Deborah and her companions arrive at the Manor house of her farther. The trek was long, the air was hot, and the entire distance they were bothered by some kind of small stinging fly. The group had to walk as the only taxi in town was booked for the day and the locals did not seem inclined to help out strangers.
"Dear God, give me shade and a Long Ice Tea." begged Leonard as they approached the covered porch.
Margaret frowned and warned him not to speak like that in town as Rockport was one of the heartlands of the Prohibition movement. Leonard looked aghast and gave her a wink.
"What's going on here" said Deborah.
She dropped her luggage on the bleached wooden steps. The top of the stairs, and it seemed, the entire porch had been enclosed with a red rope. There was a large paper notice plastered to the front door.
"No admittance, by order of the Rockport Town Mayors office".
Frustrated the group sits on the stairs and debates their next course of action. Leonard is all for ignoring the notice and going inside.
"After all it is your fathers house!"
Deborah and Margaret are not sure it's the right thing to do. Both agreeing that getting on the wrong side of the police as soon as they arrive in town is not good idea. They may need their cooperation to have any chance of finding Charles. Steeling themselves for a walk back the two women pause as the young dilettante points to some nearby shrubbery.
"I wonder if those nice gentlemen over there can show us a shorter way back?"
Poorly hidden in the bushes are two men dressed in rough working clothes who were now aware that they had been noticed. Dithering for a few moments in what seemed panic, they then came towards the three friends.
Explaining, rather awkwardly, that they lived nearby and were on their way to town when they noticed the group of strangers outside the Wood house. They were watching to see what they were doing when they young man noticed them.
Deborah explained that the house belonged to her farther, who had only recently moved to Rockport after her uncle died. She asked the men if they had met her farther and if they might know of his whereabouts. She explained that she had not heard from him in weeks, and the police had not been able to find him.
The men unconvincingly said they had not met or seen her farther, and apologised for being so brusque but they had to hurry into town or they would be late for work at the cannery.
The whole meeting was very strange and left the trio suspicious as to the men's motives and the situation in Rockport regarding Deborah's farther.
They followed the men heading back to town, but were soon outpaced by the strange men who soon disappeared around a bend in the road.
When they returned to Rockport proper Deborah hoped the police would be more helpful in person than they had been over the phone...
No comments:
Post a Comment