Annette Vetter Adventure #1

      Mandy walked over to the window. “Maybe I ought to close this,” she said. “It might get cold.”

      “Oh, don’t.” Annette scrambled to her feet. “The fresh air feels great.”

      Mandy smiled. “Well, right now it does. But we’re at a high elevation, remember.”

      “How high is it?” Penny asked out of curiosity.

      “Above 8,000 feet,” said Mandy.

      “We are in the mountains,” murmured Annette.

      “I’m glad you like the room,” said Mandy. “You’ll be able to see the barn and stables from here in the morning, and you’ll love the view of the mountains.”

      Annette went to the window, and gazed out into the darkness. “I think I see a tree line.”

      “Way out there?” Mandy pointed off into the distance. “Across the valley, a coupl’a miles away, are the hills, where you’ll find some real rough country. A lot of pine forest and even some swamp land.”

      Penny had walked over to the window. “I don’t see any lights. Doesn’t anybody live around you?”

      “Not in that direction,” said Mandy. “The hills are very mysterious. Do you see those ridges over there?” She pointed with her finger. “There’s a flat area before you cross Cochetopa Creek. Our land boundary runs along the edge of Hickory Hill Road. It’s not too far from the national forest.”

      “Wait a second,” cried Annette. She was thinking, remembering something.

      “What’s wrong?” asked Penny.

      “What you said.” Annette looked at Mandy. “What did you say the name of that road was -- you know, where your property ends?”

      “Hickory Hill Road?”

      “Penny!” Annette’s blue eyes were wide as she turned to her friend. “That was the address that was on the yellow envelope!”

      “What yellow envelope?” Penny scrunched up her face.

      “The one that old man on the jet grabbed from my hand.”

      Penny gasped, and her green eyes expanded.

      “What’re y’all talkin’ about?” demanded Mandy.

      Annette stared out the window. “Mandy, does anyone live there?”

      Mandy hesitated. “Why?” she asked carefully.

      Annette then began to tell Mandy about the episode on the jet, starting with how Penny had noticed the bearded stranger in the Chicago air terminal, and how they had watched him on the jet to Denver, then how his briefcase had opened and papers had spilled in the aisle. She ended by telling both of them the address she had read on the yellow envelope before the old man with the white beard had rudely snatched it away.

      At the mention of the name, Mandy’s mouth dropped open and she sank onto Annette’s bed.

      “Does the name mean something to you?” asked Annette.

      “Jacob Carter Hickory,” Mandy murmured. Then she looked up at her two new friends. “The old mountain man who owns those hills is named Jebb Hickory.” . . . . . .