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“What’s the song?” Luna asked.
“‘Grapevine Twist.’”
Ford shuddered. Their mother loved that song, and they’d grown up with her dancing around the house. When he was young he enjoyed it, but it got old when he hit his teens.
“So run if you hear it playing over the town system,” Nash said, which they all agreed with.
The streets were wider than Ryker Falls and the shops bigger, but it still had that small town feel. They turned right and drove down a road lined with houses. After a few more turns that passed a church, a school, and a huge park, they stopped before a large, old three-story place. The sign hanging from the roof readThe Circle Left.
“There’s a motel where we stayed and a few other places in town, but this can fit us all,” Luke said.
They climbed out, and Ford held out his hand to help the two women behind him.
“Luke, you need to learn Ford’s manners,” Quinn called after she stepped down.
Nash rolled his eyes. “Always the gentleman.”
He held Autumn’s hand longer. “You okay?”
Her eyes were going left and right, and he could feel the tension in her, which should have eased now she was out of the plane.
“Autumn.” He gave her hand a shake.
“Yeah. Sure.”
“You don’t look it. What’s going on?” He whispered the words since Ritchie was holding her other hand.
“Nothing. It’s nothing.” She pulled free and followed the others inside.
“Definitely something,” Ford muttered, following.
The Circle Left boardinghouse had clapboards painted soft, pastel pink with white trim. He took in the verandahs and lots of narrow, rectangular windows. A banner was strung across the front, stating that “To square-dance is to live life to its fullest.”
“I just never thought of it that way,” Nash said as they walked under it and into the building.
“Clearly we need to try harder,” Ford added.
The interior was decorated like a saloon from back in the day. There was plenty of wood paneling and pictures of Lyntacky from days gone by. The floors were polished wood, and relics from the time when the Circle Left had been a saloon were displayed proudly.
“This is cool,” Quinn said, spinning on her heel taking it all in.
The proprietor wore an emerald saloon-girl costume complete with feathers in her white hair. Tall and stick thin, she had a big smile on her face. If he had to guess, he’d put her in her seventies. She came out from behind what was likely once the bar in this place.
“Welcome! My guess is you’re the rest of the Ryker Falls team. I’m Nancy.”
“We are.” Luke stepped forward. “I’m Luke.” He then introduced everyone else.
Nancy checked them in and handed out keys. “The rest of your party has already gone into town to eat.”
“Okay, so we’ll drop our stuff and meet back down here,” Luna said. “Soon, because I’m starving.”
No one argued.
The stairs were narrow and the ceilings high when they reached the next floor. More steps rose to a third floor, but he was down here with Autumn and Ritchie, Nash and Quinn, plus whoever else they’d put on this floor.
Ford’s room was in keeping with the theme. Metal headboard and the cover was patched with cream and mint-green squares. There was a bathroom and a view of the park.
After dropping his bag on the floor, he made his way back downstairs, ready to head into town to eat something. Nancy was still at reception when he arrived.
