Page 131 of Five Mountain Daddies

“Nope,” he says. “Proudbachelor.”

I ask about his brother and as he talks, I watch him closely. I’m not really listening, but I can’t help but inspect him. Wyatt still has those good looks, that easy charm, but he’s grown up. He’s more careful, more reserved. I catch him glancing around the place like he’s marking the exits in hismind.

He finishes and I nod and smile at something he said. He takes a sip of his coffee and I take a deep breath, readyingmyself.

“Listen, Wyatt,” I say. “I wanted to get coffee for areason.”

He looks instantly uncomfortable. “Cora—“

“No, listen. I know you heard about Atticus and what happened to him. The people in this town, they don’t give a shit about him, nobody does. They’re not going to find hiskiller.”

Wyatt looks uncomfortable. “I’m sure they’retrying.”

“Hardly,” I spit, angry. “I need your help. Please, Wyatt, you still have some fond memories of my brother. Help me find out who killedhim.”

He sighs and shakes his head. “Cora, Ican’t.”

“You’re a detective. I know you’re not a detective here, but still. The police will talk toyou.”

He glances away. “Cora,” he says, soundingdefeated.

“Please,” I ask, practically begging him. “Just talk to the cops, see what they know. I’m dying here. It’s been almost a month and they have absolutely nothing, won’t tell me a damn thing. You know how it is here. They wouldn’t even let us have the funeral until now, said something about needing him for theinvestigation.”

He nods a little. “I know,” he says finally. “Look, I can ask. I still know some guys,but…”

“Thank you,” I say, feelingrelieved.

“But don’t get your hopes up,” he says, talking over me. “Seriously, Cora. Your brother’s case is hard, and he wasn’t well-loved, but Mason doesn’t get a lot of murders. They’re taking itseriously.”

“Thank you so much,” I say to him, elated. “I won’t get my hopes up.” I take some money out of my purse and toss it onto thetable.

He laughs a little. “That’sit?”

“I’ve gotta go,” I say. “I’m sorry. This means a lot tome.”

“Wait, hold on. What’s yournumber?”

I raise an eyebrow, suddenly not sure if he’s hitting onme.

He sighs. “To call about what Ihear.”

“Right.” I tell him my number and he types it into his phone. I get a text from him a second later, and I save him into my contacts. “Thanks again,” I say, and hurry out thediner.

I didn’t want to stay too long. I could tell he wanted to make an excuse, get out of looking into whathappened.

But I can’t let him do that. I need his help. Because I can’t solve a murder on my own, and I’m going to solvethis.

Someone killed my brother. They found him dead in an alley, shot twice and stabbed four times. They have no explanation, no leads, no nothing. They wouldn’t even release his body untilrecently.

But I’m not going to let this town forget about my brother. I’m not going to let him be just another dead body in the streets. Mason may not get a lot of murders, but there’s a lot of darkness in this town. Atticus was wrapped up in a lot of it, although I don’t know howmuch.

Wyatt’s going to help me. He has to. I don’t know who else to turn to. But I’m not givingup.

I’ll take this all the way, one way oranother.

2

Wyatt

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