Page 14 of The Seven Rings
“I say, this is genius. I’d white sage the room first. Three times. Then we clean it out. Get whatever we want in there out of storage, and make a gallery. And we turn the dark to light.”
“I know he didn’t live here, but he was born here. I’m going to put up some pictures of my father, as a little boy, and one of my parents’ wedding photos.”
“More genius,” Cleo began, even as Clover blasted out Tina Turner.
You’re simply the best.
“Let’s take a few of the boxes into the dining room. Big table.”Sonya pulled another out. “We’ll pour some wine, sort through. The ones we think we might use go in one box. Ones we won’t, the other.”
“I’m for that, especially the wine. We won’t recognize everyone, though.”
“Unsure, first box. Owen may know, or Deuce or one of the older Poole cousins.”
“This is a plan, a very solid plan. And it’s one more way to turn what she pulled last night on its ass.”
By the time the men arrived, Sonya and Cleo had photos spread out, others in designated boxes, and had just poured a second glass of wine.
“What’s all this?” Trey asked.
“Sonya’s genius idea. Once we kick Dobbs back to hell, we’re going to do a Poole Family and Friends Gallery in the Gold Room.”
“Look at this, Trey.” Sonya pulled one out of the gallery box. “It’s your dad with Collin, at, I’m guessing, late teens or early twenties. You look so much like him. They’re at the beach somewhere.”
“Couple of buff studs,” Cleo added as Trey grinned over the photo of Collin and Deuce wearing swim trunks and standing on the sand in front of the ocean.
“They used to talk about this. This has to be when they were in college, and drove down one summer to—I think—the Outer Banks. They tried to learn how to surf, and failed, but had a hell of a good time.”
“I guess you might not have a clue, yet, as to how many photos are socked away in this house.” Owen scanned what was spread around the big table. “How far back are you going?”
“Back to Arthur Poole.”
Now Owen scratched his jaw. “You do realize they didn’t have cameras back then?”
“They did miniatures, and I bet we’ll find some. Then you have tintypes. But we’re going to need your help to put names with faces.”
He gave Sonya a shrug. “I’ll help where I can, but not until I eat. We got lobster rolls.”
“Excellent choice.” Cleo rose. “We should eat on the deck. What did you get to go with them?”
“Potato salad,” Trey told her, “coleslaw, and at our favorite chef’s insistence, lemon bars.”
“Bree knows what she knows.” Cleo patted Trey’s cheek as she moved by. “Where’s the rest of our pooch family?”
“They’re all outside. Including the cat.” Since he didn’t intend to settle on a cheek pat, Owen pulled her in, took her mouth.
“Mmm, since you’re that hungry, you can help me set things up on the deck.”
“We’re really having fun doing this.” Sonya rose and put her arms around Trey as much for the hug as the kiss. “We actually started—well, after work—going through and clearing out Collin’s office so Cleo can use it.”
“That’s good.” He drew her out to the kitchen, where he got a beer for himself and one for Owen.
“I hope you think so when I tell you we have a good-sized box of papers we weren’t sure what to do with, and decided to dump it on the Doyle lawyers.”
“That’s fine. We’ll take care of it.”
“I went through the computer files. I’ll tell you about that over dinner. It’s mostly just sweet, and Owen should hear it, too. But I’m going to wipe the hard drive when we’re done, and we’re going to set up a kind of guest office in one of the sitting rooms. Anyone who stays here could use it if they need or want to.”
“More fine.” Studying her, he sipped his beer. “You’ve been busy.”
