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SAM
“These are amazing,” gushed Juni when I showed her the photos I found.
“Some of them aren’t labeled,” I said, pointing to the pile I’d kept separate.
Instead of looking at any of those, Juni reached over and picked up the one I’d showed Beau earlier. “That one says it’s Cena and her son, but the woman in the background wasn’t identified. Did Cena have any sisters?”
“No, and whoever it is, is too young to be her brother’s wife.”
“Maybe she’s unrelated.”
“Probably. A lot of people have worked at the Lilacs over the years.” Juni continued looking through the photos I already had. “Miss Cena really was such a nice woman,” she murmured.
“I don’t know much about her or her life, but losing a daughter so young must’ve been devastating. Then having her son die too.” I shook my head.
“I don’t think she ever got over it. I mean, how could she? Then losing her husband the way she did.” Juni’s eyes were hooded.
“What happened? If you don’t mind me asking.”
“He and Miss Cena’s brother were killed in a car accident. Manley was only fifty-four when it happened.”
“So sad,” I said, studying a photo of the husband and wife together when they were younger.
“She never talked much about it, but my grandmother said James was drunk. He was the one driving.”
“If James is Cena’s brother and he died all those years ago, who has been taking care of the livestock?”
“Her nephew, Jim. He died two weeks before Miss Cena.”
“Okay, let me get this straight. Jim recently died, and Jimmy and Johnny are his sons?”
“I know it’s confusing. James, Jim, Jimmy, Johnny.” Juni rolled her eyes like I did so often, and I laughed.
“You said Jimmy and Johnny are twins?”
“That’s right. Jimmy is older by a few minutes. At least that’s what Miss Cena said.”
“Juni, do you know why Cena left everything to me?”
She shook her head, reached over, and put her hand on mine. “I wish I did. All I can say is there was no way she’d let Jimmy get his hands on it.”
“He’s that bad?”
“Worse. I think she was afraid he’d blow through all the money as fast as he could and all her and Manley’s hard work over the years would be for nothing. I don’t know him, but East Aurora isn’t a very big place. There are rumors.”
“What rumors?”
“You know, that he drinks too much. Which always leads to him being compared to his grandfather—the one Manley was riding with when he died. Somebody said he gambles. Bets on sports a lot too.”
“Do you know much about his dad?”
“From everything I’ve heard, he was a really good guy. Funny how it seems like it skips generations. My family is like that. I mean, not with drinking or anything remotely close to it. My grandmother and Iloveto cook, and my mom—her daughter—hates it. Gran says she doesn’t even know how to boil water.”
I smiled. “How did Jim die? Do you know?”
“Cancer. From what Miss Cena said, I guess he was sick for a couple of years. Not that you’d know it. I heard he worked up until the day he died.” Juni put her hand over her mouth. “Listen to me go on and on. I’m sorry for gossiping so much.”
“Please don’t apologize. If you hadn’t come over tonight, there’s a lot I wouldn’t know. Actually, there’s still a lot I don’t know, but at least I know about her nephews. I have one more question if you don’t mind.”
