Page 70 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

“If what Brent said was true, then…”

Aspen blew out a long breath. “It’s so frustrating trying to piece this together. It’s like trying to complete a jigsaw puzzle with no picture and only half the pieces.”

“Is there anybody else you could ask about this? Grandparents? Siblings?”

“My dad had a brother, but their family didn’t live near here. They didn’t know my mom well, and what they knew, they didn’t like. Though they never said that to me, my cousins weren’t so careful with their words. I don’t know that I’d trust their impressions. And we were never close to my mother’s parents.”

“Are they the ones who live in Florida?”

“They’re in North Carolina. They moved here when Mom was a senior in high school, but they only stayed a year before they moved away again. I guess my grandfather was in hotel management, and he got transferred a lot. My understanding is that they weren’t living here when Mom and Dad got married. Dad didn’t keep in touch with them. So, I guess I could ask them, but…” She shrugged.

“Maybe they wouldn’t know much about the marriage either.”

“And my dad’s parents hated my mother. I mean, they never said that to me, but they didn’t have to. So could I trust anything they told me? I don’t know anybody who would be able to give me an unbiased opinion.”

“Maybe you could get all their opinions and weigh them against each other.”

“Or maybe I should just let it go. My father wasn’t a killer. Brent Salcito can’t be right about that.”

“If Brent thought it, then I wonder if your father was a suspect in her disappearance.”

“Huh. I hadn’t thought of that.”

“Can you get the police reports, or maybe talk to someone who investigated?”

“That’s a good idea. And, you know, people tell me she had a lot of friends. Maybe I should figure out who they were. There have to be some who are still around, don’t you think?”

“Seems likely.” She could talk to Dean and Deborah, but Garrett didn’t think they’d want him telling Aspen about their friendship with Jane. In fact, based on the conversation he’d had with his uncle that morning, he knew they wouldn’t.

It felt deceitful, keeping that information from Aspen. But he couldn’t betray his family.

He hated being in the middle, feeling like he had to choose.

“Thank you.” Aspen stepped back toward him.

He hugged her. “I didn’t do anything, really. Just listened.” Guilt wrapped itself around him, almost as tangible as the feel of Aspen in his arms.

“You did more than that. Dad told me another way I’m like my mom. He said she had to express every thought before she knew what she was thinking. She was an external processor, and I’m the same way. Used to drive my father crazy. He’d want to sit quietly, and I’d babble about everything that happened to me all day long. He’d say almost nothing, just nod along. And by the time we were finished, I’d have some clarity.” Her expression turned darker. “Is that weird or…crazy? I never thought about it, but maybe it’s a sign.”

Like a flash, he remembered all the times she’d used that word. Crazy.

She’d asked if it would becrazyto remodel the entire house.

She’d worried that buying the nicer used sofa would be acrazydecision.

When they’d been talking about her wearing her handgun, she’d said she felt like acrazyperson.

Earlier that day, it’d been Garrett who’d used the word, suggesting the messy house had been a trigger that had made her…

Crazy.

And his use of the word had made her…

He wasn’t going to say it.

How many times had Aspen wondered if she was like her mother? How many times did she second-guess her decisions for fear of it?

He took Aspen’s upper arms and set her away so he could get a good look at her face—and she his.

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