Wild Trail (Clean Slate Ranch #1)(69)

He pocketed the butt and headed back, keeping this secret to himself for now.

After an hour exploring, Avery approached the truck, cheeks flushed, his straight hair slightly curly from the afternoon breeze. “This place is amazing,” Avery said. “The remaining buildings aren’t in the best condition, but they’re standing and restorable. The big one right there?” He pointed at the building where Wes had cut his leg. “That used to be the trading post or general store. You can tell by the shelving, bins and the U-shaped counter. There’s some sort of animal nest and no sign that it’s been used recently, but I did find this.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a copper coin. “It’s a two-cent piece that was only minted from 1864 to 1872, which means the town had residents until at least 1872. The nickel was more popular than two-and three-cent pieces, so in 1873 the government started purchasing them back and melted a lot of them, so they weren’t widely used post-1872.”

“Damn, son,” Arthur said. “You got a Wikipedia in your head, because I know we don’t have Wi-Fi out here.”

Avery laughed. “I have an eidetic memory. It gave me a huge advantage in school and in my job. Growing up, my dad was a huge coin buff, big collection, and he loved sharing what he knew. It was one of the things that pushed me toward history.” A cloud hovered over him a moment, before he shook it off. Bad memory, maybe?

Mack studied the slim coin. One side had a shield and banner, and words too worn to read. The other side had a big 2 in the middle, the rest of it also worn, including the date. “Is it valuable?”

“Not really. Maybe forty bucks if it was in better condition. You’d do better to keep it as a prop. Or put it on display, if you do a gift shop.”

A gift shop hadn’t even occurred to Mack.

“The more time you spend up here, the more treasures you’re likely to find,” Avery continued. “I’d suggest coming up here with a metal detector at least once. You never know what could be scattered around in the tall grass.”

“Good idea, young man,” Arthur said. “Please tell me my grandson has offered you the consultant job.”

“He hasn’t officially, but I’d love to take it. Very much.”

“Then you’re hired,” Mack said, sticking out his hand.

Avery shook it with that unexpectedly strong grip. “Thank you. I can’t wait.”

*

They poked around a while longer, Avery pointing out specific architecture or historical details. Arthur got tired and went back to wait in the truck until they were ready to leave. Avery’s favorite spot was the blacksmith shed, because most of the old equipment had been left behind, which meant a very authentic restoration.

“To think my own ancestors could have lived here,” Mack said, “making their own shoes for their horses.”

“Makes you wonder who they were and why they left,” Avery replied, a softer, reverent tone to his voice. “I have to admit, Mack, after I got over my initial excitement from your first phone call, I got incredibly curious about something.”

“What’s that?”

“How Colt gave you my contact information?”

Mack shrugged. “He walked into my office and handed me a piece of paper.”

Avery’s face went blank, then shifted into confusion.

Which kind of confused Mack. “We work together at the ranch,” Mack continued. “He quit SWAT a few months after I did and moved up here for a simpler life.”

“He told you he quit for a simpler life? And you let him come here?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” This whole conversation was weirding Mack out. And then it occurred to him that whatever relationship Colt and Avery had had, had been while Mack was grieving and raging at the world. “Did he tell you he quit SWAT for a different reason?”

Avery’s face went bright red. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Well, those words never went anywhere fun. “About what?”

“You need to talk to Colt, because it’s not my place.”

Mack’s frustration level was rising over Avery’s vague comments and answer avoidance, as if Mack was missing something completely obvious to others. “Okay, I’ll talk to Colt. And now that you know he works at the ranch, I ought to be frank and tell you he’ll be doing the electrical work on the restoration, so you two may run into each other.”

“That won’t be an issue for me.”

Avery looked kind of spooked, but Mack took him at his word.

“All right. Sun’s coming down, so we should probably head back.”

“Right.”

The setting sun was actually an excuse for Mack to go back to the ranch and find Colt. He didn’t know what Avery wasn’t telling him, but he was going to find out.

*

Since Avery was spending the night at the ranch, he asked for an authentic experience. They had room in the guesthouse, so Arthur took him inside to meet Patrice, while Mack hunted down Colt. He hated thinking one of his best friends thought he couldn’t tell Mack a secret that he could apparently disclose to a short-term boyfriend.

Colt wasn’t in the garage, but his favorite toolbox was missing, which meant he was still working someplace. Instead of wearing himself out looking, Mack called his cell.