Letter Perfect ( Book #1) (31 page)

Dale’s shoulders straightened and his head came up. He didn’t say a word, but Galen gave him another squeeze.
Lord, they’re all in
need of guidance. I don’t know that I’m up to the task. I’m asking for wisdom
because ’tis plain to see that mantle will soon fall to me
.

They pulled to a halt beneath a huge, leafy sycamore tree. After hitching the beasts to the tree, Galen sent his brothers into the sanctuary. Josh had just drawn up. Galen figured he’d help Ruth down, so he sauntered over. “Top o’ the mornin’ to you.”

“Galen! How’s your father?”

“He and Ma are worshiping together at home today. I thank you for asking, Laney.”

As he answered, Josh reached up and helped Ruth down. It would be rude not to help Laney, so Galen obliged. “Ma told me you’re feeling better yourself.”

“I am. We’re trying to talk my brother into letting us come visit tomorrow.”

Josh scowled. “I won’t be coerced, Elaine Louise.”

Ruth took Laney by the arm. “Come on. We’ll go inside.”

Josh waited until they were out of sight. “Ruth’s been so good to Laney.”

“That I can believe.”

“She’s a fine woman, Galen. I don’t think anyone except her mother ever bothered to appreciate her.”

Something about Josh’s tone gave Galen pause. He didn’t respond.

“I’m worried about Ruth and Laney.” Josh lowered his voice, “Laney didn’t fall, Galen. Someone hit her on the head.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. She had a lump on the back of her head and another on the temple. Had she fallen, she wouldn’t have gotten both. Anyone evil enough to strike a woman is just as apt to hurt another. I’m not letting them leave the Broken P unless I’m with them.”

“Can’t blame you. I’d feel the same way.” Galen rubbed the back of his knuckles across his chin a few times. “Any idea who did it?”

“Not a one.” Josh’s jaw clenched, and he looked away.

“You might fool someone else with that lie, but not me. I know you too well.”

Josh scuffed the toe of his boot in the dirt. “It wasn’t a lie. I’ve got trouble of a different kind.”

Galen chuckled. “Oh, so Ruth’s giving you fits, is she?”

“That’s not it,” Josh snapped.

“Calm down. Earlier, the way you spoke of her, you sounded like a man at the end of his rope.”

“Things have changed.”

Something about the tone of his friend’s voice troubled Galen. He forced a chuckle. “Don’t tell me you’re regarding the lass as dear to your heart.”
Please … tell me you don’t
.

“I do.”

No, Lord. No. I’ve prayed that you’d heal Ruth from her grief and bring
her to me
.

“It’s taken me by surprise, but I confess, Ruth’s won my heart. But until other matters are settled, I can’t very well ask her to marry me.”

“Don’t you think that’s awful fast? A proper courtship would let you get to know her better.”

“We practically trip over one another every day. I’ve seen her vexed, I’ve seen her joyful. When it comes to Ruth, I never have to guess where she stands on an issue—she’s as easy to read as all the books she loves.”

“So you aim to propose?”

“I fully intend to.” Josh cast a glance toward the church. “There’s never been a woman for me, Galen. Not a one ever struck my fancy. Ruth—she’s the one. She’s been worth waiting for. She barged in and stole my heart.”

“Does she return the sentiment?”

“Neither of us has declared our feelings, but I sense something between us. She trusts me with her personal business and shares her innermost thoughts.”

“I see.” Galen slowly unknotted his hands.

“It might be premature, but I’d like you to stand up with me as the best man.”

“She’s a fine young woman, Josh.” Galen extended his hand. “You honor me with that request.”

Josh shook hands, but as they released the grip, he cleared his throat. “That was the good news. Galen, I have a problem.”

The bell started pealing, calling them to worship.

“Ruth and Laney’s safety?”

“Something else.” Josh heaved a sigh as the bell pealed again. “I’ll lay my burden on the altar. It’s not right of me to trouble you when your father’s doing so poorly.”

“The Holy Bible exhorts us to bear one another’s burdens. You and the lasses have been considerable help. There’s nothing I’d like more than to share the weight you’re carryin’.”

A smile sketched across Josh’s strained features, but it didn’t last more than a fleeting second. “Maybe after church.”

Galen nodded.
It’s best I release my hopes and dreams and shed the
sadness I feel. I’m happy for Josh and miserable for myself. Ma warned me not
to think on Ruth as being the one I’d wed
. “We both have things to lay at Jesus’ feet today. I’m supposing we’d best head inside.”

“Eddie Lufe’s doing the sermon today.”

“Well, now. He does a fine job when he does the preaching.”

“He does.” A sly smile crooked Josh’s mouth. “His nerves always get the better of him before he stands in the pulpit, so he doesn’t sing on the Sundays when he preaches.”

Galen slapped him on the back. “Ach, you’re a good friend. You remind me to count my blessings.” Galen slipped into the pew with his brothers. He watched as Josh walked up the aisle and slipped in next to Ruth. She turned her face up to his. Tenderness shone in her countenance, and at that moment, Galen knew it was only a matter of time before he’d stand at the altar as best man and watch the woman he loved pledge her heart to Josh.

“They arrived safe as can be,” Galen reported to Josh at the fence the next morning.

“I figured they’d made it when I couldn’t hear the jelly jars rattling anymore.”

Galen chortled. “That Hilda—when she said she’d come along to help with canning, she didn’t spare a thing. Colin’s grousing about unloading the buckboard, and Ma’s in a dither on account of their bringing two fifty-pound bags of sugar.”

“After Hilda had me load a dozen flats of canning jars into the buckboard, I wondered aloud if one hundred pounds would be sufficient.” He pushed back the brim of his hat and ran his sleeve across his forehead. “If I held any doubts whether she could protect the girls, they evaporated then and there.”

“Singed your ears to a crisp, did she?”

Josh raised his brows and whistled.

Galen chuckled. “The women need days like this to get together. Ma said neither of the lasses has ever canned a single thing and Laney’s only made jelly once.”

“Don’t remind me of that disaster.” Josh grimaced. “I worried for a solid hour that the hogs had contracted a new disease. The purple splotches turned out to be from Laney trying to hide her failure by feeding it to the hogs. They didn’t eat the jelly; they wallowed in it!”

“How did you ever figure it out?”

“I went into the house to read up on hogs in the
Animal
Husbandry Guide
. When Laney heard I was concerned, she confessed. She’s never been able to keep a secret from me.”

“Josh, you mentioned a problem before worship yesterday. Are you wantin’ to talk it through now that we’re alone?”

“How’s your dad?”

“No better, no worse. But that’s not what we’re discussing. I’d be a mighty poor friend and an even worse brother in Christ if all I ever thought about was my own life. You’ve come up alongside me and are sharing the yoke to pull me through, Josh. ’Tis right and good that I do likewise for you. Are you still worried about Toledo watching Ruth?”

“Either he’s getting better about sneaking around to do it, or he’s eased off.”

Galen folded his arms across his chest. “I’ve been prayin’ for her safety.”

“So have I.” Josh shook his head. “I’ve never known a woman to be so accident prone.” He didn’t inform Galen about how Ruth managed to trip over a tree root on her way to the stable that very morning. If he hadn’t been by her side, she would have fallen flat on her face.

“Suppose you tell me what’s weighin’ so heavily on your heart.” Galen looked at him steadily.

“Your dad is a good man.” Josh steeled himself, then let out a slow, long breath. “Mine isn’t. Galen, he’s keeping two sets of books on the ranch.”

Galen’s features pulled tight. “That doesn’t bode well.”

“He’s recording less than the true sum we receive for cattle and horses and more than we pay the hands and pay for goods. Lower recorded profit and higher expenses end up showing the ranch isn’t doing nearly as well as it truly is.”

“You’re not one to make a snap judgment. I take it you’ve seen both sets and studied them carefully?”

Josh nodded.

“Do you have any notion as to why he’s doing it or where the funds are going?”

“Not a one. But if it were above board, he wouldn’t resort to this. I’d gladly support investing if he were interested. If he wanted to set up a dowry for Laney, old-fashioned as it is, I’d be the first to want to establish an account in her name.” He gritted his teeth and blew out a long, slow breath. “No, it’s a betrayal. I can’t manufacture any honest reason for him to have done this.”

“How long has it been going on? Since Ruth arrived?”

“Much longer. Over two years. From the time he took over bookkeeping.”

“The Broken P was run to the ground and nigh unto goin’ under the gavel. The first years of pulling a place back are inevitably lean. Any profit a-tall was laudable. I hope you’re not faulting yourself for not figuring it out sooner.”

“I do hold myself partly to blame. The laborer is worthy of his hire. I stand by that biblical principle. The hands were to be earning three bucks more a month than they have.”

“How were you to know? You trusted your father.”

“I can’t anymore.” The wind shifted direction. Instead of smelling cattle, the sweet, fruity fragrance from Kelly’s garden drifted by. “I’m praying for wisdom. Part of me wants to confront my father the minute he gets back from Sacramento; the other cautions me to measure my steps.”

“In asking the Lord for guidance, you can’t insist that He answers you at once.”

“I’ve already determined that once this is resolved, I’m paying those men the back pay they deserve and make sure they receive fifteen a month.”

“If that’s the case, then as long as you keep an eye on matters to be sure you and Laney aren’t cheated, you can bide your time. It’ll be hard for you not to let on that you know he’s been up to no good, but a bit of time might well let you determine where the missing funds have gone. I’m thinking you ought to have Rick Maltby out to the ranch so he can take a look at the books. The sheriff, too.”

“Since the girls and Hilda are with your mom today, I could just ride into town with the books.”

“There’s a grand idea. You need a few people knowin’ the truth. That way, if your father disposes of the book with the accurate figures in it, you’ll still have witnesses. Until then, you’re the only one who’s seen the proof.”

Josh crammed his hands in his rear pockets. “Ruth’s seen them.”

“Has she, now?”

“She came into the parlor after I’d discovered the second ledger. They were both on the desk. I couldn’t lie to her, Galen. Then, too, I felt an obligation to tell Ruth because part of the ranch might well be hers.”

“I saw Ruth at church Sunday and at my house this mornin’.”

Galen’s brow furrowed. “To look at the lass, you’d ne’er guess the least little thing is amiss.”

“She didn’t want Laney to find out. We decided to shield Laney as best we could.”

“Your sister will ne’er grow up if you don’t allow her to.”

“Recovering from the concussion is enough.” Josh lifted his chin. “Besides, Laney won’t be able to sit across from Dad without bursting into tears if she knows.”

“I suppose she’ll end up knowing when matters have to be settled.” Leaning on the fencepost, Galen asked, “Tell me, how can I help you? You already have my prayers.”

“I covet those prayers. If you and your mom don’t mind, I’d like the girls over here as much as possible.”

“They’re always more than welcome.” Grinning widely, Galen added, “Dale and Sean are scared half out of their skins of Hilda. She took one look at the both of them and said she wanted a bucket apiece of beans from them straight away. Folks probably think the express rider came hours early from the dust cloud those brothers of mine made, speeding to the task.”

“After tangling with Hilda this morning,” Josh shrugged, “I can’t say as I blame them.”

“With the girls here, you might be able to get to the bottom of who hurt Laney.”

“The women are my biggest concern. The matter of Dad embezzling is bad—but I’d gladly walk away penniless and have Ruth and Laney safe than own a dozen ranches and let either of them be harmed.”

“Our farm should be safe enough. With so many of us around, no one’s bound to get near either one of them without being spotted. Ma and Hilda—they’d be more likely to wield a skillet or a rolling pin as to let someone touch a hair on their heads.”

“I’m relying on that fact. While I’m in town, is there anything you need?”

Galen thought a moment. “Not a thing. Not unless you bring lumber, nails, and five braw men to build on to the house to hold all the wax, jars, sugar, and such that Hilda hauled over this morn.”