Night Whispers

NIGHT WHISPERSExtracted 1 threads from 0207-9-780373-19865-8-exw.pdfUntitled Article 01: UntitledWHAT HAS SHE DONE TO MY YARD? Mitch Wymore stared out his kitchen window andshook his head. Rubbing a weary hand against hisunshaved jaw, he closed his eyes briefly. Hed just returnedfrom a six-month research stint in Chinahis luggage stilllay heaped on the floor in the foyer. Hed looked forwardto returning to his brownstone, to his own huge bed, somereal American junk food, and familiar surroundings. Butthis place didnt look familiar! From the moment the taxidropped him off in his driveway and he saw the little redsports car parked in his spot, hed wondered if he was atthe wrong house. It wasnt just the yard. The kitchen was changed. Therewere frilly yellow curtains at the window, and copper potshung over the cooking island. The last time hed seen themtheyd been gathering dust in a box in the basement. Adelicate-looking tea set perched on the sideboard. Potholders and matching towels hung from a new towel rack.Fresh flowers burst out of a cut-crystal vase on the butcher-block table. oeSomeones also been messing with my kitchen.Mitch didnt really expect Fred to respond. Hed beenspeaking more to himself than to his tenant.oeYeah, looks nice, doesnt it? Mitch slowly turned on his heel and stared at him. Hedidnt know Fred that well, despite the fact that the manhad been renting the top-floor apartment in his home forthe past year. Fred was a young grad studentserious,studious and quietthe perfect tenant, and, frankly, thatwas just how Mitch liked it. Theyd never socialized, andin the few encounters hed had with Fred, hed never seenhim crack a real smile. Now a huge grin creased his face. oeIs there anything else I should know about? Freds grin widened, and Mitch nearly groaned. oeWell, she painted the dining room, fixed the crackedchair rail in the living room, and repapered the foyer. Mitch didnt have to ask who oeshe was. Of course, itwas Kelsey. He glanced back out the window and rolled his eyes.The quiet little courtyard hed left six months ago had beena nice blend of stone patio, a few rosebushes and a littlegrass. Two stately old maples provided shade in the backcorner. Nice and easy. Low maintenance. Now it looked like the pictures of those English gardens,a mass of trees, shrubs and flowers. A stone path mean-dered around clumps of evergreens and mums. Somegreen, palmy thing hung right over the gate and hedreaded having to circumnavigate it when taking out thetrash. A huge mound of wildflowers surrounded most ofthe back patio. There was even a fountain splashingmerrily near the fence. He hated it.oeIm gonna strangle that kid.[read more]