A Christmas Duet

Chapter Five

On the long drive to Podunk, Hailey cranked up the music and sang Christmas carols at the top of her lungs. The responsibilities to her family and the question about Zach’s sudden interest vanished the closer she got to the cabin. She was free, with no expectations and nearly two glorious weeks to write and compose her songs.

Every now and again a twinge of guilt assailed her. Hailey refused to entertain those thoughts and concentrated instead on all she hoped to accomplish. This freedom, this relief, made her giddy.

Hailey was about an hour away from Podunk when she got a call from Katherine.

“How’s the drive going?” her friend asked.

“Great. There’s snow, but the roads are clear.”

“Good to hear,” Katherine said, and then added, “Listen, my mom found out that my uncle didn’t make it to the cabin this summer after all.”

“Okay.” Hailey wasn’t certain why that should matter.

“The thing is, it sounds like it’s been a while since anyone has visited. I don’t know what condition you’ll find the cabin in.”

“No worries,” Hailey assured her. “As long as there’s water and electricity, I’ll be fine.” Then, thinking she should reconfirm both, she asked, “You did say your grandma had the electricity turned on, right?”

“For sure.”

“And there’s water, right?”

“Of course. It’s from a well, although that’s connected to the electricity, but Grams assured me it was turned on, so you don’t have anything to worry about.”

“Then I’ll be perfectly fine.” Little could dampen her good mood. Whatever minor inconveniences awaited her, Hailey would adjust.

“I don’t know if I mentioned that my great-grandfather built the cabin back in the 1960s.”

Hailey couldn’t remember if Katherine had or hadn’t. She did say something about it being in the family for years.

“I want to warn you, it’s no resort,” Katherine added.

“In other words, you’re telling me it’s rustic.”

“ Rustic is a good word.”

“I wasn’t expecting anything more,” Hailey told her, unsure why Katherine seemed to be having second thoughts.

“Good, that relieves my mind. Remember, if you run into problems, head to the store I mentioned in Podunk. Thelma will help if you need anything.”

“Good to know. Thanks again, for everything,” Hailey said, her spirits high on this adventure.

Their conversation continued to fade in and out with spotty coverage. It seemed Katherine wanted to tell her something more, but unfortunately, Hailey caught only a word here and there. If it was important, she was sure her friend would text or try again later. It seemed Katherine was intent on warning her on what to expect. Hailey had no expectations. Whatever awaited her, she’d figure it out.

Hailey put the thought out of her mind. She wasn’t a diva who required luxury accommodations. Rustic was perfect. She had her guitar, warm clothes, and enough food supplies to last a few days in case she got snowed in. Her confidence was high.

By the time she turned off the main road, dusk had settled. She was grateful for the detailed directions Katherine had given her.

“Take a right after the sixth mailbox off Horseshoe Lane. The road is gravel and might be covered in snow, but the turn is unmistakable,” Katherine had said.

Hailey had written everything down and repeated it to be sure she got it right.

“The dip in the road across from the apple orchard is the next turn. Follow that road and it will take you directly to the cabin.”

After counting the mailboxes, Hailey made the first turn and then paused to review the route. If she made a wrong turn, she might not be able to turn around. She sighed with relief when she spotted the two neat rows of bare trees. This had to be the apple orchard Katherine had mentioned.

The terrain made a steep climb from that point. Although her friend hadn’t mentioned how far the cabin was from the apple orchard, she’d said it was a straight shot. Hailey continued down the gravel road for what seemed like several miles. Wherever this cabin was located, it was more secluded than she’d expected, as she didn’t see any other homes or structures along the way. Just when she feared she’d taken the wrong road, the cabin showed in her headlights.

And what a cabin it was. This was far and away more than Hailey had hoped to find. The entire building was made of logs and had a large wraparound porch with a wide stairway leading to the front door. The upper story had three dormers. The sheer size of it took her breath away. Katherine had mentioned that the entire family had gathered there for summers, but the size hadn’t clicked in Hailey’s mind. The log cabin was massive.

Hailey sat in the car for several moments, almost dizzy with excitement. When she couldn’t stand waiting any longer, she opened the car door. It was perfect, simply perfect. She didn’t know why Katherine sounded concerned. This cabin was incredible. A movement caught her attention and a deer darted into the forest that surrounded the log cabin. A deer. She saw a deer. Her heart leaped with joy. If she needed a sign that she’d made the right decision, this wasit.

Reaching for the flashlight, she started up the stairs, key in hand. The door clicked open without a problem, and she stepped inside and fumbled for the light switch. Katherine had mentioned there was one to the left of the front door.

Slapping her hand against the wall, it took her a minute to locate it. She frowned at the scratching sound coming from the other side of the room. Her fingers anxiously flicked the switch.

Nothing.

Leveling her flashlight in the area where she’d heard the noise, the only thing she saw was furniture covered with white sheets.

Mice? She swallowed tightly. Hailey hated mice and quickly dismissed the thought. The loud scratching sound surely came from something larger than a few mice.

With her heart in her throat, Hailey aimed the flashlight in another direction, sweeping the beam toward the stone fireplace. At any other time, she would have paused to admire the craftsmanship and the beauty of the mantel. Not now, though, when she was intent on discovering the intruder.

It was then that she saw something move from the corner of her eye. Turning the light in that direction, she gasped and let out a strangled scream. She panicked and leaped out the door before slamming it shut. With her heart in her throat, she stumbled several steps back in her eagerness to escape and nearly tumbled down the porch stairs.

Grabbing hold of the pillar, she managed to catch herself.

The intruder was a raccoon.

An angry raccoon who didn’t look pleased to have his private hideaway disturbed. Standing on his hind legs, he’d hissed and seemed ready to leap forward and attack.

Once she was able to breathe again, Hailey quickly returned to her vehicle and grabbed the written directions for how to get to Podunk from the cabin. The first two turns were the same. It changed when she left the gravel road leading into town.

Although she would hate it, Hailey could deal with mice. Rocky Raccoon, not so much.

As Katherine had mentioned, Podunk was five miles from the turn off the main road. As she neared the town, her panic slowly dissipated. Help was within reach.

The lights in town were a welcome sight. Safety. Help.

As far as she could determine, the main street stretched only seven or eight blocks, perhaps a few more. The first thing she noticed as she drove down the main street was a tall statue of a rust-covered frontiersman. He wore a coonskin cap and cradled a rifle in his arms as if he was holding on to a newborn. Someone had strung tinsel over his shoulders like a shiny boa. It caused her to smile.

A huge logging truck passed her on the other side of the road; its headlights nearly blinded her.

When her vision cleared, she saw the sign in front of the store Katherine had mentioned: Cantor Store. It was the largest building in town and took up half of the second block. As she pulled into the angled parking, she noticed a café that looked to be doing a booming business. The windows were outlined with mistletoe and berries, Santa in his sleigh, all his reindeer flying over the moon.

At the end of the road, she saw what looked to be the city park with a big white gazebo in the center. Hailey could easily picture summers there filled with families and picnics.

Podunk was a quaint little town, picturesque and homey. Hailey wrapped the welcome around her like snuggling under a cozy blanket.

Making her way into the store, she was greeted with a shout from a woman who was at the front register. She wore brown bib overalls and a red-checkered flannel long-sleeve shirt. “Jethro, help Mary Susan load up those bales of hay. Her truck is parked out back.”

A man’s voice sounded from the depths of the store. “On it.”

Hailey had to assume Jethro was an employee. Looking around, she didn’t see more than a handful of people. Thinking she should use this opportunity to pick up a few items, she headed toward the cleaning supplies. If the raccoon had taken up permanent residence, then there was sure to be other bits of evidence .

Two people were in front of her at the cash register, and Hailey patiently waited her turn.

The silver-haired woman at the register locked eyes with Hailey as she set her purchases on the counter. Hailey remembered that Katherine had mentioned the owner was named Thelma. Thelma Cantor.

She made a huffing sound and shook her head. “You that city girl Ellie mentioned?”

Hailey wasn’t sure who Ellie was but had to assume that was either Katherine’s mother’s or possibly her grandmother’s name.

“A…Yes. I was told if I had a problem, you’d be able to help me.”

“She said that, did she?” Thelma snorted and rolled her eyes.

“You’re Thelma, right?”

She answered with a curt nod. “No need to tell me your name. Doubt you’ll last here long. You city types rarely do. It’s a shame, too. Podunk has a lot to offer, so give it a chance.”

“I’ll do that,” Hailey promised.

“Now, what can I do for you?”

Hailey sighed. “I was told the electricity at the cabin had been turned on.”

“It was,” Thelma concurred.

“I flipped the switch inside by the front door and nothing happened.”

The woman glanced past Hailey at the customers lined up, eager to make their purchases.

Turning to look herself, Hailey noticed four people.

“Did you check the panel?” Thelma asked.

“No, I…”

“That figures. Let me deal with these folks and I’ll get back to you.”

“Sure thing.”

With her basket in hand, Hailey moved to the end of the line.

Thelma seemed to have all the time in the world for each customer, chatting up local news. She smiled and wished each one Christmas greetings. The older woman appeared to know everyone.

When it was her turn again, Hailey felt she needed to explain that she wasn’t completely dense. “I would have been happy to check the electrical panel if not for a rather major problem. A rabid raccoon has taken up residence and he didn’t much care for the intrusion. If I hadn’t gotten out when I did, I think the beast might have attacked me.”

The last thing Hailey expected was for Thelma to bust out laughing. Apparently, she didn’t find much amusement very often, because her laugh sounded loud, deep, and rusty. She slapped her thigh and shook her head as if this was the funniest thing she’d heard in weeks.

Hailey wasn’t nearly as entertained.

“Frightened you, did he?”

“You could say that. He didn’t appear to be the friendly sort, either.”

Thelma wiped tears from her eyes. “Bet you near peed your pants.”

“It was close,” Hailey admitted.

“You determined to stay?” she asked, as if one annoyed raccoon was enough to make her turn tail.

The question set her back. Hailey straightened her shoulders and said, “Of course I’m staying.”

Thelma nodded approvingly. “You got grit, girl. We’ll see just how long it lasts.”

For no other reason than to prove Thelma wrong, Hailey was determined to stick it out.

As Thelma rang up her purchases, she said, “Jethro will be busy for the next half hour or so. He’ll meet you up at the Stockton place. You should wait in your vehicle for him there; he shouldn’t be much longer than that.”

“Will do.” Hailey felt she had something to prove not so much to Thelma, but to herself. She was made of sterner stuff than to let one measly raccoon scare her off. Of course, there might be more than one, perhaps an entire family. Several generations, in fact. A commune.

“Jethro’s home?” the woman in line behind her asked Thelma.

“Yup,” Thelma said. “Been missing my son. Glad to have him back for a while.”

Jethro?

Hailey could well imagine what Thelma’s son would look like. He was probably a homegrown hillbilly. Really, who would name a boy Jethro in this day and age? Poor guy. Hailey decided not to linger in town, afraid she might miss the promised help.

She paid for the cleaning supplies and smiled as she made her way back to her car and headed out of town. As she passed the frontiersman with the silver boa, she had to wonder if Jethro wore a coonskin cap himself.

The ride back didn’t seem to take nearly as much time as it had earlier. Once back at the cabin, Hailey followed Thelma’s instructions and waited inside her vehicle with the heater on. The temperatures had dipped below freezing and minute flakes of snow began to drift down from the sky. Hungry now, Hailey reached for a protein bar and munched on it until truck lights showed in her rearview mirror.

Eager to get inside the cabin, she opened her car door and climbed out.

The driver parked his truck alongside her car. The door creaked when he opened it. He kept his headlights on, focusing on the front door.

Although the light was dim, Hailey had a good view of the man. It didn’t take more than two seconds to recognize this was no hillbilly. Jethro had the physique of a lumberjack: tall and handsome didn’t begin to describe him. He was gorgeous, with wide shoulders that tapered down to narrow hips. He wore jeans with a thick winter coat.

“Wowzer,” she muttered under her breath.

Standing in front of his headlights, Jethro turned to her and asked, “I’m sorry, did you say something?”

Embarrassed, Hailey was too tongue-tied to respond. Instead, she pointed toward the cabin and managed to squeak out a single word: “Help.”