Read Online Hemlock Veils by Jennie Davenport - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jennie Davenport
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their lives are. This is home to us, and most folks are established here. Besides the monster, this is a great little community. We don’t have many problems and everyone gets along for the most part. So if we all stay out of the forest”—he shot a stern glance at Eustace—“we can live here in peace.”
She got the sense he felt like she was interrupting that peace. “I hope I haven’t caused too much trouble, and I’ll make sure to thank you all in some way.” She didn’t know how she would, only that she had to.
“Now, Beth,” Eustace said. “Stop all that nonsense. Like I said last night, you’re welcome here anytime, as long as you need. It’s about time we were given the opportunity to help someone out besides our own. Isn’t that right, Sheriff?”
Taggart eyed Eustace. “It ain’t the help we got a problem with, Bathgate, and you know it.” His tall, lanky body pushed through the hemlocks. They followed, and once in the open sunlight, on Clayton Road and directly across from the diner, Elizabeth squinted. She realized, when looking down Clayton Road in the hope of seeing Mt. Hood in the distance, that the town wasn’t just barricaded by trees, but also by the hills. Hemlock Veils, nestled in the cleavage of forest peaks, had no clear sight of Mt. Hood—not even the tip of its snowcapped peak.
“I won’t be any trouble while I’m here. You have my word.”
He sighed and turned to her. “I ain’t worried about that either, Ms. Ashton. It’s that .” He motioned to the forest behind her. “It’s bringing in outsiders and putting their lives in danger. It’s one thing for a resident to make a conscious decision to live here, knowing full-well the dangers. But you’re stuck here for who knows how long, and I just want to make sure you’re not putting yourself in harm’s way. You’re not from around here; you’re not used to the rules.”
“I’ll stay out of the woods.”
His shoulders relaxed, and so did his brow.
“At night,” she finished in emphasis.
His brow tensed again.
“I promise I’ll be fine. You don’t need to worry about me, Sheriff.” She moved past him. “Believe it or not, I happen to have good instincts.”
He followed in a hurry, amidst the sound of Eustace’s chuckle. “Those instincts almost got you killed, Ms. Ashton.”
“Ah, the famous Ms. Ashton.” It came from the older gentleman standing by the sleek and sophisticated Maybach. He wore a simple gray suit and tie, and what little white hair remained atop his nearly bald head had been combed over. His smile was beyond warm. “The town is buzzing about you, young lady.”
The diner window framed curious faces. “I see that.”
He extended his hand and she took it. His eyes were close together and his nose large, but his shake was as warm as his smile, hinting at a most handsome soul. “I’m Arne Randolph.”
“Elizabeth,” she smiled. “But…you already knew that.”
He kissed her hand in an old-fashioned way, and she couldn’t help but be charmed. “It’s a pleasure, Elizabeth.”
“Please, you fool,” Eustace said. “She’s going to have enough of that to worry about from Brian.”
“Do I detect jealousy, Old Man?” Arne teased.
“Old man? I’m not much older than you.”
“You’re both old,” Taggart said. He walked across the street to the diner, turning back only briefly. “We’ll be inside when you’re ready, Ms. Ashton.”
“Thank you,” she called, even though he was already inside. It might take more time for Taggart to warm up to her, but regardless of his resistance, Elizabeth was fond of him. Clearly, he cared about the welfare of his town.
“You should be grateful you’re still alive after gallivanting through the woods with this old coot,” Arne said, his shoulders still square and his hands folded formally in front of him. His voice had a raspy, timeless passion to it.
Elizabeth chuckled and Eustace threw her a quick glance. “I did
She got the sense he felt like she was interrupting that peace. “I hope I haven’t caused too much trouble, and I’ll make sure to thank you all in some way.” She didn’t know how she would, only that she had to.
“Now, Beth,” Eustace said. “Stop all that nonsense. Like I said last night, you’re welcome here anytime, as long as you need. It’s about time we were given the opportunity to help someone out besides our own. Isn’t that right, Sheriff?”
Taggart eyed Eustace. “It ain’t the help we got a problem with, Bathgate, and you know it.” His tall, lanky body pushed through the hemlocks. They followed, and once in the open sunlight, on Clayton Road and directly across from the diner, Elizabeth squinted. She realized, when looking down Clayton Road in the hope of seeing Mt. Hood in the distance, that the town wasn’t just barricaded by trees, but also by the hills. Hemlock Veils, nestled in the cleavage of forest peaks, had no clear sight of Mt. Hood—not even the tip of its snowcapped peak.
“I won’t be any trouble while I’m here. You have my word.”
He sighed and turned to her. “I ain’t worried about that either, Ms. Ashton. It’s that .” He motioned to the forest behind her. “It’s bringing in outsiders and putting their lives in danger. It’s one thing for a resident to make a conscious decision to live here, knowing full-well the dangers. But you’re stuck here for who knows how long, and I just want to make sure you’re not putting yourself in harm’s way. You’re not from around here; you’re not used to the rules.”
“I’ll stay out of the woods.”
His shoulders relaxed, and so did his brow.
“At night,” she finished in emphasis.
His brow tensed again.
“I promise I’ll be fine. You don’t need to worry about me, Sheriff.” She moved past him. “Believe it or not, I happen to have good instincts.”
He followed in a hurry, amidst the sound of Eustace’s chuckle. “Those instincts almost got you killed, Ms. Ashton.”
“Ah, the famous Ms. Ashton.” It came from the older gentleman standing by the sleek and sophisticated Maybach. He wore a simple gray suit and tie, and what little white hair remained atop his nearly bald head had been combed over. His smile was beyond warm. “The town is buzzing about you, young lady.”
The diner window framed curious faces. “I see that.”
He extended his hand and she took it. His eyes were close together and his nose large, but his shake was as warm as his smile, hinting at a most handsome soul. “I’m Arne Randolph.”
“Elizabeth,” she smiled. “But…you already knew that.”
He kissed her hand in an old-fashioned way, and she couldn’t help but be charmed. “It’s a pleasure, Elizabeth.”
“Please, you fool,” Eustace said. “She’s going to have enough of that to worry about from Brian.”
“Do I detect jealousy, Old Man?” Arne teased.
“Old man? I’m not much older than you.”
“You’re both old,” Taggart said. He walked across the street to the diner, turning back only briefly. “We’ll be inside when you’re ready, Ms. Ashton.”
“Thank you,” she called, even though he was already inside. It might take more time for Taggart to warm up to her, but regardless of his resistance, Elizabeth was fond of him. Clearly, he cared about the welfare of his town.
“You should be grateful you’re still alive after gallivanting through the woods with this old coot,” Arne said, his shoulders still square and his hands folded formally in front of him. His voice had a raspy, timeless passion to it.
Elizabeth chuckled and Eustace threw her a quick glance. “I did
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