She missed her keepsakes from home and the pictures hanging on the walls. She missed her little library of books, and her stash of old DVDs that she watched on Sunday evenings. She was grateful for this cottage, but she would be glad to get home.

She fell asleep with the show still on, woke up sometime after 1:00 a.m. and turned it off, then rolled over and went back to sleep.

* * *

Sully woke abruptly, then lay motionless for a few moments, wondering what he’d been dreaming. But whatever it was, the memory was gone.

He glanced at the clock. Seven thirty, which meant breakfast was waiting whenever he got downstairs. The thought of coffee was enough to get him up. His shoulder was stiff, but it wasn’t hurting nearly as much as it had yesterday.

He quickly showered and shaved, then planned out his morning as he dressed. First to the courthouse, then to the library.

He could smell the coffee and the wonderful aroma of something sweet baking in the oven as he went down the stairs. Bud was behind the front desk, taking a reservation, but he waved at Sully as he passed by on his way into the dining room.

There was a young couple at one of the tables. They must have arrived last night after he went to bed. They didn’t acknowledge him past a glance as he moved to the sideboard where the breakfast buffet had been laid out.

Rachel came out with a plate of bacon to replace the one that was nearly empty, and smiled at Sully when she saw him.

“Good morning, Sully. Were you able to rest last night with that sore shoulder?”

“Yes, very well. It feels better today, too. This all looks so good. I can’t wait to dig in.”

Rachel smiled. “Then enjoy, and I hope you have a good day with your search.”

“Thanks. Me too,” Sully said.

He picked up a plate and dipped out a big spoonful of scrambled eggs, then a serving of grits, added a pat of butter on top of them, then several slices of bacon, and one of the warm cinnamon rolls iced in a white sugar glaze. He set the food at his table, then went back for coffee before he sat down.

As he did, he paused a moment, looking at the food and thinking about how the guys from the station would so decimate the buffet on the sideboard. On impulse, he got back up with his cell phone and took a picture of the food-laden sideboard, then sent it to a couple of his friends before going back to his table.

Rachel paused in the doorway of the kitchen to glance back and make sure everything was in order. The young couple had informed her and Bud last night when they checked in that they’d eloped. The young woman had flashed her newly acquired wedding ring, and after congratulating both of them, Bud had taken up a bottle of wine and two glasses after settling them in their room.