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

impetuous.”
    She nodded, somewhat distracted. “I can definitely use a getaway.”
    Ten minutes later, after the flights were booked and paid for, Bailey left to go home and pack, while I ran upstairs to do the same.

Maine

Chapter Fourteen

    It was past midnight when our cab turned off Cape Elizabeth’s main road and pulled onto a narrow, wooded lane.
    “I’ve never been inside the Fraser House Inn before,” our driver said, leaning forward over the steering wheel as he drove slowly through the fog. The beams of his headlights barely penetrated the dense wall of mist. “I think it’s a good thing that someone is finally making good use of it.”
    “What do you mean?” I asked.
    “Well, it’s a historic landmark, of course,” he said, as if he shouldn’t have to state the obvious. “But it was empty for a number of years after the wealthy, New York widow who owned it, passed away. Actually, it was empty for quite a while before that because she hadn’t set foot in the place after her son and husband died there—on the same night. It was a terrible thing.”
    “What happened?” I asked, glancing at Bailey who raised her eyebrows at me.
    “Oh…let me see…” He tapped his thumb on the steering wheel. “As I recall, the father had a fight with the teenage son and he got a bit rough with him. He pushed him into the fireplace and the kid cracked his skull right open and died. Then the father, upset with himself, no doubt, went upstairs and did himself in.”
    “That’s horrible,” I said. “When did that happen?”
    “Not that long ago,” the driver explained. “Less than twenty years, I would guess. Time seems to fly by so fast these days. I can’t keep track anymore. Ah, here we are.”
    Bailey gave me a look and shook her head with disbelief, as if to say, Why in the world would he tell us that ?
    All I could do was shrug my shoulders.
    We emerged at last from the tree-lined lane, and the brightly lit house appeared before us, like a giant sailing ship, out of the mist.
    “It’s bigger than I expected,” Bailey said.
    I sat forward on the seat, craning my neck for a better view while the cab’s tires crunched over the white-gravel parking lot, until the car came to a halt at the foot of the wide, painted staircase.
    As our driver got out and retrieved our luggage from the trunk, I slid out of the back seat, set my feet on the ground and stood up to breathe in the delectable, briny scent of the sea, while working hard to purge that tragic story from my mind. I closed my eyes, inhaled deeply and held my breath for as long as I could before letting it out.
    When I re-opened my eyes, I wished I could see the water, but there was nothing but blackness and fog surrounding me, cloaking the thunderous roar of the surf crashing onto the rocks beyond the edge of the lawn.
    “The surf’s not usually that loud,” our driver informed us, “but we had a few days of high winds. It should calm down for you by tomorrow. It’s supposed to be a clear, windless day. The ocean will be quieter.”
    “That’s good to hear,” I replied as I accepted my large red suitcase and paid him his fee, plus a tip. “It’s kind of frightening. It doesn’t make me want to go for a walk in that direction.”
    He inclined his head. “Me neither.”
    Bailey, standing beside me and looking up at the steep staircase, extended the pull bar on her suitcase. “This should be a challenge. As usual, I packed way too many shoes and books.”
    “Two of my favorite things,” I said with a grin as our cab drove off. I lifted my bag and led the way up the stairs to the front door.
    o0o
    “Welcome to Fraser House,” the innkeeper said, crossing the spacious entrance hall from a room at the back. She was a slim, attractive older lady with upswept hair and rimless glasses. “I’m Angela.”
    Standing on the welcome mat, I allowed my gaze to sweep across the dark wood wainscoting, antique portraits, and the large crystal