Shadow of Deceit (Shadow #2) Read Online Free

something else but Miles shushed her.  “Sh-h, the service is starting.”
    After the congregation sang a song, the minister came out and they prayed.  Then, he read a few verses from the Bible and said that would be the theme of his sermon.
    Several people walked up to the front of the church and stood at the altar facing the congregation.  Julia gave Miles a questioning look.
    He bent down and whispered, “The choir.”
    They sang a beautiful song, Julia found herself tapping her toe.  Then the choir took seats somewhere in the back and the minister came out and stood in the pulpit.
    His sermon was about Jesus raising a man named Lazarus from the dead.   Julia found it interesting that someone could actually bring a dead person back to life.   She may never have been to church, but she knew who God and Jesus were. 
    Her mother had told her children all about God and Jesus, but at the time she was too ill to take them to church.  The family moved from Topeka to Hays when their father had been bitten by the Gold Rush bug, and left them. A bed-ridden mother had raised them in a run-down cabin.  It was all she could afford as she awaited her husband to return a rich man.  He never did return.  After she passed, they were all on their own.  Julia was fifteen, when she took care of her brothers Miles, who was two years younger, and Billy who was four years younger, the best she could.
    Miles left home at eighteen and followed a friend to Abilene.  That left Julia and Billy in an old cabin on the outskirts of Hays.  She did her best.  She wasn’t much of a cook, but she kept a clean house.  Billy was the brother who always managed to get into trouble.
     

     
    After the service, as they were walking out, Caleb caught up with them.  Julia gifted him with one of her best smiles.
    “You remember my brother Miles,” she said.
    Caleb nodded.  “I haven’t met him formally.”
    “Nice to meet you Caleb.  I want to thank you for the kindness you’ve shown my sister,” Miles said. 
    “My pleasure,” Caleb said, winking at Julia. 
    “Are we still on for our tour of Abilene today, Julia?” Caleb asked.
    Julia touched Caleb’s arm, “I’m looking forward to it.”
    He gazed down at her hand on his arm and she quickly removed it.  He thought perhaps he should have pretended he hadn’t noticed, but her constant flirting continued to build his confidence.
    “I’ll pick you up at one, if that’s a good time for you,” Caleb said.
    “That’s perfect,” she said and again graced him with a flirting smile.
    Miles said, “Well, that leaves me starting the project to rebuild my front porch.”
     
    Having been invited to his father’s for lunch, Caleb followed George home.  Once inside, and sitting at the table.  George asked, “So who is the lovely woman you were talking to after church?”
    Caleb inwardly cringed.  He’d hoped his father hadn’t seen that. He wasn’t ready to talk about Julia yet. And his father seemed to time the question just at the right time, in front of his wife, Phoebe.  Caleb considered his answer carefully.
    “Phoebe, this chicken’s delicious, better than Elsie’s,” Caleb said.
    “Don’t change the subject,” his father said.  “I’m just curious as to the new people in town.  I’ve never seen her before.”
    “Her name is Julia,” Caleb tried to sound casual.  “She is a customer.  Her brother bought some lumber the other day.  She and I have become somewhat friendly, that’s all.”
    “Oh, I wish I had gone this morning,” Phoebe said.  “I woke up with the worse headache.”  She looked at George.  “What does she look like?”
    “She’s very attractive, and she gives our Caleb some pretty inviting smiles.  I’ve seen her brother before, at the bank,” George said.
    “Yes, he is a bank teller,” Caleb explained.  “He’s rebuilding his front porch.”
    “Did you ever write to any of the ads in the paper I gave you the other