Bait & Tackle

By Allison Gorham

Down in Georgia, smart and beautiful Amanda Raybun runs a sucessful family buisness and struggles with romance. While trying to care for her loving aunt; Who's mysteriuos and treacherous past puts everyone's life they love in danger. Amanda soon finds out that she may have another sibling. In search for the truth will Amanda's curiosty put her in the flames of a serial arsonist or will revenge burn her family first?

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jul 15, 2011
• ISBN: 9781463407315

Allison Gorham

Having experience in the health care helped me with the book. A main character in the story dies of the same cancer as my dad. Growing up in the country there wasn't alot to do, my dad loved to read and I would wright him stories so he wouldn't have to keep reading the same books. I have always loved to write. Living in Georgia out in the country and being a stay at home mom as allowed me to take flight with my dream.

Book preview

1

MARRY RAYBUN AWAKENS fighting for her life, gasping for air, in her medical bed at Walnut Square Assisted Living Facility. Nurses and aides surround her bed trying to reassure her, but fail. Marry soon realizes were she is and calms down.

Get out of my room, cries Marry at everyone.

Would you like some medicine? asks a nurse

I don’t want anything from you people, just leave me alone, demands Marry, still gasping for air.

The next morning, on a twelve acre catfish farm in the middle of south Georgia, Amanda Raybun sits at her kitchen island painting her finger nails stop light red; thinking about a conversation she had earlier that morning with a man she believes may be her half brother. The phone rings, she closes up the nail polish bottle, and stands up from the bar stool and answers the phone to hear a familiar soft voice.

This is Susan from Walnut Square Assisted Living Facility.

Hey Susan, this is Amanda.

Hey Amanda, says Susan, I am calling to let you know that your aunt is ready for her doctor’s appointment, and that she didn’t have a good night last night.

What happened? asks Amanda, in a concerned voice.

Marry had some night terrors, at first we thought she had drifted into the past again, but then we realized she was still asleep.

Do you know what it was about? asks Amanda.

No honey, says Susan sympathetically, "but what ever it was must have been pretty bad.

She punched a nurse and kept grabbing at her neck, like she was choking, when she finally woke up all she could do was breathe, like she couldn’t get enough air. But, she seems fine this morning, she doesn’t even remember anything from last night," says Susan in a calming voice.

Well thank you for letting me know, says Amanda, fluffing her curly dark red hair. Will you tell Aunt Marry that I’ll be there shortly? You know how impatient she can be.

Sure thing, says Susan reassuringly, we’ll see you in a bit.

As Amanda hangs up the phone she hears a familiar voice and looks toward the end of the island to the swinging kitchen door, and sees a tall skinny black woman, with dark black curly hair shaping her face.

Hey girl, I thought you’d be up and gone by now, says Debbie, walking into the kitchen.

I’m fix’n to be, says Amanda. Gently placing her hand on the bar stool sitting down looking Debbie in her dark brown eyes, asking Is your nephew still going to run the booth this summer?

Yeah, but he won’t be nothing like Albert. Those people are going to pull up down there expecting to see a white country boy, and instead see a black ass punk, says Debbie, as they both laugh.

I’m sure he’ll do fine. Do they know what Albert was doing in your house? asks Amanda, looking at Debbie pouring a cup of coffee.

Honey, the only thing the FBI has told us is that they are taking over cause some accelerant used to start the fire is the same homemade accelerant that the Boston City Arsonist has been using.

Well, ya’ll are welcome to stay here as long as you need to there’s plenty of room.

We really do appreciate it and I think Adam likes being back in his old room, says Debbie with a laugh.

Amanda looks behind Debbie at the clock above the kitchen window and sees it’s nine-thirty.

I’ve gotta run, says Amanda, taking one last sip out of her coffee and heading out the back door.

Debbie waves bye, as she drinks her coffee watching Amanda leave from the window, racing down the driveway in her black 1982 Z28 camero.

Amanda hears the engine roar as she pushes the clutch and the break to stop in front of a small brown shed with a sign hanging on the side with Weigh and Pay painted in green.

Hey TJ, says Amanda

What’s up? asks a small black male with a nod, as he pulls the black square sun glasses down his nose.

Make sure you keep the racks full of tackle and buckets visible. I want everyone to know that we have a large variety of everything they need, says Amanda firmly, as she looks at the half empty shelves of the fishing tackle behind TJ.

You got any fish in the back of that car? asks TJ, looking over his sunglasses.

You got a check? asks Amanda, raising her eyebrows at TJ.

TJ pushes the sunglasses back up on his face and mashes a red button in front of him, in between the cash register and the slimy wet scales, a gate lifts up and Amanda waves bye driving out of the driveway leaving a cloud of dust.

Amanda arrives at the assisted living facility getting out of her car she walks down a paved walk way surrounded by green shrubs. Amanda steps up onto a white picked front porch with wood ramps going down each side joining the paved walk way. Amanda reaches the front door reading silently the engraving on the dark oak door Welcome to Walnut Square, Amanda opens the front door and steps into a cool but comforting hall way. Amanda hears a male and female voice arguing in a distance, hoping it’s not her aunt. Amanda walks down the middle of the hallway lined in carpet, toward a set of glass double doors. She closes her eyes takes in a deep breath and lets out a sigh opening her eyes. Opening one of the glass doors she walks into a loud square sunroom full of hanging plants and a water fountain running into a fish pond in the middle of the room, with a few residents present. Amanda smiles at the sight of her aunt Marry, who’s making most of the noise, from her wheelchair, wearing a light pastel yellow scarf wrapped around her neck, and matching suit, with her long silver hair pulled up into a French brad running down to the middle of her back. Her arms raised up in the air holding up a grand daddy long leg spider by one of it’s legs taunting Amanda’s uncle Wade. Who is sitting across the room beside the fish pond, dressed in his old sheriffs uniform shaking head to toe pointing at Marry and yelling.

Someone arrest this bitch,’ you’re the reason I’m here, arrest her.

Marry and Wade have been at it all morning, says a nurse patting Amanda on the shoulder and going back to pushing her med cart toward the corner of the room.

Amanda walks over to her Aunt and touches her lightly on the shoulder.

Aunt Marry can you put the spider down please, we have to go to your doctors appointment.

Marry turns and looks at Amanda, I’m just trying to have a little fun.

Please ? asks Amanda raising her eyebrows.

Oh, says Marry as she wrinkles her face looking at the spider and tosses it toward Wade.

He started it, snaps Marry.

The spider regains it’s self and crawls off as a white shoe comes crashing down killing the spider.

Amanda looks up to see a clean shaved black male nursing assistant, thanks Tony, says Amanda.

Anytime, says Tony giving a slight nod.

Come on sheriff lets go get some fresh air, says Tony unlocking the wheels on Wade’s chair.

Now, this is how it should be, everyone with their own personal nigger,says Wade.

Tony just pushes the wheelchair out of the sunroom like nothing was said.

Are you ready for your doctor appointment? asks Amanda pushing Mary out of the sun room.

Only if we’re seeing the handsome Dr.Green, he looks just like his father did at that age and such a nice man to work for he…um…he was a nice man, says Marry, with a confused look on her face.

Amanda stops at the nurses station and looks at a healthy blond headed nurse with her head down writing.

Excuse me I’d like to sign Marry Raybun out please, asks Amanda.

The nurse hands her a clipboard with a pen attached and looks up.

Susan I didn’t recognize you, have you lost weight? asks Amanda.

Yes, it’s this new diet, chuckles Susan.

Amanda signs her aunt out and gives the clipboard back.

Oh, says Susan, your cousin Meredith meet Tony and took your uncle outside.

Thanks for the warning, says Marry grinning lightly.

Amanda pushes Mary to the front door while Marry greets everyone they pass in the hallway as if she has known them all her life. Amanda reaches for the doorknob and jerks her hand away as Marry speaks with urgency.

Amanda, I’m sorry dear, but where did you say we were going again it seems to have slipped my mind.

We’re going to see Dr. Green,says Amanda in a reassuring voice.

Oh, he ‘s such a nice man, says Marry. I used to work for his father you know for over twenty years.

That’s what I’ve heard, says Amanda, trying to keep a cheerful voice as she feels her heart crying on the inside. Amanda opens the door and slowly wheels Marry out onto the front porch.

Ok, you ready? asks Amanda, as she closes the door and grasps the handles on the wheel chair.

Lets go, says Marry with a burst of energy and claps her hands together.

Amanda pushes Marry down the ramp onto the concrete walkway, and through the