Book One

THROUGH the cabin window he watched the car coming up the lane. Then he went outside. 'Light, and come in, John, he said, as the car slowed to a stop on the leaf-dappled parking circle. Welcome to north Mecklenburg's woods.
 
You've got a wonderful place here, his visitor said, climbing out to shake hands. That drive up here through the woods, and now this house- John paused, looking around, intrigued. This is just the sort of writer's retreat you read about in novels, eh? But say, where's the water? I thought you were going to build on the lake.