Jimmy, my step-son, sat beside me in the car, on our trip up the New York Thruway. It was a two hour trip to the lodge, a two week stay we had planned. Our friends, the Jansens had asked us to house-sit their posh second home in the Catskills. It was just going to be Jim and me. My husband, Ted, was tied to his work in the City for the duration, on a critical project he had to supervise. I would miss Ted, but my kid was a fine companion, and Jimmy was eager to come along.
Just having finished a tough freshman year, and turning 20 in a few weeks, he needed a break. So did I, for that matter. I had been run ragged, with my own work as a store manager, for a local shop in our village. When we were offered this opportunity, to look after their property in upstate NY, it was just the ticket. The Jansens were on a European tour, for the fortnight; we were to keep an eye on things. There had been break-ins the previous summer in that area, and they were nervous about their lovely spot, which they called 'Miz-B-Haven'.