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Back The Nest Save as PDF
Chapters (82)
  1. Cover
  2. Copyright page
  3. Introduction by Will Errickson
  4. Acknowledgements
  5. TREMORS
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. SUSPICIONS
  13. 1
  14. 2
  15. 3
  16. 4
  17. 5
  18. DREAD
  19. 1
  20. 2
  21. 3
  22. 4
  23. 5
  24. 6
  25. WITNESS
  26. 1
  27. 2
  28. 3
  29. ALERT
  30. 1
  31. 2
  32. 3
  33. 4
  34. 5
  35. ENCOUNTER
  36. 1
  37. 2
  38. 3
  39. 4
  40. 5
  41. 6
  42. HAVOC
  43. 1
  44. 2
  45. 3
  46. 4
  47. 5
  48. 6
  49. SEARCH
  50. 1
  51. 2
  52. 3
  53. 4
  54. 5
  55. CLASH
  56. 1
  57. 2
  58. 3
  59. 4
  60. 5
  61. 6
  62. 7
  63. COUNTERATTACK
  64. 1
  65. 2
  66. 3
  67. 4
  68. 5
  69. 6
  70. 7
  71. VICTORY
  72. 1
  73. 2
  74. 3
  75. 4
  76. 5
  77. 6
  78. 7
  79. 8
  80. 9
  81. EPILOGUE
  82. About the Author

“Moving around the south end in a westward direction, you start picking up a lot of the Yarkie houses. The houses get pretty thick as you come up the west side of the rect­angle, because the big harbor and the village are on this side, just about in the middle between the south end and where we are at the north end.”

“Got it, and thanks.” The scientist’s voice asked, “You say the forest is heaviest around the northeast section?”

“Yes, and then up across the center of the island. That’s the ‘bowler hat,’ the section called ‘High Ridge.’ ”

“So the houses along High Ridge are close to the forest?”

“Mostly they’re in cleared land, but the trees do edge in very close on some, yes.”

“And where does the forest begin in relation to the dump?”

“The trees come right down to the place.”

“So if rats are coming out of the dump, they could pass right into the woods?”

“Yes. But as you know, the sheriff has men out there tonight with flares and guns.” Being with Peter Hubbard on the beach, Elizabeth had almost forgotten the sick feeling the talk of the rats now evoked with fresh impact.

He was going on. “What about the island roads?’

“There aren’t many. Most houses are just off sort of dead ends. The main driving is Harbor Road. That runs the western length of the island, north-­south. It goes from this lighthouse down through the village and the south end where it turns eastward and loops to join High Ridge Road. That runs along the top of the bowler, with the woods to the east. To the west; of the road, the island slopes down toward the village.”

“Got the picture.”

“At the north end of High Ridge Road, there’s just a dirt track.” Elizabeth pointed beyond the lighthouse. “It picks up right here, as you see, and runs along the north shore. It’s the access to the dump, the way Russell Homer gets over there.”

“I see.”

“That’s it,” Elizabeth said. “No mighty road map needed.”

“I’ll try to drive around tomorrow.”

Elizabeth’s hand went halfway to her cheek. “Oh, I forgot. It’ll be terribly messy. They just freshly tarred High Ridge the other day, and the sun still keeps melting it. There have been a lot of complaints. Some summer people by the name of Tinton, especially.”

Peter Hubbard shrugged. “It’ll keep. I’ll be busy with Wanda tomorrow anyway . . .”