style="font-size:15px;"> He swore as he took a shower, washing away the sweat. He couldn’t take enough showers these days after two years without. When he’d reached civilization six months ago, he had a beard halfway to his chest and layers of dirt.
Jubal was too awake now to try to sleep. He always thought better when running or swimming, and the shock of cold water should clear his mind. He considered skinny-dipping since he doubted anyone was awake. But then Clint was his host; it probably wouldn’t help his job as police chief if his guest was reported for indecent exposure.
He resisted the urge and pulled on his swimming trunks before jogging out to the dock. He plunged into the cold water and his thoughts strayed back to the kid. Even if he did show up, what would he find for him to do?
Hell, he kept questioning himself. Why did he let himself get involved? The kid had a nice house from the look of it. Yet Jubal couldn’t escape seeing himself years ago. He’d lived in a nice house, too, but he’d been filled with resentment and bitterness. His mother had taken him away from the father he adored, the father who died a year later with no one to mourn him but a son who lived two thousand miles away.
Maybe that was why he inserted himself in someone else’s life, something he’d never done before. He remembered his own pain when his father died, the rebellion he felt against his mother whom he’d blamed for his father’s death. Wouldn’t have happened if he had been there, if his father knew he was looking on. This kid had not only lost a father but a mother as well. He didn’t know the whys or hows, but he recognized the hurt and loss inside and the urge to strike out.
It was obvious the boy was headed for trouble.
After returning to the cabin, he did his usual quota of push-ups, showered again, and at eight decided the hour reasonable enough to call Clint.
“Hey,” he said. “I’d like to meet the owner of the cabin.”
“Josh? Sure. He’d like that, too.”
“Can we make it just him and me?” Jubal asked.
“Sure. Either Josh or I will call you back.”
That was one of the reasons Jubal had always liked Clint. No questions. No explanations needed.
The phone rang within minutes. “Jubal? Josh Manning here.”
Short. Jubal liked that. “Thanks for the use of the cabin.”
“Happy to have you there. Clint suggested it was time to meet. How about lunch?”
“I don’t want to interrupt anything.”
“You won’t,” Josh said. “Eleven okay? I’d like you to see the town’s main attraction, then we’ll go to Maude’s. Great diner.”
Jubal had planned to stay around the cabin to see whether the kid turned up early, but hell, it was the kid he wanted to discuss with Josh. “Sure.”
“Good. I’ll pick you up.”
“Thanks,” Jubal said.
Jubal made coffee and toasted several pieces of bread from the full larder. He had more than a few thanks to give Josh Manning in addition to his questions.
With another three hours to kill, he checked his laptop for recent news, particularly about the Middle East. Friends were there. He wished he were there, as well. He felt like a fish flopping on land in this peaceful town in the middle of nowhere.
One website led to another until he heard an approaching vehicle. He closed the laptop and went to meet his temporary host.
The top was down on a Jeep and his visitor was accompanied by a Belgian Malinois. Jubal recognized the breed from his SEAL days. It was the service’s dog of choice because of intelligence and size.
Even if he hadn’t known Josh Manning had been a soldier, he would have instantly recognized him as one. Although there was a slight limp, Manning walked with an assurance that came with being a career warrior.
They shook hands, each sizing up the other.
“This is Amos,” Josh said. “He’s also a veteran.”
The dog lifted his paw politely and Jubal leaned over and shook it. Jubal knew instantly he was going to like both his host and the dog. “Thanks again for the use of the cabin,” he said.
“Glad to have someone here to take care of it.”
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” Jubal replied.
Josh raised an eyebrow. “Okay. Let’s talk while I show you around. Maude’s a great diner but it’s not a good place for private conversation. News and rumors travel with the speed of light.”
“I discovered that when one of your officers stopped while I was running and knew me by name.”
“Drove me crazy when I first came here,” Josh said. “Now I just accept it. People here are interested in what’s happening in their universe, and Covenant Falls is their universe. But there’s no malice about it.” He paused, then asked, “You walk up the mountain yet?”
“Yeah. Right after I arrived.”
“Me, too.” He turned a corner. “I thought I would show you the falls. It’s our main attraction. It’ll take a little more than an hour going and coming. We can talk, then stop at Maude’s for lunch. I’ll never hear the end of it if I don’t take you there.”
Jubal mostly listened as Josh drove through town. They passed what looked like an old, rustic saloon with a dozen cars in the parking lot. “That’s the Rusty Nail,” Josh said. “It’s our watering hole. The owner is a vet and makes sure we feel welcome. He’s also a member of our Monday night vet poker game.”
They passed an inn with a sign portraying a whimsical camel that looked toward the mountains. “The Camel Trail Inn?” Jubal asked.
“My pride and joy,” Josh said. “My partner—another vet—and I finished rehabbing the inn two months ago. We’re getting tourists, but unfortunately we don’t have enough activities to keep them here more than a day or two. We want to start a wilderness adventure business but we have to have the right person.” He glanced at Jubal. “Would you be interested?”
“Thanks, but I don’t plan to stay more than a few days.”
“Heard and understood,” Josh said. “I’ll say no more.”
After a few more miles, Josh saw a large sign: The Falls of Covenant Falls. Josh turned left and followed a winding road through a virgin forest. Then he stopped in a parking area. “The falls are just beyond the bend.”
Jubal heard the roar ahead and walked with Josh around the corner to a picnic area. It was empty. The falls were grander than Jubal had imagined. Torrents of white frothy water cascaded over rocky outcrops into a gorge below. Water vapor hung in the air forming a rainbow.
“Impressive,” he said. He’d seen a lot of waterfalls, but there was a pristine beauty about this one that touched something inside him. He understood now why Josh wanted him to see it. “I would think there
