Double D Secrets Are About To Be Revealed

 Josh felt the papers he had hidden in his jacket pocket. Oh how he wished he hadn't decided to check on the water pump and well before he went to town. He had his life all planned, but now everything was a mess. There were so many things he wished for today. "I need a wishing well that made all my wishes come true or at least  a crystal ball that would tell me what not to wish for and what wishes were bad for me or good for me. I think I should have paid more attention to Allie at the Christmas lunch at the cafe when Justin walked in. She looked like she'd seen a ghost. I wish I had spent more time with my grandfather. That old man is full of secrets that are just about to destroy my life. I also wish that I could find Justin's mother, Lill. She is another one that didn't share her secret, but  now I have to tell Justin what his mother did. Oh how I wish I had known. My life might have been completely different. I wish I didn't have to do this, but I do. I can't even remember what I wished for the last time I blew out my birthday candles. If wishes were pennies I'd be a rich man. I wish I.. quit it man. Just meet with Justin and get it over with."

 Josh thought about the Ouija board he and Justin used to play trying to tell their fortune. He even had a sad smile when he thought of the fortune teller they went to once at a fair when they were teenagers. She told them all their wishes would come true; just follow their hearts. "Ha! That's a laugh. Follow my heart. If I followed my heart I would stay on the ranch with Allie and run my business from there. I probably would try to convince her to re-open the mine which would make her unhappy. No. I need to move on." he watched the wild turkeys as they searched for kernels of wheat, oats, or corn that had been unknowingly dropped from bags of feed and thought, "They don't have but one worry and that's Thanksgiving."

Josh drove out of the Double D Ranch thinking that today would probably be the last day that he would get to see Allie. The will had stipulated that he and Allie spend one year on the ranch or it would be given to the next in line, but he couldn't live there. He had his own life to live and Allie needed to be sole owner of that ranch. He and Justin needed a good lawyer; one that could break the will and make all of Allie's wishes come true.

Allie told Grace to go ahead and follow and watch some of the ranch hands that she had introduced her to. She told her that she had hired a farrier to check a couple of horses that the hands told her needed new shoes. She said that she was going to check on Shadow then run into town and order some supplies and perhaps go visit Pat to see if she would like a full part time job at the ranch. She needed someone she could depend on, but not full time hours until their reservations picked up. She also was going to put an ad in the paper for some of the stray animals that were on the ranch. The goats and the alpaca were fun and cute, but she wanted her ranch to be solely for horses. She was sure there were some farmers that would like to take them. Then she also wanted to go to the Humane Society outside of town to see if they would take all the cats and dogs that had been dumped on the ranch. She had a busy day ahead of her. She told Grace that she would be back in a couple of hours. There was food to eat at the bunkhouse and she would be back as soon as she could. As she drove down the driveway she looked over to see where Shadow was, but didn't see him.

Allie parked her car by the feed store and as she was getting out she looked down the street and saw Josh standing on the sidewalk talking to another man. "Hmm, wonder what he's up to today? Having to live on the ranch with me for a year didn't sit well with him. He just shook his head and said, "No. I won't do it." and walked out. Well, he has to because he has no choice in the matter. If he doesn't I will lose the ranch and I'm not about to lose it. I think I should probably go see a lawyer and see what he thinks. Hopefully there's an honest one here in town. I'll have to ask around."

                                                               

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 She had told Shadow what she needed to do and where she was going. She also told him that she was scared and tired from traveling so far not long ago herself because of being dumped in a ditch. Shadow had told her that she was stronger than she thought she was; all she had to do was believe in herself. "Okay, Shadow I'm at the edge of a creek. It's not very wide, but it looks like an ocean to me. I don't think I can do it after all. There's nothing worse than water on my fur. It makes me feel like I'm drowning. I'll go back to Aunt Tillie's house and tell her she needs to get a better team leader. I'll do something else to help her."

She could hear the frogs croaking and the crickets make their night time noises. It seemed like she could hear something else, but she was so afraid she couldn't think or turn her head to look. She was afraid to even turn around. What was she going to do? She felt the water lap up on the rocks towards her paws then a familiar voice said, "You can do it." Carrie Belle looked up and said, "Oh, Shadow, what are you doing? You should be at the ranch getting well." Shadow whinnied and said, "Jump up on my back. I'll take you across the water. I lived at the Double D for a long time, I have a feeling I know who is behind this, but you are too little to be a lookout. You need to be up higher. Now jump!"

Carrie was so afraid. Shadow was so big, but she could see him walk into the water. Soon he was almost the same height as she was. She closed her eyes and jumped! She made it! "Oh thank you for helping me. I should have asked for help in the first place. You are the best friend ever. Where are we going now? Will the others be able to find us? Aunt Tillie had a plan. Don't we need a plan? Shadow! Where are we going?"