Love's Call

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Book excerpt

Chapter One

Dora Hawthorn entered the art gallery. A crowd of girls flocked in to look in the magic mirror display. Everyone wanted to find their true love, and the mirror claimed to show some women just that. There was quite a crowd, but it looked like the group had thinned since she was last here. She had been away at college, but she was home on break. She had not told anyone about the man she saw in the mirror when she was last home.

Dora looked around a bit, but when she saw the girls around the mirror leaving, she hurried over to investigate the magic glass. At first, it showed only Dora’s reflection, then Dora’s reflection faded, and she saw the same man she had seen before.

He looked a little rough, not at all what she was used to. He had on a long-sleeved flannel shirt and dungarees. He was wearing a black, cowboy-style hat, which he hung on the back of his chair before taking his seat.

He was in a café, sitting at a large table, surrounded by a large group of people. They had to be his family. The resemblance was amazing. A young boy called him Uncle Rafe, and he turned and grinned at the boy.

He glanced up, and when he turned back around, he saw Dora in the mirror looking at him. He returned her stare for a minute, then turned and looked behind him to see if anyone was there. Not seeing anyone, he turned back around and looked at the mirror. He glanced around, but no one was paying any attention to the mirror. He got out of his chair and started toward the mirror.

Someone called his name. He waved and said he would be back in a minute. He stopped in front of the mirror and stared into Dora’s eyes.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“I’m Dora Hawthorn, and you are Rafe,” she answered.

“Rafe Haggerty,” said Rafe.

“Hi, Rafe,” said Dora.

“Hi, Dora,” said Rafe. “How can we see each other?”

“I’m looking in a magic mirror,” said Dora. “It will show girls their true love.”

“I don’t believe in true love,” said Rafe.

“I bet you don’t believe in magic mirrors, either,” said Dora.

“I think you must be my imagination,” he replied.

“I’m sorry I bothered you,” said Dora with a sniff as she started to turn away.

“Wait,” said Rafe. Dora paused to see what he was going to say, but she kept her head turned away from him. “I’m sorry, Dora. I didn’t mean to make you cry,” said Rafe.

Dora sniffed again, and then she looked up at Rafe. “I don’t know how the mirror does what it does, but I do know it works. I have seen the proof of it. Even my own Mom and Dad were matched by the mirror,” said Dora.

“Hey, Uncle Rafe, why are you standing here talking to the mirror?’ asked the young boy from Rafe’s table.

Rafe glanced at him and then back at Dora.

“He can’t see or hear me,” said Dora. “Only you can.”

Rafe turned back to the boy. “Go back to the table, Lars. I was just practicing the speech I have to give at the meeting. I’ll be there in a minute,” said Rafe.

When Lars was gone, Rafe turned back to the mirror. Dora was gone. The mirror showed only his reflection. He waited a minute, then turned and made his way back to his table.

All the while he was eating, he kept glancing at the mirror to see if Dora returned.

Dora wandered out of the gallery. She was distracted and not really paying attention.

“Hello, Dora.”

Startled, Dora looked up at Moon Walking. “Hello, Moon Walking,” she said. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention. I did not see you.”

Moon Walking nodded. She looked at Dora for a minute. Dora flushed. She hoped Moon Walking didn’t know about the man in the mirror.

“When true love sends out a call, it must be answered, or it will fade. A person who does not answer the call may end up with second best. They will always have a blank place in their heart and soul that cannot be filled. Pay attention to true love’s call, Dora. Talk to your father or mother. They can help.” After giving this advice, Moon Walking turned and went into the gallery.

Dora stood gazing after her. She closed her mouth and headed for the courthouse and her father. It was time to get help.

As Dora passed the ice cream parlor, she noticed a girl crying and looking down. Her ice cream cone lay on the ground. As Dora watched, a boy stepped into the ice cream and twisted his foot to smear it. The boy was laughing at the girl. The boy did not notice Dora coming over to them until she reached over and grabbed his ear tightly.

“Ouch,” said the boy. He twisted his head slightly to stare up at Dora. “What you doing that for, Miss Dora?”

“Why are you smashing Cathy’s ice cream and making her cry, Jimmy?’

“It was an accident, Miss Dora. I didn’t mean to make her drop it.”

Dora held onto his ear, and Jimmy squirmed under her stern look.

“Well, you can just go and get her another cone,” said Dora.

“I don’t have any money with me,” mumbled Jimmy.

Dora let go of Jimmy’s ear and reached into her pocket. She pulled out a five-dollar bill. “Take this and go inside and get Cathy a cone. Get one for you, too.”

“Yes, Miss Dora.” Jimmy took the money and entered the ice cream parlor.

Dora turned to Cathy. She had stopped crying, but she still looked upset. Dora leaned down and gave her a hug. “Don’t let Jimmy upset you. I think he just hangs around you because he likes you.”

“He has a funny way of showing it,” said Cathy. Dora laughed softly, and Cathy joined in. Jimmy looked at them suspiciously when he came out with the ice cream and handed Cathy her cone.

“You know you are going to pay me back for that ice cream, Jimmy,” said Dora. “I will expect you at my house bright and early tomorrow morning. If I’m not there, my mom will show you where the lawn mower is. I expect to see the front yard mowed.”

Jimmy groaned. “You have a big yard, Miss Dora.”

“Yes, I do,” agreed Dora. “Don’t make me have to come find you.”

“I won’t,” agreed Jimmy. “I’ll be there.”

“You two run along and enjoy your ice cream.”

“Thank you, Miss Dora,” said Cathy and Jimmy as they went on their way.

Dora was watching them leave when a police car pulled up beside her and stopped. Dora looked over and grinned at Captain James Michaels and Officer Mark Black Feather.

“You handled those kids very well,” remarked James.

“They are in my Sunday school class, the one I teach when I’m home. They are good kids. I have been worried about Cathy. I think her family is having a hard time of it right now. Her mother has been sick, and her father lost his job for missing too much work.”

“Where did he work?” asked James.

“He was working at Lamar Industries,” replied Dora.

“I’m going to have to look into Lamar Industries,” said James.

“I wish someone would,” said Dora. “They are not people-friendly.”

“Give me Cathy’s father’s name, and I will get Cindy to talk to Angelica and see if she can help.”

Dora wrote “Cathy Parks and father Malcolm” on a piece of paper and handed it to James. “Well, it was nice talking to you, but I am on my way to see the Judge. Tell Cindy I said hello.”

“I will. Give the Judge my regards. I’ll see you around.”

The patrol car pulled away, and Dora once again headed for the courthouse. When Dora entered the courthouse, the first person she saw was the bailiff.

“Hello, Mr. Trenton, how are you today?” asked Dora.

“I’m doing good, Miss Dora. You here to see the Judge?” he asked.

“Yes, is he in his office?”

“Yes, he is. You go on back. He’ll be glad to see you.”

“Thanks, Mr. Trenton,” she replied. Dora went on back to her father’s office and knocked on the door.

“Come in,” called her father.

“Hi, Dad, it’s me, are you busy?” Dora said, sticking her head into the room.

“Never too busy for you,” replied the Judge with a smile. Dora went over and gave her father a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Now, what is this visit going to cost me?” asked the Judge with a twinkle in his eye.

Dora blushed. “Well, I have a couple of things I want to discuss with you. First is about Lamar Industries. They furnish houses for their employees. But I know of at least two occasions when they have fired employees and thrown them out on the street with no place to go. They did not take into consideration the reasons for the employee’s absences. One man’s wife had just died, and when he returned from burying her, he was fired. Another one had a sick wife. He was trying to arrange care for her and two little girls when he was fired. He was thrown out and had to move in with his parents. They are all scrunched up together in a small three-bedroom house. There are two young brothers at home also. Do you know anyone at Lamar industries you could talk to? Maybe you could get them to lighten up on their employees.”

“I know the owner. He doesn’t live here. He has a manager in charge here. I will talk to him and see if he knows what’s going on.” The Judge took a pen and paper and made himself a note to check on Lamar Industries. “Now, what else did you want to talk to me about?” asked the Judge.

“Well, I saw Captain Michaels on the way here and he told me to give you his regards, and Moon Walking suggested I talk to you about something,” said Dora.

“Moon Walking. Where did you run into her?”

“I bumped into her as I was coming out of the Gallery,” answered Dora.

“Does this have something to do with the magic mirror?” asked the Judge with a wary smile.

“Yes, it does. I saw someone in the mirror.”

“I see. Do you know who it was?”

“His name is Rafe Haggerty. I don’t know where he lives. Moon Walking said you could help me find him.” Dora looked pleadingly at the Judge.

The Judge studied her for a minute and then sighed. “Do you remember where we lived before we moved to Rolling Fork?” he asked.

“Not really. You moved here before I was born. I have heard you and Mom talking about moving here after Grandpa had his heart attack and about how Grandma moved in with her sister, since she didn’t want to be alone after Grandpa died. You were living in Morristown, I think.”

“Yes, we moved from Morristown. Rena and Blake were just toddlers. I was a partner in a law practice in Morristown. We came here to visit Grandma, and when I found there was a judgeship available, I applied for it. I got the job, so we moved here. I have never regretted it. This is a good town.”

“What does this have to do with Rafe Haggerty?” asked Dora

“There is a Haggerty family who lives in Morristown. Your mother keeps in touch with Madeline Haggerty. They were friends. Amos Haggerty, the father, died five years ago in a logging accident. The family runs a logging crew. They also have a farm. It is mostly used to grow hay, but they do have a garden, a small orchard, and a few animals.

“They only had three boys when we lived there, but they later had another boy and two girls. The oldest boy, Frank, and his wife were killed in a car crash three years ago. Rafe is next in age and has taken over as head of the family. He is also raising Frank’s two children. He has adopted them, but his mother helps him with them. Jason comes next. He is running the logging team. Liam just finished high school. He is going to start college in the fall. The two girls are still in high school. Your mother said Rafe had been dating someone, but when Rafe adopted Frank’s kids, she took off. She said she was not going to raise a ready-made family. I think Rafe had a lucky escape.”

Dora blinked at all the unexpected information. “I guess that is why Rafe was dressed in a long-sleeved flannel shirt and dungarees,” she mumbled.

“Logging is a rough life. It is not exactly what I had in mind for you. You would be around a rough group of people,” the Judge warned.

“Dad,” said Dora impatiently. “I can take care of myself. You made sure all of us kids knew self-defense from a young age. I’m a black belt!” She had received her black belt in karate at the age of ten. She’d been girls’ kickboxing champion for the state for three years, starting at the age of fourteen. Dora could out-shoot anyone around in target practice. “And I’m on my way to a good career, teaching. There is always need of teachers.” She had finished high school a year early and was now ready to begin practice teaching. Then she could get her teacher’s license and be a full-time teacher.”

The Judge was nodding and agreeing with everything she was saying. “I know,” he replied. “I am very proud of you and your brother and sisters. I just hate to see you move so far away.”

“Rafe and I have not even met yet. Don’t rush ahead. How far is it to Morristown?”

“It’s about one hundred miles west of here,” he replied.

Dora shook her head. “I am further away while I am in college. We all have to grow up, Dad.”

“I know,” said the Judge. “I just did not expect it to happen so fast.” The Judge came around his desk and gave Dora a hug. “Go talk to your mother. She can fill you in on things I know nothing about,” said the Judge with a twinkle in his eyes.

“Bye, Dad, see you tonight.” Dora closed the door quietly behind her.