Seeking Faith (eBook)

J.A. Smith (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2023 | 1. Auflage
220 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
979-8-3509-0790-2 (ISBN)

Infos

A house fire, a clue to your uncle's last secret, and sinister stalkers thwarting the path...Will the reward be worth the trials? Such is the case for Faith Hathaway in Seeking Faith.

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After her great uncle's passing, Faith Hathaway loses her inherited ranch home in a suspected arson fire. Determining to sell part of her property to cover her financial problems, she changes her mind when meeting Roger Fair, a smug developer who is ready to turn her ranching land into a shopping district. While resisting Fair, she begins seeing threatening men who vanish without any trace causing those who know her best to question her stories. It isn't until an unexpected clue, a photograph, leads her to search out her final gift from her uncle. Could the final gift be the cause of her problems? Roger's easy chore of purchasing property becomes more than expected as he has to make the decision to "e;do whatever it takes"e; for a land deal or help this young woman whose sanity, life, and mysterious inheritance are in peril. As the clues to Faith's inheritance unravel, he comes to realize life is more than just seeking success and prestige, perhaps there is a God and He cares.

Textauszug

ONE

A Month Later

FAITH’S GLASS OF lemonade clinked as she set it on her metal patio table. The afternoon sun baked Ephrata with 100 degree heat, but Faith and her friends remained semi-comfortable beneath the shade of her patio table umbrella. Each held their ice cold glasses and enjoyed the view of the rolling hills of tumbleweed and farm fields in front of them.

They were awaiting the arrival of a possible buyer. Faith had decided to sell most of her ranching land, seventy acres of it to be precise.

“Faith, dear, when did they say this gentleman would arrive?” Lizzy Reynolds asked as the threesome had been waiting a while on this Friday afternoon.

“The real estate agent told me he’d be by around 3:30. What time is it now?”

“Five minutes to four,” responded Doug Reynolds, Lizzy’s husband.

“I hope he didn’t get lost. I’m never good at giving directions over the phone. I feel I confuse the person more than clarifying a route to take,” Faith said. “By the way, thank you both for coming to wait with me. As this is my first time selling property, I can use all the advice I can get.”

“Don’t mention it, honey,” Doug replied in his casual style, while taking another sip of lemonade.

“Selling can be complicated, but Sandy is a good real estate agent,” Lizzy added confidently. “I think you are making the right decision. It should easily provide enough for you to build another house since the insurance company is taking their sweet time. Did Sandy say what this gentleman’s name was?”

“Roger Fair.” Faith nervously rubbed her thumbs on the outline of her chair’s armrest.

“Well, sounds like a good omen to me.” Lizzy was always looking at life optimistically, and she took another sip from her lemonade.

“How’s that?” Faith asked.

“Well, he has ‘Fair’ in his name.”

“Yup, it could be a good omen or…” Doug paused, “he could turn out to be the opposite of his name. This guy could be a real toad.”

“Doug, let’s try to dwell on the positive.”

Faith couldn’t help revealing a smile. She admired the relationship of the Reynolds. They seemed able to cope with anything life threw at them with a smile.

Doug was the type who didn’t like having to deal with “toads,” but if he must, he knew how to keep them in their place. He was the outline of a man who had been in Law Enforcement for years, yet he still could be sweet and gentle especially towards his wife—Lizzy, his love of thirty-two years. She was his delight and complement. Where he tended to be quiet, she was bubbly with encouragement and conversation. Between the two, they could always provide a smile for whomever was in need. The person in need at this time was Faith.

Just as the threesome began pondering on this Mr. Fair, a sporty mustard-yellow SUV began speeding down Faith’s gravel drive creating a cloud of dust behind it.

“That must be our man now,” Faith said standing up to greet the newcomer. The Reynolds eyed the flashy car. It came to a halt directly in front of them and so did the cloud of dust. The SUV’s engine shut off, and out hopped a handsome man in business attire. He smiled as his eyes darted from the tall man to the petite lady and then back to the brunette woman in the middle.

He cleared his throat and introduced himself. “Hello, I’m Roger Fair.”

Sandy, a middle-aged blonde, climbed out of the passenger seat of the SUV all smiles. She greeted her friends the Reynolds and Faith.

Faith extended her hand to Fair. “I’m Ms. Hathaway; these are my neighbors the Reynolds. Would you like to come inside for a moment for something cold to drink before we begin our tour of the property?” For being so nervous, Faith was trying to carry herself with some calmness and dignity.

“Yes, yes that would be refreshing after my long drive.”

Faith observed that the man seemed unimpressed standing at the entrance of her fifth-wheel trailer. Yes, unimpressed and far from pleased.

“Yes, a cold drink would be very nice. You know Roger, here, drove all the way from Seattle today,” the real estate agent said, straightening her jacket.

“That’s a long drive just to view some property,” Faith admitted.

“Yes, well, I had tickets to a concert out this way for this weekend, so it is really on the way. Man, it’s sweltering our here and, ugh, dusty. How do you people keep anything clean?”

“Well, for one, Mr. Fair, we’ve learned not to fly down gravel driveways,” she said, teasing. “But I’m glad your trip isn’t too inconvenient.” Faith wasn’t certain what to make of Fair. He seemed a little arrogant, but she tried to let her first impressions go. He had been driving for three hours to see her land.

She held the door as the group entered her little trailer. Everyone filed in, finding seats, and Faith and Lizzy began filling glasses with ice and lemonade.

“I can’t help wondering how there came to be a big black spot of ground out there. It looks like something burned. Was there a fire?” Roger asked hesitantly, sitting down.

“Uh, yeah,” Doug began, “Curtis Hathaway had a home on that spot till about a month ago. If the fire crew hadn’t shown up when they did, that fire could have reached our property too. It tends to be a real hazard this time of year, as dry as it is and all.”

“My uncle, Curtis Hathaway passed away in April due to heart failure. I should clarify, he was my great uncle. I inherited this land and home. He didn’t have any children. So I think I was the daughter he never had. However, as Doug said, the home burned down four weeks ago.”

“If it hadn’t been for Doug spotting the fire and racing over here, Faith may have gone up in smoke with it,” Lizzy added.

“You are very fortunate, Ms. Hathaway,” Roger said. “How did the fire start?”

“The police are not sure of the cause. Arson is suspected, but nothing has been determined. This is the first time anything like this has happened in this town as far as I know,” Doug admitted.

“Mr. Fair,” began Faith.

“Roger, please,” he corrected with an easy smile.

“Well, Roger, I am selling part of the grazing land. Uncle Curtis had it for his horses and some space to ride them. I only intend to keep ten acres but sell the other seventy. More lemonade?” Her eyes met his briefly. His were brown like her Uncle Curtis’ eyes had been. But the developer seemed to be lacking her uncle’s warmth.

“Seems very reasonable and no, no more lemonade,” he said, setting his glass down. Apparently the beverage wasn’t to his liking either, because his glass was still full.

As the others finished their glasses, they rose from their seats and began to exit her trailer. It was then a photo caught Roger’s eye.

“Is this you with your uncle?”

“Hmm? Oh, yes, see this is my Uncle Curtis, me, and my father. We took a trip up to the cabin he owned in Alaska three summers ago. It is really beautiful country up there.”

“I can tell… you could take some great scenic shots, and this guy looks real youthful for being your great uncle.”

“Are you a photographer?” Doug asked.

“One could say it’s a hobby. Who owns the cabin now? I mean, can you still go up there?”

“I’m not sure. I’d have to call the executor of his will. No doubt he left it to one of my relations. Shall we have a look around?”

“Lead the way.” Roger Fair was all politeness, but to Faith it seemed that he wanted to be anywhere but there.

Faith led the group outside and with Sandy’s help toured the property full of sagebrush and rocky soil. Fair, not really dressed for the occasion, received plenty of spurs in his designer suit trousers and socks.

“Well, Faith, you have a lovely place here. I am very interested in it. Your listed price, however,…would you be willing to negotiate?”

Sandy remained quiet on this point, but Faith could tell the real estate agent eyes were bouncing back and forth between the handsome developer and herself.

“I’d prefer to stay with the stated price as much...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 4.9.2023
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Krimi / Thriller / Horror
• ISBN-13: 979-8-3509-0790-2 / 9798350907902