Page 50 of Roaring Fork Wrangler

Cord shook his head. “Murder. He tampered with Manley’s brakes. Miss Cena’s son I mean.”

My eyes opened wide, and I rested my head against the seat. “Manley died because of him?Jesus.Poor Miss Cena. She’d already suffered so much.”

“He thought he’d inherit the Lilacs, or at least part of it, once his great-aunt died. I guess he didn’t know my siblings or me existed, which would’ve left just him and his brother to split everything. I can tell you, based on my own experience, when it comes to inheriting something, it doesn’t always go the way you’d expect it to.”

“Maybe the estate is why you’re here.”

“According to Decker, who heard it from Beau and the attorney, only Miss Cena’s direct descendants can inherit. Jimmy and his brother aren’t. Neither am I.”

My eyes scrunched. “What would’ve happened if there weren’t any?”

“Everything would be sold and the proceeds given to charity.” Cord’s eyes met mine. “Same as with my dad’s trust.”

“Do you think it’s a coincidence?”

He shook his head. “Now that I’ve said it out loud, I don’t.”

“Me either.”

14

CORD

The similarities between Cena’s will versus my father’s trust were too close for them to be random. But Roscoe Buchtold Wheaton had no relation to Cena Rooker Covert, and given we didn’t know a thing about our mother’s family, it was highly unlikely he would’ve ever met the woman. In fact, as far as I knew, the man had never left the state of Colorado.

Things definitely weren’t adding up, but when had they? I had to think hard to even remember my mom, let alone conversations my parents might have had. Maybe if I mentioned it to Buck or Porter, they might recall something significant.

“I could help you,” Juniper said, squeezing my fingers. “I’m sure my mom would too.”

“I don’t want to impose on anyone.” I looked over at her, and she smiled.

“Look at it this way, Cord. If I do, it means we can spend more time together.”

“I’d be all for that.”

“Me too.”

When her cheeks flushed and she lowered her gaze, I wanted to pull her onto my lap and kiss the fuck out of her.

“Here they come,” she said, motioning to the bank’s front door.

Sam looked as though she’d been crying, but instead of sadness, her expression was almost serene. Beau opened the rear passenger door and helped her in, then went around to the other side and got in too.

“There was a letter,” she began. “It explained a lot, and when we return to the Lilacs, I’ll let you both read it if you’d like. There were journals too.”

“We’ll come back another time to fetch those, along with the other contents of the safe-deposit box,” Beau added.

“The letter confirmed that Cena Covert was my great-grandmother and her son, Manley, was my grandfather. There wasn’t much beyond that, but what she wrote alluded to the journals and that I’d find out more about my family—our family, Cord—by reading them.”

I tried my hardest not to get emotional, but looking into Sam’s tear-filled eyes, I failed.

I brushed at my own tears, wishing so much I could go back and relive the days when I first arrived in East Aurora. Maybe I wouldn’t know any more than I did now, but if I’d pressed, I might have been able to meet Miss Cena.

“Should we return to the Lilacs now?” I asked.

“I know this sounds crazy, but I’m starving,” Sam admitted.

“We’d have our pick of restaurants now that we know we won’t run into Jimmy Rooker,” I said. “I sure could go for one of those burgers they serve at the inn, if the rest of you are game.”

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