Read Ring of Fire Book Two of the McKay's for Free Online Page A

show him. The funny thing is, if I succeeded no one was happier than him…"
    Caleb cast her an amused glance over his shoulder and s hrugged. "Sounds like you listened to him a lot. You recall a lot of conversation between ya? Well, I wouldn't worry about it. You must miss your father a lot. That's all."
    "I guess so, it just seems so strange to me. I mean, I don't believe in ghosts. But the voice…it was so clear, so close, as though he was right out there and trying to warn me. It distracts me so, I get thrown every time," Letty insisted, watching the old man work. "I shouldn't bother you with it, it's just that somehow I keep hearing him. It startles me. Father and I rode together many times; it was the only thing on the ranch I took an interest in. He seemed to indulge me. It was like our time together."
    Caleb reminded her of her father, but this man was mo re stooped and his voice sounded more coarse and deeper than her father's. Still she reasoned they probably would have had a lot in common with each other, especially the way Caleb spoiled the horses all the time.
    He took so much care with them. Obviously, Wade and Cade appreciated how well he handled his job though, and everyone on the ranch seemed to know and love Caleb.
    "Do you believe in ghosts?" she asked him.
    "Never thought about it. What is, is. Can't explain everything in life you know," Caleb insisted, sounding almost put out at her probing him.
    "Of course, you're right ," Letty agreed and turned to leave. "I guess I just miss him a lot."
    The old man glanced at her again . "He thought a lot of you girls. He missed you too."
    " How do you know that?" Letty probed.
    "Bein' close to the same age, we talked a lot. He always told me and the boys how proud of his girls he was. Every one of you."
    " Yeah, I can see where you would talk a lot. I guess you and Dad had a lot in common."
    "Yeah, I reckon we did. He wanted only the best for you. But I think in his older age, he grew to realize that he couldn't completely control you and that you would have to learn about life by yourself. He said that was a hard lesson for him to learn."
    "Yeah, but me and Julie, we left, and we didn't come back. We didn't even visit. Julie has a good reason, but I…well, I was trying to make it on my own so to speak. I have an independent streak, and with Dad, well, independence wasn't possible. He controlled everything here."
    "Yep, I've heard he ruled with an iron thumb ," Caleb remarked.
    " Yes, I have to agree with that. He did. He was the boss, the ramrod, the one you better listen to. I wanted to make him proud of me…but in the end, I'm not very proud of staying away so much. I loved him more than he knew. Now that I've quit school…well."
    "Quit school?" Caleb's voice raised and he shot her a frown over his shoulder. "That don't sound like a McKay. McKay's don't quit." Caleb turned to stare at her a moment, then turned away. "At least, I didn't think they did."
    "School doesn't interest me any longer. You know, I didn't even know he had a heart problem," Letty cried. "That's how much I knew about him in the last years."
    "Maybe the old man didn't want you to know ," Caleb reasoned. "Strong men, and your dad was a strong man, don't always like showing their weaknesses."
    "Maybe…" She stared at him. "Sounds like something my father would have said. I guess that's why I like talking to you Caleb, you remind me of him so much."
    " We were from the same time, growin' up and all. What we had in common was horses. He was too busy a man though. Could have led him to his ill health. Miss Letty, you can't change the past, but you can work on the future."
    Letty nodded. "I guess you are right. And you might say I've changed my future, to some extent." When he didn't say anything, she added, "Guess I ought to go inside now."
    The old man half turned to look at her. "You've changed your future? You mean by moving home for a year?"
    " No, I mean I quit law school."
    "Why?" The old