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“The Holiday at Folly Beach”
Chapter 1
Jenna Hart climbed back into her car, enjoying the crisp and fresh air of a South Carolina morning as she continued on her way, following the directions that the clerk at the gas station had just given her.
She was both tired and excited, with too many questions tumbling around in her head. After so many sleepless nights, she hoped she would finally find the answers at the little cottage she was heading towards.
Jenna had adored her father and had always thought they had a great relationship, but now, since his death, she found herself questioning whether she had really known him at all.
The doctors had warned him that if he wasn’t careful and slowed down, he was a ticking time bomb, but he hadn’t listened. Jenna wasn’t even aware of his problems, and his death had been a shock to her. Jenna still found it hard to believe he was really gone and missed him tremendously.
Unfortunately, her mother hadn’t been much comfort for her either. Elizabeth Ainsley dealt with her husband’s death in the same way she dealt with all tragedies in her life. She avoided them. She’d left to travel even before the will was read, telling Jenna that now that she was finally free, it was time for her to go out and see the world.
Jenna knew her parents hadn’t had the perfect marriage. As a young girl, she’d listened to many nights of them arguing in the kitchen, but still, to just up and leave a week after her husband’s death… well, Jenna found that a bit cold and harsh, even for her mother.
The reading of the will had proved very interesting, and Jenna had discovered that she now owned a cottage in some place called Folly Beach. Her father’s will may have left her with an unexpected cottage, but it also left her with a pile of unanswered questions.
Having never heard of Folly Beach or even ever been outside of Chicago, she had boarded a plane yesterday morning headed for Charleston, South Carolina, with no idea what to expect.
She was still reeling from losing her father, and was determined to think of this trip as her own great adventure, praying it would help her in her grief as well as answer some of her questions.
As she navigated her way to her destination, Jenna found herself amazed by the beauty of the area. Taking in as much as she could, she was starting to get excited about what she was about to find when she arrived.
The sun, fresh air, and ocean breeze all enhanced her mood, and she hummed as she drove along the I71, stopping at many of the tourist stops she found along the way, and really trying to explore the area.
In fact, now that she finally had the keys, she was enjoying playing tourist so much that she lost track of time, and, before long, realized that the sun was setting and she’d better find her way to her destination before it got dark.
It was hard for her to believe that she really owned a cottage in this beautiful area, but even though it was now officially hers, she desperately wanted to find out why her father had kept its existence a secret. She hoped that when she got there, she would be able to unravel the mystery around it, and it would be a place for her to forget the past and heal.
As she drove along, Jenna decided to put all her troubling thoughts and questions aside for the moment. It had turned out to be a glorious afternoon, and for now, all she wanted to do was find the address, pour a glass of wine, and sit and gaze out at the ocean. This was going to be her escape, and she felt her excitement building.
As she neared her destination, she saw a large mansion in the distance.
“Wow, I’ll bet that’s the Sterling mansion I heard about,” she said to herself. “It actually looks like something out of a horror movie. I bet that place has a secret or two hiding behind its walls.”
Trying to ignore the eerie feeling that started to creep up her spine at the sight of the imposing mansion, she continued along I71. The call of the seagulls screeching above her let her know she must be getting closer to the ocean, and she glanced up at the sky, happy she had decided to rent the little convertible.
Turn left on E Arctic Avenue, the GPS directed, as Jenna made the turn and continued past the rows of small cottages.
You have arrived at your destination, the GPS stated, and Jenna turned onto a small gravel driveway leading to a large clearing. In the distance, she could see the cottage and hear the waves crash along the shoreline.
“This is just perfect,” she whispered, awestruck. Climbing out of the car, she inhaled the salty air of the ocean. “Why on earth didn’t Daddy ever tell me about this place?” she mused softly.
The little cottage was not your typical clapboard structure but was made of stone, giving it a rustic look. A large porch surrounding the front of the structure welcomed her as she lifted her suitcase out of the back seat and walked up the steps.
“Well, here goes nothing,” she said, her stomach fluttering with excitement as she put the key in the lock and turned, only to find it was already unlocked.
“That’s strange,” she said, pushing against the door and listening to it creak as it swung open.
Jenna stood at the threshold, almost afraid to go in. Why had the door been unlocked? Was there someone here?
She was suddenly fearful of what she would find inside. Was there some mysterious someone or something ready to pounce on her? What would she find out about the man she had called Daddy? Exactly what secrets did this unassuming little cottage hold?
“Hello,” she yelled from the doorway, trying to sound brave.
When she didn’t get a response, she reached around and found the light switch, engulfing the previously dark room in bright light.
Even though the furniture looked a little old and worn, the place looked like it had been well-maintained, and the room seemed relatively clean. Her father had been a simple man who didn’t like to have much clutter around. Looking around the room, Jenna knew this place had definitely been his.
Maybe the cleaning crew forgot to lock the door… she thought to herself as she walked away from the front door deeper into the living room.
A large stone fireplace stood in the center of the room, while a nice kitchen with a spacious island was off to one side. On the other side was a set of stairs she presumed led up to the bedrooms. The whole space seemed comfortable and spacious, and Jenna immediately fell in love with it.
In the back wall of the main living room, a large patio door opened up to another deck, and even in the dim light, Jenna could see that it led out to the water.
Oh, wow, I’m going to be spending a lot of time out there, she thought, smiling to herself as she went to open the door, but she stopped short, shocked to find that it too, was already partially open.
“What on Earth?” she said aloud. She squinted and saw a form sitting at the end of the dock. Who is that? Is someone else living here? Maybe that’s why this place is so clean?
“Excuse me,” she called out, watching as the form turned to look at her.
As the person walked toward her, Jenna realized that it was a woman.
“Who are you? Can I help you?” she asked as the woman approached.
“Hi. I didn’t expect you so soon,” said the woman, walking up to Jenna with a friendly smile.
It was obvious that the woman had been crying, and even though Jenna wondered why, what she really wanted to know was what this woman was doing in her house.
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