JENNY LIKED ANDY and she was immediately taken with Andy’s dog, Joseph, a medium-sized black, brown and gray Australian shepherd that offered his paw when they were introduced.
Jenny accepted it and looked up at Andy. “He’s very well-mannered.”
“Thank you,” Andy said. “He’s a therapy dog. He keeps the nightmares at bay.”
“Travis said you were in the army,” Jenny said. He hadn’t mentioned her PTSD.
Andy nodded. “Surgical nurse until injuries to my hand made it impossible.” She hesitated as if deciding whether to continue. Then she said, “Others were killed in the same attack. It was hard to get back on track.”
She ran a hand over Joseph’s thick fur. “I had PTSD and severe depression. No interest in anything. My doctor practically shanghaied me to visit a woman who trained rescues to become therapy dogs. Had to stay nearly a week with her before she decided I was worthy of Joseph.”
She leaned over and rubbed Joseph’s fur. “He senses when I’m about to have a flashback and comforts me. He wakes me up when I have a nightmare. He’s been a lifesaver. I can’t believe I fought the idea. I didn’t want to think I needed help.”
Sounded all too familiar. She hadn’t wanted to admit that her nightmares were a problem either. “I’ve had nightmares, too,” she confided. “I was in Syria during a bombing of a hospital.” She didn’t go into the details. It seemed...minor compared to what actual combatants like Andy experienced.
“Stephanie Phillips, the local veterinarian, always knows about dogs available for adoption,” Andy said. “She has two search-and-rescue dogs of her own. You might want to talk to her.”
“I always wanted a dog,” Jenny admitted, “but my parents didn’t want the bother when I was young, and then I was traveling all the time. I still have that wanderlust, and it’s not fair to a dog.”
“If you change your mind, Stephanie is involved with a number of dog rescue groups in Colorado,” Andy said. Then she confessed, “I was reluctant at first. I didn’t want to care about anyone or anything again, but Joseph is well worth the effort. I learned I could care again, that the rewards more than make up for the pain of loss.”
Jenny was beginning to wonder if Travis had brought her here to learn more than Covenant Falls’ history. He hadn’t made the suggestion until after she’d had that flashback.
She tried to shoo the thought away. It was none of his business. “I like Joseph’s name. Was it your idea?”
“Nope, he was already named for Joseph’s coat of many colors. It suits him.”
Jenny rubbed the dog’s ears and received a quick lick of a tongue in return. It delighted her. She did it again.
“He likes you,” Andy said. “He’s cautious. He was apparently dumped in the middle of nowhere.”
“I can’t imagine anyone doing something like that to an animal, especially one so intelligent.” Jenny changed subjects. “How long have you lived here? And why here?”
Andy grinned. “Travis said you’re a reporter and would probably know more about me than I did after a conversation.” She shrugged. “I moved here a little less than a year ago. The same doctor who tempted me with Joseph treated Josh Manning. You might have heard something about him. From what I understand, Josh was a real loner when he came here to heal from some bad wounds. He’d inherited a lake cabin from his best friend. When he married Eve, he wanted other vets to use the cabin to transition...or whatever. I was the third occupant.”
Andy hesitated, and then she asked, “Are you thinking about going back to the Middle East?”
Word certainly got around fast. Jenny shrugged. “I don’t know. I want to. I don’t know if I’ll be physically able.” It was the first time Jenny admitted it to anyone. Even to herself.
“Covenant Falls must be rather tame next to where you’ve been. How did you find us?”
“I’m from Denver. I was recuperating—kinda still am—from a shrapnel wound to my shoulder. I read a review of the inn in a state travel magazine and realized I didn’t know anything about Covenant Falls. I called the inn, and Susan told me about all the vets here, and that they’re considering starting an equine therapy program. I thought it would make a great story.”
“Way premature,” Andy said. “It’s still in the talking stage.”
“But the fact there’s so many veterans here...that’s a story in itself.”
“I don’t think they’ll think so,” Andy said in a friendly tone that took any sting from the words. “We just seemed to fit in. The people here not only accepted us but drew us into their lives, made us a part of the community. We don’t want to be different or special or whatever.”
It was a warning.
“But,” Andy added, “Covenant Falls has a fascinating history, and that would make a good story.”
The travel-writer part of Jenny responded to that suggestion, even though she recognized the attempt at diversion. She’d always been able to find good stories in what seemed the most prosaic places. “Tell me about it,” she said.
“I can do better than that. I can show you,” Andy said. She led the way up the stairs and unlocked a door to a large room. Glass cases lined three sides of the room, broken only by a desk in the middle of one side. A chair was in front. A leather-bound book sat on the top of the desk. It was a little larger and thicker than a typical hardback.
“It’s an accurate replica of the journal written by the founder of Covenant Falls,” Andy said. “He started writing in it in Scotland and carried it all the way from the east coast to what is now Covenant Falls. All the words are his. I wanted visitors to get the feeling of the original. You can take it with you tonight.”
“Really?”
“Sure. Then you’ll understand why we feel Covenant Falls is special.”
“Sounds terrific. Thank you,” Jenny said. She could hardly wait to get her hands on it. She loved journals and diaries. It didn’t, however, quash her interest in the veterans as, apparently, Andy and Travis hoped.
“Joseph and I will run you over to the Camel Trail Inn. I think you’ll really like it.”
“Thanks. It sounds interesting.”
“If you have any questions or want more information, call me. My number is on a slip of paper in the book. If you lose it, ask anyone for it.”
“I’m sure I’ll have a lot of questions. I warn you, I can be pesky—if Travis hasn’t already told you.”
Andy’s smile told her that Travis had. “You need anything, ask Susan. If you want a few minutes to look around up here, go ahead.”
“I think I would rather read the journal first,” Jenny replied. It was after six. She had kept Andy long enough. “I appreciate you staying late and giving me a ride.”
“Hey, I’ve been trying to get publicity for the town. It deserves it. The history is mind-boggling, at least to me.”
As long as it wasn’t about the veterans. Jenny was getting the message loud and clear. She was beginning to wonder whether there was a conspiracy. Andy handed her the journal. They left the museum, Joseph padding beside them and happily jumping into the back seat of the car.
Five minutes later, Andy drove up to the Camel Trail Inn. A sketch and photo of the inn’s exterior had been on its website, but it hadn’t done the place justice. The rustic exterior, with its sign of a grinning camel, was welcoming. Only a few cars were parked in its lot. Jenny wondered out loud how the inn survived.
“We have a growing tourist trade,” Andy said. “It started with a pageant we initiated last summer. It drew crowds from the surrounding areas and attracted attention in the state travel industry. Since then, we’ve been adding attractions—horseback riding trips, visits to old mines, fishing contests. The summer and weekends are pretty good. During the rest of the year, there’s entertainment in the dining room on weekends, and that draws a good crowd from ranches around here.”
Jenny grabbed the journal in both hands as they walked inside. It was heavy but manageable. She paused at the entrance. The lobby was just as inviting as the exterior. Rustic yet attractive, with a giant stone fireplace taking up one side of the room. She could envision a roaring fire on a wintry day.
She went to the registration counter and was met by an attractive woman in a white blouse and black slacks.
“Ms. Talbot?”
“It’s Jenny.”
“And I’m Susan,” the woman said. “Welcome to the Camel Trail Inn.”
It wasn’t just words. There was real warmth behind them, as Jenny had noticed during their earlier call.
While she signed in and handed over her credit card, Susan explained the inn’s offerings.
“There’s fresh coffee at 6:00 a.m. here in the lobby, along with some pastries, and from four to six in the afternoon, we have wine and cheese. It’s self-serve.
“If you’re here Friday and Saturday, the dining room is open for breakfast and dinner. In between, you can order for delivery from either Maude’s or the Rusty Nail. Menus are in the rooms.”
“That sounds good,” Jenny said. She had been wondering what to do about food since she had no transportation.
She turned to Andy. “Thanks for the information, the journal and the ride.”
“You’re very welcome,” Andy said. “Don’t hesitate to call if you want more information.”
Jenny wanted a lot more, but she reined herself in. She didn’t want to scare her most friendly contact off.
After Andy left, Susan picked up Jenny’s carry-on and showed her to a small library. “This is where we serve wine and cheese in the afternoon,” she said. “We move to the lobby when we’re full. You’re welcome to read and take a book with you when you leave. In fact, we’re delighted when you do. Our guests leave them for that purpose.”
Jenny followed Susan to the room. It was large and comfortable. A horseshoe was nailed above the door—a whimsy that appealed to her.
“It’s delightful,” she exclaimed. It had character and comfort.
“There’s still time for a glass of wine when you get settled,” Susan said.
“Are you here all the time?” Jenny asked.
“I try to be out front when guests are expected to check in, but there’s always someone in the office. Just ring the bell.” She left, closing the door behind her.
Jenny unpacked her carry-on and checked out the bathroom. It was large, with an oversize tub and shower. The room and service were more than she’d expected, although she knew the value of spending a few dollars on a glass of wine and cheese to bring back customers and garner recommendations on travel sites. No matter what else she found on this trip, she would write and submit a travel piece on the Camel Trail Inn as an example of how to do things right.
She changed to a pair of shorts and T-shirt and walked to the small library. Two couples had arrived while she was checking out her room. A counter held three bottles of wine, including a white wine in an ice bucket. A plate with several kinds of cheeses and gourmet crackers had been placed next to it.
She had meant to pour a glass of wine and head back to her room, but she wanted to know why others had landed in this out-of-the-way town. In minutes she felt as if she knew the couples. Both were celebrating the husbands’ return from deployments and heard, through word of mouth, that it was a vet-friendly town with outdoor activities available for a reasonable price. They had booked a Jeep trip up into some old gold camps and a horseback riding trek into the mountains.
“We loved every minute,” Teresa, one of the wives, said. “The guide for the Jeep trip was an old-timer with a lot of stories, and one of the local ranchers took us for a day-long horseback trip up to the falls. They were breathtaking. The finishing touch was to come back to wine and cheese.”
Andy felt a rare tug of her heart as the couples left hand in hand for dinner at the Rusty Nail. What had she missed? She wondered how it felt, to love like that. But then wouldn’t she miss the freedom of going where she wanted and when she wanted? She’d fought hard for that independence. She’d never regretted it.
When she returned to her room, there was a message on her room phone from Eve Manning. Could she come over for dinner tomorrow night?
She called the number on the message. “Mrs. Manning? This is Jenny Talbot. Thank you for the invitation. I would be delighted to come.”
“Good. It’ll be a small group. One of us will pick you up at six thirty if that’s okay. My husband will be barbecuing, and it’s very casual.”
“Thank you,” Jenny said. “I’m looking forward to it.” She hung up, unable to believe her luck. Eve Manning had been on her list of people to call tomorrow. She wondered if Travis had anything to do with it—and what the mayor of Covenant Falls wanted.
She took a shower and pulled on a long T-shirt. She then settled down in bed with the journal. But her thoughts kept turning to the man with whom she’d spent so much of the day.
She had truly enjoyed his company, until he abruptly applied the brakes on their easy communication. She’d been charmed by his openness, his ease with himself and the unexpected humor that made her smile. She’d liked the way he interacted with Maude and the unobtrusive way he’d discovered more about her than she about him. She couldn’t remember when she’d blurted out personal information in so short a time. It was disconcerting.
It doesn’t matter. She wouldn’t be here more than a few days. But Travis Hammond remained in her head. Maybe she’d just imagined the heat that rose between them in the car and that electric connection at the waterfall. Dammit, she still felt it when she mentally revisited those hours with him.
The journal. Read the journal.
She opened it. The writing was cursive. Neat. Precise. In minutes, she was carried away by the words of a man who lived more than a hundred and fifty years earlier. It started with an entry from November 5, 1848, which read, “Today I leave my beloved Scotland...”
As she turned the pages, she felt as if she were traveling with Angus Monroe, first on the voyage from Scotland to New York to find his wayward brother, and then across half a continent to establish a trading post. She reached the part where he buried his brother just east of Covenant Falls, the brother he’d traveled so far to find...
“It is a sad day,” Monroe’s entry stated. “My brother, Liam, died just days from the mountains he longed to see... With a heavy heart, we gave him a Christian burial as the sun set. God give him rest...”
Caught up in the drama, she ignored the clock next to her bed and continued to read as Angus started his trading business and risked his life to save an Ute chief.
Many pages later, he married the chief’s sister, and the Ute tribe made a covenant of peace with him.
She was more than halfway through the journal when the day caught up with her and the words seemed to blur.
Jenny looked at the clock. It was after 2:00 a.m.
She understood why Andy wanted her to read the journal. It revealed the mystique of Covenant Falls. There were legends about many towns and cities, but few with this kind of authenticity.
But it didn’t explain why so many veterans came here. And stayed. So far, she knew of Josh Manning, Jubal Pierce, Clint Morgan, the chopper pilot, and now Andy. She had a story. She had the intriguing history of Covenant Falls for a travel piece, but she sensed a much larger story, the kind of human interest that had always been her strength. All she had to do was earn some trust.
She sensed it wasn’t going to be easy.
* * *
AFTER TRAVIS LEFT Jenny Talbot at the community center, he drove to see Josh. His former sergeant had added an office to the small ranch he now called home.
One of the Mannings’ two horses neighed to announce his arrival. Josh Manning emerged from the house, followed by a gang of dogs. Josh calmed the dogs that raced to see who would greet Travis first, invited him inside and grabbed two beers from the fridge. They went outside to several lounge chairs.
Travis downed half of his beer in one pull.
“She’s that bad?” Josh said with amusement.
“Worse,” Travis said ruefully. He paused, and then he ventured, “Maybe some publicity could be beneficial.”
Josh raised an eyebrow. “So she’s persuasive?”
“Let’s say she’s damn persistent.”
“Obnoxious?”
A pause. “I wish,” Travis replied. “I could handle that.”
“I look forward to meeting her,” Josh said. “I think the Covenant Falls cupid is ready to strike again.”
“No,” Travis insisted. “It’s just difficult—no, make that impossible—to shut the door.” He finished the beer. “Oh well, I’m leaving soon, and she’ll be gone when I get back. I’m going to head out early, on Sunday.” The more he thought about Sunday, the more he liked the idea. Unfortunately, it was only Thursday, and the appointments were already set in stone.
“Retreating from the battlefield?” Josh asked with a humor he’d apparently acquired with his marriage.
Travis grinned. It must have come along with Josh’s wife, new son, two horses, a motley bunch of rescue dogs and one crazy cat. He certainly had not noticed it in the years they’d served together.
“You could probably say that,” he answered. “You haven’t met her yet.”
Josh shrugged. “I will. Susan told Eve about her, and my wife invited her to dinner tomorrow night. You’re invited, too, along with Stephanie and Clint. I think Eve hopes she can steer our reporter into doing a story on Steph’s search-and-rescue group.”
“Can I decline?” Travis said.
“Nope,” Josh replied.
Travis inwardly groaned. That’s all he needed. More Jennifer Talbot. He could refuse, of course, but that would be cowardly. No excuse would do. As he’d told Jenny, everyone knew everyone’s business here.
“Maybe Eve could show her around tomorrow,” Travis suggested hopefully. “They have a lot in common, mainly drive and persistence. Hell, I don’t know much more about the town than Jenny does.”
“Jenny?” Josh asked, an eyebrow raised. “It sounds kinda...easy on your tongue.”
“Well, I couldn’t keep calling her Ms. Talbot,” he said defensively.
“Why not Jennifer?”
Josh got him there. He shrugged.
“Pretty?”
“I bet you looked her up, just as I did,” Travis said.
“Couldn’t tell much from a black-and-white photo,” Josh shot back.
“She’s...well, attractive.”
“I don’t believe this,” Josh said. “You’re stuttering.”
“No, I’m not,” Travis replied indignantly, then tried to answer. “She’s...certainly full of questions. In fact, they never stop. But she’s likable. She had Maude eating out of her hand the minute we walked into the restaurant. She could probably tame a tiger.”
“I thought you were just going to pick her up and take her to the inn, maybe by the waterfall. What’s this about Maude’s?”
Travis felt his face burning. “She was hungry. I also took her to the falls. Thought that might get her mind off the vets.”
Josh didn’t say anything more, but his expression did. “Another beer?”
“I better not. I’m driving out to Jubal’s ranch, see how Danny’s doing and tell Jubal what to expect. I think Jenny Talbot’s going to be knocking on his door soon.”
Josh nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow night. In the meantime, I’ll ask Eve to divert Ms. Talbot tomorrow.”
Travis had had dinner with Josh and his wife several times since Josh had contacted him about the study. Mayor Eve would be a good match for Jenny. The thought of the two of them together was truly frightening.
Travis had looked forward to the trip, to a fresh look at the country. He liked driving in the Western United States, with the ever-changing landscapes, and he liked driving alone. It gave him time to think and a chance to meet new people.
Travis got up and limped to his car. “She kept me moving today,” he explained. “Tell Eve I said hello. How you ever got her to marry you, I don’t know.”
“She said it was my winning personality.”
Travis raised an eyebrow. He still couldn’t believe his no-nonsense staff sergeant was relaxing in a lawn chair, surrounded by dogs and sporting a big grin on his face.
He left, stopping long enough to call Jubal to alert him to his arrival. When he arrived, he punched a number on the security gate leading to the stable and drove inside. Five horses were grazing in the front pasture. He didn’t recognize two of them, and they looked thinner than the others. Must be new arrivals. He knew that Jubal and his partner, Luke, were acquiring rescued horses for the program. The theory was the vets and horses would help each other to heal.
When he pulled up, a dog barked and ran several feet toward him, and then it retreated to the side of a tall, lanky man who appeared from the side of the ranch house. Sweat covered his forehead.
Former SEAL Jubal Pierce approached Travis, his hand outstretched. “How did the pickup go?”
“Interesting,” he said. “How’s Danny doing?”
“He’s a great worker. Learns fast and never stops. He and the horses get along just fine, and he’s already learned to saddle them. Right now, he’s working with Nate and Craig Stokes, who are adding new stalls and a room for an employee in the stable. We plan to start on the bunkhouse when we agree on how many participants we want.”
“That’s why I’m here. I thought he might like to use Josh’s cabin while I’m gone.”
“We can ask him what he wants to do, but he’s now using an extra room in the house,” Jubal said. “He’s made fast friends with this dog. Roger is one of Stephanie’s rescues she foisted off on me. The kid has a way with animals, although he says he’s never been around any.”
“Two orphaned souls,” Travis mused aloud. “He has no family, other than the army. Thanks for taking him in.”
“I’m the grateful one. He’s shy but good with the horses. He’s already been in the saddle. He needs help with that leg, but I rigged a kind of harness. He’s still a bit tentative, which is good. It’s hard to tell this early, but I’m thinking he’s a keeper. Hardworking kids like that are hard to find.”
Relief and gratitude flooded Travis.
“That’s great. Thanks.”
“I think I’m the one thanking you. Since he arrived, I’ve been looking up info on horseback riding for amputees and learning a lot. I want to include them in whatever we do. Now, come on back and you can see how much we got done.”
Travis followed him to the rear of the stable. The bones of the addition were in place. He’d met Nate, another vet who had partnered with Josh on some projects in and around Covenant Falls, but he hadn’t met the other man.
Danny was standing on his new prosthetic and pounding nails into a cross-section. He finished and turned. “Major,” he said, his face lighting up.
“It’s Travis now. How’s it going?”
“Just fine,” Danny said as he knelt and rubbed the fur of the dog that trotted up to him. “I’m learning a lot, and the horses, they’re fine. Real fine.”
“Your leg?”
“It’s okay.”
But Travis could tell from the way the boy limped that it was still painful. He had grit, but then, he’d been a soldier.
Danny looked him straight in the eyes. “Thank you, Major.” He didn’t have to elaborate.
Travis just nodded, feeling like a fraud. He’d done damned little. Jubal led him back through the stable and offered him a sandwich, but Travis was still full of cheeseburger.
“I ate at Maude’s,” he explained.
“I heard,” Jubal said.
“Of course you did.” Travis sighed. “Why am I not surprised?”
He followed Jubal back out the stable. “Looks like you have some newcomers,” he said.
“Four,” Jubal said. “Two are in the pasture. These two need some extra attention.”
“How many horses do you have now?”
“I have Jacko—I bought him from Luke, and he’s my personal horse. He’s probably most responsible for this effort. I was drifting until I met him. Two more came with the ranch. Well-behaved riding horses. And I bought three mares I can breed to Luke’s stallion. In the meantime, they’re good riding horses. I just adopted the four new horses from a horse rescue group. The two in the pasture need to be fattened but are gentle. The ones in the stalls are skittish and need a lot of attention.”
“So ten on hand?” Travis said.
Jubal nodded. “I hope to add several mustangs before we open. And Luke and other ranchers are eager to participate so we’re not limited in numbers.”
Travis had hoped for more guidance. It was damn little to go on and a hell of a lot on his shoulders. “What exactly do you want me to do,” Travis said.
“Simply put,” Travis said, “assess existing programs and give us options with pros and cons. Josh has great faith in your ability to do both.”
Travis inwardly groaned. It was a huge task and lives could depend on it. He was only too aware of the suicide rate among veterans, not to mention divorces and homelessness, but he didn’t feel qualified for it.
Jubal must have sensed his hesitancy. “The goal in visiting the ranches is determining which seems the most effective for the greatest number of veterans along with the costs.”
They were questions that challenged and intrigued Travis. He knew about training soldiers. But helping them heal? He was only too aware of the problems they faced. After multiple years of deployments, soldiers returned to families and communities that couldn’t possibly understand what they’d experienced and continued to experience. The most difficult part was losing buddies who had become as close, or even closer than, family members. They’d lived together, depended on each other, protected each other. The band of brothers was a reality, not just a book title.
That loss along with the fierceness of nightmares and flashbacks, the reflexive response to loud noises, the inability to sleep and the pain of survivor’s guilt made it all but impossible to return to a “normal” life for many. Could horses really be that livesaving?
Travis knew something of Jubal’s history. After years of dangerous missions, the SEAL had lost his team and been held captive for two years. He saw the raw edges in Jubal and wondered whether the former SEAL wasn’t trying to rid himself of ghosts by banishing them from others.
“I’d better go,” he said. “I have a lot of work to do. I’m heading out Sunday, instead of Monday.”
“How did your meeting with the journalist go?” Jubal asked.
“Interesting,” he said. “It might be difficult to dissuade her from writing about the program and you, and God help you if she connects all the recent marriages and engagements. Covenant Falls will become the Western Love Boat.”
“Is that why you’re starting early? Getting out of Dodge?”
“I wasn’t employed to run interference with a reporter,” Travis said. “The salary is way too low. Besides, I’m an outsider. I don’t know anything about anything.”
To his surprise, Jubal grinned. “Now, that’s the best reason for you to handle her.”
Handle her? Good luck to anyone who tried.
“I’m through,” he said flatly. “I picked her up as asked. I suggested to Josh that Eve take over now.”
“I hear she’s pretty busy with the city budget now.”
Travis shook his head. He couldn’t wrap his mind around this town and the number of warriors reduced to, well, putty in the hands of the opposite sex.
Just as well he planned to leave as soon as he fulfilled his obligation to the group.
“I’m heading back to the cabin,” he said. He left before Jubal could protest. He was not, absolutely not, going to be the go-to person for a reporter.
Didn’t matter how damned appealing she might be.