“Nonsense, let’s sign you up now,” Cherise said, fetching her laptop and setting it on the island. “The faster we get you registered, the sooner you’ll get those books.”
“Thanks. Oh, I don’t know what address to put. I don’t know how long I’ll be here,” she mumbled.
“Put my address in,” Ty said as he pulled a clean shirt over his head. “We can always change it if the need arises.”
Entering the information, Cherise’s nails clicked away on the keyboard.
“It’s all set. Maybe later, Ty can go through the list of books with you,” Cherise suggested, hopping off the stool. “Dinner’s ready.”
Rocker knocked on the door and waited until Ty let him in.
“Hey, man,” Rocker gave him a head nod.
“C’mon back, we’re ready to sit down for dinner,” Ty led him back to the kitchen. They sat at the table, enjoying the stew.
“This is mighty fine food,” Rocker complimented Cherise.
“Did you make this from scratch?” Scarlett asked. “I love fall when you can add all the ingredients into a crock pot and your entire house smells like fresh herbs.”
“It sure beats the food from the mess hall,” Rocker added.
“You won’t find a slow cooker at my house, dear. I made beans and rice when I married Ty’s father. Ty learned to cook from him. He knows how to barbecue. He cans vegetables and freezes soups. I found this in the deep freeze while you two…fished.”
“So not cooking but reheating,” Scarlett grinned, trying to keep her composure as she recalled their afternoon.
“Yes, Ty cooked the original stew,” Cherise admitted. “Now the talk of the game tonight was all about the community center, baker, and restaurant. What have you decided about your restaurant?”
“We met with Kassie and Bryanna yesterday to discuss the restaurant’s future. Scarlett helped us come up with a plan. We’re meeting later in the week to discuss it again. I’m working out the numbers tomorrow after I meet with the insurance adjuster,” Ty informed her. “Kassie’s having the teens pass out flyers for the town meeting, hoping to catch people’s interest. We’re hoping to get the townspeople more involved in the community.”
“Everyone Sledge and I have encountered has welcomed us. It seems weird they don’t want to participate in helping each other to make the town better,” Rocker added.
“It’s sad, really. It’ll be great if they come together again. When Ty grew up, the people in this town watched over one another. I miss Serenity and the community,” Cherise said sadly.
“Why did you move if you love the town?” Scarlett asked curiously.
Silence echoed around the table. Rocker nudged her foot under the table to clue her into the unhappy faces.
“I’m sorry. My curiosity got the best of me. I didn’t mean to pry,” she apologized.
“You didn’t,” Cherise assured her. “Ty’s father worked hard to provide for his family. When Tyson inherited the ranch, he became responsible for all the employees. He ended up firing two lifelong friends who took advantage of him. One of them went on to college and became the bank’s CEO, which held our mortgage. When Tyson got sick with cancer, they didn’t waste time taking his land. I willalways believe until the day I die, his friend killed him, not the cancer. I named Ty after the man I loved the most. My son inherited what we managed to hold on to and took it over. Little by little, he’s reclaimed his family’s land. I left after my husband died, unable to face the daily reminder of our lives. I do love the city and thought it might be fun to change the scenery. I’m not far from Serenity and can visit Ty as often as I want.”
“It sounds like you miss Serenity and regret your decision,” Scarlett said gently, stretching her hand across the table to hold Cherise’s.
“In hindsight, I ran away from all the loving memories because the pain became too much. Unfortunately, we can’t change things now,” Cherise said, patting her hand. “Ty made a good life here, and I can visit whenever I want.”
Scarlett nodded. The wheels started turning as she pieced together a plan. Tomorrow, she planned to spend the day with Ty’s mother. Hopefully, she’d convince her to stay for the town meeting. Perhaps if the townspeople remembered why they lived here, they might come together. After all, Jeremy still went free, and Debbie’s family still grieved.
CHAPTER 37
Leo’s headpounded as he shook the bottle of acetaminophen. He swallowed two tablets with his cup of coffee and peered at his team with one eye open.
“Jeremy never left the house. The town hasn’t given him a graceful greeting lately. He sent Ben into town for supplies. The kid didn’t appear happy. I’m sure his father’s an unpleasant man to deal with on the farm,” Leo informed the men.
“I went through all the tapes. Jeremy didn’t breach the mountain,” Bear said. “I went over them twice and another time with Shadow and Saint to confirm.”
“Then who the hell shot Sledge and choked Scarlett?” Leo barked.
Bear glanced at Shadow, who nodded, encouraging him. “I checked all the deliveries logged and cross-referenced them with the drivers. Whoever shot Sledge must be on the mountain. It’s the only thing to make sense. Whoever shot him knew which cabin Scarlett stayed in, and when Ty left, and Sledge stayed in town.”
