The Color of Forever by Julianne MacLean Read Free Book Online Page A

a flight.”
    Bailey’s mouth fell open in disbelief. “Part of me does thinks you’re crazy, but another part of me admires your determination and sense of adventure.”
    “You should come with me,” I suggested. “We could make a vacation of it and lie on the beach, drink lots of wine and eat lobster. We could stay in some quaint little Victorian bed and breakfast with a view of the Atlantic. Wouldn’t that be great? Besides, I could really use a friend, just in case I really am losing my mind. Could you take a few days off?”
    Bailey inclined her head as she thought about it. “I’m the boss. I can take time off whenever I like.”
    We regarded each other for a long moment, our thoughts percolating….
    “Do you feel like checking out some flights?” I asked.
    “I’m on it.” Bailey whipped out her phone and wagged her finger at my computer. “You go and look for a nice hotel. Where are we going, exactly? Portland?”
    “Yes, that’s where Chris’s dental practice is. I’ll see if there’s anything nearby, on the water.”
    While she searched for flights on her phone, I sat down at the computer. Without looking up, she mentioned, “I’m only coming along to keep you out of trouble.”
    “Of course, I appreciate that, but don’t pretend you’re not loving this. I know how much you enjoy a good mystery. And you’ve always wanted to see the Atlantic. We’ll visit some lighthouses. You know…I used to be obsessed with lighthouses when I was a kid.” I keyed in a search for hotel accommodations around Portland, and scrolled through a number of options before my eyes zeroed in on a magnificent white Palladian-style mansion that caused my whole body to quiver. Please, let it be on the water.
    I clicked on the link, saw a view of the Atlantic at sunrise beyond a rocky beach at the edge of the lawn, and knew, without a doubt, that it would be the perfect place for us.
    “How about this?” I glanced over my shoulder. Bailey moved closer to check it out. “It’s just outside Portland, in a coastal community called Cape Elizabeth.”
    “It looks beautiful,” she said. “Can we each have our own room?”
    I picked up my phone. “I’ll check on that right now.”
    While Bailey continued to search for flights, I waited for the innkeeper to answer the phone. I clicked through the picture gallery, admiring the mansion’s massive front veranda with Georgian-style columns and high portico. Inside, the house maintained a historical style with antique beds and a spectacular dining room with gilt-framed family portraits on the walls.
    At last, someone answered. “Fraser House Inn. Could you hold for a moment, please? I’ll be right with you.”
    I waited with high hopes that there would be two rooms available.
    o0o
    “That’s the strangest thing,” the woman said to me on the phone. “I had to put you on hold because I was handling a cancellation for two rooms just now. Otherwise, we were fully booked. So yes, I can most certainly accommodate you tonight. How long will you be staying?”
    “Let me check.” I glanced over my shoulder at Bailey and spoke quietly. “They have two rooms available. How long will we stay? A week?”
    “Yes, that sounds good. And I found a flight. It’s at 5:10 p.m. Flying time is under six hours, so we should get there around midnight. But we’ll have to pack in a hurry. Might have to skip lunch and grab something at the airport later.”
    “No problem.” I spoke into the phone again. “We’ll be staying a week, checking out next Saturday. Will that work?”
    The clerk paused while confirming it. “Yes, that will work out fine. And if you’re arriving at midnight, I’ll unlock the front door for you. Just come in and I’ll get you settled.”
    “Thank you so much.” I gave her our names and our credit card information, then hung up.
    Turning to face Bailey, who was still working on our flights, I said, “I can’t believe we’re doing this. It’s so