Mountain of Deception

CHAPTER 1

TESSA Cooper drove through the small town of Yellowwood, Tennessee just outside Smoky Mountains National Park.

The highway ran down what she would call the tourist strip, although, from what she had researched online, not many tourists had discovered Yellowwood yet. Most of them opted for Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge with their many attractions, shops, and hotels.

Her GPS instructed her to turn right at the next road to find the cabin she would be renting for the next twelve months. After the turn, she drove up a long hill before it leveled off where she found the cabin. A car in the driveway with a sign on the side identified its owner, the real estate agent she had been talking with for the past few weeks.

Tessa parked her car and stepped out. An older lady with bright red hair approached. Tessa Cooper?

Yes.

Oh good. I’m glad you found the cabin. Honey, I’m Claire Borden. We’ve been talkin’ on the phone. Her southern accent was prominent.

It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Borden.

Oh, sweetie, we aren’t all that fancy around here. You call me Claire.

Claire it is, and I’m Tessa.

Come on in. I’ll show you around. I know you’re going to love it.

Tessa looked around as she and Claire walked to the house. She could already tell she was going to love living here. The view of the mountains behind the cabin was spectacular. There was another cabin across the road, and she thought she had seen another up the road when she turned into the driveway.

Once inside, Claire showed her all the rooms, and Tessa loved the inside as much as the outside. Mrs. Borden, the cabin is beautiful. It will be perfect for me to stay in to write my novel, Tessa said.

Now call me Claire, remember?

I’m sorry. Claire.

I knew you would like it. I have all the paperwork with me and you can move your things in right now. She dug a folder of papers out of her bag, and they sat down at the kitchen table.

Tessa took her time to carefully look over the lease and then signed two copies. I think that should do it.

Claire signed both copies as well and then gave Tessa one of them. All utilities are included in the rent, but you’ll probably want to buy some wood for the fireplace on those really cold winter nights, or, her lips curled into a smile, when you have a gentleman caller.

Tessa laughed. I think I’ll just stick to a fire to keep me warm.

Well, we’ll see. Here’s my card. Now, if you have any problems, you be sure and call me, you hear? The owners are livin’ in Florida now, and I take care of everything for them.

Thank you. Tessa followed Claire outside.

Just then, a large black pickup truck turned into the gravel driveway and parked next to Tessa’s car. The door opened and out stepped a rugged-looking man dressed in a tight T-shirt and jeans. His mane of long brown hair framed the surly expression on his face. A folded handkerchief over his forehead held his hair out of his face. He held a tool belt in his left hand and lifted a big toolbox from the truck bed with his right. His upper arm muscles bulged, and Tessa thought for sure his shirt would rip Hulk style.

Silas, darlin’, come on over here. I want you to meet the new renter. Claire motioned for him to join them. Silas Newberry, this is Tessa Cooper. She’ll be livin’ here for the next twelve months while she writes a novel.

Silas wiped his hand on his jeans and looked up at Tessa as he extended his hand. Her gaze traced from his hand and up his arm until their eyes met. The surly expression gone, a smile spread across his dark, tanned face. His blue eyes sparkled.

Twelve months? he questioned.

I’m on a sabbatical from teaching.

Well, how do you do, ma’am. Welcome to Yellowwood. His voice was deep, but soft with just a tad bit of southern drawl.

She shook his hand, finding it rough. Normal for a man carrying tools, she thought. Thank you. It’s nice to meet you, she replied, probably holding his hand a bit too long. He withdrew first.

Tessa, Silas is our local handyman. He can build or fix just about anything. He’ll probably be around a lot since he’s buildin’ a storage building out back for the cabin owners, Claire said.

Oh, a storage building, that’s nice.

I hope my hammering won’t interrupt your writing, ma’am.

No, I’m sure it won’t.

How in the world was she going to get any writing done with this handsome man hanging around everyday?

Well, I better get to work. It was nice meeting you, Miss Cooper.

Tessa. You might as well call me Tessa since you’ll be around a lot.

Okay, Tessa. Mrs. Borden. He nodded to both and headed to the back of the house.

Both ladies watched him walk away. No doubt Claire was enjoying the view as much as Tessa.

Oh my. Claire took a deep breath, and Tessa thought she actually heard her swoon. He’s such a nice young man and single too.

Tessa realized that Claire was hinting about Silas. I didn’t come here to find another husband, just to write a book.

Oh, you’ve been married before?

I’m a widow. My husband passed away a few years ago from an illness.

I’m sorry to hear that, dear. You’re so young to be a widow, Claire said.

Thank you.

Well, I should be goin’. Now, don’t you neglect to call me if you need anythin’.

Thank you. I appreciate you helping me.

The sound of hammering echoed though the air from the back yard. The view from the kitchen window is the best. Claire winked and then got into her car and drove away.

Tessa unloaded her car and took everything into the house. Then, she took a drive into town to get her mail delivery set up. Her best friend, Sara, had promised to ship her the things that wouldn’t fit into the car. She also picked up a few necessities at the grocery store and was shocked at the high price of food. It was well into the evening by the time she had everything put away and settled in.

Tessa slept later than normal the following day. She attributed it to being so tired from her long drive the day before. Once she was up, she went to the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. While it brewed, she jumped into the shower. Mentally, she planned her day. Breakfast. Writing. Lunch. And more writing. Heck, at that pace, she’d have her book finished in no time.

She stepped out of the shower, dried off, and dressed. When she opened the bathroom door, she could smell the aroma of the coffee.

In the kitchen, she got a bagel, sliced it, and put it in the toaster. After pouring herself a cup of coffee, she turned and saw a man walk by the kitchen window. Startled, she nearly dropped her cup, but then felt a little silly when she realized it was Silas coming to work on the shed.

The bagel popped up from the toaster, and she got the cream cheese from the refrigerator. With everything on the table, she positioned herself where she could watch Silas work while she ate breakfast.

Mmm-hmm. This was what Mrs. Borden had meant about the view from the kitchen window. What a way to start a morning.

Each day afterward for the next week, she sat at the same place so she could watch Silas work while eating her breakfast and lunch. He certainly was easy on the eyes, and she enjoyed watching him work up a sweat. Some days he would wear his hair loose with the handkerchief around his forehead like the day they met. Other days he would pull it back into a small ponytail. Each day, she tried to work up the courage to ask him in for lunch. But it had been so long since she had any interest in a man, she felt pretty rusty with how to do it and always chickened out.

If she were still in Illinois, she would start the morning with a workout at the physical education building at the university. Instead, she hadn’t done anything but eat and sit at the computer. She could already tell it was having an impact on her. She decided to start the day with a brisk walk outside. The morning was cool, but she knew that even in the mountains the August heat would build as the day wore on.

She had been walking along the road for about fifteen minutes when she saw Silas approaching in his truck.

Good morning. Getting your exercise in? He leaned against the open window as he came to a stop.

I like to get the adrenaline going in the morning. It helps me through the day.

He smiled. I know what you mean, but I usually get mine going with a lot of coffee.

Tessa laughed. I doubt that. You look like you work out all the time. She felt like a silly schoolgirl with a crush on the quarterback.

There’s a fitness club in town where I try to go to a few times a week to lift weights.

That’s good to know. I might have to check that out.

You’d like it. In the meantime, make sure you keep an eye out for bears on your walks out here, he warned.

What do you mean?

The bears are active mostly in the mornings, and there have been a few show up around here looking for food. Normally, they stay inside the park, but the neighbors have spotted a few in the area before. You certainly don’t want to leave any food outside for them to smell. You’re just asking for trouble then.

Thanks for the warning. I’ll be careful.

He smiled and waved as he put his truck in gear and drove off. She looked around both sides of the road for signs of bears, not that she would know what a sign would be. Thick brush and trees lined the road, and it occurred to her that maybe she should hurry back to the cabin and look up the number for that fitness center. She started back up the hill at a much brisker gait than she had when she walked down.

When she neared her home, she spotted the lady that lived across the street from her at the mailbox. This was as good of a time as any to start meeting the neighbors. Hello, I’m Tessa Cooper, your new neighbor.

Hello, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Elaine Pratt. I saw you moving things in the cabin, but wasn’t sure if you were going to be a permanent resident or just a tourist on vacation.

Well, I’m not really a tourist or a permanent resident. I’ve leased the cabin for a year, taking a sabbatical from teaching at a university up north.

Well, welcome to the neighborhood then. You’ll love it here. It’s nice and quiet. Just as she said that, they heard Silas start up an electric saw. Well, most of the time it’s quiet. As long as it’s attached to that handsome body, I can put up with a little noise, right?

A man walked out of Elaine’s home. Elaine, did the newspaper come yet? he called.

Yes, dear. Come out and meet our new neighbor, she answered.

The older man with graying hair at his temples came out. Hello, he said.

Martin, this is Tessa Cooper. She’s leased the cabin across the road for a year to—what did you say you were doing?

I didn’t actually, but I’m hoping to spend my year off from work writing a novel, Tessa answered.

Oh, how exciting. You’ll have to tell me all about it, Elaine exclaimed.

Martin took the newspaper from Elaine’s hand and turned to Tessa. It was nice meeting you. He walked back to the house.

He’s not much of a conversationalist until he’s had his morning coffee and read the paper.

Tessa just nodded.

Since you’re new around here, I’ll have to show you where everything is in town.

Well, I’ve already found the post office, supermarket, and restaurants.

Oh honey, those are for the tourists, and they charge outrageous prices.

You’re right about that, Tessa replied. "I spent a small fortune on groceries the other day.

What are you doing after lunch? I have to go to get groceries myself, and you can come along.

I guess I could. I was planning on writing this afternoon, but I suppose that can wait a few hours.

Wonderful! You be ready at one-o’clock, and I’ll pick you up.

Okay.

Elaine headed back to her home, and Tessa did the same. Since she would be out this afternoon, she decided to work on her book a little more this morning, taking her laptop and a cup of coffee to the patio table behind the cabin, which also offered her a better view of Silas working. After an hour of writing, he walked toward her.

Working on your book? he asked.

A little, yes.

What’s it about? He sat down in the other chair.

You know, writers don’t like to talk about their book until it’s finished.

He laughed. That’s a polite way of saying none of your business?

No, no. That’s not what I meant at all. I just don’t like talking about it much. Not yet anyway. I can tell you it’s a mystery and takes place in the mountains of Tennessee.

I like mysteries. I’ll have to make sure to get a copy when it’s published.

She appreciated the fact he thought she would get it published. He took off the handkerchief around his head, letting his hair fall around his face, and wiped the sweat from his neck.

You read? she asked.

Yes, I can read.

Oh no, that’s not what I meant. I just thought that most men who work in a labor type job would rather watch sports than sit and read a book. She had already put her foot in her mouth, and she was only making it worse the more she spoke.

Silas laughed. I knew what you meant. I was teasing you.

Oh. Would you like to come in for some lunch? She just blurted it out and couldn’t believe she just asked him that.

You know, I did forget my lunch today and was just about to go into town to get a sandwich, but I’d hate to turn down an invitation.

I’m afraid it’ll only be a sandwich here too.

That’s fine with me. I prefer the company here, rather than the gas station in town.

Come on inside. Does ham and cheese sound okay?

It sounds perfect.

He followed her inside and sat down at the kitchen table while she got the lunchmeat and cheese out of the refrigerator. If you’d like to wash up, the bathroom is at the end of the hallway.

He got up and headed down the hall. When he returned, she had his sandwich made on a plate at the table. He’d put his handkerchief back around his head. He sat down, and she finished putting together her sandwich. Before sitting with him, she got two glasses from the cabinet and poured them each them some lemonade.

This looks great, he said.

Thank you. It’s nice sharing lunch with someone. I miss having lunch with my friends at home.

Where are you from?

Illinois. I teach English at Northeastern University up there. Are you originally from here in Yellowwood?

I’m from a little bit of everywhere. An English professor, wow. Teaching at a college must really be interesting.

Yes, I do enjoy it. My husband taught history there.

Damn! Why bring him up?

Oh, you’re married, and he let you leave for a year to write? He devoured the sandwich.

No. He passed away a couple years ago. After that, I dived back into teaching and this is the first break I’ve taken since.

After another bite, he swallowed. I’m sorry to hear about your husband, but you definitely came to the right place to get away. Just wait until the leaves turn next month. It’s beautiful around here in the fall. It could be great inspiration for a writer. He finished his sandwich, and they sat in pleasant silence for a moment. Well, I probably should be getting back to work. Thanks for the sandwich, and it was really nice talking with you. He finished his lemonade, got up, and took his plate and glass to the sink.

I need to get going too. She put her plate and glass in the sink too. The lady across the street is taking me into town to show me where I need to shop to avoid the tourist prices.

He looked up at her. You’ve met the Pratts?

Yes, this morning. Why, is there something wrong with them?

"No, not at all. They should be good neighbors. Thanks