TRAILS MERGE
by
Rachel Spangler
2008
TRAILS MERGE © 2008 BY R ACHEL SPANGLER. ALL R IGHTS R ESERVED. ISBN 10: 1-60282-039-2E ISBN 13: 978-1-60282-039-5E THIS ELECTRONIC BOOK IS PUBLISHED BY BOLD STROKES BOOKS, INC., P.O. BOX 249 VALLEY FALLS, NY 12185 FIRST EDITION: DECEMBER 2008
THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION. NAMES, CHARACTERS, PLACES, AND INCIDENTS ARE THE PRODUCT OF THE AUTHOR’S IMAGINATION OR ARE USED FICTITIOUSLY. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO ACTUAL PERSONS, LIVING OR DEAD, BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS, EVENTS, OR LOCALES IS ENTIRELY COINCIDENTAL. THIS BOOK, OR PARTS THEREOF, MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN ANY FORM WITHOUT PERMISSION.
CREDITS EDITORS: SHELLEY THRASHER AND STACIA SEAMAN PRODUCTION DESIGN: STACIA SEAMAN COVER DESIGN BY SHERI (
[email protected])
Acknowledgments Trails Merge has had several drafts and the story has evolved VRPHZKDWIURPP\RULJLQDOFRQFHSWEXWDWLWVKHDUWLWUHPDLQVDVWRU\ DERXWIDPLOLHV7KHUHDUHIDPLOLHVZH¶UHERUQLQWRWKHIDPLOLHVZHMRLQ and the families we create. Like my characters, I am a part of many IDPLOLHVDQG,DPJUHDWO\LQGHEWHGWRHDFKRIWKHP 7KH¿UVWLVDIDPLO\,¶YHEHHQOXFN\HQRXJKWRMRLQDW%ROG6WURNHV %RRNV7KDQN\RXWR5DGIRUFUHDWLQJWKLVIDPLO\RIZULWHUVDQGOHWWLQJ PHEHDSDUWRILW7KDQNVDOVRJRRXWWRP\DPD]LQJHGLWRU6KHOOH\ 7KUDVKHUIRUKHUHQGOHVVSDWLHQFHZLWKPHDQGWR-HQQLIHU.QLJKWIRUKHU FRQWLQXHGRYHUVLJKW$VDOZD\V6KHUL¶VFRYHUVDUHLPSUHVVLYHDQGVKH gets extra thanks this time for incorporating my own picture of a trails PHUJHVLJQWKDWZDVLPSHFFDEO\VKRWE\:LOO%DQNVDQRWKHUSHUVRQ, consider myself lucky to have as part of several of my families. I also RZHDGHEWRIJUDWLWXGHWR6WDFLD6HDPDQIRUKHU¿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and cousins have all played a part in making me who I am today. I know I could call any one of them, at any time, for any reason, and they ZRXOGEHWKHUHIRUPH,DPWUXO\EOHVVHGWRKDYHHDFKDQGHYHU\RQH of them in my life. Last and most important is the family I’ve created. Susie, the love of my life, you give me the strength and the inspiration to chase my GUHDPV:LWKRXW\RXULQÀXHQFH,¶GEHRQO\DVKDGRZRIP\WUXHVHOI $QG -DFNVRQ WKH OLJKW RI P\ OLIH \RX¶YH VKRZQ PH WKH PHDQLQJ RI XQFRQGLWLRQDOORYH,EHFDPHZKROHWKHPLQXWH,EHFDPH\RXUPRP
