Family Vault by Charlotte MacLeod

Author:Charlotte MacLeod [MacLeod, Charlotte]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-4532-7740-9
Publisher: MysteriousPress.com/Open Road
Published: 2012-09-05T23:17:00+00:00

15

THEY WERE SURPRISED TO realize how long they’d been out. By the time Sarah and her husband got back to the house, Aunt Caroline was wondering in aggrieved tones if they were ever to get any lunch.

Alexander pacified his mother with the promise of a ride in the Milburn, then went to get the electric out of its winter wraps while Sarah broiled a fresh halibut steak she’d found, by a miracle, at the fish shack. They had it with grilled tomatoes and hot corn bread, and were thoroughly enjoying the meal when Alexander suddenly exclaimed, “Sarah, I can’t leave you here alone. What if that trespasser’s still around?”

“Peeping Tom?” She shrugged. “We didn’t see anybody on the beach, and your mother stayed here alone all morning without being bothered. I’ll lock the doors and windows, but I’m honestly not a bit frightened to be by myself for half an hour or so. You don’t intend to be gone long, do you?”

“No, darling, just down the road and back. You’re quite sure you don’t want to come?”

“You know Aunt Caroline hates it if we all squeeze in together. Alexander, we mustn’t let this situation get to us. I may simply have imagined that man last night. Go ahead and play with your precious toy. I’ll be fine.”

“Then lock the door behind us, and if you get the urge to do some more investigating, wait till I get back. Promise?”

“I promise. Have fun.”

She kissed him good-bye and watched him help Aunt Caroline down the drive. They kept the Milburn in a shed not far up from the road, to spare her aged axles the torture of the climb. Sarah waited at the door until the dip of the grade hid them from sight, then she dutifully turned the key in the lock and went to peel onions and chop salt pork.

Preparing a genuine New England clam chowder is not a task to be taken lightly. Intent on what she was doing, Sarah again lost track of the time. It wasn’t until she was adding the milk to the cooked onions and potatoes that it occurred to her Alexander and his mother ought to have returned some time ago. Even if temptation to go a bit farther than he’d planned got the better of him, he wouldn’t dare keep the Milburn out very long for fear its batteries would run down.

Maybe they had. It might not be a bad idea to take the Studebaker and go out looking for the Milburn. Sarah knew the route they’d be most apt to take. Aunt Caroline always liked to be driven up along the cliff road, although she could no longer admire the view of the ocean.

That wasn’t far, though, and there were a couple of year-round houses along the way. Alexander couldn’t call his wife if they got stuck because the telephone had been shut off for the winter, but he’d surely be able to find somebody willing to bring Aunt Caroline back and explain about the delay.

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