Graham Quartet - Part 9

Howdy FFFs!
 A new adventure was begun last night and will continue once a week through nearly all of November! Of course last night was just the introduction and beginning, but some of the later weeks are going to be super fun! I mean, wouldn't you think it was fun to get to shoot the Sheriff and his deputies' guns? Or watching, meeting and learning about the K-9s in the Sheriff's department? Or how about learning how to investigate a crime scene, learn about the SWAT team and so much more? Have I gotten you interested yet? Well, my dad and I joined the County's Sheriff's Citizens' Academy! (SCA) Some of you long time readers may remember that we participated in the Citizens' Police Academy several years back and then 4 years ago we were part of the first Citizens' METS Academy in the area. I will be writing and sharing reports from each week's class, but they probably won't be published on here until the Wednesdays. So, if you are interested in learning about the Sheriff's department here in south-west Missouri, come back on Wednesday!

That was the most exciting thing this week. But perhaps I should back up a bit and see what else I did.
On Friday I was able to finish painting my grandparents' house and we headed home on Saturday. The rest of the week has just been trying to get back into things, and working on this and that.

I did spend Monday night and part of Tuesday writing the Graham Quartet. Anott and Christian, you both said that "longer was better" and this story is taking you at your word! I've already written 13 parts and I still have a lot to write before I get to the end. So don't complain if you have to wait till next year to get the end of the story. :P
Having written enough of the Graham Quartet to keep it going through the month of September, I have switched back to TCR-2.  Since I only have a little over a month to get the second book written, I had to get to work.
As for Dr. Morgan, that story keeps popping its head out of its file in my brain and saying, "Hey, what about me? I want to be worked on too!" I'd love to work on that story, but I simply don't have time right now. But I haven't forgotten it. I wish I had time to write all three stories in a day, but right now I'm too busy.
And Christian, I did work on Travels of Priscilla, but I haven't been able to finish planning SC so those "visiting" that state can get writing. I'm hoping to get back to it soon. Thanks for the reminder. :) (P.S. If any of my new readers would like to join the "trip across the US" just let me know!)

And now the continuing story of the Graham Quartet. Enjoy!

Graham Quartet - Part 9

    Once the picture had been carefully studied and each was sure they would recognize the person should they see him again, Guy slipped the photo back into the folder. “All right,” he said, “I don’t really have many instructions for you, but if you should see the person in the photo, get to me as quickly as you can!
    “The other thing is when you come to visit. Always come a different way. Try not to let anyone else know that I’m staying here. Think you four can handle that?”
    “Of course we can,” Tim agreed while the other three nodded.
    “If that’s all, Guy,” Matt spoke up, “we had best be getting home. There’s only about two hours of daylight left if it doesn’t start snowing again, and it looks like it could.”
    Guy agreed and the quartet quickly put on their coats and hats, pulled on their boots and began to strap on their snowshoes.
    “Oh, one other thing,” Guy said before he opened the door. “Be careful!”
    “We will be.”
    The door was opened and the quartet struck off through the snow towards their own house leaving Guy looking after them. “I wonder if I’m doing the right thing,” he muttered. “They’re just kids. Oh, if only I hadn’t caught my leg in that trap!” Shutting the door and carefully locking it, Guy turned to his chair near the fireplace and dropped to his knees as he had often done before in times of stress.

    The walk home was one of silence for the Graham Quartet. Each one was busy with his or her own thoughts about all that had been happening and everything their new friend had told them. Could they really be of any assistance to the FBI or was Guy only making them feel useful? Not one of them dared utter that thought aloud, but it lurked in the back of each mind and unconsciencely made them more determined than ever to do their very best to help with Guy’s assignment, whatever it was.
    Upon reaching home, they quickly scattered to do their assigned chores before washing up for supper. There wasn’t much talk around the table that night and Mrs. Graham suggested everyone get to bed early. This sounded like a good idea for until then, none of the siblings had realized just how taxing their vigils had been, nor how tired they really were. However, before slipping off to their rooms, the quartet gathered in what they called “their corner” of the library to talk.
    “I don’t know how to process everything,” Matt confessed, after they had all settled themselves. “So much has happened lately and now looking for someone, secretly visiting the cabin, conversations . . . Maybe I just need a good sleep.”
    ‘I think we all do,” Elsa said. “I must say it all sounds strange to me, but if it helps any, I’m ready to try.”
    “We all are,” Selena put in.
    “Of course. But I think that we shouldn’t have a certain time each day to visit the cabin or someone is bound to find out.”
    “Good thinking, Tim. It would be a dead giveaway if we always left at the same time.”
    “I’m not sure when we’ll be able to go,” Elsa said, looking at Matt. “You three will be in school during the week.”
    “That’s true.” And Matt looked thoughtful.
    “We could get up early some mornings,” Selena suggested quietly.
    “We should have asked how often he wanted us there.”
    “Well, we can next time we visit,” Elsa assured Tim before pulling a piece of paper and a pen off a nearby table.
    Matt glanced at his sister. “What are you doing, Elsa?”
    “Starting a list of things we need to ask Guy about.”
    “What do you have so far?”
    “Only how often we should visit him. Can any of the rest of you think of anything else?”
    For several minutes the quartet sat in silent thought. Then Selena said, “What kind of conversations are we supposed to memorize and what kind of information does he want?”
    Elsa’s pen scratched the questions down and then Matt yawned. “Sorry, I couldn’t help it. What say we all get to bed?”
    This was agreed to and before long the Graham house was shrouded in quiet darkness while a new blanket of fresh snow fell softly outside and covered all the tracks which had been made that day.

    The following morning found the quartet eager to be off through the woods and fields to the cabin. It was Saturday and their parents agreed that they might all go sledding after their chores were finished. Once those were completed and lunches packed, they set off dragging sleds behind them.
    “It’s convenient that there are some great sledding hills back behind the cabin,” Matt grinned. “That way we can warm up there and eat lunch in a sheltered place instead of sitting around freezing.”
    Upon reaching the hill the quartet halted. The cabin was barely seen through the trees across the field and no smoke could be seen. “I think I can smell smoke though,” Tim whispered, and the others nodded.
    “You know,” Selena said softly, “as much as we’d all like to head right down and go to the cabin, I think we should sled for a while first.”
    “Why?” Matt turned to look at his younger sister.
    Selena shrugged. “Well, it would look rather strange if we just went down once, wouldn’t it?”
    “Do you think anyone’s watching?”
    Again Selena shrugged. “I don’t know.” Then she smiled. “Guy might be.”
    “That’s right!” Tim was excited. “If we’re going to act like we’re going sledding, let’s do it. We have to show him that we haven’t forgotten what he told us.”
    Matt and Elsa exchanged glances and Selena’s idea was acted upon. For over an hour the four siblings flew down the hill with shouting and laughter only to turn and trudge back up to the top again once the bottom was reached.

What did you think?

Any questions that you would ask Guy?

Graham Quartet - Part 8

Good Morning FFFs,
It's been a busy week for me. I'm up at my grandparents' and have been painting, painting, painting! They had some remodeling done and wanted to know if I'd come do some painting for them. I said sure, so my mom, sister and I headed up here on Monday. There was quite a bit of painting to do: Dining room, living room, kitchen, downstairs hall, upstairs hall and stairway. Not to mention 14 doors. It's a good thing I like to paint. :) I have 12 doors, the upper hall and stairway left for today. We head back home tomorrow, and I'm looking forward to getting back to writing.

A quick update on Triple Creek Ranch - Book 2:
I have reached the half-way point in the book and am now on the "downhill" part. I've never written 30,000 words in 3 1/2 weeks before! It's been a lot of fun! (Most of the time. :) )

But now I have to go get busy. I hope you enjoy this next part of

Graham Quartet - Part 8

    “There’s one disadvantage about this cabin, Guy,” Matt said as they all gathered around the warm flames to enjoy a rest.
    “What’s that?”
    “You can’t very well hide the smoke.”
    “That’s true,” Guy nodded. “but as long as no one knows who’s staying here, it shouldn’t matter, should it?”
    Matt shrugged, “I wouldn’t know.”
    Several minutes of silence followed and at last Guy grinned. “All right, you four are probably sitting on pins and needles right now.”
    “We have been since we first found you,” Tim blurted out.
    “Sorry,” Guy laughed. “I know it’s been hard to wait. I can’t tell you much about the case I’m on right now; only that I’ve been working it for nearly two years. I thought I was close to ending it a few times, but always some new twist comes along. The last one was when I fell and got hurt. That put a damper on things. But now I’m up again—”
    “Don’t overdo it, please,” Selena begged, her brown eyes anxious.
    “Don’t worry, I plan on sticking to this cabin for another week at least if . . .” he paused and glanced at the four faces around him. They seemed so young. How much should he tell them or ask of them?
    “If what?” Matt’s voice broke the silence.
    Guy drew a quick breath and continued. “If you’ll help me. Now,” he held up his hand, “before you say yes right away, let me explain a bit more of what I want. You are used to going everywhere in this neck of the woods, aren’t you?”
    The quartet nodded and Elsa added, “We know this area from one town to the other. We’ve all tramped the woods many a day, and night too for that matter.”
    “And do you think that if you saw a face just once you would remember it again?”
    Again every head nodded.
    “How good are you at asking questions and finding things out without letting on that you are prying for information?”
    “Leave that to Tim,” Matt smiled. “Everyone around here knows he likes to ask questions.”
    The detective nodded thoughtfully. “How about seeing things that no one else sees?”
    “We’ve been working on that,” Elsa replied. “We aren’t experts or anything, but we notice more than most.”
    “Good. I already know you can keep things quiet when you need to.”
    A sudden crack and shower of sparks from the fireplace made everyone start. A log had broken. Matt stirred up the fire and added a few more logs.
    “There’s one thing more.” Guy had looked over at the snowshoes leaning up against the wall near the door. “How much experience have you four had at hiding your tracks, slipping through the woods without being seen or noticed, and leaving such tracks that few can follow?”
    The four siblings exchanged glances and then began to shake their heads. Would this mean they wouldn’t be able to help their new friend? They could manage to leave no trail and to slip up unnoticed when it wasn’t the dead of winter and snow lay everywhere.
    Guy must have understood their looks for he said, “Well, there’s no time like the present to start. Of course it’s harder not to leave tracks in the snow unless it is snowing, but here are a few things you can remember and start working on. If you are coming to this cabin, always come a different way than the time before. Don’t make it obvious that this is your destination.”
    Heads nodded.
    “Sometimes it is good to just act as though you were only out for a walk in the snowy woods. Then you could all go together and talk and throw snowballs and take your time.” Guy leaned forward and lowered his voice. Instinctively the quartet also leaned forward, their eyes fastened to the speaker’s face as though his words were hard to hear. “But other times come quietly, slipping from dark object to dark object. No talking unless necessary, never more than two of you together at a time, always watching, always listening, always ready for anything.” The detective’s keen, dark eyes notice the alert attention his words were receiving and knew that whatever happened, he could count on the Graham Quartet to follow instructions and to learn quickly.
    “Okay, I think I can safely ask for your help.”
    “Really?” Tim exclaimed in excitement. “What do you want us to do?”
    “First I want you to fetch me the brown folder which is in the yellow envelope under the second blanket which had been in Elsa’s pack and is stacked in the east closet in the bedroom.”
    Tim was off in a flash and Guy waited in silence to see if his complicated instructions had been followed fully. He knew there were two stacks of blankets in that closet and wondered if Tim would know in which stack to look.
    He didn’t have to wonder long, for in a moment Tim was back and handed the brown folder to him. “Well done.” From the folder he drew out a photo. “Take a good look at this face.”
    The quartet crowded around.
    “Who is it?” Tim asked.
    Shaking his head, Guy replied, “That I’m not at liberty to tell you. But, if you should see him, let me know right away! How good are you at remembering things people say and then repeating them afterwards?”
    “I’m not very good,” Selena offered shyly.
    “But she’s not bad,” Matt spoke up. “And she can tell you what anyone was wearing, where they were and what they were doing.”
    “And the rest of you?”
    “I’d say we were were fairly good at remembering a short conversation nearly word for word,” Elsa said. “Of course we’re still working on it. If there are any numbers to memorize or anything like that, Matt’s the one for the job.”
    “Sounds like you all need each other to succeed.”
    Matt nodded. “We do. None of us could manage without the others in this line of work.”

Questions, comments or ideas?

What do you think is going to happen next?

Dr. Morgan - Part 13

Hello Friday Fiction Fans,
It has felt like fall the last few days which have been so nice. I've loved having the windows open all night and all day without steaming.

There hasn't been much going on this week which has been good because I've been able to write. I still haven't gotten anything besides Triple Creek Ranch - book 2 worked on, but I'm getting ideas for the Graham Quartet and even for Dr. Morgan. I've just put off working on them because I have a deadline for Triple Creek Ranch. However, don't worry, I have enough written to last for the rest of this month and I should be able to write a few more parts to the Graham Quartet before I have to post it.

My sister and I did babysit my niece and nephews the other day. It was the first time Baby got to stay with us. (Sorry, he still doesn't have a nick-name.) At one point of the evening, I was sitting on the couch with Baby while I read a story to Doodle Bug when suddenly we were interrupted by two brave fireman who rushed in and said the house was on fire. One of the firemen "carried" Baby and me to safety, but Doodle Bug put up quite a protest about being carried. He simply walked into the room where I was, climbed up beside me and wanted the story finished. :)

And now, here is part 13 of Dr. Morgan. If you have any thoughts, questions or ideas for or about this story, just let me know.

Dr. Morgan

Part 13

    The sun was shining from an icy blue sky when Justin came into the hospital lobby. He knew the sun would melt the very top of the snow before it sank in the west, leaving ice everywhere.
    “Good morning, Dr. Morgan,” Dr. Hollend greeted him. “It sure will be a fine morning to drive up the mountain, but,” he shook his head. “I’m not sure I’d want to drive down it this evening.”
    Justin laughed. “That’s why I’m coming down right after lunch.”
    “What! Not staying to perhaps become snowed in and forced to take a vacation?”
    “I wouldn’t dream of leaving you to handle the hundreds of patients alone,” Justin retorted.
    Both men laughed, shook hands and went on their way.

    The drive with Amy up to the Morgan cabin was slow but uneventful. Dr. Morgan drove carefully but at the same time kept an eye on the girl beside him. He hoped and prayed that living with a family would help her gain her strength and perhaps even her memory. Would Danny know who she was when they arrived? It had been a long time since he had seen her.
    Sitting silently, Amy watched the snowy landscape move past the windows of the truck. She squinted at the brightness caused by the sun, but spoke not a word. Her thoughts were a puzzling mixture of unanswered questions. Who was she and where did she come from? Why did she remember nothing? Would the two children she had gotten to safety bring anything back? She was nervous and began fiddling with the buttons on her coat. What would these people be like? What if she didn’t like it up here? How could she leave with all this snow?
    “Hey.” A calm voice made her turn and look at the driver.
    Dr. Morgan glanced briefly at her and placed a gloved hand over her restless one. “Relax,” he told her, “everything is going to be all right. Stop fretting about what you can’t remember. Live in the here and now, not the past. There,” he pointed ahead “you can see the house up beyond those trees.”
    Smoke was curling heavenward in a friendly fashion from the stone chimney that rose from the snow covered roof. The truck rounded another bend and the whole front of the house could be seen; the dark logs looking warm and snug against the backdrop of winter’s white blanket. Curtains hung in the many windows, the porch was swept clean of snow and the shoveled path all spoke silently of being such a happy, lived in house, that Amy could only gaze through a film of unshed tears.
    A dog barked as Justin shut off the motor and a collie came bounding from behind the house, tail wagging, to leap up on him as he got out of the truck.
    “Whoa, Captain!” Justin staggered back a step and then roughed up the dog’s fur before he pushed him down. “I’m glad to see you too, old boy. Now,” he continued as he carefully made his way to the other side of the truck, “no jumping on Amy. She’s not strong enough to withstand your assaults.”
    The dog whined and barked, pranced around and barked some more. His barking had its affect for the front door of the house opened and several people in coats came out on the porch. One of them whistled for the dog and then called to Justin, “You need any help?”
    “No thanks,” Justin called back, carefully helping Amy from the truck and then, after he had shut the door, lifting her and carrying her inside where he set her down in a chair beside the crackling fire.
    Mrs. Morgan quickly divested Amy of her coat, scarf and gloves, introducing herself as she did so.
    “Welcome to our cabin, Amy,” Mr. Morgan greeted her with a smile. He had already met her several times at the hospital when he was in town at his office.
    Amy smiled almost timidly back and let her gaze wander around the large open room. She liked what she saw, the picture window looking out over the blinding whiteness, the baby grand piano, the fire, the cozy arrangement of the furniture. Unconsciously she gave a sigh and relaxed into the comfortable chair.
    “Amy,” Dr. Morgan’s voice caused her to look up. A young man was standing beside him. “I’d like you to meet Adam, my younger brother and the only one I’ve got.”
    Hardly had this introduction been given when another voice was heard and Dr. Morgan turned to call, “Sare, bring them over here.”
    Coming at once, Sara carried Jenny on her hip while Danny trotted along behind her.
    “Hi!” Sara greeted Amy as though she had seen her a few days ago. “I’m glad Just finally let us keep you for a while. I don’t think it was fair for the hospital to have you for as long as they did. I’m the one who needs another girl around here.” She kept up a bright chatter to cover the silence, sensing that Amy wasn’t hearing much, for her eyes were on the little ones.
    Jenny, wanting to get down and practice her crawling, squirmed and wiggled until Sara put her down. For a moment Danny just stood and looked at Amy, and Amy gazed back. Each seemed trying to place the other in their memory. At last Danny turned and wandered off without a word.
    “Justin,” Mrs. Morgan turned to her eldest son, “you are staying for lunch, aren’t you?”
    Justin glanced at his watch, “Sure, but I can’t stay too late unless I want to slide down the mountain.”
    “You’d end up in your own hospital,” Adam laughed and then the two brothers left the room.
    Mr. and Mrs. Morgan, seeing Sara drop into a chair across the fire from Amy, slipped from the room as well, leaving them together with the little ones. They knew Sara would be good company.

Questions?

Thoughts or Ideas?

What would you do if you couldn't remember?

Graham Quartet - Part 7

Good Morning Faithful Friday Fiction Fans,
I hope you all had a good week. How has the weather been? Here it has rained every morning for seven days. It has usually cleared up by the afternoon only to grow cloudy again around nightfall and bring more rain. Most of the days have been so heavy that just going outside for a few minutes leave you feeling like you're swimming and nearly as wet. However, yesterday we were able to have the windows open all day! It was a little warm and damp, but not too much so.

What have I been doing since I posted last? Well, I've written. I'm now almost 1/3 of the way done with Triple Creek Ranch book 2. Keep praying for ideas because I'm running out. That has been the only thing I've written except for a few sentences of The Graham Quartet.

I did babysit my niece and nephews this week and we made a "cave" in the kitchen and "explored" it. We had a few adventures while we were in there. One was that some Indians were coming after us and the only way to escape was to find the hidden key to unlock the secret door. We found it just in time and escaped out the door to the other side of the mountain. :) Oh the things you can do with a 6 1/2,  5, 3 1/2 and 2 year old.

Well readers, I have decided that next week we'll be taking a break from "The Graham Quartet" and instead you'll get "Dr. Morgan." There are three reasons why I'm doing it.
1. Several persons have asked for the next part of "Dr. Morgan" recently.
2. I only have 2 more parts of The Graham Quartet written and don't know what is going on, so it makes it a little hard to write the rest of it. 
3. The Graham Quartet is quite long and you have already had 6 straight weeks of it and I don't know when the end is coming.
So, if you are really wanting the rest of The Graham Quartet, send me any ideas you can think of for the conclusion of the story. Who are the bad guys the FBI are after? What can the Graham Quartet do to help the FBI and any other thoughts or ideas you have. At this point I'll take anything. Send your ideas to readanotherpage [at] gmail [dot] com and I promise I won't share your e-mail with anyone. Or, you can leave your ideas as comments. Either way, please help me out! :)

And with that I'll let you enjoy Part 7.

The Graham Quartet - Part 7

    “I’m going to let you out of that bed this afternoon,” the doctor told Guy on Saturday. “Only for a short walk and then you are to sit and put your leg up. It’ll be a few more days before I’ll agree to your leaving this place. But that leg’s healing nicely now. Don’t you go and ruin things by being impatient.”
    Guy smiled. “All right, Doc. But I can’t remain here too much longer. I’ve imposed on these people enough already.”
    “You aren’t imposing,” Elsa, Matt and Tim protested warmly while Selena shook her head.
    Guy smiled at the four young friends he had made and silently thanked God that it was the Graham’s barn he had taken shelter in.

    At last the day came when the doctor said good bye to his patient, cautioning him against over using the leg for a while and told the Grahams to call him if he was needed again.
    “Now what are you going to do?” Matt asked as the entire family were gathered about the family room with their guest.
    Guy shook his head. “I’m not sure. I think I should find a place where I can live for a while and come and go as I please without others knowing. Before I got hurt I noticed a cabin on the edge of a clearing set back from the road and in a secluded spot. Any idea who owns it?”
    “Is it between the nearest towns?” Mr. Graham leaned back in his chair and asked.
    Guy thought for a moment and then nodded. “Know who owns it?
    “Yep. I do.”
    Sitting up quickly, Guy looked at his host eagerly. “Would you rent it to me?”
    The four siblings exchanged glances. If Guy stayed in the cabin, would they be able to visit him? Would they be able to help him anymore? True, they didn’t feel like they had done much and it hadn’t been exciting, since no one had come to the house and they hadn’t seen anyone in the woods or fields. They also didn’t know why he was in the area or who would like him dead. Perhaps if he was going to move into the cabin he’d tell them more.
    While these thoughts and many similar ones were racing through their minds, Mr. Graham and Guy Fox had come to an agreement about the cabin.
    “The children can take you there and help you settle in,” Mr. Graham said.
    “When do we go?” Tim asked eagerly.
    “No one is going anywhere tonight,” Mrs. Graham decreed firmly. “They’ll be plenty of time tomorrow and light to see by. I don’t want anyone getting caught in another trap.”
    Guy yawned. “Well, since I can’t head anywhere outside tonight, perhaps I’ll just head to bed.”
    “I think that would be a sensible thing for all of us to do,” Mr. Graham agreed, rising from his seat. “Matt, bank the fire, please.”

    The following morning, the Graham Quartet and Guy Fox bundled up well and strapped on snowshoes.
    “There’s already food out in the cabin,” Elsa informed Guy. “Dad likes to keep it stocked with canned goods just in case it’s needed suddenly.”
    “And we’ll bring you fresh food,” Serena added, “if you’ll let us come.”
    “I’d be happy for your company, but I don’t want to put you four in any danger.”
    “We can talk about that later. Don’t you have anything to take out there?” Matt looked questioningly at their friend.
    Guy smiled. “How long have you known, Matt?”
    “Since the day after you arrived.”
    “Well, if you think we can get it all out to the cabin, I’d sure like to have it with me. I’m sure I’ve been missed.”
    In answer to the others mystified looks, Matt said, “Radio.”
    “You’ve got one?” Tim’s eyes widened. “Where is it?”
    The five persons had by this time neared the barn. “In the hay near where we found him.”
    “What? You knew?”
    “Matt, why didn’t you tell us?”
    Matt shrugged. “Since he worked for the FBI and hadn’t told us about it, I thought I should keep it a secret.”
    “Matt was right. Though I would have liked to use the radio while I was laid up, I thought it would be too dangerous.”
    “Won’t it be dangerous for you alone in the cabin?” Selena was clearly worried.
    “Don’t fret, Selena,” Guy reassured, smiling at her. “It wasn’t my own safety I was thinking about. It was your family’s. When there is only myself to take care of, it’s a might easier than when you have an entire innocent family who might be in danger.”
    As they talked, they had been collecting Guy’s things and having stowed them in packs, the quartet hoisted the packs onto their backs and prepared to set forth. To Guy’s request to help carry the loads, they all shook their heads. “Doc said to take it easy,” Elsa reminded him.
    “The walk will be all that leg should be doing without the added weight of these packs,” Matt put in.
    “And besides,” Tim added with a grin. “We want to impress you so that you’ll let us help you more.”
    At that Guy laughed. “All right. You win. You carry the packs and once I’m settled in the cabin we’ll talk.”

    The walk across the snow to the cabin was taken in almost complete silence because the quartet, taking note of the way Guy was constantly scanning the area around them, followed suit and watched and listened as well, though they were uncertain what or who it was they were watching and listening for. At last the cabin was reached and the door unlocked and opened. A bright fire was soon blazing in the fireplace, the packs opened and things set to rights. It wasn’t a large cabin though it had a good sized loft on the south end, a large kitchen-dining-living room and a small bedroom. The simple, sturdy but unpretentious furniture, the homespun curtains at the windows, the large stone fireplace and the homemade rag rugs on the wooden floor gave a homelike atmosphere to the cabin and Guy looked about him with a smile of pleasure.

Comments?

Questions?

Ideas?

Help me out please!

Graham Quartet - Part 6

(Sorry about the delay. For some strange reason, it decided that this was a draft instead of a post. :P Thanks for checking, Grace. I wouldn't have known if you hadn't mentioned it.)
 
Good Morning FFFs,
This morning is cloudy, but it is warm and humid again. Our wonderful days that felt like fall have left and we're back to summer. Oh well, it is the beginning of August.

This week has been very successful as far as writing goes. I've written every evening except Sunday and much to my delight and astonishment, I've written 10 parts of Triple Creek Ranch book 2 in eight days! I don't remember ever writing that much of one story in such a short time. It's been a lot of fun, but I'm needing new ideas for book 2 now since the ones I had thought of are reaching an end. If you have any ideas, or things you think should be in this book (it take place in winter and early spring), let me know. You can either leave a comment or send me a note at readanotherpage [at] gmail [dot] com. Sometimes a writer needs the ideas of others to make a story successful, so feel free to give any ideas you come up with.

 I really haven't been doing much else of interest, though I have stayed busy. I hope all my readers will enjoy this next part of the Graham Quartet. I still haven't finished it yet, but I have several weeks of it already written. For those of you who are wanting "Dr. Morgan" it will be coming. Keep checking back. And for those who are wanting more "Triple Creek Ranch" well, I'll probably post another time or two before the book gets published, but since it is written and at the illustrators, I'm not sure I want to give you too much. :) Right now I'm hoping to have both book 1 and book 2 published next spring before the homeschool conferences start. I'll keep you updated on the progress.

Now, enjoy part 6. Visit Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5 to read the earlier parts of the story.

Graham Quartet - Part 6

    There was no answer save another moan which the compressed lips couldn’t hold back. “Matt, he’s burning up!”
    “I’ll get Mom,” Elsa offered, hurrying from the room with her tray of lunch still untouched.
    Matt brought a damp washcloth and handed it to Selena. “Stay with him, Sis,” he whispered. “I’ll make sure the doctor’s on his way.” Then he too hurried from the room leaving Tim standing like a guard over the patient and the young nurse.

    For several days the unexpected visitor was too sick to talk with the Graham Quartet. The leg wound seemed to be more serious than the doctor had first thought, and Matt overheard him tell his father on Sunday evening: “David, I don’t know who that man is and I don’t care. But if he’s to get well he must have complete rest and freedom from worry. Something seems to fret him now, for he’s nervous and restless and that’s not doing any good. Perhaps your four can help him. Call me if he seems worse, otherwise I’ll be back in the morning.”
    “Thanks Doc. We’ll see what we can do . . .” Mr. Graham’s voice died away as he walked the doctor out to the porch.
    Matt waited impatiently for his father to return. “Dad, I overheard what the doctor said just now,” Matt burst forth as soon as his father came back. “We told Guy we’d help him. Won’t you let us stay home from school for a while?”
    For a moment Mr. Graham looked thoughtfully out the window. Then he beckoned his son to follow. Once they were in the study with the door shut behind them, Mr. Graham motioned his eldest son to a seat.
    “Please Dad.” Matt’s eyes and his whole face were pleading.
    “Listen, Matt,” Mr. Graham began. “I know you all want to help our visitor and personally I would like to help him too. But what about school? I don’t have any worries about you graduating all right, for you’re good with your studies. But what about Tim? I’m afraid several days behind in school and he’s liable to never catch up.”
    “I’d work with him, Dad. You know his greatest problems are the subjects I like the most. I could help Selena, too, if she needed it.”
    “She may in math. But would Tim really cooperate with you as teacher?” There were many times when the brothers clashed and it was mostly over lessons, for Tim was impatient to be done and on to other things while Matt stuck to a subject until he mastered it and thought his younger brother should too.
    “I think he will, Dad, if the four of us talk it over.”
    “Well,” Mr. Graham began slowly, fingering a pen on his desk. “I suppose if Tim is willing to really work with you as teacher, I’ll let you try it. But—” he added as Matt began to rise. “There’s something else I want to talk to you about.”
    Resuming his seat and looking at his father, Matt asked, “Yes sir?”
    “I assume you know who Guy works for?”
    Matt nodded.
    “I don’t know what he’s doing in the area and I’m not sure I want to know, but I don’t want you four getting in harm’s way. How much do you know? What were you planning on doing to help him?”
    “All we know is that some people would like him dead. We don’t know what he’s doing either, Dad. I thought it might make him easier if we told him we’d keep a watch out and let him know if anyone came over or if we saw anyone out the windows. Maybe he could rest then.
    “So you think that’s what’s worrying him?”
    “Probably not all, but it’s all we can do for now. And don’t worry, Dad, I’ll do everything I can to keep us out of danger.”
    “That’s what I wanted to hear. I know I can trust you, Son. Just remember, this is not child’s play. There are dangerous people who don’t seem to have a conscience at all. Pray about things and talk to me if you think something might be too much.”
    “We will, Dad. Thanks.” Matt followed his father’s lead and rose. The interview was over.

    “Which would you rather do, Tim,” Elsa asked at the meeting Matt called right before the younger two went to bed. “Have to go to school or work on your lessons with Matt here?”
    “Well, I don’t want to go away,” Tim began slowly. For a moment he seemed to hesitate and then, just as Matt was about to speak, Tim’s shoulders straightened and he said, “I’ll do my lessons here. But Matt, please,” he turned to his brother, “can’t we just work on history and science?”
    “Not a chance, brother!” And Matt laughed. “We’re going to get you ready to take top honors in math.”
    A collective laugh covered up Tim’s exaggerated groan.
    And so it was that the Graham Quartet all remained at home the rest of the week. Matt was true to his word about working with his younger siblings on school, and even if they were keeping a watch out the back windows above Guy’s room, he worked with either Tim or Selena. Elsa also pitched in with teaching and watching. Having practiced and drilled themselves to notice details that others normally would pass over, nothing escaped the watchful eyes of the quartet. Even during the night the four siblings took turns sitting in the sick room near a window watching. This careful and constant alertness on behalf of the quartet seemed to be what the injured man needed, for he relaxed and slept, growing better so that by the end of the week the doctor was quite pleased with his condition.
    “I’m going to let you out of that bed this afternoon,” the doctor told Guy on Saturday. “Only for a short walk and then you are to sit and put your leg up."

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