Read Online Double Blind by D. P. Lyle - Free Book Online
Authors: D. P. Lyle
Tags: Mystery-Thriller
Ads: Link
the house together has been a full time job.”
“Now that you’re officially open, maybe you’ll have more free time,” Burt said.
“I hope so.”
His eyes lingered on Alyss once again. “Well, I’ll leave you to your shopping. I’ve got a few more errands myself. Nice meeting you, Sam, and especially you, Shelby. Hope to see you again soon.” He turned, and then stopped and looked back at Alyss. “Why don’t you all come over to Casa Grande tomorrow afternoon? We’ll take some horses out for a ride.”
Shelby’s face brightened. She looked hopefully at her mother.
Alyss hesitated and then said, “OK. What time?”
“How about one?”
“We’ll be there.”
“It’s a date then.” He smiled, turned, and walked down one of the aisles.
“Hmmm,” Sam said.
“Not a word,” Alyss said.
“I didn’t say anything.” Sam winked at Shelby.
“Then, don’t,” Alyss said.
Shelby laughed. “Mom, he’s like a total babe.”
Sam laughed; Alyss shook her head and rolled her eyes.
They left Tony’s, each carrying a bag of groceries, and walked down Main Street toward Sam’s Jeep.
“So, Burt rates a personal call from Wade about Lloyd’s murder?” Sam asked.
“You should know, you live in a small town. Everybody knows everything. I’d guess not much goes on around here that Burt Eagan doesn’t know about. Besides, Burt and Wade are good friends.”
“Really?” Sam asked. “They seem so different.”
“I suppose.”
“What does Burt do?” Sam asked.
“He owned a company. Sold it a few years back. He’s not hurting for money, I can tell you that. I hear he owns nearly two thirds of the valley and could probably buy the whole town, several times over. You should see his spread, Casa Grande. Thousands of acres and a huge house. I’ve only seen it from a distance. Never been inside.”
“I guess we’ll see it tomorrow,” Sam said.
Chapter 10
The town of Gold Creek, Colorado nestled near the mouth of a deep, narrow valley, cradled by the 11,000-foot peaks of the San Juan Mountain Range. The only road into the valley entered from the west where Highway 550 zipped past. Gold Creek Road split off the highway and wound through a deep notch in the mountains to reach the town, and then continued eastward, bisecting the valley.
Though the steep mountains protected the valley from the most severe storms, it still received its share of snowfall, averaging over 100 inches each year. The mountain peaks attracted at least twice that amount and thus displayed year-round snowcaps, which gave birth to half a dozen waterfalls and several creeks, all of which ultimately fed into Gold Creek itself. Gold Creek paralleled Main Street and marked the northern edge of town before rumbling westward to join the Uncompahgre River near the state highway.
Though no one knew the exact number, it was believed that as many as 10,000 mines punctured the slopes of the San Juan Mountain Range. Several hundred bored into the peaks that surrounded Gold Creek.
Standing in the mouth of one of these shafts--the Old Watkin's Mine--he combed his thick fingers through his unruly beard and watched a hawk soar across the clear blue sky. The sun hovered low, the shadows long. His dark eyes followed the hawk as it twisted first one way, then the other, aligning its attack, before scudding toward the ground, only to rise again, some small animal in his clutches.
He turned and shuffled back into the mine where a gas lantern provided a dim light. He sat on his sleeping bag and removed the last of the hunk beef he had cooked last night and gnawed off a piece. He consumed the meat along with a tomato and chunk of stale bread, washing it down with huge gulps of water.
He stuffed the empty plastic bottle into his backpack where several others lay. Better hike over to Aspen Creek and refill them, he thought. Then in a few hours, after darkness settled over the valley, he could go hunting again.
He snatched up the pack and
“Now that you’re officially open, maybe you’ll have more free time,” Burt said.
“I hope so.”
His eyes lingered on Alyss once again. “Well, I’ll leave you to your shopping. I’ve got a few more errands myself. Nice meeting you, Sam, and especially you, Shelby. Hope to see you again soon.” He turned, and then stopped and looked back at Alyss. “Why don’t you all come over to Casa Grande tomorrow afternoon? We’ll take some horses out for a ride.”
Shelby’s face brightened. She looked hopefully at her mother.
Alyss hesitated and then said, “OK. What time?”
“How about one?”
“We’ll be there.”
“It’s a date then.” He smiled, turned, and walked down one of the aisles.
“Hmmm,” Sam said.
“Not a word,” Alyss said.
“I didn’t say anything.” Sam winked at Shelby.
“Then, don’t,” Alyss said.
Shelby laughed. “Mom, he’s like a total babe.”
Sam laughed; Alyss shook her head and rolled her eyes.
They left Tony’s, each carrying a bag of groceries, and walked down Main Street toward Sam’s Jeep.
“So, Burt rates a personal call from Wade about Lloyd’s murder?” Sam asked.
“You should know, you live in a small town. Everybody knows everything. I’d guess not much goes on around here that Burt Eagan doesn’t know about. Besides, Burt and Wade are good friends.”
“Really?” Sam asked. “They seem so different.”
“I suppose.”
“What does Burt do?” Sam asked.
“He owned a company. Sold it a few years back. He’s not hurting for money, I can tell you that. I hear he owns nearly two thirds of the valley and could probably buy the whole town, several times over. You should see his spread, Casa Grande. Thousands of acres and a huge house. I’ve only seen it from a distance. Never been inside.”
“I guess we’ll see it tomorrow,” Sam said.
Chapter 10
The town of Gold Creek, Colorado nestled near the mouth of a deep, narrow valley, cradled by the 11,000-foot peaks of the San Juan Mountain Range. The only road into the valley entered from the west where Highway 550 zipped past. Gold Creek Road split off the highway and wound through a deep notch in the mountains to reach the town, and then continued eastward, bisecting the valley.
Though the steep mountains protected the valley from the most severe storms, it still received its share of snowfall, averaging over 100 inches each year. The mountain peaks attracted at least twice that amount and thus displayed year-round snowcaps, which gave birth to half a dozen waterfalls and several creeks, all of which ultimately fed into Gold Creek itself. Gold Creek paralleled Main Street and marked the northern edge of town before rumbling westward to join the Uncompahgre River near the state highway.
Though no one knew the exact number, it was believed that as many as 10,000 mines punctured the slopes of the San Juan Mountain Range. Several hundred bored into the peaks that surrounded Gold Creek.
Standing in the mouth of one of these shafts--the Old Watkin's Mine--he combed his thick fingers through his unruly beard and watched a hawk soar across the clear blue sky. The sun hovered low, the shadows long. His dark eyes followed the hawk as it twisted first one way, then the other, aligning its attack, before scudding toward the ground, only to rise again, some small animal in his clutches.
He turned and shuffled back into the mine where a gas lantern provided a dim light. He sat on his sleeping bag and removed the last of the hunk beef he had cooked last night and gnawed off a piece. He consumed the meat along with a tomato and chunk of stale bread, washing it down with huge gulps of water.
He stuffed the empty plastic bottle into his backpack where several others lay. Better hike over to Aspen Creek and refill them, he thought. Then in a few hours, after darkness settled over the valley, he could go hunting again.
He snatched up the pack and
Similar Books
