His Texas Wildflower by Stella Bagwell Read Free Book Online Page B

commitment was two weeks?
    â€œThat’s not enough, Arlene. Not by a long shot.”
    Her retort must have shocked the woman because the line went silent. It stayed that way for so long that Rebecca actually pulled the phone away from her ear to see if the instrument was still receiving a tower signal.
    â€œWhat’s come over you, Rebecca?” the woman finally retorted. “I realize you must be grieving, but from what I understand this death was a distant relative. Surelyyou can put it behind you and get yourself focused on business again.”
    She was nearing the turnoff to Gertrude’s house and the road that eventually led to Apache Wells. Jake and the Cantrells had shown her more compassion in one afternoon than this woman had shown her in the six years she’d been working for Bordeaux’s. What did that say for the people she’d surrounded herself with?
    â€œTaking this time off is important to me, Arlene. If you feel you need to replace me permanently, I’ll understand. Just mail my final paycheck to my apartment.”
    Another long silence followed Rebecca’s statement and then Arlene said in a mollified tone, “Now wait a minute, Rebecca. Let’s not get so hasty about things. You’re a great asset to Bordeaux’s and I don’t want to lose you.” She paused and released a long sigh of surrender. “All right. Take as long as you need. Your job will be waiting when you do get back to Houston.”
    Arlene’s concession should have inspired Rebecca, filled her with joy to know that she was that good, that appreciated at her job. Yet she felt nothing but relief that her conversation with the woman was over.
    â€œThank you, Arlene. I’ll be in touch soon.”
    Ten minutes later, she parked her vehicle behind a Ford pickup truck that sat beneath an expanse of sagging roof connected to the left side of the house.
    Rebecca recalled a truck being listed in Gertrude’s will and she assumed the old red F-150 had belonged to her aunt. In this isolated place a person had to have transportation of some sort. She wondered if the vehicle was still in running condition and made a mental note to check the thing out after she’d put away the perishable groceries. Keeping a rental car for an extended lengthof time would run into a huge expense. The truck would solve that problem.
    At the back of the car, she opened the trunk and started to lift a sack of groceries when she suddenly heard a low whine and felt a nudge against the back of her leg.
    Turning, she saw the dog had spotted her arrival and come to greet her. His mouth was open and he appeared to be grinning as though he couldn’t be happier to see her.
    For a moment, Rebecca forgot the grocery bag and squatted on her heels to wrap her arms around her furry brown friend.
    â€œWell, here you are again, big guy,” she said to him, then stroked a hand down his back. Beneath his long, thick hair she could feel his backbone and realized the animal had obviously not been getting enough to eat since Gertrude had died. “I’ll bet you’re hungry, aren’t you? I’ll bet you’d like a big bowl of juicy dog food.”
    As if on cue, the dog let out a long, loud whine. Rebecca smiled and patted his head. “All right. Come along and I’ll see what I can do,” she told him.
    With plastic bags dangling from both hands, she urged the canine to follow her onto the porch. Once she opened the door, she pushed it wide and invited him in.
    â€œJust for a while,” she warned him as he shot past her, his tail wagging furiously.
    During her visit yesterday morning before the funeral, she’d discovered several dozen cans of dog and cat food stacked in a small pantry. She emptied two of the cans into a plastic bowl and set it on the floor.
    While the dog gobbled it hungrily, she stored whatperishable food she’d purchased in the refrigerator and found places