Fogbound: A Lin Hanna Mystery (20 page)

The three
friends sat silently around the table for a few moments trying to comprehend
everything that had just happened.
 
Finally, Sue spoke, “I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m hungry and
absolutely need some hot coffee.
 
With no power that’s not going to happen here; I suggest we find
someplace open and get some breakfast.”

“There’s a
Waffle House in town,” Lin offered. “I think they’re twenty-four hours.
 
Let’s go.
 
We’ll all feel better if we have
something.”

They checked
the house, doused the lit candles, grabbed their jackets and cell phones, and
headed out, piling into Sue’s four-runner.
 
It was about four-thirty when they arrived at the Waffle House surprised
to find that they were not the only customers.
 
A couple of men who looked like they
were dressed for outdoor work in bad weather were seated at the counter, and a
couple of college students who appeared to have been pulling all-nighters were
already seated and eating.

The aroma of
freshly made coffee and sizzling bacon provided the atmosphere.
 
Lin realized that she really was
hungry.
 
They all were.
 
Soon they were dining on mounds of
scrambled eggs and waffles laced with warm maple syrup.
 

“I’m glad Dave
Winkler wasn’t the one who came when we called,” Sue said. “He probably
would’ve arrested me for taking a shot at whoever was there.”

“I’m sure he
wouldn’t have been happy about the call at any rate,” Neal volunteered, “but no
one can doubt that someone was really there, really intent on doing some
damage.
 
If Lin hadn’t been awake,
we might not have known about all this until morning and then someone might’ve
been hurt.”

“There’s
probably not much evidence now given the rain,” Sue said, “but at least we’re
safe.
 
The stair treads will be
fairly easy to reattach, and I’ll call for the utility repairs as soon as
possible.
 
Meanwhile, if you two are
going to be at home, I’ll probably try to work a half-day at the Craft
Center.
 
They need the help.
 
I’ll probably leave early though, by
afternoon I’ll surely need a nap.”

“We’ll be there
and, hopefully, we can get the power and telephone fixed early.
 
Even if this weather lifts, I don’t
think we’ll feel much like sightseeing today,” Neal said.

Lin nodded her
agreement.
 
She was already feeling
tired, in spite of the good food and coffee.
 
She was glad she didn’t have to work at
the visitor center.

Neal called for
their check and they headed back home.
 
By now it was light and the heavy rain had passed only to be replaced by
a persistent fog and mist that forced them to creep back to the house.
 
They almost missed the driveway without
the benefit of the post lamp at the entrance.

As soon as they
arrived, Sue called the electric company; they promised to have someone out to
repair the cut before noon.
 
The
phone company was less promising.
 
It would be Monday before they could restore service.
 
Thankfully, they had cell service and
would be able to recharge their phones once the power was back on.

“Thank goodness
I thought to shower last night,” Sue remarked as she headed upstairs to get
ready for work.
 
Neal had bought a
morning paper and now he headed for the sofa to read it while Lin decided to
search for more candles.
 
Even
though it was no longer dark, the house had a gloomy aspect due to the fog and
mist outside, and she felt the need to make the interior seem more
cheerful.
 
She had to admit that,
although she loved the beauty of the mountains, the frequent foggy days didn’t
help her spirits.
 
Rather, things
seemed eerie to her, and she felt as if she were lingering in some sort of
twilight zone.

After lighting
up the downstairs—kitchen, hallway, and living room—she went
upstairs to tidy up the bedroom and bath and make the bed.
 
She felt the need to stay busy, to set
things right, to keep her mind from dwelling on yet another intrusion from
someone who wished to do them harm.

By the time she
was ready to head back downstairs, Sue was preparing to leave for work,
promising that she intended to leave the craft house at noon. “They won’t be
too busy today with this bad weather, I don’t think.
 
Of course, it is a Friday, but this is
especially foggy.”

“Be careful and
take your time driving out,” Lin admonished her friend.

“Don’t worry, I
will,” Sue remarked, “and I’ll be back here for lunch.”

Lin went back
downstairs only to discover that Neal had fallen asleep on the sofa.
 
So much for a romantic, rainy day at
home, she smiled to herself.
 
I
can’t really blame him; I’m exhausted myself.
 
She went back upstairs and stretched out
on top of the bed, pulling an afghan over herself to keep warm.
 
She was asleep by the time her head hit
the pillow.

She awoke a
couple of hours later when she heard Neal opening the front door for the guy
from the power company.
 
Since they
had earlier identified the spot where the line had been cut, it was a
relatively quick job to reconnect their service.
 
Lin’s mood improved immediately when she
saw lights coming on downstairs.
 
She doused the candles she’d brought up with her and hurried down to do
the same on the main floor.

It was a bit
after eleven when the repairman left.
 
Sue would be coming home for lunch in about an hour.
 
It was still foggy and misty outside;
still too wet to enjoy outdoor activities.
 
Neal followed Lin into the kitchen, “Do we have any ground beef, any
beans?” he asked. “ Today would be a good day to have chili for lunch.
 
I’ll whip up some if we have the
ingredients.
 
They did, and soon the
house was filled with the enticing smell of the spicy concoction.
 
Lin made some corn muffins to add to
their meal.
 

It was a little
after one when Sue finally arrived. “I was beginning to worry a little about
you driving in all this fog,” Lin commented.

“Well, it did
take longer than usual to drive home because of that, but we were actually
busier than I thought we’d be.
 
Had
two tour buses that arrived shortly after eleven, so we were swamped at the
sales desk.
 
I couldn’t get away as
early as I’d planned, but I’m here now and lunch smells great.
 
I can’t believe I’m actually hungry
again after that big breakfast.”

“Remember, it
was five in the morning when you ate it,” Neal joked. “Besides, no one can
resist my chili recipe.
 
I made a
big pot, we can have it for supper too.”

The mood was
much lighter than earlier and they were all glad to have their power back
on.
 
“Did the sheriff send anyone
back to check for evidence?” Sue asked, buttering a second corn muffin.

“If they did,
no one came to the door,” Neal replied.
 
“I took a nap and didn’t wake up until the electrician rang the
bell.
 
Lin was asleep also, I
think.”

“Yes, I was
upstairs and didn’t wake up either—not until I heard Neal go to the door
when the electric guy arrived.
 
Maybe someone came, but I’d think they would’ve come to the door.”

Sue shrugged,
“I’d think so, but who knows.
 
Guess
we’ll hear from them if they find out anything.
  
You guys had naps but I’m bone
tired now.
 
I’m heading up for a nap
of my own.”
 

“Go ahead,” Lin
said. “We’ll take care of the dishes.”

“Don’t let me
sleep more than a couple of hours,” Sue said, “otherwise I won’t be able to
sleep tonight.”
 
She headed up the
stairs and they heard her close her bedroom door.

***

Neal and Lin
made quick work of putting up the leftovers for later and cleaning up the
kitchen.
 
She led the way back to
the living room and picked up the mystery novel she’d been reading earlier. “I
guess a rainy day is always good for reading, or maybe playing games, she eyed
the stack of board games Frank Leonard had stored on a nearby shelf. “There’re
even some jigsaw puzzles here.”

Neal walked up
behind her and gently wrapped his arms about her waist. “I’d say Frank Leonard
is well equipped for rainy afternoons, but I have a better idea.
 
Reading always makes you sleepy,” he
nodded toward the book in her hand, “and you don’t want to spoil your chances
of sleeping tonight—you have to work tomorrow, remember?”
 
He turned her in his arms drawing her
into a close embrace.
 
She felt his
warm hands slip beneath her soft knit shirt, pulling it upward over her
head.
 
She found herself reaching
for his clothing as well as he guided her toward the sofa and pushed her gently
into the pillows.

“ I told you I
could entertain you on a rainy day,” he smiled, “and I promise I won’t let you
go to sleep.”

Lost in the
warmth of Neal’s embrace, Lin soon forgot about the gloom that enveloped the
world outside.

As luck would
have it, the weather improved substantially over the weekend and neither Lin
nor Sue had much chance to think about whether or not the authorities were
having any luck in identifying their intruder.
 
It was now mid-June and the Parkway was
a busy place with lots of visitors at all locations.
 
Both women worked full days and were
glad when Sunday evening rolled around.

Neal was on his
own but found plenty to do.
 
He
drove Lin to work both days, stopping to buy a guide to hiking trails when he dropped
her off on Saturday.
 
He devoted his
weekend to locating and walking some of the easier trails, making good on his
promise to himself to get back into good shape for hiking.
 
By the time Sunday evening rolled around
he had logged quite a few miles and had really enjoyed discovering the area.

“The only thing
missing was not being able to have you along,” he said as he reported on his
activities. “This is truly a beautiful place.
 
We’ll have to do some exploring together
on your next days off.”

“Well, that
will have to wait until Wednesday,” Lin replied. “I’m off that day, work
Thursday, then have both Friday and Saturday free—provided the schedule
doesn’t change.”

The three of
them were sitting on the patio enjoying drinks and snacks while watching the
late afternoon sun cast a golden glow on the surrounding forest.
 
“What’s for dinner?” Sue teased. “Who’s
cooking tonight?
 
Not me, that’s for
sure.”

“Actually,”
Neal replied, “I think that the three of us should go out.
 
In fact, I’m not sure what our grocery
supply looks like right now.
 
You’ve
both been working and I’ve been playing…”

“Sounds like a
plan to me,” Lin responded. “Did you have something in mind?”

“Actually, I
did,” Neal replied. “I think we should try the family style dinner at the
Daniel Boone Inn.
 
I talked to
someone about it this weekend when I was hiking.
 
They said it was like an old-fashioned
Sunday dinner at grandma’s house—traditional southern country cooking,
and lots of food.”

An hour later
they were seated in the dining room of the rambling white structure feasting on
fried chicken, ham biscuits, and country style vegetables.
 
No one went home hungry from the Daniel
Boone.

“That was
great,” Sue said as they left, “but we can’t do that too often or I’ll gain a
ton of weight this summer.”

“I think I may
have undone all the good I did hiking all those miles,” Neal agreed, “but it
was delicious and I did enjoy it.”

When they
arrived back at the house, they walked around to the back porch.
 
Neal had taken the time to replace the
steps the intruder had pried up.
 
He
had also looked around to see if there were any footprints visible; they’d
never been certain that anyone had come back on Friday to check for further
evidence.
 
They saw indications that
someone had walked through the area but couldn’t see any clear prints.

“These marks
could’ve easily been made by us,” Neal remarked. “If they did check Friday,
things might’ve been clearer, but with all the rain, I’m not sure.”

“I really would
like to know if they’ve found anything—if they have any idea who the
intruder might’ve been.” Lin commented. “I was hoping someone would call during
the weekend but…”

“Frankly, I
don’t think our intruder is a very high priority with the sheriff’s
department,” Sue spoke up.
 
“I plan
to call tomorrow.
 
We need to know
something.”

Just as they
were heading inside, Neal’s cell phone rang.
 
It was his realtor so he went into the
living room to talk while Lin started a fresh pot of coffee and Sue went
downstairs to put a load of laundry in the washer.
 
They all needed fresh clothes for the
week ahead.
 
Lin found herself
trying to determine what Neal was saying, wondering what the news was regarding
the marketing of his house, but she really couldn’t hear clearly.
 
He returned to the kitchen just as Sue
came up from the basement and the coffeemaker beeped to let them know the brew
was ready.

“Good news!”
Neal smiled, “I’ve had an offer on the house.
 
It’s a good offer but the realtor thinks
they’ll go a little higher so I decided to counter.
 
I should have an answer by Tuesday
morning, about noontime here.”

“That’s great,”
Lin replied. “I hope everything works out.
 
That’s a big step toward your retirement goal.”

“Yes, since
we’re keeping your place as our home, that money will be very helpful indeed,”
Neal smiled, obviously pleased that the place had garnered an offer so quickly.

“Of course,
there is a bit of a down side,” he continued, “if we can come to terms.
 
The buyer wants to close in thirty days,
which means I’ll have to cut my stay here short.
 
I’ll have to go back to pack up all my
stuff and make arrangements to move it east or put it in storage or something
until I can do that.
 
I have some
furniture I need to sell also—hopefully the buyer wants some of it.”

Lin swallowed
hard.
 
She was happy about the potential
sale, but Neal had only been with her a week.
 
She put on a brave face. “ Well, we have
to look at the long run I guess, but I’ll surely hate seeing you go back so
soon.”

He put his arm
around her shoulder and gave her a squeeze. “I’ll miss you too but look on the
bright side.
 
If this sale goes
through, I’ll be homeless in thirty days.
 
That’s still at least two weeks before I have to report to work in
Tucson. I’ll be back to spend that time here with you.
 
Who knows, if I can get my packing done quickly
and get rid of the furniture I don’t want to move, I can be back before
then.
 
I can sign closing papers
from anywhere.
 
Besides, nothing is
definite as yet.”

“I know,” Lin
put on a more cheerful face. “This coffee is ready so let’s enjoy it.
 
She filled their mugs and they went into
the living room.

Sue proposed a
“coffee” toast, “To the successful conclusion of Neal’s real estate sale and
the quick disposition of his unwanted stuff.”

“Indeed,” Neal
concurred. “Actually, I do have a few pieces I’d like to keep, a nice recliner
and an antique cherry cabinet that belonged to my grandfather—I use it
for books and such in my office, but really most of my stuff can go.
 
Lin’s place, perhaps I should say ‘our’
place, is much nicer.
 
She has
acquired some really nice pieces.”

“I’ll take that
as a complement,” Lin said, “but I have an idea.
 
I’ve been thinking that you’ll need some
place in the condo that is really all yours—where you can work and keep
your books, computer, and such—and I think the third bedroom would be
perfect to convert into an office.
 
Right now, it’s mostly filled with junk, stuff I really need to
discard.
 
I’ve never used it as a
bedroom; one guest room is usually sufficient.
 
It’s rare when both my kids and their
families come at the same time. Besides we could put some sort of bed in there
as a backup. There’d be plenty of room for your grandfather’s cabinet and your
recliner, a desk too.”

“I’ll not be
moving my current desk,” Neal confessed. “It’s old and rickety and probably
would fall apart if I tried to move it.
 
I’ll just get a new one after I move, but I really like the idea of
having an office—that way I won’t be in your hair all the time.”

“This is all
very interesting,” Sue yawned, “but I have to work tomorrow so I’m heading upstairs.”

“We’re right
behind you,” Lin said, gathering their cups.

***

The rest of the
week went by in a blur of activity. The deal for Neal’s house went through, so
he began making preliminary plans to return and take care of things in
Flagstaff.
 
The weather remained
fine and the parkway remained busy.
 
Lin worked her regular schedule at Linn Cove.
 
Things were so busy she didn’t feel
right about taking off more time.
 
She and Neal did use Wednesday for a day trip to Grandfather
Mountain.
 
The good weather allowed
them to hike some of the trails in the area before stopping for a late
afternoon picnic.

They found a
secluded spot off one of the trails and spread their blanket in the shade.
 
Lin felt tired but exhilarated from
their morning activities. “This has been a perfect week so far weather-wise,”
she said as she spread their picnic of sandwiches, fruit, and chips out on the
blanket.
 
“I’m really hungry.
 
What shall we call this meal?
 
Lunch? Dinner?”

“It’s just
food,” Neal replied. “We were still hiking at lunch time and dinner comes
later.”
 
They’d planned to dine
together at Casa Rustica in Boone later that evening. “That swinging bridge was
really something.
 
What a
spectacular view!”

“The view was
great and the hiking was good exercise and…” Lin reached for Neal’s hand, “the
company couldn’t be better.”

Neal leaned
toward her and kissed her gently, lying back with her head nestled against his
shoulder. “I feel the same way.
 
A
perfect day—only one thing missing—and we can take care of that
later.”
 

“I hate to
bring this up,” Neal continued, “but I’ve made some calls to Flagstaff relative
to getting started with the moving process and I’ve booked a flight from
Charlotte that leaves Saturday morning.”
 

Lin drew
herself in closer to him, trying hard not to let her feelings show.
 
After all, they’d known this might
happen, and the end result was something they both wanted—she just hated
to see him go.

“Here’s the
good part,” Neal added. “I decided to hire someone to help with some of the
packing, and I’ve arranged to store the items I’m going to keep, plus any
things I cannot sell quickly.
 
The
moving company will keep those things in Flagstaff and bring them east when I’m
ready for them.
 
It costs more to do
it this way, but it saves time—time I can spend with you.
 
With any luck, I’ll be back in just two,
maybe three weeks—to stay until I start work in August.
 
He leaned over and kissed her with
longing, drawing her body close to his.
 
Lin felt an almost electric tension between them.
 
Finally, she drew back a bit.

“I don’t think
park rules would be too accepting of intimate behavior right here,” she smiled.
“We’d better cool it a bit before things get out of control.
 
I like your plan, though.
 
The sooner you can get back here the
better.”

“Remember, I
have Friday and Saturday off.
 
We
can go home to the condo on Friday and spend the night.
 
You can even take some measurements in
that bedroom so you’ll have some idea which pieces you’ll have room for.
 
There are some spots in other rooms
also.
 
It’ll be good for you to look
things over before you go back to pack up.”
 
Lin had finally managed to present a
positive aspect to Neal’s leaving, trying to focus on the best part—the
fact that they would soon be together permanently.

They gathered
up the remains of their picnic and were soon heading back into town.
 
Sue had declined their invitation to
join them for dinner, so they had the evening all to themselves.
 
Lin had finally come to terms with
Neal’s upcoming departure.
 
They
spent most of the evening talking about the future, making further plans for
how they wanted their wedding and even talking about possible spots for a
honeymoon trip.
 
The sale of Neal’s
house would mean more funds to make both just what they wanted.

When they
returned home following dinner they found that Sue was in a twit.
 
She’d been trying to reach someone at
the sheriff’s office regarding their intruder from the week before since Monday
with no luck.
 
Finally Dave Winkler
had called back that evening while Neal and Lin were out.

“I couldn’t
believe how dismissive he was,” Sue was really upset. “Basically he said we
were just two paranoid women, expecting them to jump whenever we had a
problem.
 
Furthermore, he implied
that we had brought all of this on ourselves—me especially with my
snooping around into these old cases.
 
It seems to me, if all this is a reaction to my digging into old
information, that confirms the fact that someone is worried about information
coming out.
 
I can’t for the life of
me understand why Deputy Winkler is so upset by all this.
 
I don’t believe anyone has made much of
an effort to find out who cut our power and tried to sabotage our back
steps.
 
I get the impression that
Winkler just wishes we would go away somewhere.