Story Grace, Mercy and Blessings

Thanks Pac. The "terrible trio" comment made me smile.

Thank you, worth the wait

Thank You, Pac!

Thanks so much!

I greatly appreciate your humor, the mysteries and the day to day musings of the Linderman clan.

#604

"Toby, howya doin old buddy, old pal? I have a deal for you that is going to get me out of a tight spot." Gary glad handed Toby, hoping to catch his brother off guard and go with the scheme Gary had cooked up.

"No, whatever it is NO." Toby was in no mood for Gary and his shennigans.

"But you haven't even heard what I was going to suggest" Gary acted like he had hurt feelings.

"Don't pull that crap on me, your hide is so thick, a hurt feeling couldn't find a spot to grow."

"But I'm trying really hard to change," Gary protested. "I'm turning over a new leaf and subscribing to lessons to help me be more sweet and gentle."

Toby made a rude noise. "You're shoveling the poop a little too fast. Now back up and be Gary and stop all the nonsense."

"I want you to take Breezy in as a renter and let her use half of your office for the time I will be away for Marshal training. I need to arrange protection for her, and as long as Art is there, I'm looking for a toofer."

"The answer is still no. I haven't even buried my wife yet, can you imagine the censure I'd get for moving in another woman? No thank you, hire your own security."

"I can't, I'm broke." Gary hated to admit the truth, even to Toby.

"No deal, no way, no how. Go talk to Milo, I've got enough problems, without adding more." Toby hung up before Gary could think of another compelling reason to involve him in one of his hair-brained schemes.

Milo wasn't any nicer and said almost the same thing, word for word.

"What did he do, call you before I could get your number punched in?' Gary griped at Milo.

"Nobody called me what are ya blabbering about." Milo was short tempered. He was still inundated with paperwork, and nothing was going right. He had twenty applications and five slots to fill. All of the Marshal's involved were good shots and deserved to be in the first class. Milo felt he didn't have time to take on any of Garys problems. Gary was a grown up, he had his boxers in a twist and he could just figure out how to get them untwisted, all by himself.

"Gary, you should know by now that Dad detests single ladies around in the compound. That's just pulling the lion's tail, it sure would be better if you made other arrangements." Milo laid out the facts.

"I tried," Gary said glumly, "Toby wasn't interested."

Milo roared something very uncomplimentary about Gary's last shrinking brain cell, and then he hung up.

There wasn't time to figure out another solution, Breezy was coming out of the law library door, dragging another young woman with a large brief case.

"Gary, this is Catherine. She's going to be my new law clerk. We are going back into the library to do more research. We will be several hours. If you have something to do, go ahead." Breezy had already turned around and was headed back inside.

Gary was ready to protest, and then his phone rang.

Gary's soon to be boss Woody was on the line, he had need of Gary's help, and proposed to delay his training by a couple of weeks

PacNorWest said:

Gary's soon to be boss Woody was on the line, he had need of Gary's help, and proposed to delay his training by a couple of weeks

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Saved by the bell!

Thanks, Pac.

Thank you, boy I hope all this will take is a couple of weeks to get rid of the bad guys.

#605

Gary was almost speechless, almost. "Really, what is it you need me to do?" he finally questioned.

"I need you to oversee the construction of the underground shooting range. I'm sending the specs down by courier, they should be there this afternoon or tomorrow morning. I need you to work with Milo as to the best design, and adapt it to the ground. I want the range to be entirely on the property we are buying from Mark. I have a team of surveyors that will be there tomorrow morning. The situation has changed here, I can no longer guarantee a like for like value exchange, I need to talk to your Dad right away, but I can't get ahold of him, he's not answering." Woody sounded very frustrated; but for once Gary decided to keep his mouth shut and let Mark explain as he would.

"I'm not home ,"Gary explained to Woody, "I don't know what's happening."

"Are you still acting as security for the lawyer?"

"Yes, how did you know?" Gary had a puzzled frown on his face and in his voice.

Woody choose to ignore the complaint, instead saying in a low voice, almost as to himself; "that's probably the best thing you could do at the moment."

"I don't do cryptic," Gary snapped back, "just as I'm no mind reader either."

"I'm sending work orders and vouchers, please work on the range as soon as possible, it looks like we need it yesterday."

Gary could hear several phones starting to ring and Woody said a dark word, and barked "later" into his call with Gary.

Gary sat on the bench in front of the library, pondering the mysteries of life. Such as, why in the world would Tess want to get interested in a guy that was so busy. Gary was thinking Woody probably didn't have ten hours a week to himself. The amount of stress was astronomical, and the pay was most likely not commiserate to the job. How would such a guy have time for a wife and family, he concluded it was a bigger mystery than he could solve.


Inside the library, Breezy and Catherine dove into piles of cases pertaining to the defense of the crazy lady Breezy was representing,. It didn't look good for the woman. It seemed it was either jail or a mental hospital for the same length of the sentence.

Breezy was having a major moral complication. Personally, she thought the woman did belong in jail, but she needed to make sure her defense was fair and legal.

Breezy was interrupted bt the discreet buzzing of her phone. It was her uncle of sorts, asking for a meeting, he needed legal advise. Breezy let it go to voice mail, phones were all but prohibited in the library, and she didn't want to risk being banned. The librarians were strict.



Mark and Clora conferred with the agent and her broker, making sure they were legally correct in the pursuit of the house and acreage. Mark wrote a check for the asking price; the first time in their married life they didn't haggle to lower a price.

Both Clora and Tess seemed happy with the choice, if their smiling faces were any indication. "Can we force a fifteen day vacate the premises clause?"Mark wanted to know. "I want to get the house painted before we move in."

"We can make that a condition of the accepting the full asking amount," the broker was looking toward the front of the office where the receptionist was waving her hands and hurrying toward the agents cubicle with a paper in her hand.

The broker briskly grabbed the papers from the agent and started dialing. "Stall her, don't let her speak until I'm done with my call." he ordered.

The broker called the owner at his new job and gave him the details of the Linderman offer. "It has to be done now. If you accept, I will forward an agreement for an electronic signature." He also stressed a 15 day property vacate.

The owner was pleased beyond words. He agreed, verbally committed as the agent was busy typing in the numbers. He was also very much aware that his wife would never make the deadline, and that was fine with him. They had way too many bunches of pure 'stuff'. The new house he had selected was not going to be cluttered by 'decorations' as the old one was. It was a disgusting waste of money to change decor with every season. His dear wife was in for a shock.

The broker checked over the offer, signed and sent the agent to the computer to email the offer. They waited less than ten minutes, and the offer came back, signed, sealed and delivered. Everyone in the cubicle gave a big sigh of relief.

The broker opened the door to the now somewhat huffy receptionist. "Sorry Anita, we were concluding a sale that needed to be done right away."

"That's what I tried to tell you," the woman huffed, but not too hard. He was her boss, afterall. "There was an offer for more money on the same property."

"Ok, we'll hold it as a second offer until the check clears," and he took the paper with the message and looked at it. He acted. surprised. "She's offering thirty thousand more than the full price; it's a good thing we got your offer in when we did." The broker offered to shake hands with them all, a slight smile on his lips when he looked at Mark.

The Linderman's left the office in a happy mood.

Thank you Pac.

Thanks, Pac!

Mark squeaked that deal in just in time!

Pac, thank you.

#606

As they were getting in the van, Mark liiked back at the real estate office and drolly said, "the broker really cut us a deal by pushing our offer through. The second offer must have been from that crazy lady, she probably busted her butt to get out of jail."

"Mark, let's go home. I appreciate your offer of lunch out, but I think we need to be at home." Clora rubbed her temple, and turned troubled eyes toward Mark.

Mark nodded, when Clora said feelings without saying why, they needed to be at home. Who would know what sort of thoughts and ideas were crowding her mind.
Mark had well learned not to discount Clora when she gave an edict, so home they went.

As they were driving in the retreat yard, Clora was leaning forward in the passenger's seat, intently scanning the area. "Something doesn't feel right, there's been a disturbance of some sort."

Nothing seemed amiss in the house, Tilly had been working up tomatoes, and Clora could smell a pot of homemade tomato soup ready to eat.

"Did someone come?" Clora could feel the unease and troubled anxiety still lingering in the air.

"Yes, a gentleman looking for Mizz Breezy. "I told him no such person lived here. Mizz Clora, I didn't like him or his attitude. Something awful sneaky and evil feeling surrounding him,"

"Thank you Tilly, you did the right thing, Do you remember any thing about the guy that we might know about, in case he comes back?" Clora was gently probing, but insisting that Tilly give an account of the man and his appearance.

Mark was watching Clora and then Tilly as they went through the dance. Clora must have a reason for needling Tilly. The woman was pulling a dumb act, acting confused and ditzy, just saying the man was tall and white haired.

Clora then changed her tactics. "Big must have been in here, I know Tilly that he wouldn't have let anyone in the house without him being here. I'm sending Mark out to talk to him."

Tilly nodded, but still refused to give a better description, saying that she had been busy canning, and had not paid good attention.

The look that flashed between Clora and Mark, let him know to get out there and find Big, and have a chat.




Don drove around the mountains, resting and healing further in the green treed silence, punctuated by waterfalls, streams and the blessed absence of people. He fished, hunted mushrooms, set box traps for small game and lived and fed himself by his wits and knowledge.

He made a game of avoiding the man tracking him, fully expecting the man to be a game warden, ready to arrest a unlicensed visitor. It was fun for several days, until Don got up one morning and drove away. He had work to do at home, that girl to take to school and a test to take. He felt better equipped to meet the challenges ahead of him.

Thank you Pac, makes me go umm about Tilly

It's going to be interesting when Mark sees Big.

Thanks, Pac.

Thanks, Pac!

Thank You, Pac!

#607

Don was warmly welcomed by the old couple with the Motel. The girl was off visiting her brother and his family. but due back in a couple of days. They had no phones, couldn'at fford them. The old couple were barely scraping by, and Don found himself fixing and repairing items that needed repair.

Objects needed to be fixed, there was no money to uuy replacements. Don's crowning glory happened when he fixed the wiring to the well. Since he had been there the first time, the wiring had shorted out, stopping the water from running.

The old couple had been hauling water from the creek and boiling it, to provide water for the motel and household use. The old man with his failing eyesight was especially grateful. He had his pride, and it had been sorely tested by not being able to provide for his family.

Don was a God send, and when he shot a nice fat buck sill in the velvet, the old woman hugged his neck with tears in her eyes. "Thankee son. We've been out of meat for several weeks. It feels really good to have meat to can and have some fresh. How can we ever thank ya enough."

Don was embarrassed by her copious praise. He was just doing what anybody would do to help people in need. He mentioned that, and the old woman stoutly disagreed.

"We do the old ways here," she explained softly. "Neighbor helps neighbor, kin helps kin. That ain't always so in other places. You must have some powerful good folks to have raised you right."

That evening after supper, the three of them sat out on the porch and Don told them the Linderman saga.

"I just knowed it," the old woman cackled. "You done been raised right. How come some sweet young thing hasn't taken a shine to you?"

"She did, and was killed in a shooting. I'm still gettin over it. Happened about a year ago." That's all Don could say without a long drawn out explanation, and he didn't want to go there.

They sat on the porch talking until the lightening bugs danced in the yard, The mosquitos gere getting too friendly, and Don was tired.

"The girl, she'll be here tomorrow afternoon. You taking her down to the city is a blessing. We didn't have the money to take her to the school, me and Ma here, we was prayin for God to send us someone. Thankee so much."

It was quite a speech for the old man, and Don nodded, "I'm pleased to help," he responded. He watched as the old woman patted the old man's arm, a simple, silent encouragement to show their solidarity.

To Don, it was so reminiscent of Ma and Dad, he smiled in the darkness.



Toby leaned on several people that owed him favors. Slowly he was accumulating a wealth of knowledge about Cameron Cooper. The man as vile as Toby suspected him to be.

Suave and debonair as he was, Cooper was a man of fastidious habits. One habit was the tea house. He regularly visited twice a day if at all possible. Promptly ay 10:30 in the morning and 4:30 in the afternoon. In the morning he took tea with an orange scone; and in the afternoon, it was three assorted tea biscuits. It never varied.

Cooper was waiting to be contacted by a man that promised he knew the best way to kidnap the children Cooper sought. It was extremely distasteful to have to deal with the guttersnipe; but the man had come highly reccommended for that sort of work.

However, the man was overdue by a week, and Cooper figured to have a word or two concerning promptness and availability. Cooper reflected for a moment, as he waited for his tea to cool.

How had the man known that Rennie would be home and the secure house with it alarm, disabled. It was of no consequence now, the deed was done, but it was curious.

It was the end of the agreed upon week, that a rather unsavory looking ruffian dropped into the chair opposite Cameron.

"I'm here," he announced unnecessarily.

"Yes, I can see that you are," Cooper had trouble holding in his distain, Gads, the man smelled and had a mouthful of rotten looking teeth.

Cameron Cooper shivered delicately, hoping the man didn't notice.

But Orrie had noticed, and to his way of thinking, the cost just went up by a couple of thousand.

Orrie fancied himself equal to Cooper. Just because he made his living as a 'closer' did not mean he didn't enjoy the finer appointments of life.

I sure hope Toby can take these to down. Thank you Pac.

Thanks, Pac!

#608


Don looked around for something to do. He had slowly fixed, cleaned and made himself useful around the motel. Then he spied the woodpile. The old chainsaw needed sharpening, and then he had to siphon a can of gas out of the jeep. Mixing the gas and oil in the old machine, he finally coaxed it to start.

The trees were dry, they had been there several years and were tough to cut. Sawing the two trees into stove length, when he finished, the old woman called "dinner, wash up."

Don swatted at his clothes to make the sawdust fly, washed everything that wasn't covered, slid his feet under the table to the biggest slab of venison steak he had ever seen.

The okd man gave the blessing and they all started eating, Don figured fried steak was going to be tough, but it was butter tender.":How did you get that old buck so tender?"

"It's an old mountain secret," the old woman cackled, "Ya use baking soda. Sprinkle it on and let it set a bit. Tenderizes it, The tougher the meat, the longer ya let it set. Ya didn't know that?"

"No, I didn't, and I've eaten some mighty rough meat on occasion. So I thank you for the tip. I'm gonna remember that." Don grinned at the couple between bites.

There was blackberry cobbler for dessert. "You know I'm gonna need a nap, this was a wonderful meal, thank you."

"I've taught Mercy Rose everything I know, she's a right passable cook." The old woman said on the sly. Don was already collecting his dishes and carried them to the sink. He heard, but ignored the hint.

Instead of catching a quick nap, Don went out back and started splitting the rounds into stove wood.. It felt good to do the physical exercise. The afternoon grew hotter and he had to shuck his shirt.

His back was to the house, so he was fairly certain they couldn't see the many scars from the cat attack. He wasn't ashamed of his state, but it always created a long drawn out discussion, one he would just as soon forgo.

Mercy Rose came walking through the woods and happened upon the sight of a nice, healthy young man working hard. Don's physique full of well defined muscles and a mat of white scars in the front, held MR spellbound. What in the world had happened to him.

Slipping back into the shady trees, Mercy Rose changed her direction and walked into her house from the front. She owed the man a breath of kindness for helping Grams and Granddad, no reason to cause him any concern,"

"You looked?" The old woman asked MR. The young woman nodded, "I didn't see any reason to fuss him about it. He might be real self conscious He's terrible cut up."

"He's tangled with something fer sure, he's been a blessing MR, he's done so much fer us." the old woman said with a sigh. "A man like that, that's what I've been hoping you'd find 'n come back here to live. There's been one of ussen here by the creek fer a hunnert years er more."

"I'll be back as soon as I get to be a teacher. Miss Idabelle said she could teach for four more years while I got my degree. I don't think I could live anywhere else in the world, 'cause this is my home." Mercy Rose held her Grandma's hand, feeling the rough places and the slight tremor, standing together in silent love.

Many thanks Pac.

Thanks, Pac!

Very nice chapter Mrs Pac! Thank you.

Thank you so very much!

#609

Mark eased into the cool darkness of the barn, looking for Big. There was only silence, no sounds of a working man, no sounds of the two horses left behind.

Mark ghosted through the barn, checked the interior of the apartment, went through the tack room and checked the feed room. Big was either not in the barn, or he was playing cat and mouse, staying two steps ahead of Mark on purpose.

Mark, decided two could play this game, and he sat down in a darkened corner to wait. Big might be avoiding him, but Mark had never known the man to be late for supper. The longer Mark waited, the more perturbed he became. Game playing Big, just might be very late for supper, if he kept up the aggravation.

Mark did have sorely tested patience by the time he heard big enter the barn with the team. Big spoke quietly to the horses, and they responded by moving to their stalls.

The mare gave notice of Mark, still waiting in the shadows; but Big either wasn't paying attention, or it wasn't important to him.

Mark waited until Big had finished his chores, before he spoke, causing Big to whirl around in surprise, his hand going instantly to his waistband.

Big let his hand drop in a hidden movement, trying for nonchalance, to cover his reaction.

Mark didn't get to be an old man by being a fool. He had used that motion many times himself, the muscle memory of a trained man reaching for a weapon.

"I understand there was a visitor here this afternoon," Mark tried for a neutral tone, but there was no mistaking the steel behind the question.

"Ya, a man I did not know. He came looking for you. He would not give his name, but he was a medium tall man with reddish- blond hair. Nothing else about the man was out of the ordinary. that I could notice, except he did not have a southern accent.

Mark's expression didn't change, but between Tilly and Big, one of them was lying through their teeth..

Thanks Pac!

So more snakes in the house or been turned by the rats. Thank you Pac.

#610

Whatever Big was expecting, it wasn't a full on dose of the famous Linderman stare. Mark didn't have to say a word, the fury in his eyes said everything loud and clear.

Big kinda shifted his eyes and shuffled his feet, finally clearing his throat to speak. "The man wouldn't give his name, but seemed disappointed you weren't home. I was most anxious to go to the house, as the other gentleman went to talk to Tilly. I do not leave my woman unprotected; this place has all sorts of strange happenings. and who knows what might happen."

Big looked toward the house, ignoring Mark. "I finally had to draw my gun and order the man to the house. That's why I went for it again when you spoke. The man was very angry that I would draw on him. He acts like a great deal of trouble. I believed you were the man. I am glad I didn't shoot you."

"You would be dead right now," Mark flatly intoned, "I had my gun on you the whole time, and I shoot first and ask questions later. All the time" Mark stressed with heavy emphasis. "It's my habit not to trust anyone."

Big nodded, he certainly did believe that. "I must go in to Tilly, she will be very worried."

This time it was Mark that nodded and motioned Big to go ahead of him.

As they crossed the open parking area, Mark was mulling over Big's words. They didn't ring true. For a man that was so cautious and protective of his woman, Big had been awful hard to find all afternoon.

Sounds like Big was having to dispose of a couple of bodies.
Thank you.

Thanks, Pac!

Thank you Pac.

ted said:

Sounds like Big was having to dispose of a couple of bodies.
Thank you.

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Maybe he was burying urns?

Ever since Mark sold the horses, Big has not been on Mark's "side."

Lake Lili said:

Ever since Mark sold the horses, Big has not been on Mark's "side."

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That’s a very stupid reason. Could cost him his life. He could have kept every horse he could afford.

#611
Clora was frustrated and very put out with Tilly. Tilly's mouth meandering all over the subject of who had come, what did they look like and her, eye shifting had Clora fuming.

As a mother and grandmother to countless children, Clora was very well able to tell evasion, so a person didn't have to lie. But, neither did they tell the truth.

From the look on Mark's face when he and Big came through the door, it was very apparent that Big had pulled the stupid act on Mark.

"You two are immediately dismissed. Take your belongings and go." Mark was as mad and cold as he ever was. "I well understand that Woody has hired you, I will give you his number, but you will not set foot on this place for four weeks. We need to be entirely gone before you may come back. We will house your horses, and I give you the twenty minutes it will take me to write out your check before you are banished."

Tilly was gasping and fluttering her hands at the canner hissing on the stove and the soup cooking.

"Get a move on," Clora was as cold and stern as Mark, "I can finish what is here."

Big was standing stoic faced, but obviously furious at being under Mark's gun. Tess was in the hall way with her gun trained on Tilly as the woman hastily grabbed their few belongings and threw them on the bedspread. Gathering the edges like a hobo sack, it was an easy heft to carry.

The old pickup Big had bought almost refused to start; the starter whirling several times before ignition. Big, jammed his hat on tight, accepted the check without a thankyou and assisted Tilly into the seat.

Clora went to get Mark's rifle, and brought it out to him as he stood in the doorway and watched them leave.

"I shore am glad you did that," Tom came from his room with rifle in hand. "I'se afraid I'd have to shoot them all. The big dude was waving around money like he was trying to bribe Miss Tilly, but it was the other guy that worried me. He was a real squinty eyed, mean looking sucker. He seemed to know Big was in the barn, an it waz the grace of God that I ducked back into the dark hallway when I heard strange voices. The big guy, he spoke like Miss Rennie, the other one I didn't hear talk. Strange doins fer sure."

"Thanks Tom for protection, we appreciate your loyalty. I don't know what Big was up to. but he's been mad ever since I sold the horses. I halfway expected him to do something, but I'm glad it ended as easy as it did."

"I'm just happy that nosy Miss Breezy wasn't here," Tess gave her opinion tartly. "That woman feels like she has to know about and be involved in every little thing that goes on around here. She's worse than a bossy older sister."

"That bad?" Mark teased, the stress smoothing out from his face.

"Definitely, she and Gary deserve each other so much, I wish they would hurry up and get married. I don't give them a year before they explode."
Tess threw that over her shoulder before rushing from the room to check on her boys.

She was back in less than a minute, promising double amounts of cookies to three boys who had minded perfectly.

"Hey, what about me, I did what I was supposed to," Tom acted hurt that he wasn't included."

"My boys washed their hands," Tess bragged. "How about you?"

"I washed my hands and was coming to the table, for soup, when that dude walked in the door. Didn't even knock."

"Huh, well let's go ahead and eat, I have a lot of work to do this afternoon." Mark looked outside once again to check the compound. Je was on alert.

The wrath of the Clan is quick and decisive. Thanks, Pacv!

Thanks Pac. woooooooooooeeeeeeeee.

Thank you Pac.

PacNorWest said:

The big guy, he spoke like Miss Rennie, the other one I didn't hear talk.

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Rennie's murdering father?

Thanks for the moar, Pac!