His whiskers itched, and he’d been in his clothes two days. The first thing he wanted was a place to stay so he could clean up and change clothes.

Another search on Google revealed his choices for an overnight stay in Blessings were either a motel or a bed-and-breakfast. He chose the Blessings Bed and Breakfast and found it easily enough. When he pulled up and parked, the appearance of the two-story home with a wraparound porch was immediately appealing. He was glad he’d chosen here instead of the motel. He got out, grabbed his luggage, and walked inside. The woman standing behind the registration desk smiled when she saw him walk in.

“Welcome to Blessings. I’m Rachel Goodhope.”

“Nice to meet you, ma’am. I’m Sully Raines. I need a room for at least a couple of days, maybe more.”

“Certainly. Is it just you, sir?” Rachel asked.

“Yes, I’m alone,” Sully said.

Rachel went about getting him registered and then led the way up the stairs to his room. He stood aside as she unlocked the door and walked in, turning on lights as she went.

“The bathroom is just to your right,” Rachel said. “There’s a stocked mini-fridge in the cabinet next to your closet and a house phone on the bed stand. If you need assistance or have a question, just press the number 9, and either I or my husband, Bud, will answer. Breakfast is served from 7:00 to 10:00 a.m. There are several good places to eat your other meals in Blessings. I personally recommend Granny’s Country Kitchen. It’s on Main Street, so you can’t miss it. There’s also Broyles Dairy Freeze if you want fast food, or there’s a barbecue joint. It’s small, but the food is really good. I hope your stay here in Blessings is a pleasant one,” she said, and gave him the room key.

“Yes, ma’am. Thank you. Before you go, may I ask you a quick question?”

“Of course,” Rachel said.

“Do you know a woman named Jane Carter, or have you known of anyone by that name ever living here? She would be in her mid-sixties by now.”

Rachel thought a moment, then shook her head. “No, I don’t, but I didn’t grow up here. If you go to Granny’s for lunch, ask Lovey Cooper. She’s lived here for years and owns Granny’s. At one time or another, everyone in Blessings has eaten there.”

Sully grinned. “Thank you, I will.”

After she left, he unpacked his things, then stripped and headed to the shower. He stepped beneath the hot spray with his shampoo bottle, then after his hair was washed, proceeded to scrub from the top down. When he was through, he got out and wrapped a towel around his waist, then moved to the sink to shave, dripping water on the thick, fluffy bath mat as he stood.

The mirror had fogged over from the heat of the shower, so he wiped it clean, then paused and stared at himself in the mirror.