Jekyll Island: A Paranormal Mystery (Taryn's Camera Book 5) Read Online Free Page B

and lay down.”
    But, as she let herself back into the house, she couldn’t forget the last thing she saw before it had all come to a screeching halt: a wall of flames, towering over her, and drawing nearer at a dizzying speed.
     

Chapter 3

     
    “ I hope you enjoyed your first night on the island ,” Ellen Russo said.
    Taryn was sitting in Ellen’s office, a spacious room furnished with Art Deco style furniture. Once again, despite the crushing heat, Ellen sat before her looking cool as a cucumber.
    “Yes, it was fine,” Taryn smiled, trying to hide the shakiness she still felt at remembering the previous night. “The house is very nice. I’ll enjoy staying there, I’m sure.”
    “Good. Well, I’m afraid I don’t have a lot of time so I thought I’d give you a quick rundown of the hotel and then drive you to the locations you’ll be working at. Amy was meant to be here but had to take the day off.”
    Taryn thought she noticed a note of impatience in Ellen’s voice and she wasn’t surprised. Ellen herself hadn’t hired her; rather, the board of directors had. Out of all the cottages that were still standing, all but two had been renovated and were either open for tours or for meetings and accommodations. The last two cottages, Ivy House and Adena Cottage, would be renovated in the fall. Taryn would be working with the architect to come up with renderings.
    She had a feeling that Ellen, like many people, probably considered Taryn’s part of the project an unnecessary expense. After all, architects were paid to come up with sketches to show the big picture. What could Taryn possibly have to add to that?
    Taryn may have suffered from nerves and the occasional annoying habit of wanting to please people too much, but she was confident in her abilities. She knew that what she offered was something more. She didn’t just sketch or paint landscapes–she brought the buildings to life by recreating details and features that had been lost through the years. She showed what the structure would’ve looked like in its prime, when it was full of life and new. And, more than that, she captured the souls of the objects she painted until they were no longer objects at all.
    Taryn was the closest thing they had to a vintage photograph which, incidentally, didn’t really exist of the two cottages before their ruin.
    Ellen and Taryn began their walk through the hotel first, with Ellen pointing out sights and details that were of both architectural and historical significance.
    In the Riverfront Lobby Ellen paused. “The lobby bar here is something that everyone just loves ,” she remarked drily. “However, it’s not original to the hotel. It was created as a set for a movie that was filmed here awhile back.”
    Taryn nodded and looked around. She’d seen The Legend of Baggar Vance and had liked it. And she could understand why people would like the lobby bar, regardless of its authenticity. With its fine wood finishing, old-fashioned bar top and stools, and chipper bartender in suit and tie she felt like she’d stepped back into the 1920’s.
    “This here is the Grand Dining Room,” Ellen gestured proudly a few minutes later. “Meals are served here throughout the day, as well as a formal tea. There are three fireplaces we keep lit during the winter months, a pianist who comes in during the dinner meal, and impeccable service.”
    Taryn admired the large room with its beautiful crystal chandelier, grand piano covered in a display of roses, and delicate place settings on each table. Although a hostess stood at attention, there were only two tables inside with guests.
    “It gets busier in the evenings,” Ellen remarked. “And during special events, of course.”
    A long walkway took them past a courtyard, a deli with walls covered in movie posters of films shot there on location, and a ballroom. To Taryn’s disappointment the ballroom was simply a large room with tables set up for a meeting. She was hoping for