Castle Rock Read Online Free PDF Page A

working together on a book and that’s why we’ve chosen Castle Rock for our vacation. Our wives are visiting their families and this will give us a chance to compare the drafts we’ve worked on this winter. If our cabin is out of the way, so much the better. Our typewriters won’t disturb any of the other guests.”
    Serena looked at him with interest. “What kind of book are you writing?”
    VanZandt smiled. “I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed, Miss Mallory. We’re working on a physics text.”
    â€œOh.” To tell the truth, she was disappointed. She had been excited at the prospect of meeting authors. “I’m sure that must be very interesting,” she said quickly.
    Both of them laughed. “I can tell,” VanZandt said pleasantly, “that western hospitality is alive and thriving at Castle Rock.”
    As she unlocked the door to their cabin and turned on the lights, Serena replied, “That is one thing you certainly don’t have to worry about at Castle Rock.”
    She explained how the wall heater worked, as the nights could be quite cold, showed them the extra blankets and how to dial the house should they need anything, and told them dinner would be at six-thirty in the big dining room at the hacienda. “We stock the kitchenettes and leave breakfast up to the guests. As for lunch, we will either have a meal in the main house or there will be box lunches to take if you go on any of the outings.”
    â€œOutings?” Morris asked.
    â€œWe have rides two or three times a week, either up into the mountains or out to Castle Rock,” and she described the huge rock that had given the ranch its name. “And we have two tennis courts, a putting green, and a swimming pool.”
    â€œThere are some ruins, aren’t there?” VanZandt inquired.
    Serena nodded slowly. “Yes, but we don’t show them. Mr. McIntire doesn’t usually permit anyone to visit the ruins. We had trouble one summer with some guests who . . . well, they treated it like a souvenir hunt, and he is quite determined to protect them. We’ll see.”
    â€œOh, that’s all right,” Morris said quickly. “George and I will probably just ride out a bit by ourselves, as we have so much to discuss. We wouldn’t have time for any long-range trip to the ruins, anyway. And, if you don’t usually show them, we certainly wouldn’t expect any special treatment.”
    Serena smiled warmly at them.
    As she walked back down to the hacienda, she thought how nice it was to have guests who didn’t expect special treatment. She had a feeling the Minters wouldn’t share that philosophy.
    Serena was right.
    By the end of the week, Serena’s immediate response, when the red signal light flickered on her desk phone, was a scowl. That had never before been a byproduct of their guests, but Mrs. Minter was impossible. And Julie wasn’t any help. Julie wandered restlessly around the house when Uncle Dan and Jed were out, and Peter spent his time practicing golf shots on the practice tee and taking occasional long rides.
    Serena glared at the phone as it buzzed again.
    â€œHello, Serena here.”
    â€œOh, Serena,” Mrs. Minter snapped, “I wish you would do something about that little boy. He’s waked me up again.”
    Serena glanced at the desk clock. Eleven-fifteen. “I’m sorry,” she said pleasantly, “I’ll talk to Danny.”
    â€œIt’s that damned horse of his. It makes so much noise.”
    Serena drew her breath. “Perhaps if you took some riding lessons, you might feel . . .”
    â€œRiding lessons.” Her tone oozed disgust. “I wouldn’t get up on one of those brutes for anything.”
    Serena almost asked why the hell she had come to Castle Rock, but she didn’t. Uncle Dan always insisted that all guests be treated with the utmost courtesy.