Page 7 of The Hunt

The rest of the ride home was in complete silence.

When he pulled up to the driveway of their house, Zeke got out of the car leaving Colt to process his words.

CHAPTER 4

The sun’s rays brushed Kaliah’s face as she slowly opened her eyes with a deep yawn. She didn’t expect to sleep as well as she did after yesterday’s debacle.

She’d taken a chance with Otis by accepting a ride with him because she’d had no other choice. But true to his word, he drove her back to Brianna’s car and allowed them to bring their suitcases along. Otis even promised to have a tow truck pick up Brianna’s car first thing in the morning.

Were any of them grateful that she’d found someone to help them? Of course not. In fact they fought over who would sit in the cab and who would be in truck’s bed. Otis finally made the final decision with Kaliah and Sasha sitting up front and Nicole and Brianna in the back.

Sasha complained about the smell of the truck the entire drive into town. Despite the rudeness of the other three, Otis remained gracious and took them to the bed and breakfast where they were greeted by a kind middle-age woman who introduced herself as Trudy.

Kaliah thankfully got her own room and she didn’t care how the other three sorted out their sleeping accommodations.

She stretched her arms above her head before sliding out of bed. Her room had its own private bath and she was grateful to shower and complete the rest of her hygiene in peace.

As she stepped out of the bathroom fully showered, she gazed out the window and noticed a waterfall in the distance. That explained the rushing sound of water she thought she’d imagined last night. The scene outside was like a picturesque fairy land with a pond that seemed perfect for fishing surrounded by a thicket of trees decorated with gold, red and brown leaves. It was the picture of a perfect fall day.

Since Kaliah had no plans to continue the trip with the other three, it occurred to her that she could stay here for a few days. Serenity Falls didn’t seem to be a big town with a lot of activities but it felt peaceful. Some much needed relaxation didn’t sound like a bad idea.

Inspired by the beauty of the land, she sought out her phone to snap a picture. There was still no service but at least she could use her camera.

Feeling refreshed with this new resolve, she headed downstairs. The style of the bed and breakfast was Victorian, from the vintage picture frames on the walls with people she assumed were relatives, to the antique furniture and decorations.

Even the gold and black floral wall paper reminded Kaliah of an era long gone by. There was almost a museum like feel to it.

The heavy scent of bacon filled the air causing her stomach to growl and Kaliah remembered she hadn’t eaten since yesterday morning. Following the delicious scent, she halted when she spotted a woman dusting one of the vases in the hallway.

It was the same woman from the night before. She turned with a bright smile on her face. She wore a flowy floral dress. And her iron gray hair hung loosely around her shoulders giving her the appearance of a flower child from the 60’s.

“Well, good morning, dear. I hope you slept well.”

Kaliah nodded with a smile. “It’s one of the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a while. The room was very nice, by the way. It reminds me of a vintage home I’ve seen in a magazine.”

Trudy’s lips curled. “Oh, thank you, my dear. Some would say it’s a bit old fashioned. This house was decorated by my grandmother after all. I used to love staying here as a little girl, so when she passed, I couldn’t bear to change a single thing.”

“Oh, so this is a family run business?”

“I suppose you could say that. My mother didn’t have much interest in running the bed and breakfast so she took off to parts unknown the first chance she got.”

“Just your mom? What about your dad?” Immediately realizing the how rude and intrusive her question was, Kaliah apologized. “I’m sorry. That’s none of my business.”

Trudy waved her hand dismissively with a laugh. “It’s fine, dear. Nothing wrong with a little healthy curiosity. My father, rest his soul, lived and breathed Serenity Falls from what I’ve been told but alas he passed shortly after I was born.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine. They say he was a wild one, my father. He died as he lived and that’s the way he wanted it.” A wistful smile crossed the older woman’s face.

It was an odd way to describe a parent’s passing but it was none of her business. “Oh,” Kaliah said for lack of anything better to say. Just then, her stomach twisted, accompanied with a loud gurgle. She clutched her belly in embarrassment.

“Excuse me.”

“Oh my, you must be hungry, dear. I wasn’t expecting any of you ladies to be up so early and I was hoping I’d have breakfast ready before you woke up. Follow me to the dining room. I just took some biscuits out of the oven and they’re cooling off. I canbring them out to the table while you wait for the rest of the food.”

“Thank you so much, that would be great. You don’t need any help do you? I notice there aren’t any other people here at the inn.”

Trudy smiled. “We don’t get too many outsiders so it’s just me running this little operation. But that’s so sweet of you to offer. You just sit tight and I’ll go get those biscuits.”

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