Swoop on Love by Elodie Parkes Page A

leaves, and white trumpet flowered vines. Quite suddenly, the road widened and split into two. The section to the left led to a row of large houses and a big, low roofed workshop at one end. In front of the buildings a square of grass rippled in the breeze, and in the middle of that, an old sign swung on a long timber pole. Jeanie turned into the road when she spotted a big colorful display of a barn owl painted on the sign.
    She slowed right down as she drove past the row of buildings. When she reached the end where the low -roofed building was, she saw a gnarled street sign attached to the wooden fence out the front. It read Owlswick. Disappointment pricked her. Is this all there is? Jeanie hadn’t expected to see owls, but she hoped the place offered somewhere to stop, have coffee, and maybe take a photograph or two.
    She glanced back at the building behind the wooden fence. Shallow windows peeped from under the roof at the top of the walls. They were dark. From an accumulation of grime, or purposely tinted black? She couldn’t decide. Some kind of signage clung to the wall at the corner of the building, but it was impossible to read. The paint peeled off it, and a few of the curling vine plants she’d seen growing in the hedgerows sprang up from the dirt driveway and wound around the sign. They obliterated any lettering.
    Jeanie shifted gear, intent on turning her car and going back home, when a huge bird flew rapidly from somewhere near the building and over her car. It winged barely an inch from the windshield, its sharp talons extended. The bird glanced at her then disappeared. She didn’t know exactly what kind of bird, but it must be a bird of prey with such a fierce looking beak and talons. She trembled with shock as she peered up into the sky.
    I wouldn’t want that hitting the windshield as I’m doing fifty or even thirty. Wonder where it came from?
    She turned her car in the wide part of the road. The bird that flew so close to her car was perched on top of the sign in the middle of the grassy square. It gazed off into the distance, its massive wings folded down. Jeanie stopped her car and picked up her camera from the passenger seat. She adjusted the focus and carefully got out of the car door. She watched the bird, careful with her movements. She didn’t want to scare it away.
    She got a few photographs before it looked straight at her, shook its head, and in a majestic movement, took off into the air. Jeanie stared after the bird. It soared high, making a strange cry, half screech, and half whistle. Only a black shape remained against the blue sky in the distance, when a man approached her.
    He closed in on her before she knew he was there at all. A prickle of fear ran up her spine as she read the expression on his face. Fury.
    “Hey, this place isn’t open to the public now . Did you just photograph the bird?”
    Jeanie instinctively put her hand behind her back , holding her camera.
    “No, it flew away before I could .” She shook her head to add weight to her lie. The man scared her, even as she took in his astonishing good looks. He lost the angry glare as he held up his hand.
    “Sorry, I must seem really rude. I’m Reed. I have The Art Barn over there. I heard the bird cry. He’s usually silent, so I thought I’d check it out.” He waved the hand at the low roofed building, and then ran it through his dark hair.
    He’d probably meant her to shake his hand, but the gesture of greeting got lost as he indicated where he lived.
    A residue of fear from both the enormous bird skimming her car windshield, and this man’s scary approach, unnerved her. She croaked out, “The Art Barn. Are you an artist?”
    “Of sorts. Okay, well, sorry to bother you. I’ll let you get on with your journey.” He turned and stalked off.
    Jeanie followed him with her gaze, sparks of interest lifting her fright. The back view of his muscular bottom in his faded jeans was enticing and sexy. An appreciative smile