The road was narrow and the trees hung low over the road, making the drive dark. Lily slowed the car and rolled along. Her plan had been to swing by the bed and breakfast first, since it seemed the most likely location to Lily. From there, she would drive through town to the old farm on the way to the general store. Grace's message seemed to suggest the farm was their real destination. Lily was beginning to doubt herself, now that they were here.
"What are you thinking, Lily," Cassie asked. They had been driving in silence for several minutes, and Lily was starting to slow down.
"Just letting doubt creep in, Cass," she sighed. "Should we even be here?"
"Of course, Lily," Cassie consoled her. "We're here for Grace, remember? She needs us."
Lily could hear the false bravado in Cassie's words, but it helped. The darkness was closing in on them, literally and figuratively, and she was feeling it.
"I think we're close to the bed and breakfast now," Lily started talking. There was no reason to drive herself crazy worrying about everything. She hoped that talking aloud to Cassie might help calm her own nerves and keep Cassie together as well.
"What did you find out about it?" Cassie asked.
"Not a lot, unfortunately," Lily had to admit. "It's only been operating for six or seven years, but that felt right for the timeline. Grace has been living in Westhead for longer than that now, but she wouldn't need the place for herself. If she left it empty for a few years, then sold or rented it out as a B&B to pay for the upkeep... it could make sense."
"You would think that she'd need someone staying there to run it," Cassie thought.
"Yes, maybe there were renovations too," Lily was just throwing ideas out. "The drawback is that it seems to be a functioning B&B though, so if it is the right place, there will almost certainly be people around."
"How are the reviews?" Cassie asked coyly. "Are you surprising me with a romantic evening in the sticks?"
Lily smiled and shook her head. She was glad Cassie was keeping her sense of humor. It helped keep Lily grounded when her mind wanted to wander freely.
"The reviews were good," Lily replied, glad that she'd actually thought to look. This will settle her down, she thought. "A little quaint, but super cozy... and romantic... with a beautiful view of the valley."
"Did you check to see if they had vacancies, too?" Cassie asked.
"As a matter of fact, I did... and they don't, so you're going to have to keep your knickers on until you can sleep in your own bed, missy!" Lily pronounced.
"Aw, party pooper!" Cassie teased.
Lily sat up straighter, and looked ahead. They had come over a small knoll, and there was a nice two story farmhouse on their left, set back from the road and further up the ridge. A small turnoff led up to a small parking area next to a shed set behind the house. Lily slowed to read a sign hanging near the edge of the road - Apple Valley View, B&B. This was the place!
She slowed the car down to study the area, and was about to pull into the drive when she felt Cassie's hand on her arm. She glanced over and noticed her friend staring straight ahead with a concerned expression on her face.
"What?" She started to ask, then looked up to see an SUV pulled over on the side of the road just past the drive coming from the other direction. Her heart leapt into her throat as she could just make out New York license plates. Lily lifted her hand from the blinker to the steering wheel, and let the car coast on past the entrance, trying to take everything in.
