Green Lake Read Free

the haggardness of her face, and she excused herself to visit the bathroom and splash some cool water on her cheeks. Inside the bathroom was a free-standing tub with a fancy shower implement hanging over the top. The cabin was wonderful, and once again she told herself how lucky she was to have it offered to her. At the moment, all she wanted to do was lean over the wooden seat on the toilet and throw up.
    Jacqueline's voice called her away from the attempt.
    “Are you all right?” her sister asked when she emerged.
    “I'm fine, Jac. Just really tired.”
    “I'll put everything away,” Jacqueline volunteered. “Why don't you go and lie down?”
    Madeleine nodded and left her sister and brother-in-law to put away the groceries and supplies. She went into the bedroom Jacqueline had given her and shook her hair out of its bun before stripping down to her panties and rummaging in her bags for a T-shirt. Only when she stood up straight to wonder which case her T-shirt could be in did she think about the lamp being on and the curtains on the window being open. Quickly she turned off the lamp and hurried across the room to drop the curtains that were tied back.
    Later, when she was in bed, she heard the door to the cabin open and listened as Manuel greeted someone. She heard a strange voice, deep and hesitant, and guessed the neighbor had seen the lights and stopped by to say hello. Madeleine dozed off while listening to the sound of their voices.
    The next morning Manuel came out of the room he shared with Jacqueline and smiled when he found Madeleine eating a bowl of flakes. He said, “Eris Renard came by last evening. He asked me to please caution you about undressing in front of windows. It may feel as if you are isolated here, but you are not.”
    Madeleine stopped chewing. Her face colored. “I'm sorry, Manuel. I was so tired last night I didn't realize what I was doing.”
    “Don't apologize,” said Manuel. “How did you sleep?”
    “Much better than I thought I would.”
    “Good. Jacqueline always sleeps well here at the cabin.”
    “Obviously,” said Madeleine. “Is she awake?”
    “Not yet. I'm going to look at the lake. Would you like to come?”
    Madeleine was already off her stool. “Let's go. Shall we leave a note?”
    “No need. Jacqueline will know where I am.”
    Madeleine followed him out to the Jeep and climbed inside the passenger seat. As he backed out of the drive she eyed the cabin closest to the log home. It was small and white, with a bed of colorful coleus in front. It reminded Madeleine of her grandmother's house.
    “That's Renard's place?” she asked.
    Manuel looked and nodded. “Yes.”
    They ambled down the road toward Briar's Cove, and Madeleine frowned as she spied a man in a yellow fishing hat standing in back of a cabin and digging furiously with a shovel.
    “What's he doing?” she asked, and Manuel laughed.
    “That's Sherman Tanner. We call him the earthworm. The man isn't happy unless he's digging and burying something. He'll plant a species of flower one week and rip them out the next. His wife is the same. They're always rearranging the mounds they make and shifting them from one side of the yard to the other. It's the funniest thing.”
    “Earthworm?” said Madeleine.
    “Yes. I should warn you,” said Manuel. “There are some strange people here. Quirky, if you like, with some very odd habits. Jacqueline and I have great fun observing them.”
    “Strange,” said Madeleine. She was familiar with strange.
    “You'll see,” said Manuel, and as they drove past the tiny band of mismatched cabins that made up Briar's Cove, Madeleine frowned.
    “Some of them collect junk,” she said.
    “Disgusting, isn't it?”
    “Others look very nice and well kept. Why do they put up with the junkers? Shouldn't there be some community covenant?”
    “There should be, but there is not. Jacqueline and I are lucky to live up the hill, away from the others. Like Renard, we keep to