by Irene Brand
Connie’s apprehensions—that their companions would question her and Joseph about what had happened during the hours they spent alone on the mountain—were soon alleviated. When they returned to the spot where the wagons were parked, everyone was in an uproar.
Bobby Richie raced toward them when the riders came into sight. When they stopped their horses, he said to Victor, “A bear came into camp this morning.”
Victor laughed at him. “I’m surprised you’d be upset about a little thing like that. It’s not unusual to see bears here in the forest.”
But his laughter turned to concern when Bobby added, “When Bruce discharged a pistol into the air to scare the beast away, it bolted into the horse corral and spooked the horses. They broke through the rope fence and scattered.”
Victor wheeled his mount and glanced around the meadow. Horses dotted the wide landscape.
“Great!” Victor said in disgust. “Not all of them are in sight, so we’ll have to comb the woods until we find them.” He shouted orders to his men to saddle up and prepare to round up the animals.
“No moving until we find all of them, Connie,” the wagon master snapped. “Too bad this had to happen on our last day.”
“Is there anything we can do to help?” she asked.
“No, I don’t want a bunch of greenhorns in the way. My men can handle it.” He turned to Joseph. “We can use you, Caldwell, if you’re up to it.”
Connie didn’t think Joseph should be working after the tiresome night they’d spent, but he would be experienced in rounding up horses. With Eric’s help, Rose quickly prepared sandwiches for Victor’s workers.
After the riders left camp, Connie told Kim, “Tell everyone that we’ll stay here until Victor gives the word. They can go on short hikes, but stay close. We’ll fire three shots as a signal that everyone should come back to camp.”
“Connie, come to the campfire,” Rose called, “I saved some breakfast for you.”
“As soon as I wash up. I’ve had enough of being muddy.”
“Couldn’t you find shelter for the night?” Eric said, and that was the only question she heard.
“We sat under a small rock ledge that protected us from the rain, but we were already wet before we learned we couldn’t cross the last creek.”
By noon, the horses were rounded up, and Victor gave orders to move forward. He knew a shorter trail to the camping area where they always spent the last night of their trek, and they arrived in plenty of time to prepare their meal.
After supper, the trekkers gathered around a campfire that Leonard Redmond and Bobby Richie had built. Being the youngest of the group, the two boys had formed a close bond of friendship. To make their last evening together a comfortable one, Victor’s workers had brought wooden benches to the area the day before, and these were placed in a circle around the fire. By now, the group looked ragged. Most of the men hadn’t shaved since they left home, and the clothing that had been neatly pressed when they’d set out Monday morning was stained with grime and perspiration. It wasn’t easy to keep clean on the wagon trip, and Connie thought how difficult it must have been for pioneers who were on the trail for months.
The program started out on a light note with the campers telling of amusing incidents of the week. Bruce Atkins said, “Dorothy Martin sprinted for her tent as fast as a deer when that bear moseyed into camp.”
Dorothy’s face flushed, but she didn’t deny it.
Numerous campfire songs resounded throughout the small cove, reminding Connie of her childhood and the church camps she’d attended. After several interesting testimonials from the group about incidents of the week that had inspired them to undertake a closer walk with God, Eric took charge of the service.
By this time, darkness had set in, with the camp lighted only by the dying embers of the fire. A sliver of moon peered over the hill, and a few stars sparkled in the darkening sky. A soft breeze caressed them, stirring up puffs of smoke from the fire.
Into this peaceful setting, Eric’s deep voice gave new meaning to the Eighth Psalm. “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that You care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.”
He paused to let the beauty of the words penetrate their minds and hearts. In the distance, Connie heard the horses stamping and snorting, and, all around them, in subdued tones, insects chirped incessantly. But the people sat in silence, while peace and quietude hovered over them. It was a reverent moment.
“This is my first camping trip,” Eric said. “I’ve always been amazed that our omnipotent God, the Everlasting Father, concerns Himself with finite humans such as we are. Yet, the Psalmist says that He does. And never have I been more appreciative of the greatness of God than I’ve been this week when I’ve seen the wonders of the Creator all around me. The mountains, the rivers, the thunderstorms all speak of God. How could any of us not have been touched by the wonder of the Creator? How can any of us go back to our everyday lives without making Him Lord of our life?”
As Eric continued to extol the greatness of God, Connie rededicated anew her life to His service. She fully believed that God had called her to a ministry of physical and spiritual therapy, and she longed to be even more fully committed to that service. But how would Joseph fit in with her calling? He had his own work at the ranch, and as far as she could see, their two vocations didn’t complement each other. And doubts still crept into her mind about marriage. If she married, Joseph was the one, but could she be more dedicated to her calling if she remained single?
“To close our vespers tonight,” Eric said, “I’ve asked Joseph to sing, ‘How Great Thou Art.’ He reluctantly agreed, saying he isn’t a soloist, but I’ve heard him sing in chapel services, and I believe he can do it.”
His face covered with brown stubble, and clothed in his wrinkled jeans and shirt, Joseph only faintly resembled the neatly tailored man she’d known for several months. As he sang in a rich baritone about the stars, the rolling thunder, the forest glades, sweetly singing birds, lofty mountain grandeur and gentle breezes, Connie listened, hand on her pulsing throat. He typified all she could want in a friend or husband. Despite the hurdles that they had to overcome, she believed that if it was God’s will for them to be together, He would provide the way.
No one moved for several minutes after Joseph finished singing, and then Eric closed the service by saying, “And all God’s people said…” and the campground resounded with their voices when the whole group shouted in unison, “Amen!”
Danny Keller waited with Joseph’s stock trailer when they arrived at the campground, and while he loaded his two horses and gear, Connie said goodbye to each member of the group. It was a bittersweet moment for her—she was eager to continue her work at NLC and looking forward to helping Joseph solve the mystery of Virginia’s death, but after a week away from the intrusion of the world, it was hard to go back to everyday problems. By the time she waved the last vehicle on its way, Victor had his horses loaded in trailers and his wagons secured on flatbed trucks. While Kim settled accounts with Victor, Connie walked to Joseph’s truck, where he and Eric talked, but Eric soon strolled away. Joseph took her hand.
“Thanks for asking me to go on this tour, Connie. I’m going home spiritually and mentally refreshed, with new hope for the future. As far as I can see, all that stands in the way of our happiness is the question of Virginia’s death. Settling that is my main priority. Are you sure you still want to be mixed up in that? It might become dangerous if we get close to the real killer—if there is one.”
“What troubles you troubles me. I’m committed to clearing you of this suspicion, and although I don’t know how, I believe your innocence will be proven. Trust God for the results. A good Bible verse to consider in your situation is from the book of Proverbs. ‘In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will mak
e your paths straight.’”
Glancing around to see if anyone watched, Joseph leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on her lips. “I’ll telephone you soon. I intend to make an appointment with George, if he’ll see me, and I think he will if I tell him I want to give Virginia’s jewelry to his daughter. In the meantime, I’ll try to get a lead on Debbie Smith. She may hold the key to this whole mystery.”
Chapter Eleven
Joseph telephoned Thursday evening. “I’ve just talked to George,” he reported, “and he reluctantly agreed to see me Saturday afternoon. While we’re there, I intend to confront him with the newspaper clipping Rose found. I’ve also learned that Debbie Smith is back in Colorado, and we might be able to see her Sunday. She has an unlisted telephone, so we’ll just drop in on her. Be sure and bring that photo with you when we see her. I’ll pick you up at noon, if that’s convenient.”
Connie had almost two days to think about that upcoming interview. Since Kim’s marriage, she and Eric had moved into a cozy apartment in Lakewood, and Connie spent many lonely evenings. She and Kim had been inseparable for years, and although they were together most of the day, she missed the chats they’d enjoyed every evening before they went to sleep.
Connie thought that Joseph loved her, even though he hadn’t said so, and she started dreaming of the day when they might marry and live together. But where? If Joseph lived on the ranch and she was at NLC, they couldn’t enjoy the closeness that Kim and Eric knew—being together at work and at night, too.
Without Kim to talk to when she was alone in the apartment, Connie spent more time reading the Bible and praying for guidance. Until Connie had fallen in love with Joseph, she’d seldom fretted about anything, but where he was concerned, she didn’t have much self-control. She feared he wouldn’t recover from his disability, she worried that he still loved his wife, she fretted because he couldn’t find out what had killed Virginia—and she was tormented with the possibility that Joseph might have to go to prison.
Frustrations like these were not representative of a mature Christian faith, and she worried about that, too. After searching the Scriptures for hours to find some answer to her situation, Connie finally came upon a message the Apostle Paul had sent to the Philippians. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
“Father,” she prayed, relief flooding her heart, “forgive me. I seem to forget that You’re in control. God, I submit to You. I can’t stop wondering what the future holds for Joseph and me, but I promise I won’t spend any more sleepless nights worrying about it. Thanks for Your Word, and the assurance it brings to the weary and restless heart. Amen.”
Believing that whatever happened, she and Joseph could accept it, Connie looked forward to learning the cause of Virginia’s death as soon as possible. When Joseph came for her on Saturday, she was singing as he entered her office, and he commented, “It’s been weeks since I’ve heard you sing. I’ve missed it.”
“I can’t sing when I’m worrying, and that’s what I’ve been doing for weeks, but no more.” She shared with him the Scripture she’d read the night before.
“Then we’ll sing a duet while we’re driving to George’s house—I need something to bolster my courage.”
“Do you know the hymn, ‘Great Is Thy Faithfulness’?” Connie asked.
“Yes. My father used to sing that as a solo in our worship services.”
“I’ve been singing one verse of that song over and over this morning—the one stressing that God will provide all our needs. The message of the whole song speaks to the yearnings of my heart—we can sing that together as we travel.”
Joseph agreed, and while they drove along the busy streets, they didn’t dread the coming ordeal, for they sang of the abiding presence of God, who provided blessings in the midst of adversity.
The Perrys’ three-story Spanish-style house built of pink stucco dominated the small lot on which it stood in an exclusive suburb of Denver.
“Virginia’s father had this house built about fifty years ago,” Joseph said as he stopped his truck in the driveway. “Seems strange to be coming here again. A lot has happened since Christmas when Virginia and I came for dinner, only a few weeks before she was killed.”
“And all seemed well then?”
“As I look back on it, I’m not so sure. There seemed to be unusual tension between George and Virginia, but it was the first Christmas we’d spent together since their father had died, and I thought they were sorrowing because he was gone.”
Picking up a jewelry chest from the back seat, Joseph sighed deeply. “We might as well go in. I dread it. Thanks for coming with me—I can use your support.” Connie lifted his hand and kissed it.
“You know I’m on your side,” she assured him with a smile.
A maid in a dark-brown dress answered the door and ushered Joseph and Connie through a wide central hall. They bypassed a curved, free-hanging stairway, and entered a brightly furnished, cozy sitting room that overlooked a broad sweeping flower garden. A tall man, who had features similar to the pictures she’d seen of Virginia, laid aside a paper he’d been reading and stood.
“Good afternoon, Joseph,” he said stiffly, but made no move toward them, nor did he invite them to be seated. A rather plump, plain woman entered the room from a small dinette, but she gave them no greeting.
“George, this is my friend, Connie Harmon. Connie, meet George and Stephanie Perry.”
“Hello,” Connie said. Stephanie didn’t speak. George nodded.
“Sit down, Connie,” Joseph said, and stepping forward, he took a chair close to the one George had occupied on their entrance. “It just now occurred to me that I have as much right to be here as anyone else. Virginia owned half of this house, and as her heir, that portion belongs to me.”
Connie sat on a small sofa, uneasy at Joseph’s words, fearful of how the Perrys would react. He shouldn’t antagonize them. George shifted his feet, muttered an oath and dropped into his chair. Stephanie perched on the edge of the sofa where Connie sat, and murmured, “Hello.”
“So that’s why you came here,” George said angrily. “Mentioned the jewelry, so you could get your foot in the door. You know I’d not have let you in otherwise.”
“It’s true, I did use the jewelry as a lure, but I hadn’t even thought about the ownership of this house until this moment. I’ve had too much else to concern me to worry about ownership of the Perry home. But I have the jewels.” He handed the chest to his brother-in-law. “Virginia inherited most of your mother’s jewelry, and I thought your daughter should have them. I don’t know if Virginia disposed of any of the items. I kept a turquoise necklace, and a few pieces I’d bought, for they’re hardly in the price range of Virginia’s other jewelry, and wouldn’t mean anything to your daughter.”
George riffled through the box, and he held up a long silver chain bearing a single diamond pendant. “This belonged to my grandmother. My mother wore it on her wedding day, as did Virginia. I would like for Heather to wear it at her wedding. I thank you for bringing them back.”
George handed the chest to Stephanie. “Would you know if he’s taken anything?”
“No, George. I have no idea how much jewelry your sister had.”
Connie saw a nervous tick in Joseph’s forehead, and she knew it was difficult for him to control his temper.
“I didn’t take any of her jewelry except the few items I mentioned. George, I can’t understand why you’ve turned on me like this. I thought we would be friends for life. How can you suspect me of taking Virginia’s life?”
“That note sounded like it. If you didn’t kill her, who did?”
“That’s assuming, of course, that she wasn’t killed in the accident. But you’re asking the question that someone should have asked long ago. I had absolutely nothing
to do with Virginia’s death, nor did I take one dollar of her inheritance. The authorities have wasted several months suspecting me, and this delay has allowed the real culprit to cover his trail. Now that I’ve recovered from my injury,” he looked at Connie, “thanks to Miss Harmon and her staff at NLC, I intend to do some detective work. I intend to get to the bottom of this situation and prove my innocence.” He took the news clipping from his pocket. “Do you know anything about this?”
George took the piece of paper, barely looked at it, and handed it back to Joseph, hardly meeting his eyes. “No.”
Connie thought he was lying.
“I think you do,” Joseph said, returning the paper to his pocket. “Let’s see if I can get a more satisfactory answer to my next question. Why didn’t you or your parents tell me about the year Virginia spent away from home, and about the weeks she was sick and under the care of a special nurse, after she returned?”
George squirmed in his chair. “It wasn’t my place to tell you. That was up to Virginia.”
“I’m sure it wouldn’t have changed my mind about marrying Virginia, for I loved her, but you should have warned me about her unstable character.”
Connie closed her eyes, and momentarily lost the gist of the conversation, for Joseph’s words seared her heart like a hot iron. She’d never heard him say before that he loved Virginia. God, she prayed silently, take away this jealousy of a dead woman. I wouldn’t want a husband who’d married someone he didn’t love, so I should be grateful that he loved his first wife. If we do marry, I can’t have Virginia’s memory standing between us all the time.
She opened her eyes, as Joseph continued, “If I’d known about her weaknesses, I’d have watched her more closely. What was wrong with Virginia when she came back home?”