Read Castle Rock for Free Online Page B

side.
    â€œCome on, old man,” Peter said briskly, “we’ll give you a hand.”
    Will stiffened and tried to pull his arms free, but the two men were moving him ahead now.
    â€œWe’ll take care of him,” Jed said quietly. “You and Julie go ahead and help say goodbye to the guests.”
    Serena hesitated, but Jed and Peter had Will to the window now. Will looked back, and his face was so sorrowful that Serena took a step after them.
    â€œOh come on, Serena,” Julie said irritably. “They’ll see to him.”
    â€œJulie, what can be the matter? What’s wrong with Will?”
    â€œNothing,” she snapped. “He’s drunk. The fool.” Her face was white and angry. Her hand caught Serena’s elbow and the two of them turned toward the archway.
    â€œDon’t tell Uncle Dan,” Julie said in a low tight voice.
    â€œOf course not,” Serena replied angrily. Julie didn’t have to tell her that.
    Then they were caught up in the knot of guests and dudes saying goodnight. When the front door finally shut behind the last of them, the smile faded from Uncle Dan’s face and he looked stern and somber.
    Serena wanted to ask him what was wrong, but Julie was standing beside him, and she had slipped a hand through his arm and turned and walked with him toward the stairs. Serena trailed along behind.
    â€œAnother successful dance at Castle Rock,” Julie said lightly.
    Uncle Dan looked down as if just realizing she walked with him. He managed to smile. “Did you have a good time, honey?”
    â€œA wonderful time, Uncle Dan.”
    â€œGood, good,” he said absently.
    Near the top of the steps, Julie said, “Tell me more about your new man, Uncle Dan. The one named Jed.”
    Serena’s step faltered, then, stolidly, she continued to climb. Uncle Dan came out of his abstraction, and his voice warmed as he spoke. He obviously liked Jed so much.
    Serena tried not to listen. At the top of the steps, she paused, then said goodnight abruptly and left Julie deep in conversation with Uncle Dan.
    She looked back once, but they were still talking. Serena had hoped to ask Uncle Dan what had upset him, for she knew he was still distressed. But she certainly didn’t want to ask in front of Julie, and Uncle Dan might not want anyone else to know what he had learned in the den.
    Actually, she thought, as she opened her door, he might not want her to know. Castle Rock, after all, was his ranch. She had no claim. No right to interfere. She didn’t want to interfere; she only wanted to help.
    She gave one last glance down the hall, shut her door. She would talk to Uncle Dan tomorrow. There would be plenty of time to talk to him tomorrow.

Serena moved restlessly in the wide double bed. Moonlight spread across her floor. The moon was high. The time must be late. The yellow glow through the windows was almost as bright as day. She closed her eyes firmly, but sleep wouldn’t come. Images moved in her mind, Julie and Jed together, Will swaying on his feet, Uncle Dan’s tired face in that last glimpse before she turned up the hall.
    Sighing, Serena opened her eyes. The moonlight-dappled room was lovely, wide and deep with sharply bright Indian art on the creamy adobe walls. The moonlight touched her magnificent collection of Kachina dolls. Feathered headdresses glinted gold or green or red. Each Kachina doll, and she owned sixty-four, faithfully represented a Hopi deity. As a child, she had looked forward eagerly to the times when the Pueblos permitted visitors to come and watch the dances. Each dancer’s mask represented a god. Serena would eagerly match in her mind the huge swaying masks with her Kachina dolls. She knew them by heart, the Warrior God, the Corn God, the Snake God, the Rain God, and so many more. Joe Walkingstick had patiently taught her the story of each doll, making them figures of glory and power.
    Serena smiled