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He shifted on his feet. “Not by Mrs. Covert. I never met her. Hoss hired me.”
“Hoss?” My question was as much about the name as about who he was.
“Yeah, um, his last name is Schultz. That’s all I know besides that he oversees the vineyards and winery. Things have been chaotic since my uncle passed away. He and my grandfather worked for the Coverts all their lives. No one else knew what all they did.”
“How long have you been here?” Sam asked.
“Since December 20. A few days after my uncle died.”
“Who handled the livestock in the time in between?”
“I’m not sure about that either.” Cord was clearly uncomfortable responding to our questions, given how often he shifted on his feet. Either that, or he was in need of a lavatory.
“But you’ve been hired, yes?”
“Hoss asked I stick around until the estate was figured out.”
I pointed to his truck. “You’re from Colorado?”
“Yes, sir,” answered the man I doubted was any younger than me.
Sam shuddered, and I put my arm around her. “Shall we continue this conversation inside?” I motioned to the main residence.
“We could go into the barn office. There’s a heater in there.”
When Sam looked up at me, I nodded, and we followed Cord inside. The conversation thus far was confusing, at best. However, I sensed there was more to Mr. Wheaton than met the eye. If I had to wager a guess, I’d say he was intentionally being evasive.
He unlocked the office door, flipped on the lights, and turned on the space heater, then motioned for the two of us to take a seat. Given there were only three chairs in the room, he was left sitting behind the desk, something I also sensed he wasn’t comfortable doing.
“Let’s see if I can summarize.” I began. “Your grandfather and uncle worked for Mrs. Covert for many years.”
When he nodded, I continued.
“You said you arrived a few days after your uncle died. Had he been ill?”
“I’m not sure, sir. I guess the question, now, is whether you want me to stay on or if you want to hire someone else.”
“We want you to stay on,” Sam responded before I could.
Cord looked at me.
“You will be working for Ms. Marquez, so the decision is hers.”
“Should I check with Mr. Schultz for the details of your employment?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Understand that this is outside of your job and merely a personal question you do not have to answer.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he repeated.
Sam stood, so I did too. “How old are you, Cord?”
“Twenty-seven, ma’am.”
“For the record, I’m twenty-five. Two years younger than you are. You can call me Sam.”
Cord looked at me.
