Griffith Tavern (Taryn's Camera Book 2) by Rebecca Patrick-Howard Read Free Book Online

stocked with self-help, romance, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and local history books but she’d already read everything she brought with her and she was willing to give anything a shot. Taryn loved to read, even the back of cereal boxes. A large hardback boasting the history of the area weighed at least five pounds but she pulled it off the shelf and carried it out to the front porch.
    So far, Delphina, the owner, was only accessible at breakfast time. Taryn wasn’t sure where she retired to for the rest of the day but she appreciated the fact the proprietress didn’t hover. She’d stayed at a few B&Bs where the owners wanted to follow her around, chat, and go out of their way to make her feel comfortable. While she did crave company from time to time, she felt awkward and uncomfortable when she was forced to constantly socialize. Sometimes B&Bs made her uncomfortable because she was constantly aware she was staying in someone else’s home and this made her nervous. Her own studio apartment in Nashville was the size of a postage stamp and the stairwells and elevator smelled, but at least it was hers. In a B&B she was always worried about oversleeping and missing a breakfast someone had put a lot of work into.
    The front porch was wide and full of white wicker furniture, reminded her a little bit of “The Golden Girls’” living room. Taryn was still the only guest and had the place to herself. She chose a deep-seated chair, snuggled into the floral cushion, and started reading.
    The book was fascinating, at least to her. She enjoyed learning about local history. The town was formally established in 1845 but settlers had been scattering there for several years before. When it became official, it boasted a general store, bank, blacksmith, stables, and the tavern. As an official stop on the stagecoach route, it wasn’t long before other businesses sprung up, too. An old, weathered photo from 1880 showed a busy Main Street with shops and houses, some of which were still standing. Other boarding houses came and went, too, but Griffith Tavern was the first and most popular. It was also the largest and served as a type of community center for parties, gatherings, and events. This, of course, was what interested Taryn the most.
    The proprietor, a James Burke, was the name she was already familiar with. He was married to Permelia Ramsey of Boston. The book didn’t have any pictures of them, but several chapters mentioned balls, ice cream socials, and parties given by the couple. There were a number of pictures of the tavern and it had been a real beauty in its time, just like she’d figured.
    When James passed away from a riding accident Permelia stayed on and ran the tavern until her death.
    Taryn stopped reading at this point and closed her eyes. “Oh God, please don’t tell me she murdered him,” she whispered. “Please don’t tell me things are going to get weird because I have to figure out how and make things right.”
    She didn’t need to worry, though, because in the next paragraph the author talked about the accident that occurred on a farm outside of town. He’d apparently been with a few other men and a snake had spooked his horse, throwing him to the ground and then trampling him. There were at least four witnesses and he died almost immediately from what appeared to be a broken neck.
    Sorry James , Taryn thought.
    Nothing else was written about the tavern, except at the very end under “local legends.” Taryn read on, fascinated:
     
     
    Not long after the Reynolds family purchased the property in 1919 stories about a buried treasure became popular. Millicent Reynolds found two gold coins in a flower bed. Two years later, while repairing the hardwood floors in a former upstairs guestroom, another gold coin was discovered by Stewart Reynolds. Little is known about Permelia (Ramsey) Burke but during her lifetime it was suspected that she was a wealthy woman and had brought a small fortune with her to