Connections of the Mind Read Free Page A

about Morrisville’s history.
    While she filled in her name and address, Rebecca learned the Morrises had five children. Two more died in infancy, one on the trip to Morrisville. Of the five remaining, two had settled in Morrisville.
    “Jebediah Cole built the first flourmill in eighteen and seventeen,” Mr. Prior’s voice filled with pride. “It later became the Cole’s Mill. Then around eighteen and twenty-one, Robert James opened a tavern.”
    Rebecca slid the form back to him, waited for her key, nodding politely, eager for an opportunity to interrupt. She tapped her foot, looked at her watch, and sighed. Lord, spare me from being rude , but so far, people seemed to think she had nothing better to do than listen to history about their town. Any other time, maybe. She loved historic towns. Loved hearing the history about them. Like Hudson or Medina, Ohio. So much history. Heck, even Cleveland and Parma had their history.
    If her nerves weren’t on edge, it would have been comical. Anxious to meet Jeremy, she finally interrupted. “I’m sorry, Mr. Prior, but I need to settle in and find the hospital. Can you direct me?”
    “Oh, my, yes, yes,” he mumbled. “I do go on so. I forget myself at times.” He handed Rebecca the key and directed her to her room. “The hospital is just up the road a piece. Go out the drive, turn right, go past the traffic light, and at the next intersection, Carol Street, turn right, and it’s just up the hill.”
    Surprised at how easy she had discovered Jeremy, Rebecca went to her room, unlocked the door, set her bag on the luggage rack, and looked around. Dated, but it did have a small coffee maker, blow dryer, iron, and ironing board. Worn, avocado green shag carpet covered the floor. The drapes, straight from another era, had lime green, yellow, and orange flowers and foliage with matching bedspread. Striped brown, orange, and yellow upholstery covered the two chairs next to the round table in front of the window. The pine dresser and desk showed definite signs of wear from worn finish and glass rings on the top to dings and dents on the fronts. The brochure on the desk boasted of cable TV and free Internet. That was a surprise. At least it looked clean.
    She checked out the bathroom. Brown and white mosaic floor tile, brown metallic wallpaper, white wall tile with brown flecks in the shower area and behind the sink, and only a single light fixture over the ugly marble laminate sink. No tub, but that was fine with her. Baths, especially in hotels, weren’t something she cared for. Rebecca settled in her room, plugged in her dying cellphone, and sat on the bed to call and reassure her brother and Allison everything was fine.
    “Lester,” Rebecca said when his voice mail picked up. “Just checking in. I’m staying at the Land’s End Motel. I’ll call you tomorrow.” Not that it mattered where she was staying, if Lester wanted to call her, he’d call her cellphone. She hung up and punched in Allison’s number.
    “So, tell me about it. What’s he like? Cute? Handsome? How old? Tell me everything.”
    Typical Allison, forever with the questions. “I haven’t met him yet.” Rebecca sat on the bed and laughed. “But if all the people are as talkative and friendly as the ones I’ve met so far, well it might take a while to find him. And I’m not sure how to explain the connection to him. I mean I’m worried how he’ll take it.”
    “Yeah,” Allison said. “Most people don’t believe or can’t handle the paranormal. Look how leery you were when I suggested it. But, I think he’ll understand, Beck, maybe he’s experienced it, too.”
    Rebecca fidgeted with the phone cord while they talked. Easy for Allison to say, she wasn’t the one who had to explain it.
    “Besides, what’s the worst that can happen? He’ll think you’re nuts, ignore you, or tell you to get lost, and you’ll be on your way home. Right?”
    Rebecca laughed at her friend’s logic, but she