Return to Autumn House - Halloween Serial - Chapter 6 - by Jolene Navarro

Return to Autumn House

(A Halloween Serial)

Chapter Six

Jolene Navarro

Hallie had tried to hold Kane as he fell, but two hundred pounds of muscles stretched over bones that topped at six three was more than she could handle on a good day. Today was not even close to being good. Backside planted in the mud, Kane’s limp body pinned her down.

Trying to look up, rain pelted her face. Cris lifted Kane by the shoulders. “I’ll take him to Doc’s. You go on back to the hotel. I’ll call you later.” Without a care to Kane’s comfort Cris tossed the unconscious lawyer back into the county issued vehicle.

“No, I’m going with you. You can’t drop that kind of price tag on me then say we’ll talk later. Cowardly! Come on boy!” The dog barked at her then turned and ran back to the house. Ugh. Stupid dog. “Cowardly!”

Cris already sat in his car. With one last look at the dog, she sighed then jumped in the back seat. “I’m staying with Kane until I find out what’s going on.”

“I told you what was going on. Who do you think you should trust? He's lawyer. I enforce the law and I’m your cousin.”

“My cousin twice removed.” She glared at him. “I just want answers. What’s in Granddad’s will and why is someone offering so much for the old property?” She glanced at the man in her lap. And why was Kane bloody in the front flowerbed?

Like a great beast, the storm rattled the car. Holding Kane in her lap, she brushed back the bloody mess of hair.

“You haven’t been around, but your grandfather went crazy. There are people, including me, that think lawyer boy took advantage of him.”

Who could she trust? Her childhood friend and cousin, or the boy that she used to love with all her heart? With him back in her arms, it felt as if pieces she had left behind clambered to reunite. Superman to her Louis.

Twisting around, she looked over her shoulders. Through the back window the house stood alone on the cliff’s edge. Surrounded by a deep darkness.

Once upon a time, it stood as a beacon of light, a sanctuary from her challenging parents. She worked until her fingers bled and the skill had earned her a spot at Julliard and the Chicago Symphony, but hadn’t been good enough. First chair stayed out of her reach, let alone the London Symphony Orchestra that they wanted for her.

Even after their deaths she could hear their criticism. The echo of their demands. More, more, more…still drove her to perfection. She was their protégé, their legacy in the music world.

A tear slip out. Wiping it away she swallowed the bitter lump of regret and grief that clogged her throat. Or maybe it was those nasty chips she ate earlier.

All she knew was that her parents had taken her away from the only place she had known unconditional love, claiming her grandfather was too soft. That he would weaken her. Now he was gone too. And she hadn’t said goodbye.

Kane moaned. His eyes squeezed tight then fluttered. She stroked his jaw. He had been her teenage dream, she thought they would grow old together in the house on the cliff. But just as her parents had sent her away, he had cut her off without explanation and the dream had become a nightmare.

Now he wanted her to trust him. He turned his head, the beautiful blue she had gazed into so many times now looked confused. His mouth opened. “The…”

“Kane?” His head fell to the side. “Cris can you go any faster? I’m really worried.”

“I’m going as fast as I can in this storm. I need you to listen to me. Stop making goo-goo eyes at him. Kane can’t be trusted.”

“That’s what he said about you.” She kept her gaze on Kane, watching for any sign of change.

“I’m not the one that dumped you for Ivy. He hasn’t changed, he’ll do whatever it takes to get what he wants. Remember the lies he told you, going on about how beautiful you were. He’s low. He probably hit himself over the head to get your sympathy. Is it even real blood? I have some people you need to talk to before you do anything.”

Old insecurities raised their ugly heads. Looking up from Kane’s perfect profile she glanced out the window. Her heart slammed against her breast bone and her skin became too tight. “This isn’t the way to Doc’s. Cris where are you taking us?” Dread snaked through her veins. She really needed Kane to join the party.

Tomorrow tune in to find out if Kane wake's up.... 

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Return to Autumn House Halloween Serial Chapter Five by Danica Favorite

Kane tried to ignore the ringing in his ears. Or were those warning bells in his mind? The last thing he needed was for Crispin to start throwing his weight around on a case where he didn’t belong. Kane didn’t believe for a minute that he followed up on Mary Ann’s concern out of his civic duty, or even the goodness of his own heart. 

The police cruiser skidded to a halt with a little more force than necessary. Kane held his head at the sudden jolt. 

He looked up and glared at the other man, knowing he’d slammed on the brakes on purpose. But as he opened his mouth to say something, he caught the look on Hallie’s face. She still thought that the rivalry between the two men was mere petty boy stuff. 

He’d tried to warn her back in high school that Crispin Apple was not who he seemed to be, and even now, as Apple was cautioning the pretty girl about strange things happening in Marshmallow, the stars in her eyes said that there was no way she’d listen to anything Kane had to say otherwise.

“So what were you doing up here, anyway?” Crispin said as he let Kane out of the back of the car. “I’m pretty sure you were told to stay away.”

Kane grunted. “Not by anyone with the authority to do so.”

He could feel Hallie’s questioning gaze on his face, but before he could answer, Crispin did so himself. “Betcha lawyer-boy here hadn’t told you about the offer.”

“What offer?” Those beautiful brown eyes turned on him, searing his heart and branding it with all the accusations she had back in high school. Betrayed. That’s what they said. But he hadn’t betrayed her then, and he wasn’t betraying her now.

If only he could convince her to listen to the truth. For once.

As he searched for the words to explain the terms of the will, and more importantly, how the offer that Crispin was throwing in Hallie’s face wasn’t what it seemed, his vision blurred. Kane started to speak, but the ringing in his ears grew louder. Until all he heard was Crispin triumphantly telling Hallie about the conglomerate that wanted to purchase the property for ten million dollars with the intention of turning it into a Halloween-themed amusement park. 

Hallie gasped, then everything went black.

Return to Autumn House--A Halloween Serial--Chapter Four--Jean C. Gordon

Hallie tightened her grip on Kane’s waist as much to steady herself as him. Even in his weakened state, he was a solid support. She blinked the approaching Sheriff Department cruiser into focus and relaxed. The car came to a dead stop in front of them and a tall muscular deputy climbed out.

“Hallie, are you all right?”

Crispin Apple, Kane’s high school sports rival and nemesis.

Kane tensed and put his arm around her waist. It had been ten years since they’d graduated. The two of them couldn’t still be carrying on the rivalry. She glanced from Kane to Cris and felt the charged air between them. Or maybe they could.

Cris rested his right hand on his sidearm. “I stopped at the Allhallow Inn on my patrol for coffee and one of their apple cider donuts, and Mary Ann asked me to check on you.  She said you’d come up here a while ago and, with it getting dark and all, she was worried. Some of the Cliff Road residents have reported strange lights and sounds coming from Autumn House. Cris’s gaze drilled into Kane’s.

Kane straightened and pulled his arm from her, and she reluctantly released him. He moved away.

“I’m fine, but Kane’s been hurt. His head—“ She stopped when Kane grunted something intelligible under his breath and swayed slightly toward her before pulling himself back up to his full height, an inch or two taller than Cris.

“Hallie,” Cris said, “I assume that’s your roadster parked below. “

“Yes, but we’ve got to get Kane to Doc Snicks.”

Kane massaged his forehead and the gash on his temple reopened. Her heart pounded. He must be really out of it. It wasn’t like Kane to stand silent, to not take charge—at least the Kane she’d known. She ran her gaze over him. He wasn’t going to pass out, was he? Before she could reach and steady him, Cris stepped between them.

“I know all the locals cars,” he said. “Didn’t see yours on the road or driveway, Cornelison.”

“You couldn’t have looked very hard, Apple. My Phantom Drophead Coupe is right there on the side of the driveway under the weeping willow.”

Hallie’s throat clogged. She hadn’t seen it either. She cleared her throat. “Stop, both of you. Kane needs to get to the doctor’s. Drive us down to my car.”

“Come on.” Cris yanked open the back door of the cruiser and grabbed Kane’s arm as he would with someone he was arresting.

Kane shook him off, and Cowardly crashed out of the underbrush by the house growling.

“Cowardly, stop,” she screamed when she saw Cris’ hand tighten on his gun. The dog skidded to a stop next to her, and she promptly sneezed.

“Come on, boy, we’re going for a ride,” Kane said, taking measured steps to the cruiser and motioning the dog into the back seat.

Cris opened the passenger side door for her and slid in the other side. “Keep that monster under control, Cornelison.”

“Afraid of a little house pet?”

Cris’ knuckles went white on the steering wheel. “When you’re done at Doc’s, I want you at the station to answer a few questions.”

They drove down the winding drive in silence. What was going on? Crispin was supposed to be one of the good guys. 

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Return to Autumn House - A Halloween Serial - Chapter Three - Lacy Williams

Welcome to the third installment of the Halloween serial, "Return to Autumn House." Today Lacy Williams is your hostess (and author):


Kane Cornelison sat up in the rocky flowerbed in front of Autumn House and clutched his head with both hands, hoping that would stop the pounding in his temples.

It didn’t.

Hallie—sweet, beautiful Hallie!—was here. Wet hanks of her honey-blonde hair fell into her caramel eyes as she bent over him. Rain dripped from her elbow onto his already-soaked trousers. She touched his shoulder. He could see her lips moving, but the roaring in his head made it hard to hear anything. Or maybe that was the thunder booming overhead?

What had happened?

He remembered Hallie. Remembered how outgoing and funny she’d been back in high school. How she kissed—innocent and sweet like melting chocolate. He remembered the full docket he’d worked through yesterday, the bagel and scrambled eggs he’d had for breakfast this morning.

But the last ten minutes were a black hole. Had he fallen? Been hit over the head?

And why did he have this urgent sense of foreboding?

"Are you okay?” He read her lips. He didn’t know how to answer her. Something deep inside told him to get her out of here. But his legs felt like licorice whips and his head still spun. He couldn’t remember if he’d driven up the long winding drive or parked down at the mailbox and walked up.

Hallie’s eyes were tearing up. Then something bumped his elbow.

“Cowardly.” He looked down on the Hulk-sized golden retriever. Huh. One of those loops hulaing around his brain remembered the dog’s presence.

“Cowardly?” Now that his head was clearing—it was, wasn’t it?—Hallie’s soft question hit him in the solar plexus.

“Cowardly Lion,” he grunted.

“Cute. Yours?” He nodded and followed her gaze down to the beast now showing his belly, practically begging to be scratched. He had so much heart, but a single knock on the front door would send him scurrying under the bed.

Hallie sneezed. And his focus shifted to the bright-red tip of her nose. Allergies.

She wasn’t upset about seeing him again. Or reacting to the mysterious bump on his head. Her eyes were watering because she was allergic.

Stupid, voices from the past whispered to him. You’re an idiot.

“Can you stand?” Hallie asked. “I think you need to see a doctor. You might be concussed.”

He allowed her to steady him with a hand beneath his elbow as he lurched to his feet. He wasn’t sure whether he wanted to wake up crotchety Doc Snicks at this time of night, but getting Hallie away from Autumn House was a winner in his book.

Cowardly whined and crowded against his shins, upsetting his balance. Hallie’s arm came around his waist at the same time his breath caught.

A pair of headlights flickered through the skeletal tree limbs, coming up the drive.


Read more tomorrow on the blog!


And don't miss Lacy's October release, Her Cowboy Deputy, from Love Inspired Historical.