Page 84 of Roaring Fork Wrangler

“Years. The last time I saw her, I pulled her aside and suggested she not return.”

My mouth gaped. I’d never ever heard my mother say anything like she just had. It was apparent my father was as stunned as I was. “Why?” I asked.

“One night, your Aunt Sue was fit to be tied, and when I asked why, she pointed to Brianna. The other waitresses and the bartender at the time all told stories about how rude she was to them. From what I remember, they said she complained about the service, thefood, and even the drinks almost every time she came in, then expected everything to be comped. Whether it was or not, she was one of those people who thought it was funny to leave a penny tip.” Her cheeks flushed, and she lowered her gaze. Maybe that’s where I’d gotten it from.

My dad put his hand on my mother’s shoulder. “You did the right thing, sweetheart.”

“I know. I just don’t like turning business away.”

“We’ve never hurt for customers,” he added.

I glanced up at Gray, whose puzzled expression matched my thinking.

“Okay. So we know Brianna wasn’t a nice person. I don’t see what that has to do with Cord.”

“Me neither,” Pete admitted. “However, we’re bringing both parents in separately tomorrow to question them.”

I looked over at him. “Will Decker be there?”

He grinned. “Damn straight, he will.”

After he left, Gray followed me upstairs. “What do you think?” he asked.

“I can’t connect the dots, you know?”

“Me neither,” he said, repeating what our uncle said.

“Ashford is smart, though.”

Gray nodded. “I thought the same thing.”

“Do you think Pete told Cord any of this?”

“I know he didn’t. That’s the part I overheard before I came up to get you. He said he didn’t want to mention the possible connection to Cord’s mother until they had more to go on.”

“I can’t help but think Miss Cena would know.”

My brother nodded again. “Same.”

I tapped my lower lip with my index finger. “Which means there might be something in her journals.”

“What are you thinking?” Gray asked.

“I’ll call Sam and ask if she’d mind if I came over and looked through them tomorrow.”

“I could help,” he offered. “Unless Beau has something else he needs me to do.”

“Excellent.”

Maybe I wasn’t ready to address the relationship between Cord and me—or lack of one—but I sure could help Pete figure out the connection between Patricia Rooker and the guy who’d tried to kill him.

When I arrived,at ten the following morning, Cord’s truck wasn’t parked near the cottage, but there was another black SUV near the main residence. “Is that all guys drive anymore?” I grumbled to Gray, who had the same type of vehicle.

“In the dead of winter, living in the snowbelt? Yes, it is.”

“So what do you do for Beau anyway, besides food delivery?”

“You’re being awfully surly for a girl who wanted my help.”

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