Chapter One
THE AIR WAS MOIST, THE COMING RAIN telegraphed by plump, gray clouds, and the
blue sky fast fading. The 1936 four-door Lincoln Zephyr sedan moved down the
winding road at a decent, if unhurried, pace. The car's interior was filled with
the inviting aromas of warm sourdough bread, baked chicken, and peach and
cinnamon pie from the picnic basket that sat so temptingly between the two
children in the backseat.
Louisa Mae Cardinal, twelve years old, tall and rangy, her hair the color of
sun-dappled straw and her eyes blue, was known simply as Lou. She was a pretty
girl who would almost certainly grow into a beautiful woman. But Lou would fight
tea parties, pigtails, and frilly dresses to the death. And somehow win. It was
just her nature.
The notebook was open on her lap, and Lou was filling the blank pages with
writings of importance to her, as a fisherman does his net. And from the girl's
pleased look, she was landing fat cod with every pitch and catch. As always, she
was very intent on her writing. Lou came by that trait honestly, as her father
had such fever to an even greater degree than his daughter.
On the other side of the picnic basket was Lou's brother, Oz. The name was a
contraction of his given one ... read full excerpt from Wish You Well ebook
