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The Secret of Harpen's Landing — Sally Tyree Smith
When Carole Gately received the letter from Joella begging her to return for a visit to Harpen's Landing, she immediately sensed there was something wrong. She had not heard from Joella in several years--not since that awful night when Joella had discovered Carole in Ashby Kilmer's arms. So why did Joella want to see her again?
But Carole's apprehension was soon overcome by her warm, happy memories of Harpen's Landing. There she had known true happiness, with Joella's friendship and the gentle, paternal protectiveness of Earl Pete, the old handyman who had been there even longer than the river resort.
As soon as Carole arrived at Harpen's, she realized that her suspicions were justified, for some very disturbing changes had occurred there. Joella's father, Owen Harpen, had been drowned in a mysterious boating accident. And shortly after Joella had inherited Harpen's, Ashby Kilmer had married her, and his mother had taken over control of the resort.
In spite of her apprehension, however, Carole knew she had to remain. She had to stay for Joella, whose frenetic gaiety strove to hide her fear of something or someone. She had to stay for Earl Pete, who needed protection from the evil buried in his memories. But most of all, she had to stay because of Hank Harpen, Joella's darkly intense cousin, whose cool disdain for her fragile beauty drove Carole to prove that there was more to her than her looks.
But Carole's apprehension was soon overcome by her warm, happy memories of Harpen's Landing. There she had known true happiness, with Joella's friendship and the gentle, paternal protectiveness of Earl Pete, the old handyman who had been there even longer than the river resort.
As soon as Carole arrived at Harpen's, she realized that her suspicions were justified, for some very disturbing changes had occurred there. Joella's father, Owen Harpen, had been drowned in a mysterious boating accident. And shortly after Joella had inherited Harpen's, Ashby Kilmer had married her, and his mother had taken over control of the resort.
In spite of her apprehension, however, Carole knew she had to remain. She had to stay for Joella, whose frenetic gaiety strove to hide her fear of something or someone. She had to stay for Earl Pete, who needed protection from the evil buried in his memories. But most of all, she had to stay because of Hank Harpen, Joella's darkly intense cousin, whose cool disdain for her fragile beauty drove Carole to prove that there was more to her than her looks.