Valeria arrived a week later at the small Monterey airport, following a forty-minute hop flight from San Diego. She found a young man waiting for her in the terminal. As planned, she knew it would be Travis, as he told her he'd be wearing a distinctive black, Oakland Raiders sporting cap. To Valaria he looked too young to be a college professor but made up for the youthful appearance with a short-cropped beard and a strong and enthusiastic voice. He quickly removed his hat, revealing a sandy-haired young man, possibly still in his late twenties or early thirties.
"Valaria? " He asked, as she approached, wheeling a small travel suitcase behind her.
"That's right. Travis?"
She wore her dark hair tied back in a pony tail for traveling and sported a khaki jump suit and clean while Adidas trainers. Her large eyes shown enthusiastically upon taking his hand in greeting.
"Welcome to the Monterey Peninsula. How was your flight from Arizona?"
"Some turbulence over the Sierras, but this little flight up the coast from San Diego was really lovely. What a coastline you Californian's have"
"Yeah. Impressive. So. Great!"
Valaria carried over her shoulder what looked like a purse and small computer bag.
"You got everything?"
"Yeah. I travel pretty light. This is such a cute airport. No hassles . . . no people."
"We all love it for that. Come on, it's only fifteen minutes to Pacific Grove from here. That's where you'll be staying, right?"
"Yeah, I booked a room at the Seven Gables . . . it's near . . ."
"Lover's Point. I know it well. Nice choice. A bit touristy, but you'll love the place."
"OK, I know. And expensive, but kind of a little present to myself. It's been a hectic year. And now . . . finished!"
"Wish I could say that. I've got this summer course to start teaching tomorrow. An upper division in experimental design and ethics issues."
"Lucky you."
"Not really. So, you'll have your post grad degree next year?"
"Yeah by first semester. An MS in Paranormal Studies."
"Wow, that's great . . . a rare title!"
"Now days . . . extremely. Yeah, it's all good."
The two walked out of the terminal to the parking lot, where Travis helped Valeria with her carry-on bag into the compartment behind the seats of his gray Nissan truck.
Driving down the two-lane country road, skirted by California Live Oaks, the sun was just down at 8:30 in the evening, spreading a pink glow on the horizon.
"You're going to love this little town, especially right on the sea where you're staying. You booked for a couple of days?"
"Four days and three nights. Kind of a working vacation before I head back over to New Mexico. I'll stay there with family a while. Got to get back to my roots this summer. My parents will kill me if I don't."
"I understand. My clan is up in the Oregon. But they usually come down here to see me. They love Carmel. It's just a few miles from here. Actually, everyone loves Carmel."
"So I've heard. Definitely want to take that in while I'm out west."
"Well, you're looking at your tour guide . . . when the urge strikes to venture out."
YOU ARE READING
Paranormal Case 9
Mystery / ThrillerWhat Valeria Alvarez, a young paranormal activities researcher was to find in the little seaside town of Pacific Grove, was more than shocking. It gave many the notion that what science purports to know of supernatural phenomenon, is still in its in...
