"She admitted that?" Cynthia asked.

"We were the best of buddies, once she got hold of the photo. She took Joseph's gun along because she was afraid of bumping into a bear when she agreed to go up the mountain with Faust. Then, when she saw us and we didn't leave, she fired it."

"I'm glad we were out in plain sight!" Dean said. He then added, "I'm surprised you settled with the Dawkinses. I thought as a matter of principal you wanted to win in court."

"After that nasty sheriff created all that fuss and arrested your stepfather, my attorney was sure the judge would call a mistrial and we'd have to start over again. I had my fun kicking a little butt with the boys, but enough is enough-I have a business to run back home. All I really wanted was the land in the first place, and they approached me about settling. I guess they figured the land wasn't worth as much as they thought. Their offer was almost reasonable."

"Any idea what caused the Dawkinses' quick change of heart?"

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"Nope. Not my concern." She handed Cynthia the package she was holding. "Here. This is a little something by way of thanks. You two have been great." She looked at Dean as Cynthia opened the box. "I only sell woman's clothes, so you're out of luck!"

The parcel contained a beautiful lavender dress, causing Cynthia to let out a slight gasp. Even with his poor eye for such things, Dean could see that it was far lovelier that anything close to what their budget could have afforded.

"I can't take this," Cynthia began, but Jennifer quickly brushed away her comments.

"I sell these things." She flipped a few strands of her blond hair back in place. "I'm always getting samples. The mother of the groom deserves to look her best."

"It's just the right size," Cynthia said, holding it up.

"I'm good, aren't I?" Jennifer laughed.

The conversation drifted from thank-you's to Martha's plight, Fred's incarceration, and Jennifer's somewhat unsettled future. "There's one more thing before I leave," she said. "I want to make reservations at Bird Song for a week in August. I'm definitely coming back."

"Great!" answered Cynthia. "We'll take you up to your land."

"I thought I might camp there-spend a couple of days just thinking and dreaming. Maybe figure where my life's going from here. California does that to you. It demands a Colorado once in a while."

While Cynthia was writing down the dates, Jennifer bit her tongue and looked at Dean. She was standing by the door but returned to her seat. "I had made up my mind to just leave after I came here tonight and not say anything, but you've both been so nice, I shouldn't be so selfish." Cynthia rejoined them. "I wasn't a hundred percent truthful when we first met in the park-at the doggy parade. Call it a sin of omission. I knew a lot more information that might help you." Dean wasn't sure what to say. She continued. "I didn't know you and, frankly, you were getting rather personal."




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