Redemption Lake Read Online Free Page A

Shelby stared at one another questioningly.
    â€œWho the heck could that be?” Shelby whispered.

Part I
    His Side

Chapter 3
    Travis Highgate
Sunday: 9:30 P.M .
    â€œIt’s pretty dark out here, Travis. It doesn’t even look like anyone’s here. Are you sure this is the right place?” Beryl Highgate asked. Travis could hear the fear and underlying anger in her voice.
    â€œIt’s the right place; just trust me,” Travis said, knowing that was the wrong thing to say; especially since his wife didn’t trust anything that came out of his mouth. Hence the reason they were out in the middle of nowhere trying to get their marriage back on track.
    Looking around the side of the wrap around porch, he saw a dark colored SUV. “See? Look over there.” He pointed at the truck. “Someone must be here.”
    Beryl crossed her arms. “This is supposed to be a couples retreat and there’s only one other car here? Something doesn’t seem right.” Disbelief seeped from his wife’s voice.
    Travis felt something wasn’t right either, but he dared not say it. He had probably messed up. And the worst thing he could do was give Beryl the satisfaction of telling him what a failure he was.
    Without saying another word to her, he returned to the cabin’s front door and knocked. From inside he heard shuffling. Good. Sounds of life .
    â€œIt’s freezing out here,” Beryl said. “The temperature must have dropped at least ten degrees since we got on the road.”
    After a couple of minutes, Travis wondered what was going on inside the cabin. With a firmer knock, he tried again to get someone to come to the door.
    â€œWho is it?” A male voice asked from the other side of the door.
    Awkwardly, Travis said, “Uh, this is Travis Highgate. My wife and I are here for the couples retreat.”
    There was a pause. “Hold on just a second,” Travis heard the voice say from the other side of the door.
    A minute later he heard the lock on the double doors click, and once opened, he looked up to see a man of African American decent staring down at him. Travis was only five foot six inches tall, and this guy was well over six feet.
    With a raised eyebrow and a forced smile, the guy said, “Hi, uh, come on in.”
    The man moved aside to let them into the cabin’s foyer.
    â€œMan, it’s dark out there,” Travis said. “We didn’t think that dirt path we took down here was ever going to end.” He looked over at his wife. Trying to lighten her spirit, he laughed, and then said, “She thought we were going to end up driving into the lake.
    â€œAnd I was right. We did almost drive into the lake.” She rolled her eyes at Travis, then extended her hand to the man. “Hi, my name is Beryl Highgate.”
    The man nodded his head. “I apologize for my rudeness. I’m Phillip Tomlinson.” He shook both of their hands.
    A woman sitting on a couch in the living room waved.
    Phillip gestured toward her. “And that’s my wife, Shelby.”
    â€œHi,” Shelby replied. The greeting was friendly, but the look on her face, as well as her attire, suggested they weren’t expecting anyone anytime soon.
    Travis wondered if it were because of the late hour. “Sorry we’re so late. I know we were supposed to check in by five o’clock, but we ran into a few snags trying to get here.”
    Out of the corner of his eye, Travis saw Beryl roll her eyes again.
    â€œActually,” Phillip said, “you are early—a day early.”
    Beryl pivoted her body and folded her arms in a fluid movement. “We’re a day early?”
    Even though Beryl was asking Phillip the question, Travis saw that she was staring directly at him.
    â€œYeah. Did you get the letter I sent with your itinerary? Check in is tomorrow from nine o’clock until ten o’clock.”
    Travis felt the familiar