Jericho’s gut tightened as he stood outside the church after the service and searched up and down the street for Ivy, the wind slapping him hard. Through the swirling dust and the tumbling weeds, he didn’t see her anywhere. He hadn’t asked her family where she was for fear of seeming too interested. But it wasn’t like her to miss the Sunday meeting.

The midmorning sun beat down on his black hat and soaked into his church clothes—black trousers, along with a matching suit coat and vest over a white shirt and tie. He’d taken extra time with his grooming, telling himself he wasn’t doing it to impress Ivy. But a part of him couldn’t deny that he had, and he was ashamed of it.

Though he hadn’t wanted to, he’d arrived at the church early and watched for her, his chest thudding with anticipation. Even when she’d been absent, he’d kept on looking and waiting.

Now he was left with the unsettling conclusion that she’d accepted the offer to go treasure hunting with Hance Payne.

She had every right to gallivant around with Hance or any other man. Jericho had no claim to her, not after making the break with her on Independence Day. She’d given him a chance to explain things, but he let her ride out of his life. Because of that, he needed to honor her request not to see her again, needed to walk away and stop thinking of her.

Except, she was out there with Hance. And he didn’t like it. Not one bit.

Was it because he was jealous? Or was it something more than that? Something Hance had said? Something someone else had said about Hance?

Jericho narrowed his gaze upon the barbershop and dentist office. Gordo had claimed Hance appeared familiar, like someone he’d known in Texas. Maybe Hance was lying about having lived in California. Had he sought refuge in Texas after the war before coming up to Colorado? Perhaps with one of the gangs of outlaws Gordo had mingled with?

And why was Hance so determined to hunt for hidden treasure? From what Jericho had gleaned, Otis and Hance searched every weekend and sometimes even closed up shop early during the week to go out. Clearly they took their hobby more seriously than most men. It was almost as if they were certain a treasure existed.

Not only that, but Hance seemed privy to details no one else knew, especially about the Spanish treasure. Most treasure hunters believed the fabled Spanish gold was located by the Purgatoire River east of Las Animas. No one had ever mentioned the Utes finding and moving the treasure. And Jericho had never heard anything about rocks in the figure of a rattlesnake.

The question was, how had Hance gleaned his information and where?