Cades Cove 01 - Cades Cove: A Novel of Terror Read Online Free PDF

know,” he called after her.
    The floor clear of glass chips, he surveyed the kitchen one last time. Definitely empty. He turned off the overhead light and stared into the darkness, waiting for whatever had caused the disturbance to creep out from its hiding place. Maybe it’s just a chipmunk rummaging for breadcrumbs.
    He backtracked through the chalet, making sure all rooms were empty and every entrance secure. When satisfied, he crawled back in bed with his wife. Miriam snored lightly, and he took that as a good sign. He stared into the bedroom’s darkness for nearly half an hour, every shadow suddenly a suspect, until his eyelids finally grew heavy enough to drift off to sleep again.
    All remained quiet, with only the steady breathing and occasional snores of David and Miriam Hobbs as they slept. Neither one heard the glider rocker in one corner of the bedroom as it moved back and forth silent in the darkness. Nor were they aware of the shadowy figure sitting in the chair, keeping watch until the dawn’s light peered in through the bedroom windows that Sunday morning.
     
     
     
    Chapter Four
     
     
    “ Mommy! Daddy!” Christopher and Jillian shouted in near unison as the front door opened, and the edge of the first suitcase poked inside their front door. They ran up and hugged Miriam as she made her entrance late Sunday afternoon. Tyler scrambled downstairs from his room once he heard the commotion in the foyer, followed by Janice and the Hobbs’ Yorkshire terrier, Sadie, from the kitchen. Sadie barked and demanded immediate attention, pawing at Miriam’s pant legs.
    “ I’ve missed you all so much!” said Miriam. She hugged and kissed each of her children, and then Janice and Sadie. Meanwhile, David finished bringing in the rest of the luggage from where the cab driver left everything near the front porch.
    “ Here, Dad, I’ll help you carry these upstairs,” offered Tyler, who picked up one of the suitcases and a backpack, hoisting them both up the tall stairway to the second level. Not to be left out, Christopher asked if he could help, and David let him take a smaller bag. That left only one other backpack, since Miriam wanted to keep the carry-on bags downstairs until everyone received their souvenirs.
    While upstairs, David began to remove his coat until he discovered several small lumps inside his front pocket. He pulled out the arrowheads and pyrite he brought home for the kids. Then he felt something else. Oh, Jesus, I almost forgot! He hurriedly fished the little cloth bag from Cades Cove out of his pocket. The bag looked older, the cross-stitched “Allie Mae’s Treasures” in blue thread seemed to have faded since he discovered it by the oak tree less than twenty-four hours ago.
    “ Honey, are you ready to join us down here?” Miriam called to him from the base of the stairs. From what he could tell by the other voices, his boys had returned downstairs, leaving only him unaccounted for.
    “ Yeah, darlin’, I’ll be right there!”
    Quick! Where to hide this frigging thing before she finds out I never gave it back!
    He considered hiding the bag somewhere in his closet, or slipping inside the guestroom next to their bedroom to hide it there since the room was rarely used.
    Shit, Miriam will find it for sure if I do that.... Ah, but this might work!
    He stepped over to his dresser and threw open the middle drawer. Home to all the handkerchiefs, neckties, and cufflinks he never used—at least a dozen birthdays and Fathers Day’s worth. He closed the drawer after tucking the bag deep inside, beneath his most hideous neckties.
    “ Ooh, you scared me!” Miriam scolded him, after he nearly ran over her coming out of the bedroom.
    “ Sorry, babe, I was on my way down. I didn’t want to forget these other souvenirs.” He showed her the arrowheads and pyrite in one hand while wrapping his other arm around her waist.
    “ Oh, I forgot about those!” She seemed pleased he remem-bered.