Page 32 of The Killing Plains

Colly stirred uneasily. “Must be awkward, working with Niall now.”

“We’ve adjusted. Lowell’s the one who couldn’t cope. You’d think after allhisindiscretions...” Brenda shook her head. “When it came out, I broke things off with Niall and tried to work on my marriage for the kids’ sake.” She shrugged. “Lowell’s so prejudiced—if I’d cheated with a white guy, he might’ve gotten past it. I don’t know.”

“I’m sorry, Bren.”

“It’s okay, now. But it was hell, at first. Logan was angry and acting out. And there was town gossip, and all the legal stuff—not to mention Iris. I started having panic attacks, but anxiety meds helped. Things are better.”

“Did you and Niall ever talk about getting back together?”

Brenda’s cheeks colored. “It’s too complicated. We hang out sometimes. He loves to cook for me. But it’s strictly platonic.” She flashed Colly a sudden smile. “Life’s good. The kids are doing great, and honestly, having a crisis of my own made me a more compassionate therapist. I hate that it’s hurt the counseling center, though.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know how people are. They figure if I couldn’t save my own marriage, how can I help them? Plus, the ones who work for Lowell don’t want him thinking they’re disloyal.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Denny’s stepfather used to be a foreman at the turbine plant. Lowell fired him last year, and a rumor started that it was because Denny was a client of mine.”

“Think that’s true?”

“I didn’t start seeing Denny till after Jace Hoyer was fired. But truth never stopped a good piece of gossip. I don’t know why he was let go, but it wasn’t because of me.”

Colly made a mental note to visit the turbine plant soon.

They were passing a pair of quarter horses grazing in a field, their flanks twitching and tails swishing, when Brenda asked, “Will you speak with Denny’s folks?”

“Probably.”

“Watch out for Jace. He’s got a bad reputation and a big chip on his shoulder. He hates Lowell, and since you’re a Newland...”

“Guilt by association?”

“He might see it that way. Be careful.” Brenda squinted out the side window. “What was up with the question this afternoon about Denny’s feet?”

Colly, staring at a distant line of purple mesas and thinking about how much she was dreading dinner, became suddenly alert. Brenda’s voice was too casual. She was fishing. If she’d somehow found out about the shoe insert in Denny’s pack, who’d told her?

Colly needed time to think. “What do you mean?”

“Avery Parker asked if Denny had foot problems.”

“We wondered if he was capable of riding his bike to the stock pond. It’s over twenty miles.”

“But she asked the same question about his folks.”

Colly cursed silently. “I don’t know what she was thinking on that one. She’s kind of a loose cannon.”And thank God she’s not here now. “Why do you ask? Have you remembered something?”

“I’m a therapist. I’m nosy.” Brenda smiled. “About the question, though—if Denny had foot problems, they didn’t stop him riding his bike to the stock pond. I know he did it several times.”

“Any idea why?” Colly asked.

“That’s no mystery. Supposedly, the pond’s haunted by Adam Parker’s ghost. Teenagers go for thrills, no matter how many ‘No Trespassing’ signs Felix puts up.”

“Hmm.” Colly hesitated. “That reminds me—Avery and I went down the alley behind the clinic today and noticed the back entrance is a fire door.”

Brenda laughed. “No, it’s not. Niall put up that sign to keep clients from bypassing the lobby.”

“Wonder why it didn’t stop the old lady you told us about? You said she came in the back way.”

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