school, she had finished five years of college in four—a long time away from home.
Time should have done its healing job, but evidently it hadn't. Her memory of Adam certainly hadn't dimmed. If anything, her reactions toward him had magnified in intensity, like a tornado that suddenly springs in front of a storm. Maturity had made his forceful personality stronger and increased his physical appeal.
"You look so much like her, Joanna," Gramps declared, bringing her thoughts back to him. "You even walk like she did."
Jo gave him another affectionate hug. "And I missed you too, Grampa. How about walking to the corral with me?" She linked her arm with the old man and adapted her stride to his. She owed so much to her grandfather, who had spent countless hours with her, teaching her how to ride and later to drive. He'd always taken time to do the little things a child needed done, to answer her questions, to dry her tears.
As they rounded the barn, Jo automatically looked north towards the light pinpointing Adam's new home. According to Karen's texts, Gramps had complained about the "blight" on the neighboring ridge ever since the house was finished last year.
The new location gave the Traherns a better view, but it irritated Gramps because there used to be no houses in sight. Young Ponderosa pines planted around it reduced its impact, and only one light was plainly visible. Jo, hesitated, then mentioned that the trees almost concealed things.
"Uh huh. Thought he could hide from me. He's not so smart. For all his years in college, he doesn't know those trees'll get taller...just be bare trunks soon, all the foliage too high to hide behind." The old man swung his head toward the offending view, body held fiercely erect.
"What do you mean?" asked Jo puzzled. Why would Adam try to hide from her grandfather? What strange notion brought the old man to that conclusion?
"He can't be trusted. Always spying on us from up there, behind his trees." He frowned, then lifted up shaggy white eyebrows, nodding shrewdly.
Was her grandfather's feud with Adam making him paranoid? "This is the first time I've heard of any spying. What makes you think—"
"Nothing...nothing at all."
Unable to hold back a question she'd been wondering about ever since Adam had posed it, she asked, "Gramps, why do you blame Adam—and his family—for what Mr. Trahern did?"
"What? Don't you remember? They didn't stop him. They did nothing to keep him from getting behind the wheel." His breathing deepened and his movements became agitated, alarming Jo. "They knew he couldn't handle alcohol."
"But why single out Adam...especially? He was only seventeen."
"You don't understand. No one understands," he declared, his voice rising in volume, his frame shaking in anger. "He could've taken the keys away. He was just a teenager, but he was big and strong."
Jo nodded, remembering. Gramps was right. They shouldn't have let him drive. His family was as responsible as Ed Trahern for Grandmother Anna's death. Maybe even more...for their judgment wouldn't have been impaired by the alcohol. "You're right," she declared. "Adam should have done something. Anything."
"And then the police messed up the investigation, so it never went to court. Said if she hadn't been driving that little car I’d bought her, she might have lived."
He began to wheeze, trying to get a breath, the noise loud and alarming.
"I understand, Grampa," Jo said, frightened by his breathing pattern. It sounded worse than before she’d left for college. He really must be urged to follow the doctor's orders. It was a good thing she’d come home.
"Yes. You do. You always have. My Joanna." He spoke her name with deep affection and it seemed to calm him. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then did it again.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes." He looked closely at her. "Will you do me a favor?"
"Of course."
"By the way, when I was playing checkers at Marv's place, he asked about you. His nephew, Peter
Time should have done its healing job, but evidently it hadn't. Her memory of Adam certainly hadn't dimmed. If anything, her reactions toward him had magnified in intensity, like a tornado that suddenly springs in front of a storm. Maturity had made his forceful personality stronger and increased his physical appeal.
"You look so much like her, Joanna," Gramps declared, bringing her thoughts back to him. "You even walk like she did."
Jo gave him another affectionate hug. "And I missed you too, Grampa. How about walking to the corral with me?" She linked her arm with the old man and adapted her stride to his. She owed so much to her grandfather, who had spent countless hours with her, teaching her how to ride and later to drive. He'd always taken time to do the little things a child needed done, to answer her questions, to dry her tears.
As they rounded the barn, Jo automatically looked north towards the light pinpointing Adam's new home. According to Karen's texts, Gramps had complained about the "blight" on the neighboring ridge ever since the house was finished last year.
The new location gave the Traherns a better view, but it irritated Gramps because there used to be no houses in sight. Young Ponderosa pines planted around it reduced its impact, and only one light was plainly visible. Jo, hesitated, then mentioned that the trees almost concealed things.
"Uh huh. Thought he could hide from me. He's not so smart. For all his years in college, he doesn't know those trees'll get taller...just be bare trunks soon, all the foliage too high to hide behind." The old man swung his head toward the offending view, body held fiercely erect.
"What do you mean?" asked Jo puzzled. Why would Adam try to hide from her grandfather? What strange notion brought the old man to that conclusion?
"He can't be trusted. Always spying on us from up there, behind his trees." He frowned, then lifted up shaggy white eyebrows, nodding shrewdly.
Was her grandfather's feud with Adam making him paranoid? "This is the first time I've heard of any spying. What makes you think—"
"Nothing...nothing at all."
Unable to hold back a question she'd been wondering about ever since Adam had posed it, she asked, "Gramps, why do you blame Adam—and his family—for what Mr. Trahern did?"
"What? Don't you remember? They didn't stop him. They did nothing to keep him from getting behind the wheel." His breathing deepened and his movements became agitated, alarming Jo. "They knew he couldn't handle alcohol."
"But why single out Adam...especially? He was only seventeen."
"You don't understand. No one understands," he declared, his voice rising in volume, his frame shaking in anger. "He could've taken the keys away. He was just a teenager, but he was big and strong."
Jo nodded, remembering. Gramps was right. They shouldn't have let him drive. His family was as responsible as Ed Trahern for Grandmother Anna's death. Maybe even more...for their judgment wouldn't have been impaired by the alcohol. "You're right," she declared. "Adam should have done something. Anything."
"And then the police messed up the investigation, so it never went to court. Said if she hadn't been driving that little car I’d bought her, she might have lived."
He began to wheeze, trying to get a breath, the noise loud and alarming.
"I understand, Grampa," Jo said, frightened by his breathing pattern. It sounded worse than before she’d left for college. He really must be urged to follow the doctor's orders. It was a good thing she’d come home.
"Yes. You do. You always have. My Joanna." He spoke her name with deep affection and it seemed to calm him. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then did it again.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes." He looked closely at her. "Will you do me a favor?"
"Of course."
"By the way, when I was playing checkers at Marv's place, he asked about you. His nephew, Peter
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