Madison had specified. The country was enjoying several
days of good weather. No flight delays, yet.
Nancy Stutts had arrived from Atlanta, and Phil Sternberger
from New York. Nancy was an easy going, conscientious single woman, pushing 48,
but looking 40. Phil was married with two small children, two dogs, three cats,
and two pyscho hamsters. He was 30 with a type A personality, and the explosive
tension of a cannon about to fire a watermelon at a fall festival. He looked at
his watch, and the time displays in the waiting area, as he paced back and
forth in front of Janice and Nancy, seated. “What time did you say Hollis’s
plane arrives from L.A.?”
Janice gave him a wry look, repeating for the fifth time,
“Three o’clock. Relax, Phil, we’ve got another twenty minutes.” She was
thinking the office wouldn’t be large enough with Phil and Rodney pacing at the
same time.
“Think I’ll get another cup of coffee.” Off he shot like a
cannon.
Janice and Nancy rolled their eyes and muffled their
laughter.
Hollis Redgrave strutted from the arriving gate, a foot
taller than other passengers. He was tanned with movie-star thick graying hair,
and wore a navy blazer with khaki pants and blue shirt open at the collar. As
he gawked around, his mouth and nose were pinched as if he’d found something
that smelled bad.
Janice recognized him from his photo in his employee file,
and was on her feet to greet him. “Hollis, I’m Janice Smithfield. We’ve met by
phone once; I’m your ride, along with Nancy and Phil.” Everyone gave the usual
nods, but Nancy kept her distance. She’d met Hollis before.
After loading the car, with Nancy riding shotgun, Janice
pulled away from the baggage area and eased into traffic heading for their
hotel. Phil spoke first. “How far is it?”
She looked in the rearview and caught his eye. “About ten
miles.” Phil began to squirm, as he glared at each passing car on Interstate
26.
Hollis leaned forward from the back seat. “Tell me about
these accommodations, Janice. I’ve never heard of Shiloh Mountain View Inn.
Sounds like something out of the movie Psycho.” He laughed, the only one.
Janice asked over her shoulder, “Ever been to Asheville?”
“No.”
“Then that’s probably why you’ve never heard of it.”
Hollis huffed and sat back.
“How much farther is it?” asked Phil.
“Relax, Phil, I’ll let you know when we get there.”
He squirmed even more not knowing what he wanted to know. He
felt trapped riding in the backseat, not driving.
Hollis leaned forward, his left hand grazing Nancy’s left
shoulder. “Nancy-girl, you doing okay?”
She flinched. “No…yes, fine. Don’t...touch me.”
Janice had the urge to stop the car and tell them to get out
and hike the rest of the way; instead her foot pressed the accelerator on her
SUV. She didn’t envy Madison having to deal with this trio of tension.
After Janice made sure their check-in was without problems
she said, “I’m to remind you to read over the changes in allowable expenses.”
She handed each a sealed envelope with info they’d need for the week’s staff
meeting. “You’re on your own for the rest of the evening. I’ll be by to pick
you up in the morning at eight o’clock.”
Hollis said, “Whoa, whoa. What about this jet lag we’ve got?
Eight o’clock is too early.”
Janice glanced at her watch, doing a quick count. “Well,
you’ve got almost 15 hours before I pick you up. Better jump in bed now if
you’re concerned about sleep. If it’s a real issue, take it up with the new CEO
in the morning.”
Janice smiled and headed for the front door.
Nancy had already started for her room down the hall,
enjoying the quietness of the quaint bed and breakfast inn, but anxious to keep
her distance from Hollis.
Hollis and Phil trailed Janice out to the front rambling
porch with white rockers. They stood, looking lost, mouths gaping at the air,
as Janice’s SUV disappeared
days of good weather. No flight delays, yet.
Nancy Stutts had arrived from Atlanta, and Phil Sternberger
from New York. Nancy was an easy going, conscientious single woman, pushing 48,
but looking 40. Phil was married with two small children, two dogs, three cats,
and two pyscho hamsters. He was 30 with a type A personality, and the explosive
tension of a cannon about to fire a watermelon at a fall festival. He looked at
his watch, and the time displays in the waiting area, as he paced back and
forth in front of Janice and Nancy, seated. “What time did you say Hollis’s
plane arrives from L.A.?”
Janice gave him a wry look, repeating for the fifth time,
“Three o’clock. Relax, Phil, we’ve got another twenty minutes.” She was
thinking the office wouldn’t be large enough with Phil and Rodney pacing at the
same time.
“Think I’ll get another cup of coffee.” Off he shot like a
cannon.
Janice and Nancy rolled their eyes and muffled their
laughter.
Hollis Redgrave strutted from the arriving gate, a foot
taller than other passengers. He was tanned with movie-star thick graying hair,
and wore a navy blazer with khaki pants and blue shirt open at the collar. As
he gawked around, his mouth and nose were pinched as if he’d found something
that smelled bad.
Janice recognized him from his photo in his employee file,
and was on her feet to greet him. “Hollis, I’m Janice Smithfield. We’ve met by
phone once; I’m your ride, along with Nancy and Phil.” Everyone gave the usual
nods, but Nancy kept her distance. She’d met Hollis before.
After loading the car, with Nancy riding shotgun, Janice
pulled away from the baggage area and eased into traffic heading for their
hotel. Phil spoke first. “How far is it?”
She looked in the rearview and caught his eye. “About ten
miles.” Phil began to squirm, as he glared at each passing car on Interstate
26.
Hollis leaned forward from the back seat. “Tell me about
these accommodations, Janice. I’ve never heard of Shiloh Mountain View Inn.
Sounds like something out of the movie Psycho.” He laughed, the only one.
Janice asked over her shoulder, “Ever been to Asheville?”
“No.”
“Then that’s probably why you’ve never heard of it.”
Hollis huffed and sat back.
“How much farther is it?” asked Phil.
“Relax, Phil, I’ll let you know when we get there.”
He squirmed even more not knowing what he wanted to know. He
felt trapped riding in the backseat, not driving.
Hollis leaned forward, his left hand grazing Nancy’s left
shoulder. “Nancy-girl, you doing okay?”
She flinched. “No…yes, fine. Don’t...touch me.”
Janice had the urge to stop the car and tell them to get out
and hike the rest of the way; instead her foot pressed the accelerator on her
SUV. She didn’t envy Madison having to deal with this trio of tension.
After Janice made sure their check-in was without problems
she said, “I’m to remind you to read over the changes in allowable expenses.”
She handed each a sealed envelope with info they’d need for the week’s staff
meeting. “You’re on your own for the rest of the evening. I’ll be by to pick
you up in the morning at eight o’clock.”
Hollis said, “Whoa, whoa. What about this jet lag we’ve got?
Eight o’clock is too early.”
Janice glanced at her watch, doing a quick count. “Well,
you’ve got almost 15 hours before I pick you up. Better jump in bed now if
you’re concerned about sleep. If it’s a real issue, take it up with the new CEO
in the morning.”
Janice smiled and headed for the front door.
Nancy had already started for her room down the hall,
enjoying the quietness of the quaint bed and breakfast inn, but anxious to keep
her distance from Hollis.
Hollis and Phil trailed Janice out to the front rambling
porch with white rockers. They stood, looking lost, mouths gaping at the air,
as Janice’s SUV disappeared
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