Backlands Read Online Free

to minors. I will promise you a trust document that legally meets your need to provide for Matthew according to your wishes, but I cannot guarantee the outcome of any future challenges brought to it in a court of law.”
    â€œThis is not what I was hoping for.”
    Wallace smiled sympathetically. “Of course it isn’t. But remember, your ex-husband has a good reputation as a rancher, businessman, and law-abiding citizen, which means mounting a challenge against the trust might succeed if he can convince a judge it would be in Matthew’s best interest to do so.”
    Emma bit her lip. “Make it as difficult for Patrick as possible.”
    Wallace nodded. “It’s too bad your ex-husband hasn’t had any serious run-ins with the law. The court wouldn’t look kindly upon that.”
    â€œI think maybe he did as a young man,” Emma said.
    Wallace raised his eyebrows. “Do you have specifics?”
    Emma shook her head. “He never talked about it. That’s no help, is it?”
    â€œNo,” Wallace said as he checked his watch and stood. “I’m due to meet with a judge shortly. Let me get you home, if you don’t mind my rush.”
    â€œNot at all,” Emma said as Henry hurried to get her coat.
    â€œWe’ll have something for you to review by the end of the week,” Wallace said. “Think about whom you’d like to be a trust administrator.”
    Emma smiled at the men. “Both of you will do nicely, if you’re agreeable. That way I’ll be sure Matthew will be well looked after.”
    â€œAs you wish,” both men said simultaneously.
    ***
    I t was still snowing lightly when school got out. The heavy, wet stuff was perfect for making snowballs, so Matthew, Jimmy Potter, and Joe Pete Johnson battled their way against a gang of four older boys all the way to Main Street, until they broke off the fight and ducked inside Sam Miller’s store, laughing and red-faced, where Matt bought a round of hard candy with some of the money Ma had given him that morning.
    The three boys lived in the same neighborhood and had been friends forever. Jimmy was the bravest, Joe Pete the toughest, and Matt the smartest and the tallest, towering a good two inches above his pals. Because of that and his somewhat serious nature, most folks pegged him as older.
    On the chance they might get waylaid, they waited until the four older boys were nowhere to be seen before splitting up. As Matt was leaving the store, Mr. Miller told him that his ma had been in earlier to buy the fixings for a special dinner she had planned for tonight.
    â€œI was glad to see her out and about,” Mr. Miller added.
    â€œMe too,” Matt replied with a big grin. “What’s she fixing?”
    Mr. Miller shook his head. “I’m not telling. You need to get on home to find that out.”
    â€œI will.”
    Hearing that Ma was still feeling better gave Matt a powerful good feeling. Maybe things could get back to normal again. Still grinning, he ducked into the drugstore, hoping to find the book he’d secreted at the bottom of the used-book bin under a thick volume of famous quotes by famous people.
With Flintlock and Fife: A Tale of the French and Indian Wars
was still there. He paid a dime for it and started home, eager to read it and find out what Ma had planned for dinner.
    Although he was good at all his subjects in school, Matt loved reading best. Happily, the book report due in two weeks could be on any subject he wanted to write about, and
With Flintlock and Fife
was just the kind of story Matt liked: brave soldiers fighting for a worthy cause, just like his brother, CJ, had done in the Great War.
    In his dresser, carefully wrapped in a leather pouch, Matt kept CJ’s medals, which the army had sent home to Ma months after his death in France. The Victory Medal had a silver star for gallantry and the Meuse-Argonne battle clasp on the