to find out what it was.
From her location on the bench, Paige had a view of most of the square. She surveyed the area and paused, taking note again of the four antler arches, in particular the one on the corner closest to the Blue Sky Café. Again it seemed to have a faint glow across the top, just as it had when she passed by it the other day. Looking around at the other three arches, she didn’t see the same lighting. She looked up and searched for parted clouds and rays of sunshine, wondering if one might be directed at that particular arch. But there was nothing from above to cause that type of effect. Nor were there streetlights on, which ruled out yet another possible explanation.
She stood and took a few steps in one direction, watching the arch closely as she passed it by, but could see no change in its appearance. Reversing direction, she walked back, but the glow remained the same. Finally, facing the arch directly, she wondered if this could simply be a trick of Wyoming mountain lighting, some type of optical illusion caused by the high altitude. A scientific explanation was starting to sound like something she would welcome.
She approached the arch, expecting to see the light fade, but instead it seemed to grow brighter. Though it appeared to go unnoticed by other people passing by, it seemed clear enough to Paige. Stopping a few yards in front of the arch, she stared at its hazy glow for a few seconds, certain that she wasn’t imagining it. She looked around for bystanders who might be able to confirm what she saw, but the town square was now surprisingly empty. When she looked back at the arch again, the glow had completely disappeared.
CHAPTER TWO
The sun was starting to lower on the horizon when Jake pulled up to the fenced gate of the ranch. He stopped his truck just far enough back from the gate to allow it to open, pulled on the emergency brake and left the engine running as he jumped out. The latch was old and rusty and the hinge creaked abrasively into the still air. He made a mental note to replace it at some point. But that would have to wait, along with dozens of other tasks. He had much bigger things on his mind.
He swung the gate open, returned to the truck and drove it through, stopped again and jumped out to pull the gate shut and then continued on to the old farmhouse. He liked the building, old and run down as it was. It had two stories, a small attic and a large front porch that wrapped around the sides. The interior was spacious and boasted an impressive vaulted ceiling above the main room. Yet those features didn’t interest him as much as the view across the valley to the Tetons. This was the reason he had bought the property, that and the fact it dated back to the late 1800’s. It had cost him an arm and a leg, but he was certain it would pay off in time.
Upon entering the farmhouse, he tossed aside his hat, a typical cowboy style with a wide brim. It was a clean shot, landing on a wooden hook on the wall to the right of the entrance. He dropped his jacket on the sofa and walked to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of Moose Drool. Savoring the questionably-named but satisfying malty brew, he sat down at the kitchen table and pulled out the envelope.
Damn that Frank, he muttered under his breath. He didn’t appreciate being blackmailed and that was exactly what Frank had done, as far as he was concerned. It should have been an easy exchange in the town square that day. Instead it became a dispute. Well, he wasn’t going to worry about it now. He had what he’d waited for right in his hands. Now he just had to put the pieces together. After all these years of waiting and searching, of keeping secrets and being cautious, he could feel the anticipation of reaching his long-time goal.
He opened the crumpled paper and stared at it, just as he had that morning in the café. Good old
From her location on the bench, Paige had a view of most of the square. She surveyed the area and paused, taking note again of the four antler arches, in particular the one on the corner closest to the Blue Sky Café. Again it seemed to have a faint glow across the top, just as it had when she passed by it the other day. Looking around at the other three arches, she didn’t see the same lighting. She looked up and searched for parted clouds and rays of sunshine, wondering if one might be directed at that particular arch. But there was nothing from above to cause that type of effect. Nor were there streetlights on, which ruled out yet another possible explanation.
She stood and took a few steps in one direction, watching the arch closely as she passed it by, but could see no change in its appearance. Reversing direction, she walked back, but the glow remained the same. Finally, facing the arch directly, she wondered if this could simply be a trick of Wyoming mountain lighting, some type of optical illusion caused by the high altitude. A scientific explanation was starting to sound like something she would welcome.
She approached the arch, expecting to see the light fade, but instead it seemed to grow brighter. Though it appeared to go unnoticed by other people passing by, it seemed clear enough to Paige. Stopping a few yards in front of the arch, she stared at its hazy glow for a few seconds, certain that she wasn’t imagining it. She looked around for bystanders who might be able to confirm what she saw, but the town square was now surprisingly empty. When she looked back at the arch again, the glow had completely disappeared.
CHAPTER TWO
The sun was starting to lower on the horizon when Jake pulled up to the fenced gate of the ranch. He stopped his truck just far enough back from the gate to allow it to open, pulled on the emergency brake and left the engine running as he jumped out. The latch was old and rusty and the hinge creaked abrasively into the still air. He made a mental note to replace it at some point. But that would have to wait, along with dozens of other tasks. He had much bigger things on his mind.
He swung the gate open, returned to the truck and drove it through, stopped again and jumped out to pull the gate shut and then continued on to the old farmhouse. He liked the building, old and run down as it was. It had two stories, a small attic and a large front porch that wrapped around the sides. The interior was spacious and boasted an impressive vaulted ceiling above the main room. Yet those features didn’t interest him as much as the view across the valley to the Tetons. This was the reason he had bought the property, that and the fact it dated back to the late 1800’s. It had cost him an arm and a leg, but he was certain it would pay off in time.
Upon entering the farmhouse, he tossed aside his hat, a typical cowboy style with a wide brim. It was a clean shot, landing on a wooden hook on the wall to the right of the entrance. He dropped his jacket on the sofa and walked to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of Moose Drool. Savoring the questionably-named but satisfying malty brew, he sat down at the kitchen table and pulled out the envelope.
Damn that Frank, he muttered under his breath. He didn’t appreciate being blackmailed and that was exactly what Frank had done, as far as he was concerned. It should have been an easy exchange in the town square that day. Instead it became a dispute. Well, he wasn’t going to worry about it now. He had what he’d waited for right in his hands. Now he just had to put the pieces together. After all these years of waiting and searching, of keeping secrets and being cautious, he could feel the anticipation of reaching his long-time goal.
He opened the crumpled paper and stared at it, just as he had that morning in the café. Good old
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