Cradle Of Secrets Read Online Free

grazing in a field, seemingly unconcerned with the disturbance in the street.
    She braved a glance in her rearview mirror. “The Lord helps those who help themselves.” Punching the transmission into reverse, she hit the gas and the car sped backward, the tires leaving tread on the road. As she gained speed, she cut the wheel and did a 180-degree turn. Heart pounding, Tammie glanced once again in her rearview mirror to see the psychotic man waving his arms at her.
    Even when the man was out of sight, her pulse kept pounding. With the back of her hand, she wiped the sweat from her forehead. Though it was June, the temperature outside had shot up well into the eighties and with the window rolled up, it hadn’t taken long for the inside of the car to get hot.
    She’d passed a small, run-down-looking efficiency motel on the edge of town, but she still opted to go deeper into Eastmeadow, in hopes of a nicer place to stay in the center of town. But if the local folk were anything like this guy, she was better off in a dive she could escape to if need be. As long as it had a kitchenette where she could brew some coffee, who cared?
    Her heart had slowed only marginally when she pulled into the parking lot. There were only a few cars, but the sign said there were no vacancies.
    Heaving a sigh, she said to herself, “When did that happen?” Tammie couldn’t recall the sign being there earlier, when she’d driven past it. But then, she’d quickly dismissed the idea of staying here, so she’d probably just overlooked it the first time.
    Undaunted, she pulled into a parking space. Killing the engine, she reasoned that at least the motel clerk would know of other places in the area she could stay, which was more than she knew now. A town as quaint as Eastmeadow probably had a few bed-and-breakfasts that were worth checking out. She preferred something comfortable and homey to being locked up in a small room.
    As she walked up the cracked concrete path to the side door, she began to think that perhaps Bill had been right. Maybe all she was doing by coming here was chasing something that couldn’t bring her happiness. Couldn’t bring her parents back.
    Lord, I know better than to question You for taking them from me. But why didn’t they tell me the truth? I need to know why. And if coming here doesn’t bring the answers, please help me find peace in that.
    She’d fought that battle nearly two years ago, after her parents’ deaths. She’d been angry, and she’d blamed the Lord for taking her only family from her. She knew better now. God was merciful, and whatever plan He had for her and her parents was not for her to question. She wasn’t questioning the Lord anymore. She was questioning her parents.
    The cool air in the foyer bathed her face as she stepped inside. An older man sat behind the counter reading a newspaper. The small color TV at the end of the counter was tuned to a sports channel, but he didn’t seem to be paying attention. At her approach, the man dipped the newspaper only slightly, so that she could see his face fully, and he quickly nodded toward the front window.
    â€œSign says no vacancies,” he grunted, then stuck his nose back in the paper without so much as a glance in her direction.
    â€œI saw the sign,” she said, pointing outside the window. “I thought maybe you knew of another hotel in town or even a bed-and-breakfast that might have a room.”
    â€œYou must not be from around here,” he said, just his gaze rising to meet her face. Then he slowly dropped the paper and laid it on the counter.
    â€œHey, aren’t you…?” He stared for a moment, as if he were waiting for her to say something.
    â€œAh…I just got into town this morning.”
    The clerk nodded. “There aren’t any vacancies anywhere in the area, with the auction coming up this week. Most reservations are booked as early