Wednesday's Words on a Friday

The original Words for Wednesday was begun by Delores and eventually taken over by a moveable feast of participants when Delores had computer troubles.

The aim of the words is to encourage us to write. A story, a poem, whatever comes to mind.

If you are posting an entry on your own blog, please let us know so we can come along and read it.

This month the words are supplied by ME and can be found right here.

This week's words are:

1. consternation
2. tourist
3. attached
4. fresh
5. specific
6. memory

and/or:

1. advantages
2. amount
3. spray
4. reef
5. ouch
6. living

Here is my story: another filler chapter

Stanley’s notes were filled with revelations. When he’d mentioned getting the maps from Bernice, Ed had said they both knew Bernice although not well, Bernice being a cousin, possibly a second cousin, to Sara’s mother, and believed to be the only surviving member of that branch of the family. Once Sara and Irene had carried in the tea and cake, Ed told Sara that Bernice was still alive and living in a hut up on the mountain behind Shark Cove. “So that’s where she’s disappeared to!” exclaimed Sara. “We lost touch when she left the old hospital, Dr Wurtzel had said she would manage just fine away from there, didn’t need all the medications and treatments her family had insisted on, so off she went and didn’t tell anybody where.”

Stanley mentioned Bernice had been to town several times, at least once each year, both Ed and Sara wondering why they had never seen her on their own trips to town. “There is only the one General Store,” said Ed. Stanley then again mentioned the crooked-nose man Bernice seemed to be very afraid of and much consternation ensued when Stephanie, overhearing that part of conversation, gasped and dropped a tray of paintbrushes. Sara rushed to help her pick them up, worriedly asking was she alright, what was the matter? and Stephanie, white as a sheet, tried desperately to say a word or two. As Sara took Stephanie to the front room to sit down, Irene mentioned quietly to Stanley that she looked familiar and was going to drag out every single file on everything pertaining to this area as soon as she got back to headquarters. “There might be something attached to even one file that could throw a light on all of this,” she said.

After teacups had been refilled, Stanley asked about Stephanie and learned her story, with Irene asking perhaps mention of the crooked nosed man had awakened a specific memory that frightened Stephanie. “Keep an eye on her Sara, and maybe try to coax her into saying what she was trying to say. It’s possible she knows who this man is.” “Now that you mention it, there was a man around these parts all that time ago,” said Ed. “Can’t recall his name or anything but he looked like his nose had been broken rather badly at some point. You remember him Sara?” Sara herself had gone quiet at the memory. “I do,” she said. “The one that was sweet-talking Stephanie, wanting to know all about the Retreat, how many people would come to town during tourist season and things like that.” “That’s right,” said Ed, as Stanley wrote furiously on his notepad. “he did spend a large amount of time with her, always out in the open, but always asking how many people were living here or in town.”

Inspector Stanley read through his notes out loud and the granite seam popped up in the conversation. “Has anyone ever mentioned anything about that?” asked Irene. “Can’t recall,” said Ed. “There were surveyors back in the hills a bit, beyond the old hospital and in the old quarry behind Shark Cove, but as far as we know nothing ever came of that.” Irene said, “The old quarry isn’t far from Bernice’s little hut, that’s where she said she has seen that man recently, she showed us where he had a cooking fire near the creek where she used to get her fresh water from, but she’s afraid to go back there now, on her own that is.” “One of the advantages of having a partner,” said Ed. “There’s always someone who can help out with things that might trouble you.”

Sara said, “I think we should go to town soon and get up to Bernice’s to talk to her. Do you think she would remember us and open her door?” “Can’t hurt to try,” said Ed. “We could go after Rob and Vanessa have gone home.” “Rob and Vanessa?” asked Stanley. ‘Visitors from a little way upstate,” said Sara, wondering if she should continue. At a slight nod from Ed, she continued. “Their son has been staying here a few days and they came down to see for themselves why he got so excited about the scenery here.” “He’s a photographer,” said Ed. “They’re out right now, they’ve hired a small boat to get out to the reef so he can take photos of the spray as the waves crash up on the rocks.”

“I remember reading something about that reef,” said Irene. “An old shipwreck that attracts scuba divers?”