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Chapter One

Wyo, 1870

Lola Martin opened her door and raised a lantern, its flaht air

“I’ for the undertaker, ritty like an old straw tick, but his tone gave nothing away

He glanced over her shoulder, as if the undertaker would appear froht reflected off his brown eyes as if off an empty storeDesperation lurked in the hard lines of his face, e A deep scar cut across his cheek to the edge of his crooked lip, just escaping the whiskers that wouldn’t hide his stubborn jaw

“I’m the undertaker What can I do for you?”

His spurs rattled as he shifted, but if she surprised him, his face didn’t show it He rocked his hat on his head and heaved a raw sigh “I found a man dead out on the trail, not far fro rock Looks like his horse threw him”

Lola’s heart tripped She wished the sheriff hadn’t been called out Pete McKenna always kept an eye on her place, out on the edge of Quiver Creek Grace, his wife, Lola’s dearest friend, insisted on it

She’d have to find a way to notify the man’s family, and hoped he turned out to be some drifter But her conscience pricked her She should be praying thethe lantern outside the door and grabbed her shawl “Let’s see him”

The man’s jaitched He stepped back tohim inside You tell me where you want him”

The idea of a stranger bringing a “guest” into her hoave her pause, but she couldn’t carry the body herself No one else would be around at this hour She looked into thefronize him, probably wouldn’t even without the pounds of trail dust he carried He stood taller than her, though that didn’t say ht, and a worn hat sat low over his forehead Lord, keep et the table ready”

Lola swung the door wide, its knob bouncing against the inside wall She pulled a fresh sheet fro table in the middle of the room Her stiff muscles and sleepy eyes protested the work ahead, but she couldn’t let it wait untilin And she’d have to talk to Ike about a carpenter Business had picked up in the months since her father’s death Supplies she could order, but this “guest” would use the last re coffin he had made She’d learned all aspects of the business from her father—except that one She’d need to find a orker who could build a few to have on hand

A blanket-wrapped body heaved over his shoulder dwarfed the stranger easing through the door He walked with fir as he trod across the wooden floorboards

Lola closed the door and followed, lighting more lanterns She pumped water into a kettle to heat “Will you be around a few days, Mr—?”

“Jaer Jamison,” the man supplied “Depends on whether or not I find work Why?”

Lola rolled her sleeves, deteruest with care The slack body swayed as Mr Jah for rigor to pass The head bobbed a little too freely She suspected a broken neck had ended the man’s life in an instant She donned a fresh apron “Well, Mr Jamison, I’ate the death He’s been called to help track a cougar that’s been aggravating the local ranchers”

Mr Ja it across the table with careful ease He straightened with slow stiffness and then faced her “I expected there’d be a man here, ma’am, no offense I hoped to talk to hiht off” He drew a step closer, hand digging into the breast pocket of his long duster

Lola drew back, hands frozen around the knob of her hair she’d twisted in preparation for the job ahead The leaht “When I found him, this was pinned behind his lapel”

Tiaze met his Her hair fell down her shoulders, unsecured Lola took the uners She stumbled to the table and jerked the blanket down Pete McKenna’s rowdy red curls fell away froht indent near the terayish cast of death