Read Online Dark Hollow Road (Taryn's Camera Book 3) by Rebecca Patrick-Howard - Free Book Online

we figured out nobody cared who you were as long as you brought booze.”
    “Well, so here’s my question…” Taryn bit her lip in nervousness. “Did anything bad ever happen out there? Like an accident?”
    “Are you talking about Cheyenne Willoughby?” Emma asked her in uneasiness.
    “I don’t know. Am I?”
    Emma nodded her shiny hair bouncing on her shoulders. “Probably. She died last year. Well, a little over a year ago to be exact.”
    Taryn shuddered but felt vindicated. “What happened? And what does the farm have to do with it?”
    Pursing her lips, Emma looked down and studied her shoes. Great , Taryn thought. I’ve made her completely uncomfortable and put her on the spot. Terrific teacher I am.
    “Well, the thing is, nobody knows. I guess to say she died is a little premature. To be honest, her body was never found. Everyone just assumes she’s dead,” Emma finally said.
    “Disappeared?”
    “Yeah, more or less. She was there for a party not long after graduation. She didn’t come home that night or the next day. Nobody’s heard from her since,” Emma explained. “Because of what happened that night, we mostly just assume she’s dead.”
    “What happened?”
    “She was at the farm and then left with another guy. He claims she never went home with him, that he left by himself. Nobody believes him,” Emma whispered confidentially.
    “And everything was searched? The farm, the pond, the house?”
    “Well, the pond was dredged and the woods were searched more than once. The house was searched from top to bottom but there weren’t any signs of her. It’s like she vanished right out of thin air.”
    This being a small town, Taryn was sure everyone had their own theory as to what might have happened. She didn’t say it out loud, of course, and instead thanked Emma for her time.
    “No problem,” Emma shrugged as she slipped on her backpack and started out the door. She was almost all the way out when she stopped and turned around and glanced back at Taryn. “I’m kind of surprised you didn’t know the story, though. I mean, with Thelma being Cheyenne’s mother and that farm belonging to Thelma’s brother, it seems it would’ve been mentioned at some point.”
    With that, she sauntered off down the hallway, leaving Taryn alone and stunned.
     
     

Chapter 7
     

     
    I can understand why she wouldn’t mention it,” Matt confessed as they drove back to the cabin. “It’s not usually something that would come up in conversation: ‘Here’s your keys, thanks for coming, and by the way–my daughter disappeared right here on this farm about a year ago. Enjoy your stay!’”
    Taryn laughed in spite of herself. “True. And I haven’t seen her since we had lunch and she showed me the college, so it’s not like we’ve had a lot of heart-to-hearts and been given an opportunity where it could be mentioned.”
    Matt grew silent as the melodious harmonies of The Secret Sisters and their song “Tennesseeme” filled the car. Taryn laid her head up against the window and had a sudden pang for her small apartment back in Nashville. It wasn’t a fabulous place–before she’d left this time around she’d noticed the linoleum in the kitchen was starting to peel around the refrigerator– but it was hers. She loved staying with Matt in Florida and having this time in Georgia for a little while, but she was beginning to wish she could be by herself again sometimes. She missed being able to walk around naked if she pleased (although Matt certainly wouldn’t argue with her or complain if she did it now), not having to say “excuse me” every time she burped, and having suppers that consisted of slices of cheese and chocolate chip cookies when she was caught up in work.
    “I think she’s dead,” Taryn whispered when the song ended. “Cheyenne, that is. As far as I know The Secret Sisters are still alive.”
    “Because you saw her in the picture?” Matt asked turning onto the long