a short distance over the hill and without slowing down, made a quick left turn onto Pine Ridge Road. The turn was fast and unexpected. Stephen lurched over to the right and hit his shoulder hard on the passenger door.
“Whoa, this car really corners! Warn me next time, will you?” He laughed.
“Sorry about that. I forgot I had a passenger.” Phillip slowed the car and watched through the rear view mirror as the blue Ford continued straight ahead, unaware of their quick exit. Uncle Phillip smiled.
“Only two more m
iles, Stephen. Then we’re home.”
Paulie’s rental car crested the hill. He read the sign. Population 478! You’ve got to be kidding me, Paulie thought. There’s more people living in my building than in this whole damn town!
Paulie stared at the road ahead of him. There was no sign of the Porsche. What the hell? All Paulie could see was several billboards advertising a bar, a few restaurants, and one motel.
Pine Ridge Road was somewhat misleading since it was only a narrow gravel path through the woods. After two miles they came to a gentle curve and the Porsche pulled up to the front of a huge gate. A large brass sign mounted to a fieldstone wall read Cliffside Manor. Phillip pushed a button and the gate quietly swung open. They had driven past a few cars parked a block or two before the gate and several people had been milling around. Phillip ignored them and they seemed to ignore him, too. No one attempted to enter when the gate opened.
“Who are they?” Stephen asked.
“Those guys are a big pain in my ass,” Phillip said, his face darkening. “I’ll tell you all about them sometime when Britt’s not around.”
As the car rounded a corner, a huge English Tudor mansion came into view. Stephen recognized it immediately. It looked exactly like the mansion in his Uncle’s movie, Attack of the Piltdown Man. Behind the house, set off to the left, was a smaller dwelling, designed in the same style. Uncle Phillip pulled up to the massive front door and stopped the car. Stephen jumped out and grabbed his bags. Uncle Phillip held the door open as they entered the mansion.
The foyer was open and extended up three stories. To the right was what looked to be an oak paneled office. On the left was a very comfortable lounge, complete with a ten point buck mounted over a fireplace, and an eight foot stuffed brown bear standing in a corner.
“That’s the trophy room”. Uncle Phillip said, as he walked to the door of the office.
“That’s quite a bear,” Stephen remarked.
“I’ve got an even bigger one somewhere in storage,” Uncle Phillip replied. Phillip called down the hallway, “Jeanette, we’re back.”
A young woman in her early 20’s walked out of the office. “And this must be Stephen”, she said, extending her hand. “I’m Jeanette St. Jacques, your uncle’s personal assistant. Very nice to meet you.”
Stephen took her hand, “Nice to meet you, too.” Stephen liked what he saw. Maybe not a Hollywood starlet, he thought, but pretty close.
Jeanette was about 5’6”, with an athletic frame. She had straight black hair that went down over her shoulders, blue eyes and high cheekbones.
Uncle Phillip said, “Stephen, welcome to Cliffside Manor. Please make yourself at home. I have a long distance call in thirty minutes I have to prepare for. I’ll let Jeanette show you around. I’m sure you won’t mind. We can all meet in the dinning room for lunch in a couple of hours.”
Stephen took another look at Jeanette. “That’s fine, Uncle Phillip. Not a problem.”
Jeanette grabbed Stephen’s carry on bag. “Let me give you a quick tour while I show you where you will be staying.”
“Okay, that would be nice.”
“Let’s start in this first downstairs room, the trophy room. Mr. Kahle’s decorated it in a very northern Michigan style with the deer head and bear. He’s not a hunter, but he wanted a very rustic comfortable room. Most of his relaxing time is spent in here.”
“I like the stone fireplace.” Stephen added.
“It comes in very handy since we don’t get many warm days around here.” Jeanette said. “As you will see, this mansion is built on a cliff that rises three hundred feet above Lake Superior. Superior is the great lakes deepest lake so it never warms up in the summer which makes the breezes very cool. There are spectacular views from every room in the back of the mansion.”
“I noticed how cool it was when I got out of the car.”
“Get used to it, it’s that almost every day.”
“My office is over here. You have to walk through my office to get to your uncle’s. I’m both his assistant and his gate keeper.” Jeanette said, with a laugh. “Even though he comes up here to get away, he does work every day.”
“What kind of work?” Stephen inquired.
“Script writing, mostly. But there are a lot of business things to take care of when doing a picture.”
Jeanette pointed, “Down that hall and to the left is the dinning room and kitchen. Running along the back of the house is a large glassed-in area we call the conservatory.”
Jeanette was marching down hallways pointing out various rooms and architectural features. Clearly she had conducted this tour many times before. Lugging his suitcase, Stephen was struggling to keep up.
“Do you know where the design of Cliffside Manor came from?” Jeanette asked.
“It looks like the house in his movie ‘Attack of the Piltdown Man.”
“Very good, Stephen. I’m impressed.” That was the third movie he produced in Hollywood and it turned out to be very profitable. Because of that, it was possible to build this estate. Your Uncle thought it would be fun to design this house just like the mansion in the movie.” Jeanette stopped to let Stephen catch up.
“Okay, now for the second floor.”
True to the design, the staircase looked old and somewhat sinister.
“Mr. Kahle’s bedroom suite is at the far end of this hall. My room is here and at this end there are four guest suites. You are staying in suite number three.”
Rich, dark mahogany covered the walls of the hall. As far as Stephen was concerned, all that was missing from the hallways were the cobwebs he remembered from the spooky mansion in the movie.
Jeanette swung open the door to his room. Stephen’s suite was large and consisted of a bedroom, a bathroom, and a small living room/study area. Large windows faced manicured grounds which ran to the edge of a cliff. A low stone wall ran along the cliff’s edge.
Jeanette and Stephen walked to the windows. The waves of Lake Superior could be seen lapping the shore hundreds of feet below.
“This is spectacular!” Stephen marveled. “I feel dizzy just looking at such a drop.”
“Set your bags down and I’ll show you the third floor,” Jeanette said.
On the way upstairs, Stephen asked, “How long have you worked for my uncle?”
“I’ve been working here at Cliffside Manor ever since I was 16, doing one job or another. Two years ago, I got the personal assistant job, and I love it. I get to meet many famous Hollywood types, directors, producers, and actors.”
Stephen asked, “I noticed another house sitting to the left and behind the mansion. What’s that for? More guests?” For a brief second a cloud crossed Jeanette’s face.
“No, that’s a cottage where your uncle’s friend, Britt Adolfson, the Swedish actress, lives. She starred in many of his movies.”
“Oh, Britt. Yes, Uncle Phillip mentioned her when he visited us a few years ago. Has she been in any movies recently?”
“I don’t think she’s very interested in acting these days. Your Uncle keeps asking her to go with him on his trips back to Hollywood, but she hardly ever does.”
“It does seem very relaxing here.” Stephen mentioned.
Jeanette stopped at the top of the stairs. “The main rooms on the third floor are the billiards room, the library, and the theater where we screen movies. There are also two additional guest rooms, a gym and along the back is a terrace that overlooks Lake Superior.”
“You have a gym?” Stephen asked.
“Yes, but nobody ever uses it, except for our guard. He wanted a place where he could work out with his weights and punching bag, so Mr. Kahle set up a room for him.”
“A guard?”
“Yes, we have a guard that lives on the property.” Jeanette directed Stephen into the library. “You have to see this room. I love the floor to ceiling windows and the books, of course.
Stephen surveyed the room with its leather armchairs, Tiffany lamps, and the spe
ctacular view of the lake.
Jeanette continued, “It’s nice to spend rainy days here getting lost in a book.”
“Yes, this would be the perfect place to hibernate.”
As they left the library, Jeanette closed the heavy oak doors and walked down to the end of the hallway. “This is the theater room. Your uncle has equipped this room with a large projection screen that drops from the ceiling, a seating area with twenty theater seats, a bar area, and a huge selection of movie reels. He’s got all the movies he produced and directed, of course, but he’s also very proud of his collection of black and white movie reels. I think they are his favorites.”
Stephen walked around the room thinking how great it would be to have your own movie theater.
“I hope you like scary movies, Stephen, because your uncle’s collection is one of the best. I guess that’s where he gets his inspiration from.”
They left the theater and walked back down to the second level to Stephen’s room.
“That’s the tour, why don’t you take some time to relax, put your things away and meet your uncle downstairs in an hour or so for lunch.”
Stephen watched as Jeanette left his room. He had a feeling this was going to be a very special summer. Stephen sat on the bed and looked around his suite. He had to hand it to Uncle Phillip. The dark wood, the antiques, everything in the room could have been taken directly from a movie set.
Stephen walked to the far side of the room and opened two windows. A smell of fresh pine filled the air. He could hear the rhythmic sound of Lake Superior’s pounding surf. I’m going to love sleeping with that sound in the background, Stephen thought to himself. He unpacked his bags and stored his belongings in the big closet and numerous drawers in the antique dresser. He stretched out on the bed and quickly fell asleep.
Once again, he dreamed of Jill. This time he was sitting on a large boulder next to a waterfall. In his dream he was calling her name. Jill approached him from a watery mist and put her hand softly on his shoulder. He turned around and they were embracing. He was thrilled that they were together again.
