That was easy for him to say. “Really?” I was legitimately torqued where he was concerned. “You don’t think there’s a reason for me to be worked up? For crying out loud, that guy was hiding in the bushes and wanted to jump me.”
“But ... how can you really be sure about that?”
“I was there!”
“And it was ten years ago.” He used his most reasonable voice, which only served to irritate me further. “Have you considered that maybe you’re confusing him with somebody else?”
“Um ... you’ve seen him. How would I confuse that guy with anybody else?”
“He looks like a normal guy.”
“Oh, he does not. He’s, like, five feet tall and wears the suits with the patches.” I trailed off when I realized it was the patches that had jogged my memory. “I know it’s him. You might not want to believe me — and I think that has a little something to do with your new girlfriend and the way she kept rubbing your arm to distract you — but I know what I know ... and I know that guy is trouble.”
Gunner didn’t bother to hide his eye roll. “Oh, please. I was just being polite. I wasn’t flirting with her. You should know that.”
“Right. You weren’t flirting.” That was the most ludicrous thing I’d ever heard. “That’s why you forgot I was even with you for half of the conversation.”
He made a protesting sound. “I did not. I was simply trying to be a polite guest. We looked like idiots going there the way we did. I mean ... she probably thought we were there to rob her.”
“She didn’t think that. She only came out because it was obvious Bixby wasn’t going to be able to control us. She needed to use her feminine wiles to draw you in.”
The expression on his face would’ve been funny under different circumstances. “Her feminine wiles?”
I bobbed my head without hesitation. “That’s what I said. She used her feminine wiles and you were a big pile of goo.”
“Um, first of all, I’m never a big pile of goo. Secondly, if I were to turn to goo — which I won’t because I’m manly and tough — you’d be the one doing the turning.”
The sentiment was almost sweet. Almost. “I was there. I saw how you reacted to her. It was a little sickening.”
“Whatever.” He offered up a dismissive hand wave. “I’m not getting into an argument with you about this. I’m not interested in anyone but you. I’m pretty sure I’ve proved that the past couple of weeks.”
And I was pretty sure that his tongue would’ve hit the ground if it were long enough when he got a gander at Melody. That hardly seemed worth arguing about, though, when we had Bixby to discuss. “I’m telling you there’s something wrong with the little guy.”
“And I think you’re exaggerating. Just because he reminds you of someone you saw once ... .”
“No. I know it was him.”
“But ... .”
“I know it was!” I stomped my foot for emphasis, glaring. “Don’t tell me what I don’t know. I saw him. I remember that night because ... I was afraid. I thought I was going to be tossed out on the street in two weeks and had no idea what I was going to do.”
Gunner’s expression softened. “I’m sorry about that.” He moved closer and slid his arm around my shoulders. “That must’ve been terrifying. I can’t imagine how you made it through that. My father is a pain in the behind, but I never once worried about being homeless.”
I thought about fighting the hug but it felt good to give in and lean for a moment, so that’s what I did.
“I’m sorry about fighting,” he said after a beat. “That’s the last thing I want.”
That made two of us, and still ... . “You were hot for her. Admit it.”
“No. I’m hot for you. I’m not going to lie about liking blondes.” He gave my hair a soft tug. “But she does absolutely nothing for me. You do everything.”
It was hard to argue with him when he put himself out there like that. Sure, under different circumstances I might’ve tried, but that felt unnecessary now. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It matters.” He moved his hand to the back of my head and tipped it up to stare into my eyes. “You really are all I want.”
Frustrated, I blew out a sigh. “I can’t even yell at you when you say things like that.”
His grin was wide and mischievous. “Why do you think I say them?”
“Because you’re a butthead.” I rubbed my forehead and tried to regroup. “I know you think I’m mistaken, but I swear that’s the same guy from when I was a kid.”
Gunner hesitated before answering. “So we’ll look him up. Bixby isn’t a common name. And we should be able to find information on his mistress too. We’ll figure it out.”
That was all I really wanted to hear. “Great. I’m looking forward to grinding his face into the dust.”
He smirked and leaned forward to give me a quick kiss, happy that the crisis had been averted. “That’s my girl.”
WE HEADED TO MABLE’S TABLE FOR AN early lunch. The owner of the establishment, Mable, waved when she saw us and directed us toward a corner booth. I was just about to slide in across from Gunner when someone cleared a throat behind us.
“Why don’t you guys sit on the same side so you can paw each other under the table?” Graham suggested, his eyes lit with amusement. “I’ll take the other side.”
I wasn’t even certain how he’d managed to sneak in behind us. Suddenly, I felt off my game. “How long have you been there?” I glanced around, annoyed. “Have you been following us since we were outside?”
My reaction obviously wasn’t what he was expecting, because he furrowed his brow. “I was already here. I was in the bathroom.”
Oh, well, that made me feel better.
“I saw you when I was coming out. I figured I should share some information with you.”
“Sounds good.” Gunner grabbed my arm and directed me to slide to the inside seat. “We’re getting a big lunch because Scout is clearly starving and hunger clearly makes her a bit crazy.”
“Why do I have to sit inside?” I asked.
Gunner’s face was blank. “Why does it matter?”
“Because everyone knows the aisle position is the one of power. The person who sits on the aisle controls the bathroom ... and basically the other person. Men like to make women take the inside position. It’s sexist.”
He stared at me for a long beat, blinking, and then shook his head. “Geez. You’re a lot of work this morning.” He slid into the far seat and held up his hands. “Happy? Now you have the power.”
“Thank you.” I smiled serenely as I met Graham’s amused gaze over the table. “What?”
Graham merely shook his head. “Nothing.”
Gunner handed me a menu and changed the subject. “Is Honey off the street?”
Graham nodded, turning grim. “She is. The medical examiner did a cursory examination before hauling her away. He says I probably won’t get a full report — and that’s minus any toxicology results — until tomorrow.”
“Sounds like the medical examiner’s office is on their game,” Gunner drawled. “Did he say anything good?”
“Just that he believes her death may be an accident.”
I jerked up my eyes from the menu, dumbfounded. “Um ... did he not see the wounds on her throat?”
“He did. He thinks she might’ve been attacked by an animal.”
“What animal could kill her in that manner?”
“A bear, for one. A wolf for another.”
“Bigfoot,” Gunner added, causing my forehead to wrinkle.
“Did you just say Bigfoot?”
He laughed at my discomfort. “I used to be obsessed with Bigfoot when I was a kid. I love the legends ... and this area is thick with fun stories. When things were bad when I was younger, I used to imagine myself running away to live with Bigfoot in the woods.”
Instinctively, I reached over and covered his hand. I might’ve been abandoned by my parents, left to f
end for myself in a harsh world, but he’d known his mother ... and she had tried to hurt him. Not all aches were equal, but everybody had scars. “That sounds fun.”
He squeezed my hand. “It definitely sounded fun.”
“Oh, geez.” Graham rolled his eyes. “I see you two are all lovey-dovey again. How did that happen so fast?”
Gunner shrugged as I went back to reading the menu. “I like to think she simply can’t stay angry at me.”
When Graham didn’t immediately respond, I tore my gaze from the food offerings and found him staring at me.
“It’s hormones,” I volunteered without hesitation. “When we’re around each other, the relationship is so new everything becomes chemical. That’s the way of the world.”
“Ah.” He seemed amused by my response. “Good to know.”
“Isn’t it, though?” I beamed at him before pointing toward something on the specials menu. “I know we’re here for lunch, but what is a country omelet skillet?”
Gunner’s eyes widened in amusement. “Oh, I didn’t even see that. It’s my favorite.”
“Yes, but what is it?”
“Potatoes. Scrambled eggs. Onions. Green peppers. I like to add tomatoes, something I think you would like. Then it’s smothered in sausage gravy.”
It sounded disgusting enough to be awesome.
“It’s very good,” Graham agreed. “I didn’t see that on the menu when I was getting coffee earlier. I might order one myself.”
“What’ll you have?” Mable asked as she finally made her way to the table. She was the craggy sort, rarely in a good mood, and yet she inspired loyalty from half the town, including Graham and Gunner. They both adored her.
“The skillet.” Gunner gestured toward the specials menu. “I know it’s a little late and you’re probably focusing on lunch but Scout has never tried it.”
“Oh, right. This is all about Scout.” Mable winked at me. “You can all have the skillet.”
Gunner’s smile was so wide it threatened to swallow his entire face. “Yay! I want a glass of water and some coffee, too. Thank you.”
“I’ll have the same,” Graham supplied. “Put it on their tab. My son is buying.”
Gunner scowled but didn’t put up an argument.
Mable turned her expectant eyes to me. “I’ll try the skillet. Gunner said you could add tomatoes.”
“Absolutely.”
“Thank you.”
Mable ripped the sheet off her pad and handed it to her daughter Mindy as the young woman moved to pass by. “Put this in for me,” she ordered.
Mindy’s eyes widened. She was the whiny sort and she annoyed me to no end on a regular basis ... and it wasn’t because she had a crush on Gunner, although that might’ve had a little something to do with it. “Why do I have to put it in?”
“Because I want to talk to the sheriff about the dead body this morning,” Mable replied with faux sweetness. “You’re already heading in that direction so I figured there was no harm in you carrying a piece of paper for the rest of your trip.”
The look Mindy shot her mother was withering. “Maybe I want to hear about the dead body. Did you ever think that? I mean ... Honey was in school with me.”
“Yes, I remember,” Mable said. “You were crushed beyond belief when you heard Gunner and Honey were dating. I believe you locked yourself in your room for a week and pushed pins into a voodoo doll to get them to break up.”
Mindy’s mouth dropped open. “I can’t believe you just said that,” she practically shrieked.
Mable rolled her eyes. “Put in the order and stop your bellyaching.”
The more time I spent around Mable, the more I liked her. The same could not be said for her daughter, who took the order from her mother and stomped off with an extra huffy sway to her hips.
“It’s fun to torture our kids, isn’t it?” Graham said, grinning as Gunner shook his head.
“It’s definitely fun,” Mable agreed. “But I do want to hear about Honey. While I wasn’t particularly close with her, I never thought of her as a troublemaker. Do we have something we should be worried about?”
Graham hesitated and then held his hands palms out. “I don’t know. I know that’s not the answer you want to hear but it’s the only one I have. The medical examiner seems to think she was attacked by an animal.”
Which was the most ludicrous thing I’d ever heard.
“Do you think that?” Mable asked pointedly.
“I don’t know.” Graham looked legitimately baffled. “I mean ... some of the bears have been coming closer to town, but they don’t usually attack humans. The same with the wolves, unless they’re rabid, and we haven’t had an infestation to worry about in years.”
“What about you?” Mable’s eyes landed on me. “Do you think it’s an accident?”
I had no idea why she focused on me, but I simply shrugged. “I’m not an expert.”
“That means you don’t believe it was an accident.” Mable folded her arms over her chest and fixed Graham with a pointed look. “If there’s a killer out there, I want to know. I have a daughter to protect.”
Graham shot me a quelling look. “Thank you for that.”
“Hey, I didn’t say anything.”
“You’ve got a certain way about you. Whatever you’re thinking appears on your face as if by magic. Don’t ever play poker.”
“I’ll have you know that I’m an excellent poker player.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Graham waved off the statement and refocused on Mable. “I don’t know what to tell you. I’m waiting for toxicology results. It’s up in the air right now. That said, I do have a few questions. Do you know who Honey was seeing these days?”
“What makes you think she was seeing anyone?” I asked.
“She was always seeing someone,” Gunner replied for his father. “Sometimes she was seeing two someones at the same time.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Is that why you and Honey broke up? Did she cheat on you?”
“That was never going to work out anyway. It doesn’t matter.”
“Who was she seeing?” Graham asked.
Mable looked annoyed at being put on the spot. “I’ve only heard of one recent person ... and you’re not going to like it.”
“Lay it on me anyway.”
“Brandon Masters.”
It was as if all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room. Brandon was Gunner’s childhood best friend. Gunner still picked up hours at Brandon’s lumberyard every week. They were close.
“You have to be kidding,” Gunner sputtered. “Why would Brandon be dating Honey?”
Mable shrugged. “You’ll have to ask him.”
“But ... why wouldn’t he tell me?” Gunner looked legitimately puzzled.
“Probably because all your time has been spent with this one.” Graham jabbed a finger in my direction. “And probably because it was an uncomfortable situation, what with Honey being your ex-girlfriend.”
Gunner’s lips curved down. “That was years ago and I’m well over it. And he’s my friend. He doesn’t have to hide things from me.”
“Well, that’s good. I’m thinking we should question him after we eat. He might have some information that will be of use.”
“And he should probably know that his girlfriend is dead,” I added. “I mean ... that’s the most important thing, right?”
Graham’s expression clouded. “There is that. It’s going to be a rough afternoon. Everybody better bulk up.”
Six
I felt out of place when we arrived at the lumberyard. Gunner’s relationship with Brandon made me think what was to come should be a private moment, but I was part of the team and I wanted to hear what he had to say.
Graham took the lead, asking one of the workers where we could find Brandon. We were directed to the main office, a building I hadn’t been in before. My previous visits included stops in the merchandise areas, so I spent the first few minutes after our arrival looki
ng around. It was a homey environment, numerous photos lining Brandon’s desk, which was empty.
We took seats across from his chair and waited, and we were rewarded with his presence within three minutes.
“Hey.” He looked happy to see Gunner, which only made me feel even more guilty. In truth, Gunner had been spending the lion’s share of his time with me the past few weeks, which probably meant Brandon was left out in the cold.
“Hey.” Gunner shot his friend a wan smile. “How’s it going?”
Brandon shrugged, noncommittal. “I can’t complain.”
“But you will.”
The two friends shared an amused smile, and then Brandon sank into his chair. He looked paler than the last time I’d seen him and I wondered if he was feeling under the weather. If he wasn’t before, he certainly would be feeling off his game once we finished with him.
“Why do I think this isn’t a social visit?” Brandon asked after looking at all three of our faces. “You guys look serious.” He focused on Graham. “And, no offense, but I can’t remember the last time you decided to bring your father around.”
“I remember,” Graham countered. “It was when your father was still in charge and you and Gunner got in a fight at school. He punched you and I made him apologize.”
Brandon smiled at the memory. “Ah, yes. Cindy Torkelson. We were arguing about who she should date. We probably should’ve just asked her, because she preferred Sarah Tomlinson and neither of us had a chance. Good times, huh?” He winked at Gunner, who couldn’t even fake a smile.
“Okay, what’s going on?” Brandon was serious. “Something has happened. It’s not my mom, is it?”
Graham immediately started shaking his head. “No, it’s not your mother. I’m sorry if you thought that. We have some ... bad news. The thing is, we’re not even sure you’re going to see it as bad news. Someone told us you might, but ... .”
I shot him a sidelong look. “How did you get to be chief of police when you’re so bad at this?” I challenged.
He glared at me. “I’m doing the best that I can.”
“How about you guys just tell me why you’re here?” Brandon suggested. “I’m starting to freak out.”
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