Love Finds You in Last Chance, California by Miralee Ferrell Read Free Book Online

so many canyons. It would be like trying to find a mouse in a hay field. I sure hope God’s got a plan for helping me pay off the note on the ranch. It’s going to weigh heavy on me until it’s paid.”
    “I’m sure He does, Alexia. Your part will be trusting Him and keeping your eyes and heart open.”
    She nodded. “You’ll keep this to yourself, won’t you?”
    “Of course. But it might not hurt to let Sheriff Ramsey know. He could keep an ear to the ground, just in case.”
    She nodded and pushed to her feet. “Guess I should be going. I’m hoping to catch Elizabeth since it’s about time for the store to close.”
    Parson Moser rose and came around his desk. “I think that’s just what the doctor, or the parson, ordered,” he said with a chuckle. “Nothing like a little woman-talk to set your heart at ease.” He wrapped his arm gently across her shoulders, drawing her into a brief hug. “Don’t worry, my dear. The Lord will make a way out of this turmoil. Try to trust Him.”
    Alex returned the hug for a moment. “I’ll try.” She stepped back and gave him a wry smile. “But you’ve known me for most of my life, and you understand how hard it is for me to depend on anyone.”
    The parson’s response was cut short by a loud shout from somewhere outside. Alex jerked open the door without thinking. She bolted out of the office in time to see Ralph Peters, their huge blacksmith, racing across the small sanctuary and blasting through the front door, his massive legs devouring the distance.

    Justin heard a loud holler and footsteps pounding the dirt behind him.
    “Hey, you!” A man’s voice split the air of the hazy summer afternoon. “Hold up there.” The voice bellowed again.
    He swiveled his head around. A lumbering man who appeared to be twice his size launched himself into the air. What in the world? The impact of two hundred and fifty pounds of solid flesh slammed into his side, nailing him to the dusty ground.
    “Get off me, you oaf!” He struggled to move, but his arms were pinned.
    The giant glared, his brows drawn together over angry eyes just inches from Justin’s face. “You ain’t going nowhere, buddy. Lie still and you won’t get hurt.” He tightened his grip on Justin’s arms. “Pastor! You’d better get over here.” He called to the man hurrying across the front of the church.
    The arm beneath him started to tingle. Once again Justin attempted to shift his weight, but he couldn’t budge. “What’s the problem?” he asked angrily.
    “Save it till the sheriff arrives.” The gruff voice sounded inches from his ear. “Johnny, run and get the sheriff, would you, boy?”
    “Sure, Mr. Peters.” The high-pitched tone of an adolescent boy spoke out of range of Justin’s sight, and light feet scurried across the hard-packed ground and onto the boardwalk beyond.
    Justin desperately wanted to holler at his captor, but he doubted that would improve his standing. “Ease up, all right? You’re about to break my arm.”
    The pressure lessened and Justin took a deep breath. The sheriff’ll sort this out.
    A door slammed, and again footsteps thudded across the wooden boardwalk. Justin gingerly turned his head. A pair of well-worn boots underneath black canvas pants strode through the dust two feet from his face.
    “What’s going on here, Pastor?” The gruff voice of the stranger reached Justin’s ear.
    Another voice answered. “I don’t know, Sheriff. I was escorting Miss Travers out of the church when Ralph shouted something about the church being robbed. I got here in time to see this man lying on the ground with Ralph sitting on top of him.”
    Justin’s thoughts ran wild. Rob the church? He’d done no such thing! He wriggled to free himself when he spied black-laced shoes peeking out from under the hem of a dark blue skirt. He turned his head with an effort. His eyes traveled up the fabric and fastened on the flushed face of a young woman staring down at him.