Free Winds of terror by Patricia Hagan Page B

quite annoyed.
    "Do you want to wake Aunt Addie? You heard the doctor say she has to get her rest!" His voice snapped, harshly.
    She gestured apologetically towards Butch. "I'm sorry, Mark," she said in a whisper. "I heard you were up, so I got up to see if maybe you were sick, and then Butch ran down to that room and started trying to get in again. Are you all right now?"
    "Yes, yes, I am," he nodded, a bit flustered. "I needed

    a glass of water, that's all. Now how about gettmg that dog back in your room before he wakes Aunt Addie?"
    He ran his fingers nervously through his hair as he started towards his room. Melanie scurried back down the hall after Butch, but when she took hold of his collar, he set up a howl. Just then, Mark grabbed Butch, swung him up in his arms, and strode angrily down the hall to Melanie's room. He put him inside with a rough pitch, closed the door, and turned on Melanie, who was right behind him.
    "Keep that dog outside from now on, do you understand?" He was glaring at her with eyes that flashed more anger than Melanie had thought him capable of expressing.
    'Tfou listen to me, Mark," Melanie cried in exasperation. "I'm sorry as I can be about Butch having a thing about that door, but maybe it's a good thing. Maybe there are rats or something breeding in there, and he smells them. It just isn't sanitary to seal a room off like that, and if Aunt Addie won't agree to opening it and cleaning it out, I'm going tol"
    "Don't you dare!" he cried, his eyes widening, his face turning pale. *That room is a shrine to Uncle Bartley, and Aimt Addie would never forgive you for opening it without her permissioni There are no rats in that room; they'd spread over the house if there were. Now you just stay out of there and keep your dog out of the way!"
    He was shaking his finger in her face, and Melanie's hand shot out to grab it and push it away. "I will speak to Aunt Addie about that room!" she hissed at him, unable to control her anger any longer. "Butch doesn't try to get in any of the other rooms. There's something he wants in that one!"
    As if to avoid further conversation, Mark brushed by her and walked away. A few seconds later, she heard him slam the door of his own bedroom. Almost in answer, she slammed her door shut and locked it.
    Actually, she hadn't been all that concerned about Butch's reasons for wanting to get into Uncle Bartley's room. Now, though, she was very curious. Butch was not a bad dog. He walked over to her and whimpered, putting his head on her knee and looking up at her with forlorn eyes. She patted him.
    'Tomorrow, I'm going to do something about that
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    room, Butch. I know you aren't just being nosy. I know you've got your reasons. You're a good dog."
    He licked her hand appreciatively. She was so fond of the animal. When Robert had given it to her, he had said: "To keep you company till I return." Now she looked down at Butch and whispered, "I hope you stick around forever, boy, because my guy's not coming back
    • • •
    This time when she drifted off to sleep, her pillow was wet

    Chapter 7
    When Melanie awoke, she went straight to Addie's room. The old woman had been sleeping, but the sound of the door opening brought her wrinkled lids open. She peered out over the covers and asked irritably, "Yes? What is it? What do you want?"
    "I'm sorry I woke you up," Melanie apologized, hurrying to the bedside with Butch trailing behind her. "I wanted to check and see how you were. Did you sleep weU?"
    Addie yawned and pulled herself up. "I might've, if it hadn't been for the nightmare."
    "Nightmare?" Addie certainly couldn't get proper rest if she had bad dreams. "What was it about?"
    "Todd again," she said a bit impatiently, as though Melanie should have known without asking. "He was here again. At the foot of the bed. He shook the bed until I woke up, and then he glared at me as though he wanted to strangle me with his bare hands. I've never seen so much hatred."
    Melanie scoffed,