“Let me guess,” Maddie inquired with a grin. “The guy was good-looking?”
Paige didn’t have to pretend to blush, it came so easily.
“You’ve got it,” she admitted. “Now who’s the gullible one?”
“Hey, honey, it happens to the best of us,” Maddie called out as Paige waved from the doorway.
* * * *
To: Susan Shaw
From: Paige MacKenzie
Re: Jackson Hole Article
Hi Susan,
I’m attaching a final draft of the article on Jackson Hole. As you’ll see, it turned out that the buried treasure theory was a false lead, though I know it would’ve made a great story. On the other hand, I was able to gather an exceptional amount of research on the area’s history. Both the local library and the Jackson Hole Historical Society were helpful. Conversations with long-time residents of the area added a lot of perspective, as well - things I wouldn’t have found in history books.
I’ll be packing up and heading back to New York shortly. I just want to take a few more days to enjoy the area. It’s truly amazing. You’ll have to make a point of seeing it sometime.
See you soon,
Paige
* * * *
To: Paige MacKenzie
From: Susan Shaw
Re: Jackson Hole Article
Hi Paige,
Well, I have to admit I was disappointed to hear that the buried treasure lead was false. I guess that’s the stuff of movies, right?
However, I’m very excited about the article you did send. The historical aspects are so real, so convincing! I was practically sneezing from the dust while reading about Jackson in the early 1900’s! Several staff members here have read it and all say the same thing. I don’t know how you did it, but you are clearly a genius at research.
Love the photos of current times, too – the old barns, cabins, buck-rail fences, as well as the hectic shots of the town square. Good stuff.
It will be great to see you,
Susan
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Paige raised her voice to compensate for the hollow clatter of horse hooves against rocks. She was trying her best to keep up with Jake’s side of the conversation, but tossing comments back and forth from one saddle to another was difficult.
“What did you say?” she yelled, feeling a little awkward shouting in the direction of a horse’s derriere. Jake had insisted on leading the way along the trail, though he was staying as close to Paige’s horse as possible.
Jake swiveled his head around and grinned. Paige sensed a tinge of smug satisfaction on his part. He was clearly the more experienced rider.
“I said lean back a little as we head down this hill.” Jake motioned ahead at a section of trail they were approaching.
“Shouldn’t I lean forward?” Paige questioned. “That’s the direction we’re going.”
“No, ma’am,” Jake replied with a slightly exaggerated drawl. “You want to lean forward if you’re going uphill and back if you’re heading down.”
For the most part, Paige was comfortable on the sturdy, medium-sized horse that Jake had picked out for her to ride. The calm, gentle nature of the animal was reassuring and its golden mane blended in with the surrounding fall foliage, the striking yellow and orange leaves of the valley’s aspens.
It had been a week since they had found the gold in the cave under Sleeping Indian, enough time to get some rest. And enough time for Paige to complete her article. Jake had started in on projects around the ranch to bide his time while Paige took several days to finish up her work. But once she was done, he’d gotten down to the serious business of showing her what Jackson Hole had to offer.
“How’re you holding up, cowgirl?” Jake asked as he helped Paige down from her saddle and tied both horses to a tree. They’d stopped at the bottom of the hill, finding a good sitting log alongside the sparkling blue water of Jackson Lake.
“Holding up just fine, thank you,” Paige replied, defying the shakiness her legs felt upon hitting the ground.
“Between horseback riding and whitewater rafting on the Snake River, which did you enjoy more?” Jake asked light-heartedly.
“Both,” announced Paige, not only to tease him, but because it was true.
“And the tram ride to Rendezvous Peak over at Teton Village?” he added
“That, too,” Paige said laughing, “Though you might have warned me we’d be heading up to 10,000 ft. in altitude.”
“Better to leave some things to surprise. Besides, it was 10,450.” Jake countered with a wink.
A hush settled over the lake and a lull fell into the conversation. Tiny waves rippled at the edge of the water and muffled voices of hikers echoed across from trails and canyons. The entire valley felt quietly alive with the sounds of twigs snapping, distant kayaks paddling and osprey calling out to each other. Paige was amazed how everything came together as a whole: the visual elements, the natural surroundings, the voices of hikers. Even the scents of pine and fresh mountain air blended in with everything else. It all seemed united; it was all intertwined.
Several moments passed in silence while Paige tried to absorb everything around her, as well as all that had happened in the course of a few weeks. Just as she had sensed, when she first arrived in Jackson Hole, her time there had become much more than a work assignment. It had given her a glimpse into her own heart, had given her the space to slow down and just breathe. These weeks had also opened her eyes to a different way of life, one filled with adventure and possibilities, not the least of which was sitting beside her now at the water’s edge.
She turned to sneak a glance at Jake, only to find he was already watching her, a slight hint of a smile in his expression. It did not surprise her to find his eyes mirrored her own thoughts. Instinctively, she returned his smile and did not move her eyes away from his as he reached over to brush a wisp of hair off her forehead. And as he leaned forward to kiss her, the only sounds she could hear were those of soft waves lapping at the lake’s shore.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
The lights were dim and a rendition of Patsy Cline’s “Crazy” floated down from the bar above as Paige and Jake descended the stairs to the converted basement and slid into a cozy booth in the Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse. A small votive candle flickered on the table. White linen napkins stood folded at each place setting, an elegant atmosphere amidst the gnarled wood and western décor.
Paige and Jake had not spoken of the gold during the last few days. It had been a luxury to just enjoy time with each other, without having to focus energy on anything else. They also hadn’t talked about the fact that Paige would be leaving soon, yet the anticipation of her departure was constantly present. She had gathered her belongings and packed her car. But she had pushed away thoughts of leaving, in order to enjoy their remaining time together.
Now, the night before her departure, Paige looked across the table at Jake, who skimmed the menu quickly, before setting it down on the table. Looking up at Paige, she was again moved by the depth of his eyes and the warm expression in his face.
“Have anything you want,” Jake said smiling, as he nodded towards the menu. “This is a celebration. For all you did to help me and for my being lucky enough to have met you.”
“I think I’m the lucky one, Jake.” Paige returned his smile. “I never expected this trip to bring me such adventure and so much joy.” She glanced at her menu before setting it aside, telling Jake to choose for both of them.
Jake ordered two signature “Cowboy Cut” ribeye steaks, along with a bottle of Dom Perignon. Celebrating a mission well-accomplished, they sipped the fine champagne and talked over details of the recent weeks.
“I had a bit of a run-in with Frank the other day,” Jake offered as he held his champagne glass out to meet Paige’s in a toast. “He wasn’t too pleased to see me. Seems he didn’t take too well to my cursing him out for leading me on a wild goose chase.”
“A wild goo
se chase,” Paige repeated with a smile. “He really thinks you’ve given up?” She had to admit it would be the best possible outcome.
“Oh, yeah, I think he’s convinced,” Jake replied, nodding his head. “I didn’t mince words when I told him how much I resented having a good year’s worth of my time wasted.”
“Sounds like you have a hidden acting streak in you,” Page laughed, imagining the heated exchange between the two men.
“Well, yes and no, the way I see it,” Jake explained. “It’s true that he wasted my time. I never would have found anything with the lousy half-clues he was feeding me.”
“You mean the lousy half-clues that Maddie was feeding him,” Paige pointed out, “so that he could pass them on to you.”
“Excellent point,” Jake agreed. “Speaking of clues, I still don’t understand how you could have had such a good hunch about where it was hidden.”
Paige stretched her neck to one side and then the other. As an excuse to not meet Jake’s eyes for a moment, it worked. As a means of stalling to come up with a plausible explanation, it didn’t.
“Let’s just say I did a little research and then followed my instincts. Sometimes a hunch just turns out to be right,” Paige stated casually, hoping Jake would leave it at that.
“That’s not much of an explanation,” Jake pointed out, though his expression of resignation made it clear he knew it was the best he would get.
“Maybe some day I’ll be able to explain it better, Jake,” Paige sighed, wondering how she could ever explain something she didn’t even understand herself. “For now, that’s the best I can do.”
Hearty dinner plates arrived, each steak accompanied by a plump Idaho baked potato, steam escaping from under melting butter and chives. Paige laughed at the sight of the meal, knowing she’d barely be able to put a dent in the generous portions.
“So, do you think Maddie and Frank will ever stop searching for the gold?" Jake asked, shooting a quick smile at Paige and reaching for the chilled bottle in an ice bucket beside the table.
Paige laughed and held her glass out to allow Jake to refill it.
“I don’t know,” she said, “Maddie had a hard time hiding her relief when I stopped by the cafe and told her I’d been wrong about there being any gold buried in Jackson Hole.”
“Ah...good move,” Jake said, with admiration.
“And then there’s the map. I sort of ‘accidentally’ dropped it in a shuffle of clutter that fell out of my purse, while paying for coffee.”
“Another map?” Jake set his champagne glass down and leaned forward out of curiosity.
“Yes, the decoy idea we talked about. This map was similar to the ones Frank passed you, but had additional notes about narrowing down the location of the treasure.”
“Which would be..,” Jake asked, eyebrows raised.
“Somewhere up Cascade Canyon, of course. Though the notes leave it iffy as to whether it’s up in Hurricane Pass or around Lake Solitude and down partway into Paintbrush Canyon. I figure if they decide to give it another shot, that’ll keep them busy for awhile.” Paige definitely looked quite pleased with herself.
“Nice,” Jake smiled with approval as he leaned back in the booth. “You think she bought it?”
Paige nodded while taking a quick sip of champagne, a move that turned out to be hardly graceful, but hit Jake as endearing, nonetheless.
“She definitely bought it,” Paige said. “At least the part about my being sure there wasn’t any gold. And she could barely keep from smiling when I said I’d be headed back to New York soon.”
A quiet pause settled over the table as both Paige and Jake absorbed the spoken words. Finally, Jake broke the silence.
“And what will she think when you come back?” Jake asked, nonchalantly.
This time it was Paige who had trouble keeping from smiling as she leaned back in the booth.
“Just what makes you think I’ll come back?” she countered, trying hard to keep a straight face.
“Oh, nothing in particular,” Jake replied casually, his expression clearly showing that he wasn’t worried.
“Nothing in particular,” Paige repeated, watching him closely to see if he really was as confident as he appeared.
“Well, I mean nothing in particular except a comment that Dan McElroy made the other day when I saw him at the hardware store.” Jake now took his turn trying to keep a straight face.
Paige sighed and set her glass down while waiting for Jake to toss out what she knew would follow. It wasn’t long before he did.
“Yeah…something about…,” Jake stretched his response out, if only for the sheer pleasure of watching Paige squirm. “…something about being glad his cabin tenant had decided to extend her rental a few months.
“You brat,” Paige said with a tone of mock reprimand, adding quickly, “It’s just for business, you know.”
“Of course,” Jake said quickly.
“To work on another article,” Paige added.
“Naturally,” Jake quipped in return.
“Actually, I’m serious about that part. I just didn’t say anything so it would be a surprise.” Paige sent him a smug smile, pleased that she had upstaged his own secret.
“Really,” Jake replied, his teasing tone replaced with genuine interest.
“Seriously,” Page repeated. “It seems they had to pull a story from publication this week and dropped the Jackson Hole history piece in at the last minute. Susan said the response was so positive that they want to do a series on the Old West.”
“Well, what do you know,” Jake said, clearly pleased.
“So, of course, I had no choice but to accept the assignment for the series,” Paige stated casually. “After all, work is work.”
“Of course,” Jake quickly agreed.
The conversation paused while their waiter cleared plates from the table and offered a dessert menu for them to look over. Enticed by the tempting choices, they ordered a huckleberry crème brulee to share, along with two espressos, which quickly landed on the table.
“I’ll need to stay back east for two weeks or so,” Paige said, sipping slowly from the demitasse of strong brew. Setting it down, she followed Jake’s lead and dipped a spoon into the sweet dessert.
“Susan will want an outline of proposed western areas to cover,” Paige continued. “Places that would have unique backgrounds, that sort of thing. I’m sure there are plenty of possibilities.”
“No question about that.” Jake agreed, without hesitation. “There’s a rich history of mining in many areas out here, not just for gold, but silver, too. And for sapphires up in Montana. Also, there’s the development of the railroads. Not to mention tales of outlaws. Oh, and ghost towns, and…”
‘OK, I get it,” Paige said, laughing and setting down her spoon.
Jake reached across the table and took Paige’s hand in his, running his fingers across her soft skin and asking her what she was thinking.
“Well, I was thinking…” Paige started to speak and then hesitated. They hadn’t talked specifically about the journey up to Sleeping Indian and the decisions that followed the discovery of the gold.
“I was just wondering,” she asked quietly, “what you would have done if you had decided to keep the gold. What I mean is, I think it’s amazing, the decision you made. But you must have wondered yourself, since then, what you might have done with it.” She waited quietly, hoping her question had not overstepped any lines. This was Jake’s business, not her own. But he had asked what she was thinking, so that was what he got.
To her relief, Jake’s smile started to widen. He waited for the approaching waiter to clear the dessert plate from the table and then spoke once he had walked away.
“Actually, you’re right, I have thought about it. I’ve thought about it quite a bit,” he said, obviously fighting back a laugh. “For example, if I’d kept any of it, I could have...”
Paige watched, puzzled, as he let go of her hand and
leaned back. Reaching into his pocket, he slowly pulled out a small object. She threw Jake a look of surprise when she saw a delicate gold chain wrapped around his fingers, a locket dangling from it in the glow of the candlelight. Handing it across the table, he placed it in her hand.
“Go ahead, open it,” he said softly, waiting while she nervously worked the clasp. It took several attempts, but finally the locket fell open, causing Paige to gasp. On the left side, skillfully set inside the locket’s cover, was a sparkling gold nugget. On the right was a simple inscription that said, “To Paige, for taking me above the bridge, Jake”
“Jake…” Paige whispered, her voice trailing off at a loss for words. “So does that mean…”
“No, I really did leave the gold there,” Jake said slowly. “At least…I left…one rather tiny nugget, for sentimentality’s sake. You know…the legend and all that.”
“And the rest?” Paige asked, too surprised to even hide her curiosity.
“Oh, the rest?” Jake tapped his forehead, as if trying to remember what he did with it. Paige drummed her fingers on the table, barely able to handle the suspense. “Ah, the rest, now I remember.” He leaned forward across the table and motioned with this finger for her to lean in, as well.
“Well, I’m not crazy, you know,” he whispered. “Of course I kept the rest. Legends only carry so much weight.” With that, Jake sat back, a grin on his face.
Paige laughed and shook her head in amazement as Jake waved for the bill. Paying it quickly, they stepped out onto the sidewalk. Soft lights glittered above shops and galleries. Small spotlights sent light filtering up into the trees. The neon sign of The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar cast a warm glow into the night air.
Jake slid his arm around Paige’s shoulders as they walked across the street and into the town square. Stopping near the center, he reached for Paige’s hand and lifted it, slowly uncurling her fingers, which still clutched the gold locket firmly inside. He took the locket and slid the delicate chain around her neck, fastening the clasp securely.
Paige MacKenzie Mysteries Box Set Page 20
