Free A Finder's Fee by Jim Lavene, Joyce

boardwalk.
    We talked about a new wild horse he’d adopted. This one was lame and probably would’ve been shunned by the herd. The wild horse conservation group kept an eye on those types of situations. People like Jake took those horses and tried to nurse them back to health.
    “I have a favor I’d like to ask of you, Dae.” He finished his sandwich. “I found something remarkable at an old homestead that’s on my property. Could you come out and take a look at it?”
    “Sure. I’d be glad to.”
    “I can come and get you one evening and make
you
supper for a change. I’m not a gourmet cook like your boyfriend, Kevin, but I make a mean plate of beans you won’t forget anytime soon. Bring Horace, if you like.”
    I laughed at his description. There was no comparison between him and Kevin in any department. Jake was like a crazy wild breeze coming in from the Atlantic. He smiled a lot and was a little on the edge of the rest of the world.
    Kevin was stable, dependable. He was world-weary because he’d seen so much during his time with the FBI. He’d created a new life for himself here, but the memories of that past life were always in his eyes.
    “That sounds good—except for you picking me up. I’m not a horse person. Last time I rode back from Corolla with you, I could barely walk the next day.”
    “Well, you’re in luck.” He grinned lazily at me. “I finally got my old pickup running again. That should make the trip easier. She’s not stylish but she goes where I need her to.”
    I agreed to take a look tomorrow night at what he’d found at the old homestead. I still had some cleaning up to do after being gone for three days, and I had to meet Dillon tonight.
    “All right then. I’ll pick you up about seven, if that’s okay?”
    “That sounds fine. I can’t wait to see what you found.”
    He got up from the table. “Maybe I can persuade you to take a short ride on one of the horses. No wild galloping like last time.”
    “I don’t know. No promises.”
    “You don’t have to worry. I have the answer for sore muscles. You have someone slather on some liniment, massage it in real good and then take a long, hot bath. It does wonders.” He winked at me. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    “We eagerly await your coming, good sir!” Maggie suddenly blurted out.
    It had been all I could do to keep her from interrupting the whole time Jake had been there. She couldn’t let him leave without saying something that was going to embarrass me.
    Jake laughed and kept walking. I muttered under my breath about my constant companion who was making my life difficult. I was going to be glad once we found her bones and reburied them.
    I sat at the table a few minutes more after he was gone. I could see Missing Pieces, so I knew there were no customers waiting to get in. As I was about to get up, Nancy joined me, putting a smokeless cigarette in her mouth. She’d recently given up the real thing.
    “Hey there, sweetie. Was that the same cowboy who rescued you last year?” She grinned. “Sorry. I couldn’t help but peek out at him. He’s something special.”
    “Yes. Jake Burleson. We’ve kept in touch.”
    “I’d like to keep in touch with him, if you know what I mean. What a hunk! You’re still with Kevin, right?”
    “Of course. Jake and I are just friends.”
    Nancy patted a strand of her bright red hair that had been blown out of place by the breeze, even though it was barely an inch long. She was such a nice person, wonderfully organized, but she had no luck with men. She’d been divorced for a long time. She was always dating someone, but nothing lasting ever came of it.
    “How about next time he comes to be friendly, you introduce us,” she suggested. “I like those quiet cowboy types.”
    “Sure. I’d be glad to. Maybe he could convince you to ride horses with him.”
    “Anytime. I don’t know a thing about horses, but I could learn.”
    “It’s rough riding one, I can tell you