Free On Ice by J. D. Faver

other stop was at Westfall's Drugs and Sundries. She got all of the essentials for a first aid kit along with basic over-the-counter medications in adult and child strength. A spritely white-haired woman greeted her cheerily. She introduced herself as Mrs. Westfall. Rene leaned down to shake her hand and judged her to be quite a bit less than five feet tall. There were steps behind the counter leading up to the cash register. The tiny lady rang up Rene's purchases, punching in the numbers with her stubby fingers. She peered at Rene through thick glasses that distorted her shiny dark eyes.
    “ Aren't you the pretty thing? You're the school teacher? We've all been waiting for you. Papa!” She yelled to the man in the back of the store. “George is the pharmacist here. If you need anything, just get the doc to call in a prescription. Our grandson can deliver if you can't get out.”
    “ Yes, Mama.” George, a tall, gaunt elderly man came shuffling out of the pharmacy area, as requested. He too, wore thick glasses and Rene hoped he didn't get too many prescriptions mixed up.
    “ This is the new teacher, Papa,” Mrs. Westfall shouted. It seemed the pharmacist was deaf as well as blind.
    “ Pleased to meet you, young lady.” He presented her with a huge smile made up of a full set of dentures. A little clicking noise accented his words.
    “ She moved into the old Franklin place,” Mrs. Westfall screamed at him, then to Rene said, “That's such a cute little cabin. I heard that Ben fixed it up real nice.”
    “ Yes, it's quite cozy.” Rene finished her transaction, writing her first check using her alias and wondered how many laws she was breaking in doing so.
    ~*~
     
    Maddy kept glancing over her shoulder. She’d been haunted by the feeling that they were being watched. It started when they left the inn earlier that morning. She looked around, but saw no one other than a few locals working on the grounds. The cars parked along the cobbled street appeared to be unoccupied.
    They departed for their next stop, a seaside village called Hearne, where they were to lunch and visit a museum before driving on to a castle with history and complimentary ghosts. The girls giggled and babbled nonstop, their excitement bubbling over.
    Ted drove carefully, watching for road signs and trying to keep his speed within the proper limit. He kept experiencing a bit of difficulty converting miles to kilometers.
    Maddy informed him he didn’t need to know how many miles per hour they were going because the odometer on their rental vehicle read out in kpm, but Ted felt they were going too fast for the twisting, turning lanes.
    “ Well, slow down then.” Maddy glanced in the mirror on her visor. “We can pretend to be tourists.”
    “ Very funny, my dear.” He didn't notice when Maddy turned around to watch the car that appeared to be following several car lengths behind them. When they veered onto a narrow country lane the other vehicle did the same.
    Maddy turned back to face the direction in which they were driving. This is silly. We're thousands of miles from anyone who knows us. I'm just being silly. She bit her full lower lip, a nervous habit she had retained from childhood. Flipping down the mirror on her visor, she adjusted it to watch the trailing vehicle. It was a small black squarish car with tinted windows. Maddy was totally unfamiliar with European automobiles, but this one was ominous, almost threatening. When Ted slowed down so did the black car. Never advancing. Never retreating.
    Maddy took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I hope I'm just being silly.
    ~*~
     
     
    CHAPTER SIX
     
    Rene arranged the items from the drug store in the medicine cabinet. She jumped when a heavy hand fell on the back door. Rene peeked out to see Ben Franklin clutching his hat and waving energetically.
    “ I guess I'm gonna have to fix you up with a doorbell,” he said. “Mister Brett told me to come look at the loft. Is that okay, Miz