The Beast House by Laymon Richard

Author:Laymon, Richard [Laymon, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, azw3
Tags: fiction
Publisher: Leisure Books
Published: 2010-02-22T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

“Shall I take you back to the motel?” Abe asked.

Tyler, slumped in the passenger seat with her knees propped against the dash, shook her head and slowly unwrapped the stick of Doublemint Nora had given her. “I don’t think so,” she murmured. “I don’t think I want to be alone.”

Abe felt helpless, looking at her. He wished he could make her misery go away. He wanted to hold her gently and tell her it would be all right, but he knew that only time could blunt the shock and sorrow.

“Hey,” Nora said, “why don’t we head over to the beach? I always feel better at the beach when I’m low.”

Tyler folded the chewing gum and put it in her mouth. “I’d like that.”

“My trunks are at the motel,” Jack said.

“We’ll just walk on the sand.”

“I think I might like to swim,” Tyler said.

Her comment surprised Abe and pleased him. Many people in her place would want only to curl up alone with their loss. Her attitude seemed healthier than that. “Swim we shall,” he said.

“We didn’t even bring our suits,” Nora reminded her. “I didn’t, anyway, did you?”

“I want to buy a new one.”

“Sure. Okay. Me too.”

Abe pulled out and drove slowly up the road. “Why don’t we let you off at a store? You can buy your suits. Jack and I’ll go on back to the motel for ours, and we’ll pick you up in about fifteen minutes.”

“It may take longer,” Nora said.

On the next block, Abe spotted the sign for Will’s Sporting Goods. White lettering on the display window announced guns, tackle, swimming and camping accessories. “How about there?” he asked.

“We can give it a try,” Nora said.

He pulled to the curb. Tyler met his eyes. “Hurry back,” she told him.

“I will. We’ll meet you right here.”

She opened the door and climbed out. Nora pushed the seat-back forward. She looked at Abe as if about to say something, seemed to change her mind. She joined Tyler on the sidewalk. Abe waited for a car to pass, then swung onto the road.

“Christ,” Jack said. “The poor kid.”

“She’s holding up pretty well.”

“Gutsy.”

“Yeah.”

“Nora said she almost married the guy once. She finally figured she’d screwed up by turning him down, and came here to give him another shot.”

Abe nodded. He scanned the building fronts.

“Nora also said she was having second thoughts about it all. ‘Cause of you.”

Abe said nothing, but he felt his heart speed up.

“She thinks Tyler’s really fallen for you. No taste.”

Abe grinned. Then, down a sidestreet to the right, he spotted a pair of flag standards on the sidewalk. He turned. The gray stone building might be a post office, he realized, but it turned out to be the city hall.

“What are you doing?”

“You take the car. Get the trunks and some towels, and meet me back here. I want to do some checking.”

“On Jenson?”

“You got it.”

He eased in behind a pickup truck, left the keys in the ignition, and handed his room key to Jack. He left the car.

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