An Unexpected Partnership

Arriving in Texas, cowboy Jared Ivy discovers the grandfather he hardly remembers has passed away...and an unknown woman has claimed ownership of his family’s newspaper. Jared has the will that proves he’s the owner—but the sheriff refuses to enforce it. Instead, Jared must work with Mary Lou Ellison until a judge comes to town and rules in favor of the rightful heir.

Intrepid reporter Mary Lou has already lost her father figure. And she won’t lose the Pine Haven Record—the legacy he left her—without a fight. But when she and Jared stop sparring long enough to investigate a story together, they become a force to be reckoned with. Will they let their battle over the Record get in the way of something even more newsworthy: true love?

“I reckon the two of you will have to run the paper together until the judge comes to town.”

“Run it together?” Mary Lou’s protest was incredulous.

“I have no intention of sharing my inheritance with a perfect stranger.” Jared wouldn’t give up the last claim he had to a family connection.

“It’s not your inheritance.” Mary Lou took a step toward him. “It’s mine. You may be blood kin, but

I was the only family Jacob Ivy had for the last eight years.”

The sheriff opened the door. “The two of you can argue all you want. I won’t dispossess either of you. The judge should be through town between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Learn to work together until then.”

“He can’t stay here!” Mary Lou was indignant.

“Sheriff, you have the authority to evict her.” Jared made another attempt to settle the matter today.

“I do, but I won’t be the one to throw an orphaned girl into the street without the judge’s say-so.” He tipped his hat to Mary Lou. “Good day to you both.”

And he was gone.

ANGEL MOORE fell in love with romance in elementary school when she read the story of Robin Hood and Maid Marian. Who doesn’t want to escape to a happily-ever-after world? Married to her best friend, she has two wonderful sons, a lovely daughter-in-law and three grandkids. She loves sharing her faith and the hope she knows is real because of God’s goodness to her. Find her at www.angelmoorebooks.com.

The Rightful Heir

Angel Moore

www.millsandboon.co.uk

A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.

—Proverbs 13:22

In loving memory of Ashley Bailey

The light and joy of a niece who celebrated everyone is sorely missed.

To my editor, Dina Davis, for her support and expertise.

To Belle Calhoune, my fellow Love Inspired author and accountability partner, for the encouragement and laughs along the way.

To the readers, who join me for the story.

To Austin, for his continued sacrifice and wisdom.

To my sweet Maria, Melody, Asher and Judah. God has blessed me beyond measure.

Having these wonderful people in my life motivates me every day.

To Bob, my best friend.

And to God, for His mercy and constant help.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Epilogue

Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Pine Haven, Texas

October, 1881

“I’ll be right with you.” Mary Lou Ellison was on her knees behind the press. A gust of wind from the opening door had caught her story notes and floated them under the edge of the beast of a machine.

A deep voice refused to wait. “I’m looking for the owner.”

Mary Lou caught the edge of the paper and pulled it free. The notes on the harvest celebration were the most interesting she’d had in weeks. She wouldn’t disappoint the townsfolk by not covering the festivities for the next edition of the Pine Haven Record.

She stood straight and looked at the intruder across the top of the press. “I’m the owner.”

As expected, the man’s eyes opened wide in apparent disbelief. The raised brows and confused expression were normal to her now. No one entering the office for the first time expected a woman to own a newspaper. Much less a young woman. At twenty-two, she was considered young by businessmen and old by most any man in search of a wife. Not that she wanted a husband. She could take care of herself.

“That’s not possible.” The handsome face rejected her claim. If she weren’t a journalist, she would scold herself for noticing his strong jaw, thick hair and cautious blue eyes. Since details were her business, she allowed herself to take in the cowboy’s lean build. Strong arms were encased in a suede coat. A leather vest covered his chest over a shirt of gray. Boots showing signs of hard work shifted on her floor. A Stetson swung in his hands.

“It is possible.” She put the notes on her desk and placed the magnifying glass on top of them. The wind wouldn’t send her on another merry chase. “And it’s true. Has been for the last two months.” She blew the hair out of her eyes and asked, “What can I do for you?”

He turned and looked at the words on the glass window. Taking one finger and underlining the backward lettering, he read out loud, “‘Jacob Ivy, Publisher.’ That’s who I’m looking for.”

The pain of her grief had eased into hollowness. Jacob’s death was the only reason she owned the paper. He’d been her mentor and teacher but mostly her only true friend. She sniffed and answered. “Mr. Ivy passed just two months ago. I’m the owner now.”

“Grump is dead?” He shook his head.

She saw it then. The breadth of his forehead and shape of his nose. He was Mr. Ivy—forty years younger. Why was he here? Why, after all the years his grandfather had reached out to him, had he come now? When it was too late.

“Jared Ivy?”

“How did you know my name?”

Mary Lou pointed to a frame on the wall near the front door. It held a tiny photograph of two men and a small boy. “That’s you and your father with Mr. Ivy.”

The only man who could take away the life she’d built in Pine Haven followed her direction to study the photograph. Could Jared Ivy really disrupt her situation now? The deed to the building was locked in the drawer of the heavy desk Mr. Ivy had worked at for all the years she’d known him.

“I’ve never seen a photograph of my father.” He lifted a hand and wiped the dust from the frame.

Mary Lou’s heart ached for him. As much as his appearance was a mystery—one that could be upsetting to her future—she knew what it was like to be without any knowledge of her father.

“Mr. Ivy told me about the accident that took your father’s life when you were a small child.”

“He did?” Jared Ivy turned back to her. “Perhaps you could tell me.”

“You don’t know?” Why wouldn’t a grown man know the circumstances of his father’s death?

“My mother refused to speak about him. She said it would cause me unnecessary pain as a child. Then, when I became an adult, she didn’t speak much about anything.” He said the words without judgment.

“He and your grandfather started the newspaper together as a family business. Your father was killed while working to construct this building. He fell from the top of the wall when the wood was being pulled up to put on the roof.”

Jared Ivy didn’t flinch or blink. Somehow he absorbed the death of his grandfather and the details of his father’s death without an outward reaction.

“What happened to Grump?”

“Doc Willis said his heart gave out.” She dealt in facts all day long, every day. Some people accused her of being cold, but direct was the only way she knew to be. Years of condensing a tragedy into a few paragraphs, or a big event into a couple of sentences, had taught her to be concise. She smiled at the memory of Mr. Ivy telling her it made her a good newspaper woman. Having loved Mr. Ivy like she did, it hurt to tell his story in so few words.

“I see.” He reached into the pocket of his vest. “If you’d be so kind as to direct me to the land office.”

“Do you intend to stay in town? I thought you came to see your grandfather.”

“I did come to see him.” He pulled a watch from the pocket, opened it to check the time and slid it back into its place. “But as that is not possible, I have other business to attend.”

Did she dare to probe beyond his vague answer? “I wonder you have other business in town. You must have arrived on the train today.”

“I did.”

The way he ignored her veiled query gave her cause for concern. What purpose did he have in Pine Haven with no living relatives here? “The land office is most likely closed this late on a Saturday.”

“Nevertheless, I need to know where it is.” He put a hand on the door latch. “If you’ve no wish to tell me, I’ll ask at the hotel.”

“It’s beyond the hotel, on the opposite side of the street.”

He thanked her and left. The Stetson went back on his head before he closed the door behind him.

Jared Ivy was nothing like his grandfather had imagined. More than once, Jacob Ivy had talked about how like his father the young Jared had been. The years since the man’s death had left the young Mr. Ivy with no hint of the warm and caring family she’d grown to love through his grandfather’s stories.

A looming deadline for the paper to be ready to print pushed the handsome man out of her thoughts. He could go to the land office, but he wouldn’t find Mr. Little there.

She only had a short amount of time to put the words of her last story for the coming edition on paper. Almost everyone in town had attended the harvest celebration on the previous evening. The festivities had been pleasant and the food good. The annual affair warranted a spot at the top of the page. First she’d pen the words and then the tedious task of setting the type for the press would begin. She hoped she’d left enough space to do the story justice.

Her words had formed numerous articles for several years, but the town was judging her differently as the owner. As a reporter with Jacob Ivy looking over her shoulder, she’d done well. His years in the paper business had built a reputation of truth and integrity for the Pine Haven Record. Building the trust of the community now that she was the publisher was another story indeed.

Her heart ached anew at the loss of Mr. Ivy. He’d been the only true father figure in her life. She wouldn’t let his grandson do anything to tarnish that memory.

* * *

Jared left the hotel and walked in the direction of the land office.

Grump was dead.

In the almost twenty years since his father had passed, it never occurred to Jared that his grandfather would die before he returned to Pine Haven. Jared had vague snatches of memories in which he sat on the edge of Grump’s desk while the man scratched a pencil across the page to tell a story.

Grump had told his last story and Jared hadn’t been here to read it.

When he found the land office closed, he went in search of the sheriff. The little sprite of a young woman at the paper office had proclaimed herself the new owner. The papers he’d retrieved from his luggage at the hotel said different. This piece of business could be settled before nightfall. He persuaded the sheriff to go with him to his grandfather’s office and explain the situation to Mary Lou Ellison.

When he opened the door this time she had her back to the entrance. She turned and he was struck again by her confidence. Nothing about her spoke of the cowering fear he’d seen in his mother.

She wore a white blouse with the sleeves pushed up near the elbows. Black bands held them out of her way while she worked to gather the letters that would shape the stories she’d written. An ink-stained apron covered the front of her clothes. Her brown hair had been kissed by the sun and shone lighter around her face. A smudge of ink peeked from behind the tresses that escaped their pins and hung loose on her forehead. Green eyes met his again. The wariness he’d detected earlier came back with a vengeance.

“Miss Ellison, I’ve brought the sheriff with me to show you something.” He knew the best way to deal with unexpected or unpleasant news was to get right to it.

“Let’s not get in a rush now, Mr. Ivy.” Sheriff Collins spoke up. The man’s disheveled clothes and tired face made Jared wonder how well he could be protecting the citizens of Pine Haven. He looked like he needed a fresh shave and a good night’s rest.

Jared wouldn’t wait. Best to handle things immediately. “I see no need to dawdle.”

Sheriff Collins looked him up and down. “I don’t know how I feel about a cowboy who talks like a schoolteacher.”

Mary Lou Ellison chuckled. “I’m not sure what to make of him, either, Sheriff.” She put down the letters she was sorting and came to stand in front of the press. “He says he’s Mr. Ivy’s grandson, but he’s nothing like the way his grandpa described him.”

“He hadn’t seen me in almost twenty years.” Jared was losing patience with these two.

“That’s what troubles me.” Mary Lou pointed at him. “Why didn’t you come see him in all that time?”

The sheriff ran his hand over the stubble on his chin. “That’s a good question.”

“My business is not the business of either of you.” Jared watched the sheriff stand a bit straighter at his rebuff.

“Mr. Ivy, if you want my help in solving this situation, you’re gonna need to hold your words a bit.”

Mary Lou spoke up. “What situation, Sheriff?” Her eyes darted from the sheriff to him.

“Seems Mr. Ivy here has a will from Jacob Ivy saying the paper belongs to him.”

Her face blanched at the sheriff’s announcement. Jared hated to cause her pain, but Grump and his father had wanted him to have the paper. He’d let his grandfather down his whole life. He wouldn’t deny the man the legacy he’d earned by building the Pine Haven Record to what it was today. His mother had prevented contact with Grump since his father had died. Without her presence to hinder him—God rest her soul—he would follow through with his father and Grump’s wishes now.

Mary Lou turned to the sheriff. “The paper is mine. You were there the day Mr. Little gave me the deed.”

Sheriff Collins nodded in agreement. “I remember, Mary Lou. It’s just that you didn’t have a real will. All we had was your word saying what Mr. Ivy had told you.”

“So that’s how you got the paper.” He wondered if she’d swindled Grump in his old age. Had Grump lost his reasoning? Did she hoodwink him?

Her wary eyes became daggers. “Don’t you dare accuse me of swindling Jacob Ivy.” The level tone of her voice spoke of controlled rage. Was she guilty and trying to cover it, or had she really cared about his grandfather? “He was like a father to me.”

“He wasn’t like a grandfather to me. He was my grandfather.” It was best to say it and put everything out in the open. He reached into his vest for the will. “See for yourself.”

Mary Lou took the will from his hand and unfolded the aged document. Her eyes skimmed the page. She folded it and gave it back.

“It says the land and the paper are mine.” He tucked the will away.

“I read it.” She turned to the sheriff. “Sheriff, you know Mr. Ivy wanted me to have the paper. You know how close we were. How he taught me about the newspaper business. Even if Jared Ivy is his grandson, does that mean he can come in and take away what was given to me?”

Sheriff Collins looked at Mary Lou and then at Jared. “She’s right. The old man loved her. He took her in years ago.”

“I’m glad to hear he had people in his life who loved him.” Jared patted his vest pocket. “But his wishes are plain. I found this will in my mother’s things after she died. Grump must have sent it to her when I was a boy.”

Sheriff Collins asked, “Did you come here just to make your claim to the paper?”

Jared shook his head. “I came here to see my grandfather. I didn’t know he’d passed.” To his surprise, Mary Lou validated his words.

“That’s true. He came in asking for Mr. Ivy.” It seemed she was a person of integrity. If she’d chosen to lie about that, there would be nothing he could do to prove her wrong.

“Don’t see why you brung the will then.” The sheriff seemed to be doubting his word.

“I brought everything I own with me. My intent is to settle in Pine Haven.” Jared glanced at Mary Lou. “I had hoped for the opportunity to spend time with Grump.”

Sheriff Collins grunted and looked at both of them. “Only thing I know to do is make you sell it and split the profit.”

“No!” Mary Lou stomped her foot as she said the word.

Jared agreed with her on this point. “The paper is not for sale.”

She persisted. “I’d never sell. Mr. Ivy worked too hard to build the Record to what it is today.”

He seized on her words. “And you said yourself, he built it for my family.”

She glared at him then. “And you didn’t want it!” The vehemence in her words was palpable.

“I didn’t know about it.”

She scoffed. “How could you not know? He wrote you every week. Page after page. He even included a copy of the paper hoping you’d use the schooling he paid for to help him make it better.”

“I’m going to do just that.” His words were as forceful as hers.

Grump had paid for his schooling? He didn’t have the heart to tell this angry woman and the sheriff that he hadn’t known about the letters. That his mother had confessed to burning them without telling him of their existence. Her deathbed confessions about so many things had driven him to return to Pine Haven and finally connect with the only relative he had left. Only now Grump was gone, too. Resentment of his mother’s secretive silence about his father’s family, and the revelation that she’d hidden them from him for the whole of his life, had instilled in him a deep mistrust of women. Mary Lou’s quick move to take ownership of the paper without contacting him echoed his mother’s furtive actions and reinforced that mistrust.

The sheriff twisted his brow in a frown. “Don’t know exactly what to do.” He rubbed the stubble on his chin with one hand. “I reckon the two of you will have to run the paper together until the judge comes to town. He’ll have to sort it out for you.”

“Run it together?” Mary Lou’s protest was incredulous.

“I have no intention of sharing my inheritance with a perfect stranger.” Jared wouldn’t give up the last claim he had to a family connection. He had no living relatives and wouldn’t let what was rightly his slip away from him to pacify a small-town sheriff or placate a woman who had entrenched herself in his grandfather’s life. Possibly for the sole purpose of gaining his fortune at his death.

“It’s not your inheritance.” Mary Lou took a step toward him. “It’s mine. You may be blood kin, but I was the only family Jacob Ivy had for the last eight years.”

The sheriff opened the door. “The two of you can argue all you want. I won’t dispossess either of you. The judge should be through town between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Learn to work together until then.” He stepped through the doorway. “Mr. Ivy, I’d recommend you stay in the rooms upstairs that your grandfather used. Mary Lou lives in the quarters attached to the back of the building.”

“He can’t stay here!” Mary Lou was indignant.

“Sheriff, you have the authority to evict her.” Jared made another attempt to settle the matter today.

“I do, but I won’t be the one to throw an orphaned girl into the street without the judge’s say-so.” He tipped his hat to Mary Lou. “Good day to you both.” And he was gone.

An orphan? Mary Lou was a grown woman. One who could take care of herself. It wasn’t his responsibility to provide her with a home. No self-respecting woman would allow a man to take care of her in such a fashion.

“Oooo, the nerve of that man! He is forever taking the easy road as sheriff.” She stood with her back straight and her fists clenched at her sides. The wrath of Mary Lou Ellison seemed to be a force to be reckoned with.

How would he endure one month with this fiery creature? Much less two?

He’d try a different approach. Perhaps he could reason with her. “Miss Ellison, I appreciate that you were close to Grump. I’m sure he loved you a great deal.”

“He did. And I can tell you he wouldn’t cotton to the way you’re trying to put me out on the street.” She turned on one heel and went back to the work she’d been doing when he’d arrived.

“I’m not trying to put you out on the street. I can give you a handsome sum so you can set yourself up in a nice room somewhere. Enough to get you through until you find work.”

“A few measly dollars so I’ll give you my paper? I am not interested, Mr. Ivy.” She fished through the tray in search of another letter. Nimble fingers slid it into place beside the others.

“It’s not measly. It will be more than a judge will give you when he comes to town and sees the paper is rightfully mine. He could even require you to pay me for the time you refuse to leave.”

“Pay you? I earn my way here. Don’t be surprised when the deed I bring to the judge has him sending you on your merry way. You and your will. A man’s actions speak to who he is. A fair judge will see you as a grandson who only wanted an inheritance. This entire region knows I’ve worked on this paper since I was a schoolgirl. My time under your grandfather’s tutelage will show how close we were.”

“You’ve been here since you were a girl?” Why would Grump take in a young girl?

“Mr. Ivy knew my uncle well. When he got sick, I didn’t know what would happen to me. Before he died, Mr. Ivy promised that he’d take care of me. I’ve been here ever since.”

Was she right? Surely a judge would consider blood kinship when deciding a man’s claim. His grandfather was dead. No other living soul shared his blood. Jared was the end of the Ivy line.

“I’m sorry for your loss.” He dipped his head to emphasize the sincerity of his words. He found it difficult to be alone in the world. It must be harder on a woman. Though he’d seen no sign of weakness in this one.

She nodded in response. “Thank you. Losing Mr. Ivy has been the hardest thing I’ve ever faced.”

His head shot up. “Losing Grump? What about your own kin?”

Mary Lou shook her head. “My own kin didn’t want me or love me. Not like Mr. Ivy did.”

“But you said he knew your uncle well.”

“He did. He knew well how little my uncle wanted me in the first place.” She fingered the letter she held in her hand and stared at it as if seeking an answer. “No one ever understood me or was kind to me like your grandfather. It’s a loss I’ll not soon forget.” She cleared her throat and slid the letter into place. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’ve got work to finish to get the paper ready to print.”

“I’ll need you to show me how to set up the paper.” He took off his coat and hung it on the coat tree near the door. He dropped his hat over the coat and pushed up his sleeves. The sound of tiny letters hitting the floor and scattering caused him to turn around.

“Look what you made me do.” Mary Lou went down on her hands and knees to gather the errant letters.

Jared bent to pick up the composing stick she’d been using to set the letters for the story she was working on. He turned it over in his hand and put it back on the table. “How long will it take to redo this?” He got down on his knees to help her.

“Maybe an hour.” She scooped up more letters and sat back on her heels. “Unless someone causes another delay.”

He put his hands up in a defensive posture. “I only volunteered to help. I’m sorry you dropped this, but I can’t think it was my doing.”

The air went out of her in a huff. “You’re right. I’m sorry for being rude.”

“An apology? I’ll admit you have surprised me, Miss Ellison.”

She reached for another stray letter. “No more than you surprised me, Mr. Ivy.”

How did she feel? What would it be like to have your business and home taken from you by a stranger? He was sorry for her, but at the same time it was his business. His home. It hadn’t been hers to take in the first place. He’d be civil with her, but he wouldn’t allow himself to be sympathetic to her plight to the point of giving up the only thing he had left of his family legacy. He must remind himself that, whatever her intention, she stole that from him. And he would get it back, no matter what.

Gunfire erupted in the street behind him. He took cover under the desk as Mary Lou scurried to her feet, reached for a pad and pencil, and headed for the door.

Chapter Two

Mary Lou let out a yelp when Jared reached from under the desk and caught her by the arm.

“You can’t go out there! It’s not safe!”

She jerked her elbow from his grasp. “It’s my job.” She left him, mouth agape, and went to the front window. She could see several people spilling out of the swinging doors at Winston’s Grand Saloon on the opposite side of Pine Street. Someone she didn’t recognize ran up the sidewalk in her direction. He had a pistol in one hand and a man lay prone in the street behind him.

“Lord, help me.” She didn’t realize she’d spoken out loud as she pulled the door open and stepped into the path of the fleeing gunman. The man tried to avoid her and ran headlong into a post on her porch. As he tripped and landed on his back, the gun he held flew across the ground and skidded into the middle of the dirt street.

“What are you doing?” Jared came out of the newspaper office behind her. “You could be hurt.”

Mary Lou skipped down the steps and kicked the gun away as the gunman rolled over to get up.

She barked at Jared. “If you don’t stay out of my way, you could get me killed.” She turned to see Sheriff Collins emerge from the crowd around the victim. “Glad you could join us, Sheriff.”

The man in the street made a last effort to get away, but the sheriff grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. “Whoa, there. Ain’t no need in making me have to work harder. It’ll just make me less pleasant when you’re sitting in my jail.”

Mary Lou held her pencil at the ready. “What’s your name? Do you know the man you shot?”

The man protested. “Let me go. I didn’t do anything.”

The sheriff grunted. “That’s what everyone who ends up in my jail says.”

Mary Lou took a step closer. “Why did you shoot him?”

The man twisted against the sheriff’s hold but was no match for the lawman’s strength. “I didn’t!” There was something in the tone of his declaration that made her think he could be telling the truth.

“Then why run away?”

“I didn’t want to get shot.”

Sheriff Collins held up one hand. “Let me get him to the jail, Mary Lou. I’ll even give you first crack at talking to him, seeing how you helped me out when you kicked away his gun.”

“Thanks, Sheriff.” She hurried in the direction of the crowd in front of the saloon. “I’ll be by as soon as I’ve talked to the witnesses.”

The sheriff’s voice bellowed behind her. “Let me do my job, Mary Lou.”

She ignored him. If she waited for him to get back from putting the shooter in jail, most of the crowd would have dispersed.

She stopped short. The man on his way to jail might not be the shooter. She’d assumed so because he’d run away from the scene so quickly. What if he was another intended victim? Mr. Ivy would scold her for such assumptions. He’d say it was a poor journalist who lost their objectivity.

She approached the owner of the general store. “Mr. Croft, did you see what happened?”

“No, ma’am.” The older man brushed his sleeves to remove the dust of the street. “I was just heading back to the store after getting my hair cut. Next thing I know, I’m lying in the street next to some fella who just got shot.” He frowned and looked at her. “It’s a sad day when a man can’t walk through the middle of town without such an incident.”

Mary Lou agreed with Mr. Croft, but she didn’t have time for his commiserations today. “Thank you, Mr. Croft.”

She pushed her way between the gawkers and tried to get a good look at the victim. He was a stranger. Most of the people who got into trouble at the saloon weren’t from around Pine Haven. They were usually passengers from the train stopping over for business or cowboys on their way farther west who stopped into town for a rest from their travels.

Doc Willis pushed through the other side of the gathering. “Back up, folks. Let me see if I can help the man.”

People pushed back just enough to let the doctor inside the tight circle of the curious. The man groaned and became combative when the doctor touched the bleeding wound on his leg.

A deep, rich voice spoke from beside her. “You’ll only make it worse if you don’t hold still.” Jared leaned in close, causing her to shift and regain her footing. Mary Lou bristled at his intrusion.

The victim grunted and the doctor pushed the man’s shoulder back against the dirt. “He’s right. All that straining isn’t doing you a bit of good.” The doctor reached into his bag and pulled out a strip of white bandaging cloth.

Mary Lou wouldn’t be pushed aside by Jared Ivy. As far as she was concerned, he was a newcomer who threatened her paper. “How bad is it, Doc?”

“He’ll live, but he’s gonna have a whopper of a limp for a while.”

Jared’s next words surprised her. “Did anyone see who shot him?”

Mary Lou jerked her head around to face him. “I was just about to ask that.” Jared’s eyes seemed to laugh at her when two men spoke up.

“I saw the whole thing.” This man was another stranger. His words were slurred with liquor. From experience, Mary Lou knew nothing he said would prove helpful.

Winston Ledford, the owner of the saloon, spoke next. “Who’s asking?” Mr. Ledford was known for being a shrewd businessman. Most of the town hadn’t wanted a saloon, but he’d built it anyway. And the success of his business was a trial to them all. The violence of fist fights and the occasional shootings were punctuation to the endless raucous laughter and noise that never ceased to escape the doors of his establishment.

“Jared Ivy. I’m the owner of the Pine Haven Record.”

Silence fell across the scene. Doc Willis looked up from tending his patient. “Mary Lou is the owner of the Record.”

Mary Lou broke into the conversation. “Did you see what happened, Mr. Ledford?”

He shook his head. “I was in my office when I heard the commotion. It appears to me that this man was shot in the street, not in my establishment.” He nodded to Mary Lou. “I see no reason for my presence here.” He turned and walked away. The doors of the saloon swooshed behind him as he disappeared into the dark interior.

She decided to go straight to the heart of the matter. Leaning in as the doctor sat the shooting victim up, she asked, “Sir, do you know the man who shot you?”

“I do.” His words were weak and he slumped against the doctor.

Jared interrupted again. “Who was it?”

The victim laughed. “I shot myself. My pa warned me that gun had a hair trigger. Went off in my lap when I reached to pull my winnings from the middle of the table.” He suddenly looked around the circle of bystanders, very concerned. “Hey! Who got my money?”

Mary Lou sighed and backed away from the group. She knew without looking behind her that the crowd was dispersing. One man’s careless actions had caused quite a stir. The gamblers who took his money had probably tossed him into the street. End of story.

Jared caught up to her as she stepped onto the porch in front of the paper. “Are you just walking away without finding out what happened?”

She stopped and turned on her heel. “There is no story. It was an accident.”

Jared spread his arms wide, palms up. “No story? What about the man sitting in the jail this minute? He probably has a story to tell.”

“He was a victim of the commotion. The sheriff will release him as soon as he knows the victim shot himself. The man said he didn’t do it before he was taken to jail.”

“I’m not so sure.” His eyes narrowed. “Not so sure at all.” He lifted a hand in parting. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

She went into the paper and dropped her notebook on the desk. Picking up the composing stick and beginning to reassemble the work she’d dropped onto the floor earlier, she wasn’t surprised when Jared didn’t follow her inside. He may be off on a fool’s errand, but she had a paper to print.

* * *

Jared turned the corner on Main Street and headed for the sheriff’s office. Why would a man run away from a shooting with his gun drawn if he didn’t have anything to do with it? Something didn’t sit right in Jared’s craw about this presumed-innocent stranger.

He opened the door of the sheriff’s office and stepped inside.

“What is it now, Ivy? Can’t you see I’m a busy man?” Sheriff Collins pulled the large key from the lock on the cell door at the back of his office. He hung the ring on a nail on the wall behind his desk. The man he’d hauled away from the scene minutes earlier declared his innocence from behind the bars.

“Hush up!” the sheriff warned the alleged criminal in the cell. He put the man’s gun in the top drawer of his desk, locked it, dropped that key into the pocket of his leather vest and patted it. “You’ve caused enough trouble here today. Sit down and be quiet.”

Jared watched the man who had appeared guilty after his attempt to leave the scene. What had really happened in the saloon? “Sheriff, the fellow with the bullet in his leg says he shot himself.”

The prisoner rattled the door of the cell. “I told you I didn’t shoot him!”

Sheriff Collins pinned the man with a stare. “I won’t tell you again to be quiet.” He asked Jared, “How did he say it happened?”

“Said his gun had a hair trigger and went off when he reached to pull the pot he’d won from the middle of the table. His only complaint is not knowing where his money went.”

The sheriff looked from Jared to the occupant of the cell. “How much money you got on you?”

“What?” The man was outraged. “First I’m a gunman, now I’m a thief?”

Jared studied the man. He didn’t yet know what to think about the events of the last hour. “Why did you run?”

The man almost snorted at him. “Ever been in a saloon when gunfire erupts? Everybody runs.”

The sheriff pulled his lips in under the heavy mustache he wore and leaned his head to one side before shaking it. “No. Everybody doesn’t.”

Jared noticed the clothes the man wore. He looked familiar. “Who are you?”

“I’ll ask the questions, Mr. Ivy.” The sheriff didn’t seem pleased to have someone horn in on his territory, but Jared’s innate curiosity had his mind full of questions.

The prisoner pointed through the bars at Jared. “He just told you that man shot himself. You got no reason to hold me here.”

“I’ll be the one decidin’ if there’s a reason to hold you.” The sheriff leaned against the side of his desk and folded his arms across his chest. “I’d like to know the same thing Mr. Ivy is asking. Who are you?”

“Name’s Elmer Finch. I’m a newsagent on the train.”

“That’s where I saw you.” Jared knew he’d seen that face recently.

“Well, I’ll just go around to the depot and speak to the station master then.” The sheriff straightened and headed for the door.

Elmer Finch spoke up. “The station master probably won’t know me. Today is my first day with the line. You’ll have to speak to someone on the train. I’d appreciate it if you’re quick about it. The train had a long stop so some repairs could be made. I’ve only got a half hour before I’m supposed to be back on the job.”

Sheriff Collins banged the door behind him as he left.

Jared walked to the cell. “What were you doing in the saloon?”

Mr. Finch didn’t meet his eye. A sure sign to Jared that he wasn’t being honest. “I was having supper.”

“Hmm...” It wouldn’t be productive to question someone who was lying. He decided to follow the sheriff and see what they could learn at the depot.

“You can mutter all you want. I’m telling you the truth.” Elmer Finch’s words rang out behind him as Jared closed the door to the sheriff’s office.

Something wasn’t right and Jared was determined to find out what it was.

After a trip to the depot and the doctor’s office, Jared headed back to the paper. It might be his first day in town, but he was already stirring with anticipation about putting his first story in the paper. He opened the door and stopped short as a young man hung a copy of the paper to dry. Mary Lou loaded the next sheet of paper for printing. Several copies hung along the outer edge of the office.

“Why did you start printing the paper before I got back?”

“We always print on Saturday when we can. I don’t like to work on the Lord’s Day or wait until Monday morning. It gives overnight for the papers to dry, and you never know when you might have a problem with the press. It’s best to get it printed as soon as the stories are complete.” She nodded to the young man. “Andrew Nobleson, this is Jared Ivy. He claims he owns the paper, and Sheriff Collins says I’ve got to put up with him until the judge comes through town again. Maybe a month or two.”

“How do you do, sir?” Andrew offered his hand and pulled it back at the last second when he realized how much ink was on it.

“Hello, Andrew.”

“Andrew is my apprentice. He helps with many of the odd jobs involved in putting out the paper.”

Jared looked at Mary Lou, carefully inking the press for another copy. “I told you I thought there was more to the story.”

She didn’t even look up; just put the ink roller down while Andrew loaded the next sheet of paper. He cranked it under the press and pulled the lever to print the page.

“Was there?” She looked doubtful as she helped Andrew remove the paper and grabbed the ink roller again.

“I’m not exactly sure.” He leaned against the desk. “Something about the man doesn’t fit.”

Mary Lou continued to work with Andrew. Jared watched them move with motions seemingly synchronized by the experience of having worked together for a long time.

“Then I’m glad I didn’t hold the press for you. I won’t print something that’s vague or unfounded.”

“It’s not unfounded. And I’ve got equal say about what gets printed.”

“Equal say? That’s not how I heard the sheriff.” She argued without missing a lick at the work she and Andrew did.

“He said we have to work together.”

“That’s fine. You can start where everyone else who ever worked here started. You can sweep up, and I’ll teach you how to clean the press when we’re finished printing. Next week you should be able to clean it on your own.”

“What?” How dare she speak to him like a subordinate? “I’m not a hired hand or apprentice. I’m the owner. And I won’t be ordered about by you or anyone else.” She had nerve. That much was clear. He’d have to hold a tight line with her or she’d find a way to send him packing before the judge ever came to town.

“I’m just telling you what Jacob Ivy would have told you.” She motioned for Andrew to move a stack of blank paper closer. “No one puts a word in a story of the Pine Haven Record until they’ve proved themselves. I’m quite certain he’d have made no exception for you.”

The thought of Grump making her sweep the floors and clean the press made him smile. “Is that how you started?”

“It is.” She lowered the paper into place and Andrew cranked to move it under the press.

The teenager nodded. “Me, too. I’ve only been allowed to work on the press since about a year ago when Mr. Ivy started slowing down and passing the work load to Miss Ellison.”

Jared wasn’t surprised at Grump’s methods. It made sense. “How long have you worked here, Andrew?”

“Two years, sir.” He pulled the lever and the press lowered again. The two of them were efficient.

“Andrew’s very smart, though. Don’t expect to move up as quickly as he did.” Mary Lou let a tiny grin show at her words.

“I’ll try to keep up.” Jared laughed. So she was sarcastic, too. He appreciated her refusal to back down from controversy. Under different circumstances—like him not being the cause of the controversy—Jared might be attracted to a woman like Mary Lou Ellison.

She pushed the thought out of his mind with a smirk. “See that you do.”

He sobered and stood his ground on the matter. “I want to learn every aspect of the business. But I won’t be pushed to the side like I’m not the owner.”

Mary Lou stopped her work. “What exactly do you want me to do?”

“Consider what I’ve learned about Elmer Finch.” He pushed off his resting place against the desk and paced the front of the office.

“Who is Elmer Finch?” She drummed her fingers on the edge of the press as if she itched to get back to work.

“He’s the man the sheriff arrested. The newsagent for the railroad. But why was he running away when you opened the door?”

She raised her eyebrows. “Perhaps to avoid being caught up in the gunfire?”

“But his gun was drawn. Most people run without stopping to draw their weapon. And if he was going to return fire, wouldn’t he have taken cover inside the saloon?”

“Wait.” She creased her brow. “He said he’s the newsagent? I’ve never seen him before. The newsagent is an older man, slight-framed, with a mustache.”

Jared shook his head. “He said it’s his first day with the railroad.”

The whistle sounded, signaling the departure of the train. “He convinced the sheriff to release him, so he wouldn’t miss the train.”

“Hmm...” She tapped her finger on the top of her lip just below her nose. Her mouth was a straight line as she thought. “If he’s the newsagent, he’ll be back. The same man has ridden this route since the train came to Pine Haven last year. I have no objection if you feel pressed to pursue an answer to your questions.” She inked the plate again and set the roller aside. “But I won’t be willing to print anything that isn’t verified.”

He reached for a newspaper and pulled it from where it hung to dry. The headline jumped off the page: Jacob Ivy’s Grandson Seeks Ownership of Record. He lowered the paper and looked at her. “I see you added the latest news. Dare I read the content of the article? Am I a villain in your story?”

“I hold myself to the same high standards I told you about. There is nothing in the story of bias or opinion. Merely a statement of facts.”

He moved behind the desk and gestured at the chair. “May I?”

“I’m not sure I have a choice in the matter.” She turned back to the press.

The article was just as she’d said. Clear. Concise. Without bias or conjecture.

It was a surprise after the way she’d resisted his arrival and insisted the paper was solely hers. He hoped she’d maintain that approach after the judge declared him to be the rightful owner.

He looked over the top of the paper at her. “You left out the part about me coming here after being a ranch hand for several years.”

She kept working without looking at him. “Humph. If you had come back to the office, instead of traipsing all over town, I’d have had time for a proper interview. I was only able to include the limited knowledge I have of you.”

He raised the paper to finish reading. She wasn’t one to be backed down. He could see that.

Watching her work today, and reading her story, gave him insight into why Grump had taken her on. Would it be lunacy to ask her to stay on once the paper was his? That depended on whether or not she’d only befriended his grandfather for the inheritance.

He hated to be so suspicious, but the lies his mother had told him all his life had left him skittish. Even when Momma hadn’t lied, she’d avoided the truth. And he hadn’t seen that truth until she’d confessed it all on her deathbed. He couldn’t settle what he’d learned against the long-held belief that she was an upright Christian. How could he have been so wrong about someone so close to him? He didn’t know if he’d ever trust his instincts again.

Suspicion was one trait he hoped would work to his advantage in the newspaper business.

* * *

Mary Lou studied Jared as he read the article. She didn’t let him see her, but she watched every expression and waited for a response. As hard as it had been to write, she felt the town deserved to know the truth. After the way he’d announced it in the middle of town a few hours earlier, she hadn’t seen another option. Best to get it out in the open to keep the gossipers at bay. The last thing she wanted was a man muddying up her life. Men had a way of intruding on her dreams and leaving her to pick up the pieces after they left.

Jared hadn’t said a word after he’d read the entire paper. Andrew hung the last one to dry and reached for a rag to start the cleaning process. Mary Lou shook her head. “I’ve got it tonight. You go on home.”

“Are you sure, Miss Ellison? I don’t mind staying. I need to work all I can. Feed and board for Midnight is costing me a pretty penny.” He looked eager to stay, but she didn’t know how Jared’s arrival would affect the finances of the paper. Best be conservative until they had a chance to talk it out.

“I think Mr. Warren may be looking to take on some more help at the hotel. Why don’t you stop by there on your way home?”

Andrew’s face lit up. “Thanks, Miss Ellison! I’ll go right away.” He snatched his hat from the coat tree by the door and was gone.

The banging of the door brought Jared from his reverie.

Mary Lou tossed him a rag. “Are you ready to learn to clean the press?”

He shook his head as if she’d dragged him back from far away. “Sure.” He hung his coat on the rack by the door and pushed up his sleeves. “Do you have extra sleeve garters?”

She pointed to a shelf. “You can wear Andrew’s.”

They set to work amiably enough. She’d been prepared for him to argue at every point and was surprised when he didn’t. He caught on to things quickly and didn’t shy away from the dirty tasks. She was pleased by how soon they finished.

“Well, Mr. Ivy, I must say I’m impressed. I’d have figured you to quit before we were half done.”

He pulled his coat on. “That’s not very fair of you, Miss Ellison. You don’t know me.”

She nodded. “I guess you’re right. The things your grandfather told me are from long ago. Change was inevitable.”

He agreed. “We’re all a result of many things. Who we are born to, but also the influences in our lives as we grow. I trust you’ll learn to approve of me. Even if you never like me.”

Mary Lou gasped. “Mr. Ivy, I never said I didn’t like you.”

“It was in your eyes, ma’am. A woman has a hard time hiding dislike.”

“You don’t seem to have taken a shine to me, either.”

“Let’s just say that for the time being we’re at the same place, but on different sides of the situation.”

“On that, we can agree.”

He took his hat from the coat tree. “As to being in the same place, I already paid for the room at the hotel for the night. I’ll move my things in tomorrow after services. If you’d be so kind as to show me where the rooms are.”

Mary Lou looked out the front window. The sun had set. If they stayed any later, she’d have to light the lamps. “It’s getting very late. I can show you after lunch tomorrow.”

He nodded as a grin crossed his face. “Don’t want the town to see me here after dark?”

“My reputation in this town was earned over years of guarding it. I’m not interested in marring it for your convenience when tomorrow will suit.”

“I see.” He put his hat on and opened the door.

She followed him onto the front porch. “Please don’t think me rude. I just don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea about our relationship.”

“You’ve no cause for concern. I assure you, the only thing we will ever have in common is the paper. And I expect that to end as soon as the judge arrives.” He tipped his hat. “Good evening.” He stepped onto the street and turned toward the center of town.

“Ahhh. Another point of agreement. I expect the judge to send you on your merry way.”

She heard his chuckle as he walked into the twilight.

Mary Lou went inside and closed the door. She lowered the shades and headed through to the back door. She was bone-weary. How had the beautiful day that promised a lovely story about the harvest celebration turned into a nightmare that might cost her everything?

Prayer and a restless night awaited her at home. It was a task she’d take on with zeal. Surely, God would not take away the life He’d only given her weeks ago.

Chapter Three

Mary Lou sang along for the closing hymn at Pine Haven Church on Sunday morning. The words of praise and the reminder that all her blessings flowed from God brought much-needed comfort. She’d struggled to concentrate during the service. Reverend Dismuke would not approve if he’d known how her mind had wandered while he spoke.

The tall man two rows ahead of her was a distraction she hadn’t counted on. His baritone voice carried to her. Perhaps, because he was a man of faith, she should be more kind while they were forced to work together.

The thought wasn’t in keeping with the faith she professed. Her kindness wasn’t meant to extend only to others of faith. She should count her blessings that he wasn’t an unscrupulous businessman who ranted about until he got his way.

The final prayer was said and she made her way out into the crisp October air. The preacher stood at the bottom of the church steps, greeting everyone as they left. She spoke to him just as Jared Ivy walked up behind her.

Jared’s voice came over the top of her head. “Would you introduce us, Miss Ellison?”

She took a step away from him. “Reverend Dismuke, this is Jared Ivy. He’s Jacob Ivy’s grandson.”

Jared gave a hearty handshake. “How do you do, Reverend? That was a fine talk you gave this morning. You’ll have me studying on the words until I can come again next Sunday.”

“It’s good to meet you, Mr. Ivy. I’m sorry for the loss of your grandfather. I know Jacob would be proud you’ve come back to Pine Haven.”

Mary Lou watched Jared as he spoke. “Did you know Grump well?”

Reverend Dismuke chuckled. “Well enough to know that’s the name you gave him as a boy. Said it was something about the way he talked.”

“Most times he barked more than he talked.” Jared’s eyes lit up at the memory. “I knew from the start it was just his way. He was a good man.”

Reverend Dismuke agreed. “Yes, he was. He told me you’d be back one day. Said I could count on it.”

Jared spoke to the minister but turned and smiled at Mary Lou. “The reasons I stayed away so long make for quite a story. Not one for the paper, but a story nonetheless.”

What was the story? As a newspaper woman she wanted all the details. Somehow, looking at Jared now, she didn’t think he’d be willing to share them with her.

* * *

Jared carried his saddlebags up the steps of the newspaper office. He looked again at the lettering on the door. How he wished he’d known to come earlier. Why had God let Grump die before he could get here?

He wanted more of the man than the vague memories he had as a young boy. The snatches of moments when Grump would laugh out loud, or even scold him, were all he had.

Opening the door he called out, “Are you here, Miss Ellison?”

She came through a doorway that led to a back room. “Yes.”

“I brought a few things, but Andrew will be bringing the rest in a while. My saddle and valise.”

“Oh, good. He must have gotten the job I told him about.” Her pleasure at the news lit her face.

“Andrew must be very important to you.” He set the saddlebags on the floor near the door and propped his rifle against the wall.

“He is. Reminds me of myself at that age.”

“How is that?”

Mary Lou shrugged her shoulders. “Young. Alone in the world. But he’s also determined to make something of himself.”

Jared sank into a chair near the door. “Is that how you ended up with Grump? Set out to make something of yourself?”

She shook her head. Brown tendrils fell loose from the pins and swung to brush her cheek. “When I came to stay here, all I had were the clothes on my back and my momma’s Bible.” There was a sadness in her words that belied her bravado. “The determination was a gift from your grandfather. He taught me to believe in myself.”

What had Jared missed in not knowing Grump like Mary Lou had? Grump had become the family she hadn’t had. Ironic, because he was Jared’s family, but Jared had been denied his association by a mother who’d let the pain of life harden her. Perhaps harden was too harsh a judgment. Maybe she wasn’t hard but numbed by the sorrow of so much loss in her own life.

“So where does Andrew live?”

“Jim Robbins lets him sleep in the loft of the livery in exchange for chores.”

Jared had worked hard much of his life and believed strength of character grew from honest labor. “Then he works here and now at the hotel. Is he able to do all that well?” He could almost see her bristle.

“Andrew doesn’t have much choice. He has to earn his own way. He’s as fine a young man as you’ll ever meet. I dare say, when you’ve had the chance to work alongside him, you’ll learn that soon enough.”

Jared gave a curt nod. “I’m sure I will.”

Mary Lou brushed her hands down the sides of her skirts. “All right then. Would you like to see the rooms? It’s possible it’s not as fancy as you’re accustomed to.” She walked toward the staircase in the back room.

He stood and picked up his belongings. “What makes you think I’m accustomed to fancy things?” His childhood had been spent in the comfort of his mother’s small home with her feminine touches on all the furnishings. But his adult years had passed in a bunkhouse with ranch hands. “Fancy” was not a word to describe that place.

She stopped and turned, gesturing to his vest pocket. “That watch, for one thing. And you may wear a ranch hand’s coat and boots, but you talk like a gentleman.”

“Ah, so you’re judging me by the way I look and speak? Didn’t Grump teach you better than that?” He almost laughed when she let out a tiny huff of air.

“Mr. Ivy taught me a lot of things. Most important among them was to observe details.”

“He should also have taught you that situations and people are not always as they present themselves.”

“That’s precisely what I’m saying. You, Jared Ivy, are a contradiction in every way.”

That did cause him to chuckle. “I will tell you the reason I speak as I do, but only because we have to work together. My mother became a schoolteacher when we moved back to her hometown after my father died. She required more of me than the other students. She insisted that her work would be judged by my upbringing. Her efforts were successful—except for my spelling. I never did master it like she wanted. I think the more she pushed me to conquer it, the less my mind absorbed.”

“I see. That’s understandable. But what about the watch?”

Jared gave a slight tilt of his head. “The watch is a personal matter.”

Mary Lou blinked and said, “Oh. Please forgive the intrusion.” She turned back to the stairs and led the way to Grump’s old rooms. Was she truly sorry or was her sarcastic bent peeking through her words?

At the top of the stairs a small landing stopped in front of a plain door. She opened it and stepped aside for him to enter first.

“Everything is just as Mr. Ivy left it. I’ve dusted and swept up, but I didn’t have the heart to move any of his belongings.” She sniffed and he caught a glimpse of her catching a tear before it fell from her lashes. “Leaving everything made me feel closer to him.”

“Thank you.” He set his things down near the door and wandered deeper into the space. A woodstove sat in one corner with a pipe leading through the ceiling. A large rocker stood on a rag rug by the window on the same wall.

Mary Lou cleared her throat. “He didn’t cook much, but there are basic utensils here.” She pointed to a shelf along the back wall over the cupboard. “The bedroom is through that door.” She indicated the far wall.

Jared tried to imagine Grump sitting in the rocker or leaning over a plate of beans at the small table with two chairs. Grump’s Bible sat on the same table with a lamp.

“We used to talk for hours about the Bible or the next big article we were going to print.” Mary Lou’s voice was soft and reverent. The look on her face as she stared at the table let him know her mind was visiting a dear memory.

“I hope you’ll share some of those stories with me in the course of time.” Emotion he hadn’t expected clogged his throat.

“Oh, most of those conversations wouldn’t interest anyone but me or Mr. Ivy.” She twisted her hands together.

“All the same, I came here to find Grump. I’ll have little to piece together except the memories of others.”

She looked up then and met his gaze. An open love for his grandfather shone in her eyes. “When you say it like that, I don’t see how I can refuse you.” She backed up. “I’ll leave you to settle in.”

“I guess I’ll see you in the morning.” He followed her to the door.

Standing on the landing, she paused. “I’ve got a stew simmering on the stove next door. I’ll be glad to bring you a bowl for your supper in a bit. It being a Sunday, I didn’t think you’d have much chance to prepare anything for yourself.”

“That’s very kind of you.” Her generosity was unexpected, given how she must despise the purpose for his presence. “What time do you open the office?”

“I’m always in early on Monday. Andrew comes to help distribute the papers.”

A rap on the door downstairs drew their attention. It must be Andrew with the rest of Jared’s belongings.

He stepped onto the landing with Mary Lou. It suddenly felt very small. Mary Lou Ellison was beautiful. Not in the traditional way a man defined beauty. Other women may have finer features but there was a strength in her that drew him. They stood so close he could see the black ring around the green of her eyes. He knew her skin would be as soft as a moonlit whisper. In other circumstances he might be tempted to give in to the emotional draw he felt for her.

She was close enough to touch. But the ownership of the paper stood between them like a gulf.

The door below opened and Andrew called, “Miss Ellison? Mr. Ivy?”

Jared took a step back and bumped into the door to his new residence.

Mary Lou blinked again and cleared her throat. She didn’t take her eyes from his as she answered, “We’re coming down now, Andrew. I was just showing Mr. Ivy his rooms.”

“After you.” Jared waited for her to descend several treads before he followed. He’d best keep a good distance between him and Mary Lou. He wouldn’t let his heart sway him away from his mission to honor Grump’s legacy by insuring the future of the Pine Haven Record. Not even for someone his grandfather had approved of to the point that she carried on for him in the void left by his death.

* * *

Monday morning dawned with the memory of life’s new challenges. Mary Lou checked her reflection in the mirror in her room before heading downstairs.

Jared Ivy’s presence had been awkward yesterday. She’d called up the stairs when she’d brought his stew and found the door to his rooms open. He’d asked her to leave the food on the tread at the bottom of the steps without coming to the doorway to acknowledge her. It had taken prayer and several deep breaths to keep her from taking the food back to her kitchen in the face of his perceived ingratitude.

“Well, if he thinks I’ll be cooking and cleaning for him, he’ll have to think again. I am my own woman now. A businesswoman. I don’t have the time or the inclination to tend to a man who is perfectly capable of tending to his own needs.” She pulled the bottom of her jacket down with more than the needed force and had to straighten it again before she left for work.

She entered the paper through the back entrance and found Jared Ivy at his grandfather’s desk. Her desk.

Lord, please let it still be my desk after the judge comes to town.

Jared looked up from something he was writing. “Good morning, Miss Ellison.”

“Mr. Ivy.” She heard the tightness in her voice and hated it. She needed to conduct herself as a business owner, not a woman who was out of sorts because a man had dared to enter her domain.

He nodded to the clean bowl on the corner of the desk. “That was a fine stew. Thank you.”

“I wasn’t sure you were going to eat it when I brought it last night.”

Jared continued writing for a moment then stopped. “Why wouldn’t I eat it?” He was distracted by whatever was on the page.

Mary Lou was accustomed to his grandfather ignoring her, or only half listening, but he’d been her boss. Jared wasn’t her boss. Or even her colleague. She had no intention of continuing a one-sided conversation. She began to pull down the papers from where they’d been hung to dry and stack them neatly. Andrew would arrive momentarily to help distribute them.

She jumped when Jared reached over her shoulder to take down the next paper. “What are you doing?” She put a hand to her chest and took a deep breath.

“Helping?” He added the paper to the stack behind them. “What’s got you so skittish?”

“I’m not skittish.” She moved to the opposite end of the room and began taking down the papers that hung there. “I didn’t know you’d finished whatever it was that had you so distracted.” She nodded her head in the direction of the desk. The notes he’d made were missing from the neat desktop.

He patted the pocket of his coat. “I was just writing down a list of things to check on today.” He gave a grin that reminded her of a cat who’d just eaten a brave mouse. Did he think she’d snoop behind him, so he’d taken away the evidence of his actions?

“You’ve no need to guard your notes from me, Jared Ivy. I can assure you that nothing you do outside the paper is of any interest to me.” She resisted the urge to huff out a breath as she slapped another paper on the growing stack.

Jared added his paper to the stack simultaneously, causing hers to flutter to the floor. He gave a small chortle. “You do tend to drop a lot of things, Miss Ellison. Your notes, men running by in the street, your composing stick when it’s full of type, and now the paper. Are you always so clumsy?” Was he laughing at her?

“I am not. I distinctly remember your involvement in every one of those scenarios.”

Now he did laugh. “I’ll concede that point on one condition.”

She retrieved the paper and added it to the others. Hands on hips, she asked, “What makes you think I’ll accept any conditions you have to offer?”

“I think this one will be in both our interests.”

“I’m listening.”

“I propose that you stop resisting my presence so fiercely. Perhaps that’s the reason for your mishaps.” He lowered his head and leaned toward her. “Because I’m not going anywhere.” Blue eyes sparkled beneath heavy lashes. Gorgeous eyes that could pull an unsuspecting lady into their depths. She knew the truth about men, though. They might be handsome and strong, but none ever stayed when it mattered. Even if they wanted to, death could take them.

His face was open, not hiding anything. Determination oozed from him. Determination that threatened her livelihood.

Mary Lou straightened to her full height and squared her shoulders. She surprised herself when she dared to lean closer to him. There was only room for breath between them. “Nor am I.”

Andrew opened the front door and stared at both of them as they jumped apart. Why did she feel guilty? She’d only been making her point to Jared. There was no reason to blush with embarrassment, but she felt the heat in her cheeks just the same.

“Good morning, Andrew.” Jared greeted the apprentice with a completely normal tone.

“Mr. Ivy.” Andrew looked at her then. “Miss Ellison. Are you okay?” He looked back at Jared. Mary Lou almost laughed at the idea that Andrew thought he might need to protect her from Jared Ivy when she was the one who had advanced on him.

“I’m fine, Andrew.”

The young man didn’t seem convinced. “Are you sure? I can stay here today instead of working my other jobs, if you need me to.” He never took his eyes off Jared, who’d turned to pull down more newspapers.

“Miss Ellison is under no threat from me, Andrew. You merely caught us drawing the battle lines for how we’ll be working together until the judge comes to Pine Haven.” He turned to Mary Lou. “And when I say ‘working together,’ I mean working in the same building. I’m not convinced we’ll be able to manage to accomplish anything together.”

So he felt it, too. There was a constant tension in the air between them. Try as they might, there was no removing the sense of an impending storm. The air was charged like a hot summer day with low, dark clouds rolling in on the horizon. Rumbles of thunder warned of the coming chaos. How would she survive two months in the same office with a man who wanted to take her business?

God, I need Your help. This man has me at my wits’ end. Two months on tenterhooks is more than I can manage on my own.

* * *

Jared put the last paper on the stack. He’d been watching Mary Lou’s reactions since she’d come into the office. Sure, she thought he was disinterested, but he wanted to see her true actions without his influence. Stepping up to him and daring him to take the Pine Haven Record from her showed spunk. No wonder Grump had liked her. Under different circumstances he’d like her, too.

Mary Lou was open. Honest. Spoke her mind.

His mother had shown none of those characteristics. How he hated that with her deathbed confessions she’d rubbed out all the memories he’d cherished. Times when she’d comforted him as a boy and told him she’d always protect him. Never once had she told him how Grump wanted to be in his life, too. She’d kept him away from his only connection to his father. He’d tried to forgive her before she died. Had promised her he had. But the bile in his throat over the lost opportunities evidenced his need to keep praying until the forgiveness he knew in his mind must be given, took root in his heart.

“If you’re sure, Miss Ellison?” At her nod, Andrew pulled a stack of newspapers from the table and headed for the door. “Then I’ll be back for the rest in an hour.” The wind caught the door and it slammed shut behind him.

Mary Lou put on her coat and picked up another, somewhat smaller, stack of papers. “There won’t be anything else to do until after lunch.” She headed for the door.

Jared grabbed his coat from the tree by the door and shrugged into it as he followed her into the brisk morning air. “Wait.”

She shook her head and said over her shoulder, “Don’t have time to wait.”

He trotted a couple of paces and caught up to her. “Where are you going with these?” He reached for the papers in her arms, but she pulled back. He put a hand on her arm, giving her no choice but to stop.

“Really, Mr. Ivy, I must insist you not hinder me in my work.”

“Our work.” At her sigh he added, “Until the judge decides, it is indeed our work.” He reached for the papers again. “At least allow me to be a gentleman and carry them for you. You can show me where you sell them. I need to learn as much as I can as quickly as possible.”

Mary Lou’s shoulders sagged just a bit and she handed over her bundle. “I guess it won’t hurt to let you meet the people who allow us to sell the newspaper in their establishments.” She took off at a brisk pace. “But you mustn’t slow me down.”

He chuckled and followed her. Yes, she was someone he’d like to know. If only they weren’t at odds over the only thing either of them wanted. The Pine Haven Record.

Chapter Four

Mary Lou drew on all her patience and pushed open the door to the general store. With Mr. Croft having been in the middle of the shooting scene on Saturday, Mrs. Liza Croft was bound to be inquisitive today. There was no way to explain Jared Ivy. Mary Lou would just have to make the best of the situation.

She relaxed when Mr. Croft greeted her. “Mary Lou, how are you today?”

“Well, Mr. Croft. Thank you for asking.”

Jared pulled off his hat and put it into the hand under the stack of papers he carried. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Croft. I’m Jared Ivy.”

The two shook hands. “I heard you’d come to town. Sorry about your grandfather. He’d have loved to see you again.”

Jared dropped his gaze to the floor for a quick moment before he responded. “Thank you. I’d have loved an opportunity to spend time with him, too.”

“So—” Mr. Croft scratched the crown of his balding head “—what’s in the paper this week?” He took a copy from the stack Jared held.

“There’s a fine piece about the—”

Mary Lou interrupted Jared’s attempt to answer. She wouldn’t be pushed aside as if she wasn’t the owner of the paper. “I’ve written about the contested ownership of my paper and about the harvest celebration.”

Liza Croft came through the doors that led to the stock room. “I hope you wrote about the lost business the shop owners suffer when the town closes down for a celebration like that.” Her tone was snooty, as usual. Mary Lou chose to ignore her, but Jared didn’t.

“I would imagine an event that drew everyone from the surrounding area into town would bring extra business to your store.” Mary Lou caught sight of the muscle in his jaw as it worked to contain a smile.

“You’ll never convince my wife that money is made when the hours of the store are shortened.” Mr. Croft stepped behind the counter.

Jared was apparently not a man to be put off easily. “But if more people patronize your establishment before the celebration starts, the volume of sales in a shorter time frame is bound to increase profits. Even if the store closes early.”

Mrs. Croft shifted from one foot to another and spoke to Mary Lou. “Well, I see your new business partner has a good head on his shoulders.” Mary Lou tried to ignore her ire when Mrs. Croft looked down her nose at her. “You could use someone like that at the paper. Things have gone a bit soft in recent years.”

“Mrs. Croft, I—”

This time Jared interrupted her. “I’m certain you didn’t mean to imply that my grandfather didn’t run a serious newspaper.”

“Of course not. But Mary Lou here doesn’t have the strong sense for real news that Mr. Ivy did.”

Mary Lou’s blood began to boil. How dare the woman speak to her like that?

“From what I’ve seen since I arrived in Pine Haven, Miss Ellison knows a good story when she sees it. She’s also very careful to only print the truth.”

Mr. Croft chuckled. “I’d say from what she wrote here—” he punched a line on the paper he’d placed on the counter “—she didn’t hold back on this story about you coming to town.”

Jared laughed along with the man’s joke. Mary Lou had been surprised when he’d jumped to her defense. And more than a bit pleased. She shook her head. He was only defending the paper’s reputation. She wouldn’t let him win her over with kind words meant to protect his own interests.

Not for the first time, she decided to ignore Mrs. Croft. “Mr. Croft, will you please put the money for the papers on my account? We’re in a bit of a hurry today. I’ve got to introduce Mr. Ivy to several people.”

“Sure thing.” Mr. Croft lifted a hand in dismissal. “Good to meet you, Mr. Ivy.”

When they were on the sidewalk outside the store again, Mary Lou headed for the hotel.

“Wait just a minute.” Jared stopped walking.

She turned. “What is it? Can’t we talk as we go? There’s a lot to do today.”

He shook his head. “I need to ask you something.”

“What?” Still smarting from Mrs. Croft’s accusations, she didn’t want to waste any more time on trivialities. She could ignore the insults and bite her tongue at the time, but the accusations always stung. She had to get to work on the next edition. She’d make certain there was something so newsworthy that not even Liza Croft could refute it.

“You asked Mr. Croft to credit your account with the proceeds from the sale of the papers.”

“Instead of paying me for all of the papers when I drop them off, he credits my account for the ones he sells. It’s an arrangement he prefers.” Why did he stop her for this? “It makes no difference in the end. The money comes by week’s end.”

He’d put his hat back on when they’d stepped outside, yet his blue eyes didn’t dim in the shade of the brim. “But all the money isn’t yours.”

“Oh. Is that what has your back up? You think I’m going to control the money and you won’t have any?”

“I’m not accusing you of anything.”

She pivoted on one foot to angle away from him a bit. “Really?”

“I’m saying that things have to change now. You can’t just carry on as if I’m not here.”

“Believe me, Mr. Ivy, this is nothing like the way my day would be going if you weren’t here.”

He didn’t flinch at her biting attitude. In fact, he lowered his tone and spoke with more deliberation. “You get my point.”

She sighed. “I do.” She turned back toward the general store, but he reached out a hand and caught her by the elbow.

“Don’t do it now. Mrs. Croft will never let it rest if she thinks I sent you back in to change things.”

He was right. The woman would never let go of a tidbit like that. Mary Lou nodded. “Okay. Let’s go to the hotel next. They pay in cash. We’ll accept it and divide the profits when we get back to the office, taking the amount that usually comes in from the general store into account.”

Jared smiled at her. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“What?” This man had her flummoxed. He’d defended her when he didn’t have to and protected her when she hadn’t considered the consequences of a quick reaction. Why would he do that?

“It wasn’t so difficult to discuss an aspect of the business and come to a mutual agreement.”

“Hmm...no. It wasn’t.”

“Do you think we can handle the other areas of the paper like that?”

So the motive for his actions came out. Much quicker than she’d expected.

“That’s why you defended my reputation to Mrs. Croft. And the reputation of the paper. And now you’re offering an olive branch, but with a goal of increasing your foothold in the business. You’re a slick one, Mr. Ivy.” She stood straight. “I’ll have my eye on you.”

* * *

Why did Mary Lou think he was trying to manipulate her? Had no one ever taken up for her? Surely, Grump wouldn’t let someone accuse his staff of shoddy work or speak ill of someone he cared for.

Jared took a few quick steps to catch her as she crossed the street and headed for the Pine Haven Hotel on the corner. “Slow down, Mary Lou.”

She stopped abruptly in front of him and spoke over her shoulder. “You’ll have to keep up, Mr. Ivy. The newspaper business doesn’t wait for anyone.” She set off again at the same pace.

He didn’t move. She’d accused him of manipulating her. He wouldn’t let that accusation stand. She would realize soon enough that he wasn’t following her. After all, he had the newspapers.

Mary Lou mounted the steps to the hotel entrance and reached for the door. He watched as she turned toward him and dropped her hand. She clasped both hands together and waited.

Jared approached at a measured gait.

“Join me for a moment?” He indicated the rockers on the porch in front of the hotel.

“We really don’t have time.” When she moved toward the door again, he dropped into one of the chairs and set it into motion.

“I have all the time in the world.” He knew time was important, but moving forward in agreement was more important. “We’ll waste more time in the long run if we don’t clear the air about some things now.”

Reluctance and resolve warred on her face until she sat on the edge of the chair beside him. “What?”

“I am not a manipulator.”

“No?”

“No. I am straightforward.” At her raised eyebrows he added, “And diplomatic.”

“Ah...diplomacy. So that is what you call it when you try to coerce me into doing things your way.”

“I didn’t try to coerce you. I merely pointed out that you would have to make some changes to accommodate our joint venture.”

“Joint venture? This venture, or whatever you choose to call it, isn’t joint.”

“We are in the midst of a circumstance beyond our control. We can do our best to make it work or argue and struggle until the judge comes to town. I am not a man given to conflict. I’d prefer to come to an arrangement that is beneficial to both of us. The time will be unbearable if we don’t.”

“Then why didn’t you just say that in the beginning.” He could see her resistance fading.

“I think I did.” He took a risk and said, “You may have overreacted.”

She hung her head. Every ounce of her was full of conviction and strength. He didn’t like that his words had caused that to ebb. Then, just as quickly, she raised her head and met his gaze. “I can see how you might think that. Let’s finish distributing the papers this morning. When we get back to the office, we can lay out some ground rules while we have our lunch. Then there will be no time lost.” She stood. “Shall we?”

He nodded. “After you.” With his free hand, he opened the hotel door for her to precede him.

She went to the registration desk. “Mr. Warren. How are you this morning?”

“Well, Miss Ellison. Very well, indeed.” The man caught sight of Jared behind Mary Lou. “And you, Mr. Ivy?”

“I’m fine, sir. Thank you.”

“Learning to work with our Miss Ellison, are you?” Mr. Warren spoke to him but he smiled at Mary Lou. Why had she suddenly become Mary Lou and not Miss Ellison in Jared’s mind? Was the stubborn way she defended her stance at every turn endearing her to him?

“We are sorting through the details as we go along.” He cut a glance at Mary Lou.

She reached for some of the newspapers he carried. “He’s learning the business.” She didn’t smirk but he thought she wanted to. She placed the papers on the corner of the desk. “I’d love to interview Jasmine about the wedding.”

Mr. Warren’s chest puffed out a bit. “Two weeks from Saturday I’ll have all my girls settled. Then me and Mrs. Beverly will be happy while we wait for some more grands. Maybe someone will want to take over the hotel for me in the future.”

Mary Lou smiled. “You haven’t even had time to spoil your newest grandson yet.” She looked at Jared. “Mr. Warren has three daughters. Two married and one betrothed.” She turned back to Mr. Warren. “I met Tuck after church last Sunday. Daisy and Tucker are so proud. And I think baby Rose is still a bit jealous.”

Mr. Warren laughed. “That little girl hasn’t slowed down since she learned to walk a few weeks ago. I think she thought the new babe would be a playmate, not someone who took her momma’s time and attention.”

If Jared was going to fit into the community of Pine Haven, he needed to build relationships with the people he was meeting. “Congratulations on your new family member, sir.”

“Thank you, Mr. Ivy.”

“Jared, please. I trust the Record posted a nice birth announcement on his arrival.”

He felt Mary Lou stiffen beside him. “We certainly did. Just like we do for all the new babies in Pine Haven. The Record plays a big role in celebrating the good things that happen in our town.”

A door opened from the side of the lobby and a woman dressed like a ranch hand came into the room. She was striking in her beauty and wore the clothes like she was made for them. In the years he’d worked on a ranch, Jared had never encountered a lady rancher.

She joined Mr. Warren behind the desk and kissed his cheek. “Hello, Papa.” She was tall and graceful. “Good morning, Mary Lou.”

“Jasmine, I’d like you to meet Jared Ivy. Mr. Ivy will be working with me at the paper for the next month or so.” He wanted to smile at the way Mary Lou had insinuated their time working together would end with his departure, without actually saying he would be leaving. Their time at the paper together would end. But he wouldn’t be the one going anywhere. “This is Jasmine Warren. She’s Mr. Warren’s daughter and will soon be married to Doc Willis.”

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, ma’am.” He dipped his head in deference to the lady.

Mary Lou continued. “Jasmine, I’d love to interview you for the paper. Your wedding is big news.”

Jasmine Warren smiled. “If you really think there’s something to write about, I’ll be glad to share with you. Maybe we could have lunch one day soon before the wedding.”

Jared answered for both of them. “We’d be most agreeable with that. You just name the day.”

Miss Warren’s face creased. “Will you be joining us, Mr. Ivy?”

“No, he won’t.” Mary Lou answered on top of his “Yes.”

Mary Lou tilted her head to one side and spoke to Miss Warren. “Mr. Ivy has brought a claim of ownership against me for the newspaper.”

Mr. Warren didn’t seem to like the sound of that. “Is that so?”

“Jacob Ivy was my grandfather. He left me the paper in his will.”

Mr. Warren’s expression widened as he took in the announcement. “I see.”

Miss Warren said, “Then I’ll be happy to meet you both on Wednesday at noon. Naomi will be serving her famous chicken and dumplings in the restaurant that day.” She lifted the papers Mary Lou had placed on the desk.

“Papa, have you seen my cameo? It was right here.” She began picking up the items on the desk one at a time and looking under them. She opened the drawer on her side of the desk.

“No. Are you sure you left it here?”

“Yes. I was showing it to Momma Beverly on Saturday afternoon. You must remember. It was just after lunch.”

“I haven’t seen it.” Mr. Warren opened another drawer on the desk.

A thought he didn’t like entered Jared’s mind. “Saturday afternoon?”

Mr. Warren stopped his search. “Yes. You were here that afternoon. Did you see it?”

“No, but if you’ll think about anyone who may have come through the lobby that afternoon, maybe you can remember someone who could have seen it.” Jared knew one person who’d been here that afternoon. Someone who was desperate for money.

“Well, you were here.” Mr. Warren began naming everyone he could think of, but his memory wasn’t as sharp as a younger man’s would be.

“What about anyone local who came in to do business with you? Or perhaps someone who ate in the restaurant?” Jared wanted to stir the man’s memory but he didn’t want to be the one to say Andrew’s name out loud. Mary Lou wouldn’t thank him for it. Her fondness for the youth had been made clear.

“There were the usual guests on Saturday. Evan was here.”

Miss Warren headed for the door. “I’ll go ask if he saw it. He may have picked it up for safekeeping if he did.”

Mary Lou explained. “Evan is Doc Willis.”

Jared gave a nod of acknowledgment. “Mr. Warren, was there anyone else? Someone who came but didn’t go into the restaurant.”

“Well, I hired Andrew that day as the new errand boy, but he was only here a few minutes.”

Mary Lou gave a slight gasp and spun to pin Jared with her gaze. “Are you suggesting that dear, sweet Andrew took Jasmine’s cameo?”

He held up a hand. “I’m saying that the only way to find it will be to remember who was here. If Andrew was here, he may have seen it.”

Mary Lou’s words were barely more than a whisper. “Andrew is not a thief.”

Mr. Warren cleared his throat. They both started. The hotel owner handed Mary Lou money for the newspapers. “If you two will excuse me, I’m going to help Jasmine search for the cameo. I bought it for her mother because it had a rose corsage on the shoulder of the lady’s dress. Her mother’s name was Rose.”

“I’m sure you’ll find it soon.” Mary Lou thanked him for the money and they left the hotel.

Jared couldn’t understand why she wasn’t more curious. “Mary Lou, if you’re as good at the newspaper business as you say you are, why aren’t you the least bit interested in what happened to a valuable family heirloom?” They turned at the center of town and headed back toward their office.

Their office. It sounded odd in his mind. It was his office. He must keep his focus on the ownership of the newspaper and all the responsibility that went along with that. If someone in town was stealing things, he was determined to get to the bottom of it. Solving a crime would show the people of Pine Haven that he was serious about the paper and about bettering the community.

“People misplace things all the time. Especially small things. I daresay Doc Willis picked it up, just as Jasmine suspected.”

He shook his head. “But you don’t know that. Aren’t you making a lot of assumptions?”

She opened the door to the office and went inside.

He followed her, waiting for an answer.

“I am not. It is not an assumption to refuse to believe that a trusted friend is a petty thief. It is an assumption to suspect someone you don’t know when you aren’t even sure there’s been a theft.”

“I’ve only been here a few days, but I’ve seen you rely on your opinion of situations more than once.”

“My opinions, as you call them, are based on years of experience in the newspaper business and a personal knowledge of the parties in question.”

Her shoulders stiffened. Even though she stood on the opposite side of his desk, the friction between them filled the room.

“You did not know the newsagent from the train, yet you dismissed him as innocent without interviewing him.”

“There was no crime there, either.”

“True, Elmer Finch didn’t shoot the man in the saloon, but he is harboring a secret. One I think needs to be investigated.”

“Really, Mr. Ivy, you do go on.” She picked up her pad and pencil from the desk. “If I were to run the paper by following your imaginations, we could become the biggest work of fiction in Texas before the judge arrives.”

His mother had ignored him. Even hidden truths from him. But she had never dismissed him out of hand.

Jared mustered all the strength of character he possessed to answer her charges. “Objectivity is the cornerstone of good journalism. I suggest that your years of association with the people in Pine Haven may have dulled your sense of neutrality. Once you become allied with anyone, you lose your ability to consider them in any light other than the one you’ve cast upon them.”

“Your grandfather trusted my instincts. I have yet to err in my assessments of the good people of Pine Haven. I stand confidently on that record.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “Then, as the Good Book says, take heed, lest ye fall.”

Chapter Five

Mary Lou looked out her front window on Tuesday morning. Her heart still stung from the rebuke Jared had laid at her feet on Monday.

She’d come across as arrogant. Confidence had united with stubborn defensiveness and she’d allowed them to rob her of her objectivity.

Lord, please help me not to be lifted up in myself. I know You give grace to the humble. And I feel like I’m going to need a lot of grace to get through working with Jared Ivy until the judge comes to town.

After checking her hair one last time in the mirror by the front door, she added another earnest plea to her prayer.

Please let me keep the paper. It’s all I have.

When she entered the back of the office, she found Jared at her desk.

“Good morning, Mr. Ivy.” She wasn’t surprised when he followed the pattern of his grandfather and ignored her. He filled another page with the words that flowed from his pen before she cleared her throat with deliberation.

The pen stilled and he looked up at her. “Oh, good morning.”

“You’ve taken great liberty with the use of my desk.”

“I consider it to be my desk, Mary Lou.”

“And that’s another thing. I am uncomfortable with your use of my given name. We are business partners, not friends of long standing.”

“So you admit that I am an equal partner in the newspaper?”

He was quick with a turn of phrase. “I do not. I point out that you have taken liberties without so much as a by-your-leave.”

Jared stood and offered her the chair he’d just vacated. “Please do have a seat and let us work out the details of these liberties.”

She twisted her hands together behind her back and said, “I’ll sit here,” as she lowered herself into the chair facing the desk.

The corners of his mouth tweaked for a brief moment but he turned the threatening smile into a neutral expression and sat. “Let’s talk of the office and desk first.” He put his palms flat on the desk. “I think we can share the desk. In the mornings, I like to make notes on what I’d like to accomplish during the day. If that works for you, fine. If not, I can come in earlier and use the desk before you arrive.”

“I use the desk to write articles for the paper. I have no idea from one day to the next what time I will need it.”

“What if I’m willing to relinquish my time to you in the event you need to write a story?”

He was being reasonable. Rational and reasonable. If she didn’t accept, he could tell the judge she’d refused to cooperate. If she did accept, she’d have to watch him work at the desk every morning. Watching the confident way he put pen to paper without pause reminded her of the elder Mr. Ivy. He always knew what he was about. Never did he stop and question his course.

She wished she could be that bold. The boldness she exuded was manufactured nightly in earnest prayer that she wouldn’t falter with each new day. Could she keep up the facade of successful business owner, ready to face the world on her own, in the presence of his natural confidence?

He must have taken her silence for disagreement. He offered another solution. “What if we decide to treat everything as belonging to the Record? The furnishings and everything. Then it won’t be as if either of us is using the other’s personal property. It will be both of us sharing the duties and responsibilities of the paper.”

“That seems reasonable.” She had taken ownership of all the contents of both buildings when Mr. Ivy died. Save her clothing, there really wasn’t anything here that belonged exclusively to her.

The front door swung open and a gust of October wind came in with Andrew.

Jared stood again. “Andrew, just the person I need to see.”

Andrew closed the door and cast a leery glance at Mary Lou before turning to Jared.

Jared came from behind the desk. “I need to buy a horse. Mary Lou tells me you reside at the livery.”

“Mr. Robbins always has a couple of horses for sale. He’s got two fine animals right now.”

Jared snagged his hat from the coat tree near the door and thanked Andrew.

Mary Lou asked, “Aren’t you going to work today? I intended to show you how to take last week’s plates and prepare for a new paper.”

“I’ve got some things to take care of first. You and Andrew go ahead without me.”

She put her hands on her hips. “You need to know all the aspects of publishing the newspaper.” He couldn’t just waltz in and out of the office—and the work—like he didn’t have any responsibility.

“I’m sure that can’t be the most difficult part to learn. I’ve got an idea I’m following up on. If I’m right, I’ll have a contribution of my own to add to the next edition.” He gave her a smile that she knew meant he expected her to grant him permission.

“I won’t do your work for you. And nothing will go into the paper without my approval. Perhaps you’d like to share this idea before you waste your time on something we won’t print.”

“Oh, we’ll print it. I’ll try to be back before supper.” He snagged his saddle from its place near the front door and left.

“Wonder what he’s working on.” Andrew shrugged out of his jacket.

“I don’t know.” Mary Lou pushed her sleeves up and reached for her garters to hold them safely away from the ink while she worked. “But if it’s anything like what I’ve heard since he got here, it will never see print.”

She and Andrew set to work removing the type from the articles that wouldn’t run again and sorting the letters into trays. The next edition would be easier to prepare if they kept the work area organized and clean.

The two of them worked the remainder of the morning, but Mary Lou’s mind was on Jared. Where was he? What idea was he pursuing? If he proved to be a better journalist than she was, would Mr. Ivy have wanted her to turn the paper over to him? The thoughts became a jumbled mess in her mind, but she pushed them away after lunch when she set off in search of the next article worthy of the front page.

If Jared was going to compete with her for ownership of the Pine Haven Record, he’d have to prove himself a strong challenger. She might need to pray for strength every night, but she set about her job with determination every day. If anything, Jared only made her more determined than ever to succeed.

* * *

Jared went straight from the newspaper office to the livery. He entered through the open doors and stopped as his eyes adjusted to the shadows of the interior. “Mr. Robbins? Are you here?”

A man in his forties came from one of the stalls. “That’d be me.” He wiped his hands on a rag and stuffed it into his hip pocket.

“I’m Jared—”

“Jared Ivy. Jacob’s grandson. You’re Ben and Agnes’s boy.”

He hadn’t thought about what it would be like to meet people who’d known his parents. Jared put out his hand. “I am. It’s good to meet you, Mr. Robbins.”

“I’d have known you anywhere. You’re the spitting image of your pa and your grandpa.”

Jared chuckled, mostly to clear the awkward feeling that filled his throat. He’d been so long without either man that he hadn’t known he looked like them. Only when Mary Lou had pointed it out had he realized it. The picture on the wall in the news office floated to the front of his memory. He’d missed so much. “So I’ve been told just recently.”

“I’m guessing Mary Lou Ellison was surprised when you showed up in town. That’s a fiery girl if ever I saw one. She’s been committed to the success of the Record since your grandpa took her in. Never seen a girl more focused. You’d think she’d want to get married like all the other young ones.”

Jared’s curiosity pushed to the front again. “Surely she had offers.”

“One or two, but no one could get her attention. She’s always off in search of the next story. Can’t tie a woman like that down. Not many men would be willing to try. They want a woman to be at the house taking care of the little ones while the man runs the business.”

Jared shook his head. “From what I’ve seen of Miss Ellison, she wouldn’t be content without a challenge.” He dare not push for more information on the woman he hoped to have removed from his business. If word of his snooping into her personality got back to her, he’d have more trouble than he wanted.

“Mr. Robbins, Andrew told me you keep a few horses for sale. I’m in need of a new mount.” He cast his eye around the livery and noticed two exceptional animals. “Something like this fellow would do nicely.” He stepped up to a stall and put a hand on the nose of a black stallion. “He’s a beaut.”

“That one’s not for sale.”

“Are you sure? I’ve brought cash. And I’ll need to board him here with you, too. I think we could come to a fair agreement.”

“That’s Midnight. You’re right. He’s a fine horse. But he belongs to Andrew.”

Surprise kicked off another line of questioning in his mind. “How can a boy like that afford such a horse?”

“He brought me a little money every week. Sometimes twice a week. He’s worked here doing a man’s chores for about three years now. Set his eye on Midnight the day I got him. Wouldn’t let me sell him to another soul.”

“It’s unusual for someone his age to be so determined.”

“Andrew’s no stranger to hard work. He’s so busy, you’ll see him coming and going all over town. Never know where he’ll pop up wanting to lend a hand and make a few coins.”

That agreed with everything Mary Lou had said about Andrew. But it didn’t sit right with Jared that the boy had been able to raise that kind of money by mucking out stalls and working as an apprentice.

Mr. Robbins pointed to the next stall. “This is Noel. She’s a bit headstrong, but a good horse. I daresay she’s only bested by Midnight in the livery.”

Jared took the horse for a brief ride. When he returned, he haggled with Mr. Robbins and made the deal for Noel, a chestnut mare with good lines.

He left the livery on Noel and turned toward the Circle W Ranch. The hotel owner had told him that Mr. Willis ran the largest ranch in the county. Jared wanted to meet the man and put forth some of his ideas for expanding the topics covered by the paper. He caught sight of Mary Lou as he passed the office and lifted a hand in greeting. Her expression let him know he’d be bombarded with questions from her as soon as he returned.

His meeting with Mr. Willis took longer than he anticipated, but the man confirmed his instincts about a new direction for the paper. More articles on changing cattle markets and any news in the business world that related to ranching could help the ranchers not only stay in business but make more profit in the long run.

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