Chapter 12
Jennalee hadn’t climbed the oak on the bluff since the day she arrived at the Malvern Gardens Inn, but she did so now, starting from the single accessible limb to swing up much as she’d once done on the monkey bars at school. The tree’s age gave it a fullness that translated into opportunity, several sturdy avenues available to the climber. Jennalee tried two before settling on a third that allowed her high into the crown where branches thinned to a checkered canopy and reduced the Malvern Gardens Inn to manageable size.
Squatting on a branch fully tested with her weight, she soon found the heat oppressive, yet not enough to wrest her from her perch. She compromised by removing her slacks and tossing them to the ground. Resuming her squat, she likened herself to a jungle anima
