Letters to Dogwood by Tanya Fischer

Author:Tanya Fischer [Fischer, Tanya]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dogwood Grove Press LLC
Published: 2022-08-12T22:00:00+00:00

“JUNIOR, THIS IS a bad idea,” Sol repeated when they rode into Dogwood two hours later. They’d watched Ben canter into the town minutes before. “He’s gonna tear your hide when he finds out. Mine, too, come to think of it.”

“I just want to see what kind of woman has my brother in an all-fire hurry, that’s all.” Junior was squinting through horses and wagons, looking for a worn black hat and a dusty blood bay. “Besides, we’ve been working all day. It’s time we had a decent supper.”

Junior needed to know what kind of female had caught the attention of Ben, whom he’d thought would’ve sworn off women for good. Ever since Abby had pulled her stunt with her father and that blood-thirsty lawyer, Ben had been as flighty around females as a feral cat.

“What you reckon, Sol?” he asked. “She’d have to be older. Experienced. Maybe not Ma’s age, but a spinster widow in her thirties. Maybe even homely. Can’t be too educated, either, but one of those good church goin’ gals.”

Sol was listening, but resentfully, and made a face. They should be breaking in those new horses, not sniffing around in the boss’s love life. He’d seen the boy leave, guilty as a stray dog circling a chicken coop. “What makes you think some ignorant pudding face older’n him is his type?”

“’Cause that type is safe. There he is! Come on.”

Junior stalked behind Ben, past a livery, to a butcher shop, while Sol trailed behind in an aggrieved hunch. They tied their horses to an empty hitching post. “Hey Sol, don’t you deliver beef to this place?”

Sol’s face curved into a smug smile that Junior itched to wallop. “Sure do. ‘Pears he’s taking care of some business. Unless the butcher has a daughter.”

Ten minutes crawled by. Junior grew bored, hooked a finger around a wedge of chewing tobacco from a tin, and stuffed it deep between cheek and gum. Ben reappeared, waving goodbye and shutting the door behind him. Junior spat a stream of brown tobacco juice into the dirt and motioned for Sol to follow. The taller man rolled his eyes.

They followed Ben all over town. He stopped at G.M. HOOVER’S CIGARS & TOBACCO. No woman there. Then he took a trip to the bank. Then the courthouse. All over the damned creation, they went. Each time he exited a building, Junior cursed. He was mumbling about ill fortune and ‘make-believe women’ when they saw Ben pause in front of a building sporting the DOGWOOD HOTEL.

“Thank you, lord almighty,” Junior sighed when he saw a window painted ‘Diner’. “I’m starvin’.”

Sol had been uncharacteristically quiet during their misadventures, but his eyes were shrewd on the painted sign above the window that said ‘Rooms and Dining’. Next door was the general store. But whatever his friend had in mind, he kept to himself until Junior made to follow inside.

“Wait,” Sol said. Understanding was dawning in his hazel eyes.

Junior shrugged off the staying hand and cajoled, “Might as well come out with it and get a good dinner for once.

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