Read Teleporter (a Hyllis family story #2) for Free Online Page A

drive his men away! Nonetheless, the looks he received from the people who recognized him made him want to crawl under something and hide.
     
    ***
     
    Back at the tavern, he found his family gathered at the table they’d been eating their meals at. Daum looked like he’d been chiseled out of granite. Eva and Daussie’s eyes were red from crying. Tarc slumped onto a bench and looked around at his family. “Bad, huh?”
    Daussie looked up. Rather than the beaten and humiliated look Tarc had been expecting to see on her face, she looked furious. “Alice wouldn’t even talk to me,” she hissed. “That bitch!”
    Eva said, “People are saying just what you predicted at breakfast. With the added bonus of claiming that you attacked Ms. Jarvis.”
    Tarc croaked out a whisper, “That’s what Jacob told me too.”
    Eva said, “We’re going to have to move.”
    Daum said, “That’ll be just the same as admitting our guilt to most of these bastards.”
    “I know,” Eva said despondently, “but we’ve already been tried and convicted in the court of public opinion. We’ll never get our reputation back.”
    “I hate this town anyway,” Daussie said witheringly.
    Despondently, Daum looked up and around. He muttered, “We won’t be able to sell the tavern for what it’s worth.”
     
    ***
     
    Arvil Tornesson turned to look at his wife. “They’re saying what ?”
    “That the people that run the Hyllis tavern were collaborators. They’re saying they put up Krait’s men the night of the takeover and fed them at their tavern afterwards.”
    Arvil stared at her wide-eyed. “Addie, Daum Hyllis shot Krait from our very own window!”
    “I know, I know. I told Edith that, but she just said that no one could make that shot from all the way over at our house.”
    “Where the hell does she think the arrow came from then?”
    “She thinks one of Krait’s own men shot him.” Addie put her hands up as if defending herself from Arvil’s response. “I know. It’s stupid. Somebody would have seen him do it! But… it’s gossip. Bad gossip spreads—and the truth can’t keep up.”
    “Well, that’s just so much bullshit!” Arvil exploded. “You tell those biddies you hang out with that Daum Hyllis is a hero !”
    “I tried Arvil, I tried…”
     
    ***
     
    Asher Farley looked up as Martin Weldon was ushered into his office. He stood to shake the man’s hand. Once that was done Weldon rubbed his bald pate and stared around the office at Farley’s accumulated bric-a-brac. His watery eyes turned to Farley, “You wanted to see me Mr. Farley?”
    “Yes Martin, I did. How would you like to run another tavern?”
    Weldon frowned, “Another tavern? I’m not sure there’s business enough for another tavern in this town.”
    Asher leaned back in his chair, “Ah, but Martin, I’m not talking about another tavern for the town , I’m talking about another tavern for you . I have it on good authority that a certain set of tavern owners are soon going to be leaving town.”
    “The Hyllises,” Weldon breathed.
    “The very same.”
    “I’ve heard that they’ve got a very nice tavern. With a few rooms to let as well.” He paused wistfully, “But I couldn’t afford to buy it.”
    Asher arched an eyebrow, “I think the price is going to be very good.” He winked, “In any case, I’m going to buy it. You and I would be partners. You’d run it and pay me rent. Anything it earned, over and above the rent, would be pure profit for you.”
     
    ***
     
    No customers had come in for a beer that afternoon either. The Hyllises hadn’t really expected any, but the lack was a sick confirmation of the situation. However, late that afternoon the door that opened into their little courtyard behind the tavern opened and people started trooping in. At first, Tarc thought that somehow their reputation had been salvaged. But, after the first few had entered, he recognized that it was the Norton caravan. The Nortons were a