Cord could only feel grateful that Mitch had survived and that his prospects were good. He’d continue to pay him—a pension, as it were, well deserved after all the years of working for his grandfather and then him.

This wasn’t the time to worry about assistance with the ranch. But…maybe he could hire Eric for a while? Part-time? He’d see what Eli thought.

ON THE DRIVE home from the hospital, Shallie, sitting in front with Cord, told him that she’d learned nothing—less than nothing—about Christine Fletcher in her newest online search. It was what she’d been doing on her laptop that morning, she went on to say. She even described her theory, although in retrospect it sounded pretty weak, that Christine might have stolen some part of Reba’s name for her new alias.

Carly and Susan in the backseat both had earphones on. Good. Carly didn’t need to hear this.

Cord shrugged. “No crazier than any other theory we’ve come up with.”

“Maybe…”

“What about Russ? Any success with his search?”

“Nope. I talked to him for a few minutes at the hospital. He tried to get hold of Bethanne’s husband again, but no luck there, either.”

Their conversation shifted to their concern about Mitch and their relief that his outlook was positive as well as the changes this would bring to his life.

OVER THE NEXT week they took turns visiting Mitch. Shallie drove Carly to the hospital in the afternoons or evenings, when she wasn’t in school and didn’t have MPS responsibilities. More than once, Mitch asked Carly to sing for him, and his favorite choices included “Hallelujah” and her animal song. Inevitably nurses, other patients and their guests gathered around, some joining in, all of them applauding.

Shallie loved loved seeing how happy it made him—and Carly.

One evening when she and Cord were visiting, he asked them for what he called a favor. He said he knew they’d already made wedding plans, but could he give Shallie away? Kind of old-fashioned, he acknowledged. Still, he’d done it at two previous weddings, with his daughters Caroline and Elspeth—so didn’t that mean he’d be good at it? Besides, he loved both Cord and Shallie, and it would mean a lot to him. And with Tina being the matron of honor… It all seemed to fit, didn’t it? They laughed and instantly agreed.

This wedding seemed to be getting more complicated and more traditional by the day. But she valued Mitch’s request, his desire to be an integral part of the most important event in her life so far. And it wasn’t as though she had—or ever had—a father of her own to assume that role. Norm Schafer came the closest but he hadn’t exactly been what you’d call an adequate dad.