Free Soul Inheritance by Honey A. Hutson

right! You stay away from me you horse’s ass, I mean it!” She pushed the end button.
    The phone went flying across the car. It bounced around until it finally settled in the floorboard. The tears gathered, but she refused to let them get the best of her, refused to let him get the best of her. Taking a deep breath she concentrated on the road ahead.
    Katherine passed though Maryland, took I-83 to York, Pennsylvania, thru the edge of New York and I-84 into Hartford, Connecticut with only brief stops for gas and once for a real meal. It was nearly midnight before she stopped at some out of the way motel for the night halfway between Hartford and Boston, Massachusetts.
    The neon light attracted her attention long before she came to it. The Jeep glided in, the gravels crunching under the tires as she pulled up in front of the office. She stepped through the screen door, letting it clack behind her. The old man at the counter jolted awake.
    “ Uh, huh? Oh, pardon me Miss. Didn’t hear you drive up.” He got up groggily, shoved the sign-in book in front of her, took the money and gave her a key. He pointed her toward the end of the little row of Motels, grunted “Sleep good, see ya in the morning.” and went back to his chair, a small TV flickering in the dim light.

 
     
    Chapter five
     
     
    Nigel looked at the large white wall clock, with its black hands pointing out the time.
    “ Flight 614 for Bangor, Maine on schedule. About time I caught a break.” It was a quarter to midnight when he strode toward the departure area.
    “ Final call for 614, destination Bangor, Maine now boarding at gate 9. Final call for flight 614, destination Bangor Maine, now boarding at gate 9.” The announcement rang through Charlotte International Airport. Nigel picked up the pace.
    Dropping the one carry on bag onto the conveyor, he passed through the metal detector without incident, retrieved his bag on the other side and went to board the plane. He settled into his seat, giving the shapely blonde stewardess a wide, toothy grin. She gave him one very knowing up and down glance and sent the short, sour natured stewardess to tend to his section. He ended up sleeping all the way to Bangor.
    The ill natured stewardess was the one who woke him. “Sir, please fasten your belt, we will be landing shortly.”
    Nigel sat up, cleared his throat, and fastened his belt. The landing went smoothly enough and he exited in search of the car rental counter. There he found something more to his taste. A slight, shapely young clerk beamed from behind the counter.
    “ Um, I’m kind of new ‘round here. I wonder if you could help me out?” He leaned against the counter; let the deep southern drawl build as he gave her a broad grin and appreciative roving glance. “I have inherited a lake further north and I need to find a realtor. You wouldn’t happen to know of a firm that covers the area up around the uh, I think they call it Piscataquis area? Near Shin Pond Village?”
    “ My, my. An entire lake.” She drew her words out as she leaned on the counter, pushing her cleavage even further out of the low cut top. “Your family must be quite well to do to have entire lake. Why you sellin’ it?”
    “ Well, I’m not from ‘round here and I own a couple of businesses in North Carolina.” He paused for effect. “Though I’d thought maybe I’d build a little private resort there. You know, a place to come play in my free time.” He smiled that deceptively charming smile, teeth large and white, dimples rippling at the curved edges of his mouth. He looked her over. “So, what do you locals do round here in your leisure ?”
    “ Well, one might take off somewhere. Meet new people; stretch out on a boat on a lake, with a new friend. You know, enjoy some extracurricular activities.” She reached slowly across the counter, placed the keys to the rental he never actually asked for into his hand, lingered there. “So where’s this lake?”
    “