Page 101 of Riverbend Gap (Riverbend 1)

“Is it true?” Gavin said as he entered the sheriff’s office. He wore the same frown he’d sported last time Cooper had seen him.

“He’s in lockup, sobering up.”

Gavin’s expression went a shade darker. “What’s he doing back in town?”

“Who knows. Lonnie Purdy’s going to press charges though. Dad caused a fight at the Trailhead and there are damages.”

“Great.”

Cooper pushed back from his desk. “Don’t worry about it. You can go back to the festival. I’ll handle Dad.”

Gavin pinned Cooper with a long, unswerving look.

Cooper squirmed under his brother’s perusal. He was almost afraid to ask. “What?”

“You’ve had quite the month.”

Cooper gritted his teeth. He really didn’t need this today. Gavin wasn’t wrong though. How much bad luck could one guy have—and all of it leading right up to Election Day?

The thought gave him pause.Wasit all just a coincidence? Megan coming to town, accusing him of impregnating her, only to disappear again? Someone catching him kissing Kate and posting the photo on his campaign site? His troublemaking dad turning up in town only days before the big vote?

Too many coincidences. And he couldn’t see Megan instigating all this. But he could see someone else doing it. Someone who stood to gain plenty from trashing Cooper’s reputation. And the very person who could help Cooper verify his suspicions was currently in the tank.

Cooper’s whole body tensed. He pushed back the chair, strode out of his office, and crossed the hall. His dad was slumped on the bench, drifting off.

Cooper scowled at him. “Why did you come here?”

Dad squinted up at him. “You—you brought me here. Didn’t you?”

“Not to jail. Back here, to Riverbend. You’ve been gone a long time. Why come back now?”

Cooper tried to bury the part of himself that hoped the answer might have something to do with missing his sons. But there it was, lingering just under the surface.

Gavin shuffled to a stop beside him. “What’s going on?”

His father’s eyes fluttered shut.

“Dad! Why did you come back?”

“I didn’t wanna. But the man—the man gave me a hundred bucks.”

Cooper’s gaze connected with Gavin’s, holding for a long beat.

“What man?” Gavin asked his father.

“I don’t know. Don’t remember.”

Cooper tightened his jaw. His breaths felt stuffed in his chest. He strode back to the office, to his desk, and leaned over his computer. He pulled up a website, found what he was searching for, and hit Print.

“What’s going on?” Gavin had followed him back to the office. “Who’s he talking about?”

The printer went through its operation, then spit out the copy. Cooper snatched it up. As he passed his brother, he held up the photo. “This one.”

“Sean Curtis? Why would he—?”

Cooper carried the photo to the cell where his father was drifting off again. “Dad, wake up. Look at this.”

“What? What happened? Where am I?”