Page 262 of Things Left Unsaid

It took a while for Harriet to let Trever approach her for his first feed so we only went to bed after a rushed shower an hour ago. The call of nature woke me up, and then I got hungry.

This is what happens when I listen to my stomach at 5AM instead of simply grazing on the multitude of snacks in my nightstand drawer.

Popping my head through the doorway, I ask, “I’m sorry, Lindsay, did you say something?”

I know exactly what she said, butawkward.

Especially as I’m wearing one of Colt’s T-shirts.

It’s not like I announced to the house that I’m sleeping in Colt’s room, but my pajamas, or lack thereof, might give it away.

In fact, I can feel her eyes scanning me as I hover in the doorway. She doesn’t comment on his tee though, just repeats, “I never meant to be rude.”

“No, of course not,” I mutter, more embarrassed than before.

To be honest, whether she did or didn’t, I wasn’t affected. She pissed Colt off. Not me.

“I mean it. Any of the boys will tell you that I’ve never been good at letting people in. You don’t after being married to a man like Clyde.” Her lips purse. “But now that I know you’re sticking around, I’ll be sure to make more of an effort.”

“I appreciate that, Lindsay. I’ll?—”

She doesn’t give me the chance to escape. “Ida called Terry while you two were dealing with Harriet.”

Curious, I step deeper into the room. “The sergeant? What did he have to say?”

“Clyde’s fingerprints were found in your brothers’ truck.”

“Really?”

“Which corroborates your grandmother’s statement.” Smug satisfaction leaches into her voice as she continues, “He also said Colt broke Clyde’s nose and his orbital bone.”

“What made Terry share any of this with Ida?”

“They’ve often conferred on cases for Dove Bay. It helped that Clyde wanted to call Colton and he refused to answer.”

“I didn’t know that.”

She hums. “I didn’t either. It appears Colt’s washed his hands of his father.”

“You don’t sound like you approve.”

Her shoulder hitches. “Hardly. Clyde made his bed a long time ago. It seems to me that he’s dealing with the repercussions of that and he deserves to have the book thrown at him.”

“He said he didn’t kill her.”

“Who’sher?” she dismisses.

I know she’s right, but I can’t help but think something was off about that scene today.

Oh, I believe he was going to plant that letter in Colt’s office. But how he looked at me… I assumed the relationship between Mom and him was entirely transactional. Then, he said Mom’s name so my perception of that has shifted.

He genuinely thought he was talking to Mom and everything about his demeanor was different.

“The entire day’s been one revelation after another.”

I can’t argue with that.

Not whenGrand-mèrewas as strident as ever today, totally unlike the one I saw at the Bar 9.

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