Page 47 of Roaring Fork Wrangler

“Is that Cena and Manley?” Beau asked from over my shoulder.

Sam stepped closer. “It says it was taken in 1975, the same year Manley died.” The two were holding hands, sitting close enough that their arms touched. “They look so in love,” she murmured.

“And they were,” said an older gentleman sitting at an adjacent table.

“Did you know them?” Sam asked.

I listened while they chatted about the car accident that killed Mr. Covert and James Rooker, Cena’s brother. Pete had told me about it during one of our meetings.

“Hell of a thing, the way Manley died. Worse was how his son went.” My ears pricked up.

“What do you mean?” Sam asked.

“Both were killed in car accidents, several years apart, of course. With Junior, though, rumor was his brakes had been tampered with. Couldn’t ever prove it. The car veered off the road and went over an embankment straight into Buffalo Creek. The condition of the car made it impossible to prove anything.”

Chills spread throughout my body. It wasn’t just that I was hearing the story. Something inside me was absolutely certain Junior’s death was no accident.

“Some say it was the good-for-nothing nephew did the tampering. Others say Junior had been drinking, but I knew better. After losing his dad that way, he never would’ve driven while intoxicated.”

I motioned to Beau and Sam when the waitress brought our food. I heard them thank the man before joining me at the table.

“Someone should write a book about the Coverts,” I said under my breath once we’d taken our seats. “So much needless tragedy.”

Sam nodded, and so did Beau.

We’d just finished eating when he received a message on his mobile.

“No sign of Rooker,” Beau said after reading it.

On the drive back, the two talked about visiting the Lilac’s winery, which I’d never seen.

“Can I come along?” I asked.

“Of course,” they both said in unison.

13

JUNIPER

“Gray came home before you did last night,” said my mom while we sat in the kitchen at home before my shift at the Goat.

“I stayed and talked to Cord.”

Her eyes bored into mine, and she motioned with her hands for me to go on. “And?”

I shrugged. “He has to work at the Lilacs for a year, but then he plans to return to Colorado.”

“Has to?”

I hadn’t asked Cord if it was okay for me to talk about what brought him to East Aurora. Until he did, I didn’t feel comfortable sharing it. “It’s complicated family stuff.”

My mother raised a brow.

“Anyway, what I’m getting at is, how much sense does it make to get involved with someone you know is leaving?”

“He could change his mind,” she suggested.

“He’s adamant, Mom, and where would that leave me? I don’t like the idea that in order to be with a man, I’d have to upend my life. Not that he’d necessarily ask me to.”

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