A Chance Mistake Read Free Page A

bike.”
    “Huh? That’s odd.”
    “No, no. I mean when he was a child. Keep on track, Bobi.”
    “Okay.” He cleared his throat.
    “Give him a nice sturdy bike, but not one with too many gears. And help him with the map. He doesn’t have any idea where he’s going or what he’s doing.”
    “A regular dumbbell, huh?”
    “Actually, he’s quite intelligent. But he needs guidance. Make sure to give him directions for the bike trail that goes by my house. You know the one. Poor fellow. If he can make it that far, it will be a blessing.”
    “Ride to y—”
    “Shhh! Now don’t blow it, Bobi.”
    “I won’t. I won’t. Well, good bye, now.”
    “Bye.” She hung up the phone.
    Men. Were they really the superior thinkers of the human race?
    Dafina opened the book to see what Kory wrote.
    Dear Dafina, The butler did it. Now you don’t have to read the horrible mess. Best wishes always, Kory Slate
    She took in a surprised breath and scowled as Gweneth reappeared. Dafina would read it anyway. The butler indeed. In fact, she had more compulsion to read it than she ever did in the first place.
    “You helped the customer?”
    She nodded. “But he wasn’t any ordinary customer.”
    “Hmm?”
    “It was Kory Slate in the flesh.” Dafina pointed at the portrait on the back of the book.
    “Oh, no, I thought it kind of looked like ‘im.” Gweneth lifted her palms upward and let them drop, “I missed the sexy writer of horror from America?”
    “Don’t worry. He said he’d come again.”
    A ray of hope shone on her face.
    “And he’s not that sexy. He can’t even drive a car.”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 3
     
    Kory circled the name of the little burgh on the map. He didn’t trust himself to remember the town where he met Dafina. He could go back to Cardith and hope a bus took him on the same route—but no. He also wrote the street address on the map for good measure.
    He glanced back at the antique store where the man named Bobi looked out the window at him. When the antique dealer had talked on the phone, he’d stared right at Kory. It was almost like Bobi had called him a regular dumbbell.
    Then again, Bobi was quite accommodating. He drew out a map of a riding trail not too far away and continued the map to the next town over, saying that Kory would have no trouble finding a place to stay.  From there, he could pick up another trail to another town.
    After he paid for the bike, two old books caught his eye— Dracula , and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The covers were intricate and colorful in their turn-of-the-century design. He totally would’ve bought them and mailed them home, but he didn’t want any sort of a paper trail.
    His mom, dad and sister thought he was still in the country. Not to mention his off again, on again girlfriend, Sundae. He’d made his destination vague on purpose, since he didn’t know where he’d end up. Assuring them that they could reach him by phone didn’t go over well, but they’d finally given up, even Sundae. She gave him a dark look like she was off again, but it didn’t take much with her.
    He put on his backpack and set off down the road careful to follow the traffic on the wrong side. He took in a breath of fresh air, only to find it filled with car exhaust. He coughed and the bike wavered dangerously. What better way to find and reclaim his inner man than to risk life and limb?
    After several long rows of businesses, the road sported peach colored apartment buildings, constructed as a long row of townhouses along either side of the road. No space could be found between them, no trees, no grass. At first they seemed a cheerful distraction, but then took on the grim prospect of a foreboding fortress. Blank, white curtained windows stared down on him with nowhere to hide.
    He pushed harder to get past the uncomfortable claustrophobia