Fogbound: A Lin Hanna Mystery (2 page)

“So, tell me
more about the wedding plans,” Sue seemed excited for her friends, “I want to
know all about them.
 
I’m going to
be there, of course.”

“Indeed you
will be,” Lin smiled, “but there really aren’t any plans as yet.
 
Neal will be making his retirement
decision shortly, and then we’ll probably set a date—maybe in late summer
or early fall.
 
I want to have it
here though.
 
My kids live only a
few hours away, and I have lots of friends here from my working days.
 
It’s going to be small, but I do want
them to be able to come.
 
So much
for my future plans, tell me about you.
 
You mentioned shipping your computer and writing materials.”

“Yes, you’ll
remember that I once told you I had plans to write books based on some unsolved
murders that I became interested in during my days as a reporter.
 
I collected these stories from all over
the country.
 
In fact, it was one of
these stories that led me to suggest we apply to volunteer on the Parkway,” Sue
explained.

“OK. Tell me
more,” Lin said.

Sue continued
her explanation, “You’ll remember that old Kingston Trio recording, “The Ballad
of Tom Dooley.”

“I certainly
do,” Lin replied, “and that was based on a true story of a man who lived in
western North Carolina, around Wilkes County, I believe.”

“Yes, and his
crime occurred very near where the Blue Ridge Parkway runs today.”
 
Sue continued her story, recalling that
Tom Dula had been a soldier in the Civil War.
 
Upon his return home he got involved in
a complicated love triangle.
 
He
stabbed his pregnant girlfriend and buried her in a shallow grave near Reedy
Creek.
 
Later he was hanged for his
crime, and the story was immortalized in song.
 

“There is a
sign on the Parkway near where the girl’s remains were buried that tells the
tale,” Sue added. “The interesting thing I learned was that the body of another
pregnant girl was found on the Parkway near that same spot in 2009.
 
She had been brutally stabbed and beaten
and her naked body was dumped on Parkway land.
 
I find the parallels in the two stories
fascinating.
 
The mystery of the
girl killed recently has never been solved.
 
I think the two tales together might
make a good book, provided I can gather more information about both cases.” Sue
grinned sheepishly, “So you see, it wasn’t just the mountain air and beautiful
scenery that led me to suggest the Parkway for our volunteering.”

“It was really
a good choice for me, too,” Lin said, “I’ll enjoy being closer to home.
  
I don’t know about you, but I’m
getting hungry.
 
Maybe we should do
something about dinner. We’d better go out because my cupboard is nearly bare.”

Over a
deliciously gooey pizza at a local tavern, the friends discussed the one
remaining issue regarding their work on the Parkway.
 
Where were they going to live?
 
They were both assigned to the Highlands
District near Boone and Blowing Rock, but there was no park housing available
in that area for volunteers.
 
Neither woman was eager to spend almost four months camping, even though
camp spaces were available.

“I think I have
a possible solution,” Sue explained, “but we may have to spend a few days in a
motel at first.
 
I responded to an
ad online from a professor at the university.
 
He is beginning a sabbatical and is
leaving for Italy at the end of the month to do research.
 
He was advertising for someone to rent
his home for four to six months.
 
Thing is, he was looking for a grad student who could also serve as a
caretaker for the property while he was away; he was only going to charge a
token amount of rent—a hundred dollars a month.
 
I called him and told him about us; I feel
sure we can take care of the place, and I think he liked the idea.
 
You know, two “mature” ladies as opposed
to a student.
 
He wants to meet us
first, though.”

Lin grinned at
Sue’s characterization, “Mature, indeed.
 
I guess we fit that.
 
I’m
sure that I won’t be there six months though.
 
Maybe four, but perhaps not quite that
long it depends…”

“I understand,”
Sue said, “your wedding and all that. If my book idea takes off, I may choose
to stay on to do some writing, and, with rent that low, I could easily manage a
couple of months on my own.”

“What about
transportation though?” Lin asked. “We’re only going to have one car up there.”

“That’s true
for now,” Sue responded, “but I’ve been seriously thinking about buying some
sort of four wheel drive vehicle for some time now.
 
I need one for the Colorado winters
anyway.
 
I thought I might look for
something while I’m here—maybe buy here and drive it back home when I’m
done.
 
If I don’t do that I might
rent something after you leave—assuming I decide to stay on to write.”

“Then I think
we should go for it.
 
Sounds like a
plan to me,” Lin replied as she bit into another slice of pizza. “ We’ve only
got a few days before we have to report to work, so we need to try to find some
economical lodging up there.
 
That may
not be easy.
 
It’s a touristy spot,
but before Memorial Day we may be able to get a decent rate somewhere.”

“I’ve already
researched a couple of spots,” Sue had a ready reply.
 
“We can get online when we get back to
your place and start hunting in earnest.”

It was shortly
before five in the afternoon when Lin and Sue turned onto King St., the main
street in the small college town of Boone.
 
They’d enjoyed a pleasant day, and, although some clouds were gathering
to the west of town, the evening promised to be nice as well—at least for
the next couple of hours.

They’d arrived
this morning and had spent most of the day preparing for their summer volunteer
jobs on the Parkway.
 
Their time had
been devoted to visiting the major spots they would likely be working, getting
new uniform shirts, meeting supervisors, and working out a schedule that would
allow them to share their transportation for the present.
 
Upon their return to the Mountaineer
Motor Lodge on Hwy 105 near the main part of town, they had talked to the manager,
Sally Mackey, about things they might enjoy doing on this first weekend in the
mountains.
 
They didn’t have to work
until Monday, and they certainly didn’t want to spend their time sitting in a
small room watching television.
 

“Fridays are
fun times in town during the summer,” their hostess reported. “There’s music on
the lawn at the Jones House right in the center of King Street and lots of nice
places to grab a bite to eat downtown.
 
Just remember, summer classes start this coming week so a good many
students are returning.
 
Parking
will be at a premium and traffic will be bad, but if it weren’t for students
and tourists this place would dry up.”

Sue had called
Dr. Leonard, the professor whose home they hoped to rent, and arranged for them
to drive out to meet him and see the place about eight that evening.
 
That left plenty of time for exploring
the town.
 
Now, as the line of cars
inched slowly down the street, Lin scanned the curbs for a possible open
parking spot.
 
She spotted one in
the block ahead but it was on the left side. “That will never be there by the
time we can go around a block,” she lamented as they approached the available
spot.

Suddenly the
brake lights on the car in front of them flashed, and Lin slammed on her brakes
to avoid a rear end collision.
 
Sue
barely avoided hitting her head, as they were both jolted by the sudden
stop.
 
Thankfully, the car behind
them managed to stop as well.
 
Apparently oblivious to the maneuvers behind him, the young male driver
of the first car swung into a U turn and deftly placed his car in the available
parking slot.
 
Horns rang out from
the oncoming traffic, but the young driver merely smiled as he and his friends
jumped from their car.

“I guess, we’ve
just experienced an example of the student drivers Sally was warning us about,”
Sue took a deep breath, “good reaction time on your part.”

“Thanks,” Lin
replied as she signaled to turn right at the next intersection,
 
“I think we’ll look for that parking lot
on the side street she mentioned.
 
I’ve already had enough of this.”

Soon they were
on foot, their car safely ensconced in a parking space about a block from the
crowded main street.
 
The atmosphere
was much more enjoyable from this vantage point.
 
There were lots of folks out strolling
about.
 
They heard the soft sound of
stringed instruments being tuned nearby and headed in that direction.

The Jones House
stood back from the street.
 
It
boasted a green lawn with large trees in front of a wide front porch.
 
It was a Victorian style home now
serving as a community center and office space for the local arts council.
 
The Friday afternoon concerts by local
musicians were a summer tradition.
 
Lin and Sue followed the crowd, staking out their “concert seats” by
placing the blanket they had brought for summer picnics in a shady spot.
 
Some folks were sitting and enjoying a
picnic while others were leaving to stroll about the town for a time before the
music began.
 

Lin and Sue
took advantage of the half hour they had before the scheduled start of the
concert and decided to walk about.
 
They noted a statue of a musician seated on a bench near one corner and
discovered it was the famous mountain musician Doc Watson.
 
He’d put mountain music, with its
interesting blend of folk and country styles, on the map for sure.
 
The rich musical tradition of the area
was one of its major attractions.
 

They noticed
that the Mast General Store was open and seemed to be full of customers.
 
They browsed the assortment of outdoor
gear and casual clothing available for sale. They found housewares, toys, and
even some furniture, but the major attraction was the room filled with
old-fashioned candy of all sorts that sold by the pound.

“I haven’t seen
MaryJanes and Milk Duds since I was a kid,” Sue exclaimed as she grabbed a
basket.
 
It was impossible to resist
filling the basket with old favorites.

“This will be a
real temptation all summer,” Lin remarked as they left the store with sacks
full of candy.
 
She popped a Maple
Nut Goody into her mouth. “Keep me away from this place.”

“A little candy
never hurt anyone,” Sue grinned as she unwrapped a Bit O Honey.
 
In the interest of curbing their candy
appetites, they decided to take their purchases back to the car before the
concert began.

After an
entertaining hour of traditional mountain string music and a delicious sandwich
at a restaurant, aptly named Our Daily Bread, they were ready to go house
hunting.

“I hope this
rental opportunity works out,” Lin said as they walked toward their car.
 
It had grown quite cloudy while they
were eating and the air smelled like rain was on the way.

“I really think
it’s almost a done deal,” Sue sounded reassuring. “Dr. Leonard sounded very
positive when we talked on the phone.
 
I just think he didn’t feel right about making a commitment without
meeting us first.”

“He’s right,”
Lin said, “and the same goes for us.
 
We need to make sure we can take care of this place and that we feel
good about living there.”

A few raindrops
began to fall as they reached their car.
 
By the time they arrived at Deerfield Road, a light mist was falling.
 
They turned onto Little Laurel Lane
where the home was located.
 
Although narrow and curvy, the road was paved.
 
As they drove slowly along the tree-lined
lane, they saw a stone arch and a sign indicating they were about to pass under
the Parkway.

“This will be
convenient,” Sue said.
 
“We can get
on here and drive to our work without going back through town.”

“I understand
there are lots of these small roads that come off the parkway.
 
They aren’t major access points, and
some are not actually marked from the parkway side; you have to know where you’re
going,” Lin recalled.

The mist grew
noticeably thicker in this area, becoming a heavy fog.
 
It was difficult to see beyond the stone
arch as they passed under it.
 
The
only lights visible were those at houses and driveways.
 
Lin slowed to almost a crawl as Sue
searched for the house number.

“I can’t
believe that only a couple of hours ago we were basking in the sun at a lawn
concert,” Sue remarked as she spotted the number and signaled Lin as to the
location of the driveway.

“The mountains
are like that.
 
If you don’t like
the weather wait a bit and it will change.
 
Sometimes it’s said the mountains make their own weather.
 
It’s often misty and foggy along the Parkway
and down in the gaps between the mountains,” Lin said, “it takes some getting
used to.
 
It can make things seem
spooky and sounds can seem strange also.”

She pulled the
car to a stop in front of a two-story farmhouse-styled home with a broad front
porch.
 
Lights from the house
penetrated the mist and welcomed them.
 
As they exited the car, a short, gray-haired gentleman opened the door
and greeted them.

“Do come in out
of this mess.
 
I’m Frank
Leonard.
 
I hope you didn’t have any
trouble with my directions.”

“They were
fine,” Sue smiled as she mounted the steps and greeted the professor. “The fog
surprised us, but we didn’t have any trouble finding your place.”

Introductions
were completed and soon they were seated in the comfortable living room drinking
fresh mugs of hot coffee.
 
As they
talked it became clear that Dr. Leonard was delighted with the prospect of
having them rent the house, provided they felt it would meet their needs.
  
He eagerly offered to show them
around.

It was a simple
but comfortable country home with a large eat-in kitchen and a spacious living
and dining area.
 
Furnishings were
comfortable but not fancy which was a plus as far as Lin was concerned.
 
She didn’t want to be responsible for
someone’s valuable antiques.
 
There was
ample room for visitors and Dr. Leonard suggested there would be plenty of room
for family and friends to visit.

 
“Indeed there would be,” Lin commented,
“Unfortunately, I doubt my kids and grandkids will make it up here.
 
They plan to do some significant
traveling—a major camping trip out west together.
 
My fiancé will be coming, however.”

Frank Leonard
also showed them his basement study, indicating that they were free to work
there.
 
“I will pack up my own work
materials and any other personal items, but please feel free to use everything in
the entire house otherwise,”

 
“I’m going to have the place thoroughly
cleaned before I leave, and I only ask that you maintain the home’s
interior.
 
I have a yard man, Lucas,
who takes care of things outside, and he will continue to come on a regular
basis so that is not a concern for you.”

“It’s a lovely
home, and I think it will work well for us,” Sue said. Lin nodded her
agreement, “It’s very generous of you to rent it for such a small amount.”

“I consider it
very valuable to me to have the house occupied while I’m gone and to know that
someone will keep it well maintained.
 
Should any service be needed, I will leave a list of folks I use on the
refrigerator.
 
Vacant houses can be
a magnet for problems such as break-ins or vandalism.
 
Don’t get me wrong, this is a safe
neighborhood, but I know some seasonal residents in this general area have
problems with break-ins when their places go unoccupied for a lengthy period of
time.
 
I could hire Lucas to keep an
eye on things, of course, but I prefer to have someone living here, and I would
be delighted for it to be you ladies, if you agree,” Dr. Leonard concluded.

They returned
to the kitchen and sat at the table to sign the lease agreement.
 

Routine
business concluded, they agreed that Dr. Leonard would call them when he had
the cleaning completed and was ready to leave, hopefully in just a few
days.
 
Meanwhile, they would remain
at the lodge.

The fog was
still evident as they drove away, but it had mostly cleared by the time they
got back to town.

“It’s not even
ten yet,” Sue remarked, “but most everything seems to be closed
already—except for the taverns and restaurants.”

“Life in a
small town,” Lin smiled, “I did hear that the art galleries open on the first
Friday evening of each month, but they’re closed now.
 
I have an idea though.
 
This rain and fog is supposed to be gone
tomorrow, and it should be a fine day.
 
Let’s buy some ingredients for a picnic lunch.
 
We can put them in the refrigerator in
our room.
 
Tomorrow we could play
tourist and explore the Parkway.
 
I
saw that the supermarket near the motel is open twenty-four hours”

“That sounds
like a plan to me,” Sue responded.
 
They stopped at the shopping center and got what they needed for a small
picnic and then headed back to their lodgings.
 

“It’s still
early in Arizona,” Lin said when they’d finished stashing their purchases, “I
think I’ll go down to the lobby and call Neal.
 
The cell signal is stronger there, and I
saw they have coffee and cookies out also.
 
Why don’t you come along?”

“I’ll get some
coffee and cookies, but I’ll bring mine back here,” Sue teased, “I’ll let you
lovebirds have some privacy to talk.”

Lin hoped she
wasn’t blushing, “Nonsense, it’s a gathering place for everyone. I wouldn’t
care if you did listen.
 
I just want
to find out how things are going for him out there.
 
Nothing I wouldn’t want overheard.”

Sue did stay in
the lobby for a few minutes drinking coffee, but then she returned to the
room.
 
Lin had a good talk with
Neal, catching up on happenings of the previous week.