My Rowdy Cowboy. (3B Ranch Series) Book 2

14

Rowdy nodded, "He mentioned he needed to see his lady before we left. He was going to purpose, I... There was an accident. He was injured. I guess with everything going on he didn't get around to it."

"I wasn't sure if you were you were aware of this or not. " The case worker said.

"Yes, he said some kid's horse got away from her. The gelding jumped a fence and bolted right out in front of them. Brody totaled his jeep to miss the kid and his left arm was cut up."

"Quite right," Charles said. "Miss Mitchell took him to the ER and then to the airport upon his release.

"That still doesn't explain how DNA testing was possible." Bobbi reminded them.

"For whatever reason, Miss Mitchell had placed your brother's shirt in a hospital bag and put that in her purse. She said she didn't realize at the time it had so much blood on it. When she finally remembered the shirt, Charity was on the way. She found it when she was cleaning, packing and storing things so she could move in with her mother. When she heard your brother had been killed she... just couldn't throw it out. But, DNA tests are conclusive that Charity is indeed Brody's child. We have copies of all the documentation here." She passed the paperwork across the table.

Rowdy was thunderstruck. "I remember him talking a lot about someone he called Abbie, he had been seeing her for several months and always saw her on leave whenever possible and they wrote back and forth. He was nuts about her, called her every chance he got and was thinking about proposing."

Rowdy looked through the window, "Brody said he thought he had found with her, what I had with Bobbi. He wanted us to meet Abbie when we... When we came home on, when we came home on our next leave. We even talked about where he wanted to build his house here on the ranch so our kids could play together and ride ponies on the ranch." He had to take several deep breaths to gain control.

"My dad doesn't know about this either right?" He asked huskily.

"No sir," the case worker said kindly. "Abigail said Brody spoke of you often and of how close you were. Apparently they too, spoke about her meeting you as soon as he got back from overseas."

Rowdy closed his eyes and squeezed Bobbi's hand and ran his other hand down his face. "Oh, dear heaven. He would have loved having a little girl. How is Abby now, how can we help her?"

The lawyer and case worker looked at each other.

"I'm afraid we haven't explained this very well. Miss Mitchell passed away 10 weeks ago. She signed all the papers necessary for us to find and notify you of your niece. She left a will with explicit instructions that Charity was to be delivered to and placed with you. You will have total and complete custody and guardianship....she had hopes that she would be adopted and grow up here on the family ranch.

Her parents had very good life insurance and left everything to their daughter. She placed the money in an account to pay for all of Charity's needs and legal fees associated with the search and situation. The rest is in a savings account and is to be used for your niece and her future. as I said, she hoped you would want to adopt her so she would truly be a member of the family." Charles said.

"Abby's parents had both retired from very good jobs. These allowed Abigail to move in with and take care of her mother, and her daughter comfortably. Her father had died a few years before her mother. Hospice came in and helped at the end, which was when Abigail began to notice that all was not totally well within herself. Despite the unfortunate situation she was a very well put together young woman. The well being of her daughter was uppermost in her mind." The attorney stated.

"Yes, indeed. Charity was a very well loved little girl. Of course, she is currently very sad and angry, frightened and confused right now. Her mother is gone and she feels she has no one else. She feels abandoned and alone. She's with a good, supportive family and is treated well on the most part, but, well... they aren't her mother."