One Thanksgiving in Lusty, Texas Cara Covington (books for 8th graders .TXT) đ
- Author: Cara Covington
Book online «One Thanksgiving in Lusty, Texas Cara Covington (books for 8th graders .TXT) đ». Author Cara Covington
Finally, all the jars were filled, sealed, and put through the water bath. Pamela recalled watching her grandmother jar her homemade jam and sealing the jar with paraffin wax. Another method to the same end.
All in all, the morning and afternoon had been a wonderful time.
Abigail, who was staying at the Big House, headed upstairs to shower, and Pamela joined the women who remained in the great room. Maria had arrived, bearing homemade cookies, and Bernice had been on her heels, more or less.
The sound of men entering through the kitchen, who gave a wave as they headed upstairs to wash the dayâs hard labor off them, told Pamela that the ranching work that had occupied them allâand likely kept Bernice and Maria hopping to provide lunch and tea forâwas done for the day.
âIâm almost certain Abigail is going to be joining the boys when they head back to Houston,â Kate said. The look she had on her face was one of satisfaction. Her sons, Carson and Michael, were, Kate confided, completely enamored of Abigail. Benedict men, apparently, had a habit of falling in love once, and at first sight. Reminds me of Jessop men. Pamela liked Abigail and had her fingers crossed that sheâd find love and happiness with the two Benedictsâone a businessman, the other a professor.
âI have complete faith in Carsonâs ability to sweet talk her into doing just that,â Mattie said. âI also have complete faith that those two boys will have a care of her. Especially since I know their grandfathers and fathers have spoken with them.â
Chelsea nodded her agreement then looked around the room. She cocked her head in such a way as to suggest she was listening.
âGood. All the bedroom doors are closed. Now, Mattie?â
Theyâd gathered in the great room for more than just to relax. Maria had told her Mattie had news about the ongoing search for the men whoâd swindled Pamelaâs father.
âWe finally know where those charlatans are. And it almost couldnât be better for us.â
âHow so, Mother?â Kate asked.
âMr. Watson reports that Fred Thomas and Gary Morris have begun setting up shop in Durant, Oklahoma.â
âOh my,â Madison said. âIs it not in Durant that your fathers-in-law had a great many friends, Chelsea?â
âIt is, indeed,â Chelsea said.
Since Pamela had read Amanda Jessop-Kendallâs journal, as well as Sarah Carmichael Benedictâs, she recalled the stories of the connections between that generation and several members of the Smith family whoâd settled in the area in the 1800s.
âThat connection was reinforced when Gerald and Patrick were stationed at Goodfellow as flight instructors during the war,â Kate said. âTwo of Peter Smithâs grandsons had enlisted in the air force. At the time, theyâd signed on to be pilots but were better suited to be mechanicsâand became heroes when they noticed something wrong with the âavgasâ being used, alerting the authorities to a very dangerous fraud.â
âOh, I remember that incident,â Grandmother Mattie said. âThat awful man who owned that refinery Dalton later purchased had tampered with the fuel, all in the name of higher profits. One of the pilots was killed!â
âExactly. Gerald later said heâd never been so happy to have washed a couple of men out of flight training.â
âSoâŠyou have contacts in Durant who will help doâŠwhat?â Pamela loved every one of these women without reservation. They were her family, period. But theyâd been surprisingly closed-mouthed about what they had in mind beyond locating the two con men. She thought the next step would be to alert the authorities to their location.
Looking at the expressions on Mattie and Chelsea now, she began to understand that the police didnât figure into their plansâat least, not immediately.
âWell, to set a trap, of course. And I know just the woman I want to contact, too.â Chelsea looked around the room. âWeâve all read the previous reports that Mr. Watson sent. He was able to get a lot of background information on both Fred Thomas and Gary Morris.â Chelsea looked over at Mattie. Pamela imagined the two women, whoâd considered themselves sisters since they met, were capable of almost reading each otherâs minds.
âYes, Mother, we do recall that,â Miranda said.
Was it only Pamelaâs imagination that Aunt Miranda was providing some sort of cover for the two octogenarians? A quick look around the room told her no one else seemed to be alerted to somethingâŠother than what appeared on the surface.
âGood,â Chelsea said. âMr. Watson says that he doubts very much either man has a high probability of being violent.â
âAnd in one case, they returned some moneyâanonymously, of courseâto one of their victims when that womanâs husband was killed in a car accident.â Mattie folded her hands and sat back.
Grandmother Chelsea seemed to notice the look on Pamelaâs face. She didnât doubt that she looked as horrified as she felt. Were they feeling sympathetic toward those two thieves?
âNow, sweet girl, you have to understand. If we simply alert the authorities as to where these two men are, they may or may not be arrested and sent back to Maryland, or any of the other places where theyâre probably wanted for questioning. Itâs far better if we can catch them red-handed, donât you think? What with budget cutbacks and police being more concerned with violent crime and drugs and the like, weâre just giving them a hand, is all.â
âQuite right, sister. So we set a trap and let those two step into it.â
âHow do we do that, Grandmother?â Pamela really wanted to know.
âDinna fash yerself,â Madison Jessop said. She reached over and patted Pamelaâs hand. âThe grandmothers know what theyâre about. Have a little faith, lass.â
Pamela met her cousinâs gaze. âAll right, I will.â Then she looked around the room. âYâall always wave off my thanks,
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