Follow a Wild Heart: A Christian Contemporary Western Romance Series by Natalie Bright (macos ebook reader .txt) 📕

knitted white doilies on its arms. A marble-topped table held a Tiffany glass lamp, and the fireplace mantel was covered with knickknacks and framed photos. Carli squinted but couldn’t make out the faces. Was her father in a photo with other family members? Ancestors she never knew existed? She moved to the next window, and the next and the next, covering her mouth in surprise at what she saw through the dirt-caked glass.

She wanted to see more and thought about going inside. It certainly appeared like the house had been abandoned. At the back door she wiggled the doorknob. It didn't budge. Was it locked or stuck?

A gravelly voice behind her made her jump. "You don't look like a burglar. What're ya doin' anyway, nosin' all over?"

Carli whipped around and cast the beam of light at an old man. He was big, with big glasses, a big stomach, and only a few sprigs of white hair on his shiny, bald head. The flabby midsection looked as though it was about to burst open his stretched, plaid shirt.

Her heart still hadn’t slowed down. "I'm, uh, uh, I'm not a burglar, sir. I was looking for the people who lived here. The Miller family. Do you know them?"

"No one's lived here in at least ten years. All dead."

Carli almost felt tears forming. She clenched her teeth, but managed to ask, "Do you live around here?"

"'Cross the street. Who ya lookin' for?"

Carli didn't know if this man was friend or foe. In fact, his size frightened her not to mention they were standing in almost pitch dark. She kept an eye on where her escape route might be if she needed one.

"Have you lived there a long time?"

"Prob'ly forty years, if not more. I've seen a lot around here in my time."

Carli's mind reeled. She wanted to ask him so many questions. But she was afraid. Part of her wanted to run and hightail it out of here. Then again, she knew she should seize this opportunity. Please, God, give me some courage right about now.

"Uh, did you ever know a man by the name of Taylor Miller?"

The man's eyes squinted. He was quiet for a bit, sizing her up. Carli almost felt she could see the wheels in his head turning, thinking things over.

"You mean J.T.?"

"Yes, yes, J.T. Do you know him?" Carli was about to jump out of her skin. She imagined Taylor Miller might appear behind her at any minute.

"Yeah, I knew him. Everyone knew J.T."

Carli felt like this guy was either stringing her along or maybe it was just difficult to extract information from him. Like pulling a long rope. Where was the end of it?

"Do you know where he lives now?" There, she said it. Now she had to prepare herself for the answer.

“He moved away. That’s all I know.”

Carli turned before he could see the tears in her eyes. “Thank you for your time,” she said over her shoulder as she hurried to her truck and sped home.

During the drive back to Wild Cow Ranch headquarters, Carli thought about what the old man had said about the Millers. She ran their short conversation over and over in her mind. “They’re all dead,” he said, and yes, he knew J.T. Knew. Did that mean her birth father was dead too? But the man had mentioned that J.T. had moved, so did that mean he was alive and well? Carli wished that she had taken the time to calm down and ask him more questions. But he was so creepy, and the empty house was creepy. Her first instinct was to get away as soon as possible. Maybe the trail to meet her birth father had already grown cold, but she had to hold on to that slim chance of hope.

Weary in spirit, Carli parked under the carport at her grandparents' house and climbed out. She needed to talk to Buck and Lola first. Small town life was good in so many ways. She still couldn’t believe all of the neighbors that had showed up to help search for her in the snowstorm, but then there was the crazy rumor mill. Didn't people have more important things to do? What a mess! A simple conversation in the local coffee shop with a friend had mushroomed into a flippin' scandalous tale. The thought made her cheeks burn. The rocking chair on her front porch held promise of a silent refuge while she sorted out this mess and formulated a plan.

Instead of sitting still, she wandered inside and, in the darkness, gathered up the trash. After carrying it out, she decided to clean the house from top to bottom. That would keep her busy until Lola and Buck got back home tomorrow. She would talk to them first thing in the morning. She ran the conversation over and over in her mind. There wasn’t any easy way to say it, other than to say this was a horrible rumor and not true. And so unfair to Nathan and his family. He must be furious at her.

Nervous energy took over. She made herself a quick sandwich and sat down at the computer to check riding school inquiries and dig into more of her birth father’s genealogy. After seeing his childhood home, she was more than ever determined to find him. Time flew by, and she yawned and looked at the clock. It was well past midnight.

Before turning off her computer for the night, she decided to research horse shelters. She had an idea she might be able to locate Itchy, Lexi’s horse they'd given up, but she didn’t have her hopes high. Still, he might be a great addition to the remuda for the riding school and a nice surprise for Lexi.

As late as it was, a hot shower sounded good and an hour later she was warm and snuggled under the covers. The worry of the ridiculous pregnancy rumor was still on her mind, but with a heavy sigh