The Secrets of Bailey

Chapter 8

“Why?” Kaitie asked as she pulled a chair from a neighboring table and sat beside Junior. “Why would you tell him that?”

“Because I believe him when he says he is here to camp and hike,” Junior quietly told her. “I also think that if he is going to be out there by himself, he needs to know what is out there with him. I trust him, Kaitie. When he says that if he finds anything, he will keep it a secret, I believe him.”

“Why do you trust him all of a sudden?” Kaitie questioned.

Junior answered, “Because Jake helped us clear out that big oak at the end of your road. He had already worked clearing out the road all the way from the parking lot for the wilderness area. He didn’t have to do any of that. Jake has also pointed out that he has seen what happens when people interfere with things and knows that it never ends well. If he finds something here, he will help us hide it. Isn’t that a good thing?”

“So help me, Junior, if he finds something and spreads it around, I will make your life miserable,” Kaitie told Junior as she stared daggers at Jake.

Jake gazed back into her royal blue eyes. He refused to look away. Even if he had wanted to look away, he wasn’t sure he could have. This woman intrigued him, and he wanted to get to know her if she would let him.

Rhonda interrupted the heated exchange by bringing breakfast to the men and setting their plates in front of them. “Morning, Kaitie. I have your breakfast boxed up and ready for you, along with some cinnamon rolls like I promised.”

“Thank you, Rhonda. Although, I’m not sure that I have much of an appetite now,” Kaitie told her as she finally broke eye contact with Jake. She stood up and shoved her chair back under the table where it had come from. “I will meet you at the register.”

“Sure, Hun,” Rhonda replied as she continued to set the plates on the table. After Kaitie was at the counter, she whispered, “What is all that about?”

“Dad told Jake about what lives out in the woods,” Andy told his mother as he stuffed a slice of bacon in his mouth.

“You what?” Rhonda hissed as she smacked his shoulder. “Why would you do that? Especially here where anyone and his brother could hear you?”

“I did it because I think Jake needs to know what is out there,” Junior told her.

Jake said, “Rhonda, To be honest, I don’t believe there is anything out there. I feel like it is all a story made up a long time ago to keep people away. I told Junior that IF I find anything out there, I will not say a word and will do my best to hide it.”

“I guess I can live with that. I don't have much of a choice, do I?” Rhonda huffed. “Enjoy your breakfast. I’ll check on you later,” she added as she went to the register.

“You are in the dog house. You know that, right?” Matt smirked at his father.

“Yeah, I know. It’s not the first time, and it won’t be the last. There’s a reason that when I built the new dog house, I added a guest room, and it wasn’t because the dog has visitors,” Junior chuckled.

-

Kaitie was still angry by the time she reached the clinic. She could not fathom how Junior Mullins could be so clueless as to tell a stranger about the creatures they and their families had worked so hard to keep hidden for centuries. If Professor Taylor said anything, it could ruin the town and the lives of everyone who knew the secrets of Bailey.

“Morning, Kaitie,” Allie chirped from the door to Kaitie’s office, causing Kaitie to jump.

“Lord, Allie. You scared me half to death. I swear you need to wear a bell or something. You are always doing that to me,” Kaitie growled at the nurse.

“Sorry,” Allie said remorsefully. “Are you going to be ready for today?”

“I should be. The schedule looks pretty light, and we made a point of rescheduling everyone we could so we can close early since the weather is moving in faster than anticipated.”

“Are you sure? You look like something is wrong?” Allie asked.

Kaitie sighed, “Junior Mullins has made friends with Professor Taylor. When I went in to pick up my breakfast and our cinnamon rolls, I caught Junior telling him all about what lives in the woods around Bailey.”

Allie’s eyes were wide, and her mouth fell open. “Nooo. Why?” she asked.

“It would seem that since he is an anthropologist, he has vowed to keep all the secrets of what lives here. If he sees enough to make him believe in them, he will even help protect them. I hope he is telling the truth, but there is no way to know until it happens.”

“Wow,” Allie said as she dropped into the chair across the desk from Kaitie. “That could be real trouble for everyone and everything here.”

“You’re telling me,” Kaitie said, shaking her head. “And now you know why I am not in the best mood right now.”

“I get it. Well, we only have five patients this morning, and they all come in right around 9 am, so we have about thirty minutes. All of them are basic checkups and med refills, so it shouldn’t take long. After that, we can forward the phones to your number and close up early if you want.”

“That’s probably a good idea. Right now, we are in that calm before the storm, and it has me on edge as if Junior’s nonsense isn’t enough.”

“Well, I know a way to fix that if that thing has in it what I think it does,” Allie said as she eyed the foam container holding their cinnamon rolls.

Kaitie laughed, “It does. Rhonda sent four, so we can have one now and another at lunch for dessert.”

“That’s nice of her, but we both know they will never last that long,” Allie giggled.

“True!” Kaitie agreed as she opened the container and placed two in the carton holding the remains of her breakfast. She slid the remaining two and their container over to Allie, who wasted no time devouring one.

“Mmmm…so good,” Allie murmured after her first bite. “No matter how hard I try, I can never make cinnamon rolls as good as Rhonda’s. She has a talent.”

“That she does,” Kaitie said as she pulled a bite off one and popped it in her mouth. “Mine are pretty good, but Rhonda’s are better.”

“Yes, but your cobblers are the best, so I call it even,” Allie grinned.

“Thanks,” Kaitie quietly said.

“I can tell you are still a million miles away, so I will go set up all the rooms for the day so we can get everyone out of here, and you can go home to brood about things,” Allie told her as she stood to leave.

“Thanks, Allie,” Kaitie told her as she left the room.

Kaitie’s mood was souring as her mind drifted back to Jake and Junior. Jake had a Ph.D., and as a professor of anthropology, anything he said would have more clout. That worried Kaitie greatly. If he did discover something, he would turn all of Bailey into a circus filled with monster hunters and wannabe cryptozoologists.

She closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair as she thought. She pictured the look of sincerity on Jake’s face as he told Rhonda he would help hide anything if he found something, as well as his smile. That blasted smile of his that gave him slight dimples and made the corners of his eyes crinkle. His hazel eyes looked as if they had every color in them and were mesmerizing.

Kaitie could feel herself becoming flushed as she thought about Professor Taylor. She hated that it happened, but she couldn’t help it. If it weren’t for him being an outsider who could destroy their town, he would be perfect. He was everything she wanted and more. He didn’t have to help clear roads today, but he did. If he was indeed everything he seemed to be, Kaitie knew she was in trouble. She would never be able to resist him if he turned on the charm, even if she wanted to.

She heard the clinic's front door chime. Within seconds, she heard Allie talking to their first patient of the day and getting them situated in a room. Kaitie took a few deep breaths to compose herself. The last thing she wanted was to walk into the room with her face red and have to make up an excuse that everyone would know was a lie.