The Daily Novel

Chapter Twenty-Three
She’d promised Nona a full report, and she delivered what she’d promised. But she was eager to share the good news with Paul as well. The man was Kyle’s father—he certainly deserved to be told that Kyle had finally broken through the barriers of memory. She was sure more memories would follow, and memories [...]

| CHAPTER EIGHT |
Jake paced up and down the small hotel room. He’d been seeing Jessie McCarey now for several months and he knew without a doubt: She was the one. Jake had never been uptight about a woman before; of course, he’d not been anxious to marry one, either.
He’d been too busy enjoying his [...]

CHAPTER SEVEN |
The following Saturday found Jessie exhausted. By four o’clock, she headed for home, a bath, and some sweet rest. A couple of miles before reaching the ranch in the car, she and Jason were intercepted by Jake Trenton on horseback.
“Hello, Jessie, I’m just on my way over to your place. Are you busy [...]

| CHAPTER SIX |
Tom completed his errands in Big Spring and decided he sure could use a cool drink. He debated about a soda over at Jeremiah’s store, but finally thinking, What the heck, surrendered to a beer at Clinton’s Tavern. Sitting at the bar, he began to reminisce about the last time he’d been [...]

| CHAPTER FIVE |
Within a few days, Jessie rented cheap space in an old building in Big Spring. Soon it gained the appearance of an office—although pretty rough-looking: wooden crates for desks and chairs, but that was all right; like Ben, she didn’t want to spend money too quickly.
She easily persuaded Roger Clayton into joining [...]

| CHAPTER FOUR |
About three weeks into the drilling while the family’s crew was fully engaged ‘pulling’ the drilling bit, Daniel Morgan dropped by the site. Daniel scrutinized the situation, unseen from the side for some time, before approaching Jessie. Hauling away a bucket of dirt, she looked really hot and dirty. From his stance, [...]

| CHAPTER THREE |
A couple of days later, the McCarey family relaxed and talked after supper. Jessie and Ben had piqued both the twins’ interests in the drilling project. Jason and Josh were big for fifteen years old, so they would be handy. Since Matt was only eleven, he would be more useful staying at [...]

| CHAPTER TWO |
Two weeks later, Jessie drove Ben and Stephen in the wagon down the rutted road toward the train station in Big Spring. The men bantered light-heartedly back and forth to each other, Jessie apprehensive, deep in thought. Over and over in her mind, she scrutinized the proposal.
For a little relief when they [...]

Chapter 26
The next few weeks before Christmas were exhausting for Lauren. Between dealing with her insurance company, replenishing the wardrobes lost in the fire, and helping out with Cathy, she found scant time for rest.
Cathy moved around the house on crutches. Her face, though still swollen, was healing with only faint scars. Nothing makeup would [...]

Chapter 25
Cathy tried to walk, fell, then dragged herself across the lawn. “Jennifer!”
The young officer ran to her side. “What’s wrong?”
“My daughter . . . she went back inside!”
“I’ll get her,” he said. “Stay here.” Holding his hand over his nose and mouth, he rushed into the inferno.
Long moments passed before he carried Jennifer’s limp [...]