“I’m keeping an eye on you, Annabelle Smith, making sure you don’t speed or run over any small critters.”
“Yes, because that’s something I do regularly,” Annabelle muttered, climbing into the front seat of Mr. Lindt’s van.
“Just so you know, I’ve got excellent vision. I had it checked last week, and was told it’s nearly perfect.”
“Well, now, that just about makes my day, Millie, because I need glasses, but as I can’t afford them, we’d all better hope and pray those road markings are prominent.” Annabelle accompanied the words with a smile and then released her breath when Millie stomped to her seat.
Annabelle looked out the window at the main street of Howling. It was immaculate, as always. She saw lights on at The Hoot, which meant Buster was in early like he was every day. She imagined the smells he would be creating and wondered if she could duck out and back in time to steal something from him for the ride, then thought better of it. Bran would kill her if she wasn’t ready at the set departure time.
The Howler was locked up tight, all the people who were staying there still in their beds, like she would be if she hadn’t been coerced into this. The Roar was open; as the general store, it pretty much stocked everything, and even though the weather was slipping from summer to fall, there were still plenty of tourists in cabins who might need supplies before they hiked the trails through the redwoods.
She sat quietly and studied the scene, while behind her Millie muttered. Annabelle didn’t get a lot of contemplative time; it wasn’t, if she was honest, her thing. She was always on the move, athings to do, people to seekind of person. But sitting here watching her town was soothing. It gave her peace from the turmoil that usually raced around inside her head. Usually if she stopped then she thought, and that wasn’t always a good thing.
Cooper was there in her mind most often, him and his problems. He’d called her constantly since he’d drained her bank account, sending her endless texts and leaving messages, all of which she deleted without listening to or reading them. She couldn’t bring herself to change her number, but she could ignore him for now, at least until the pain eased and the rage inside her cooled. By then hopefully Zach would have called and she would get him to call Coop and check on him.
She watched Jake pull up with Branna. Her friend hopped out with a clipboard in one hand and a backpack in the other. “Geek,” Annabelle muttered.
“Hello, Annabelle. It’s very nice of you to drive us, dear.”
Elizabeth Heath climbed up the steps to where Annabelle was sitting, a smile on her pretty face. She was dressed in neat, pale blue capris and a white sweater over which she was wearing a pale pink rain jacket.
“The pleasure is all mine, Lizzie. I love a road trip, and if I can spy on you guys at the same time, that has to be a bonus, right?”
“Now, dear, you’ll have to wait your turn like the other women of Howling.” Lizzie then winked at her, which could mean one of two things in Annabelle’s book. She was to be Lizzie’s nomination if and when she could no longer be in the book club, or she was just winking.
“Walt invited me for a meal tomorrow, Lizzie, so I’m expecting pot roast,” Annabelle added.
“Walt’s shopping for you today, dear, and he’s even doing that caramel thing you like,” Lizzie said, patting her hand before heading down the van to take her seat.
“Morning, Annabelle.”
“Good morning, Mrs. Roberts-Haigh.” Annabelle pulled her shoulders back as HRH entered the bus. The woman had been intimidating her since she was in first grade. Large and loud, she was not a person who tolerated slouching, cussing or bad speech.
“Henry is my name, and seeing as you’re spending the day with us I’ll have you use it now, please, Annabelle.”
Annabelle’s jaw literally dropped open as HRH marched past her to take a seat.
“You look like one of those clowns at a carnival, Annabelle. You put a ball in their mouth as they turn from side to side, in the hopes of winning a toy,” Dr McBride said as she climbed into the van.
“HRH just told me to call her Henry.”
Nancy laughed, and like the rest of her, it was pretty. She was tall, elegant and still as beautiful as she’d been in her youth. Half the men of Howling still had a crush on Nancy McBride.
“Takes some adjustment, but you’ll get used to it.”
“Thanks for this, Annabelle.”
“No worries, Ellen.” Ellen Todd was next.
“That’s all of us, so you can head out when you’re ready,” Branna said, last in with her clipboard.
“HRH told me to call her Henry, Bran. It’s unsettled me.”
Her friend laughed, which made her green eyes light. “I know, right? Scared me spitless when she asked me to call her Henry. I wondered if it was some kind of test and she was going to put me in detention if I failed.”
Dressed in blue jeans, boots with a small heel and a green jacket with buttons up the front, Branna looked all business.
“I can’t believe you have a clipboard. You are such a geek.”
