might ought to go ahead and sell
that roadhouse. I got no interest in running a bar. “
Holden looked up and nodded as Helen came back with three
plates of blueberry pancakes. They each eyeballed the plate the woman set in
front of Haley, looking for telltale signs she’d messed with Haley’s food.
“I’ll swap you,” Holden said, reaching for Haley’s plate.
“Looks like you got more blueberries than I did.” Helen didn’t react
suspiciously but Holden took Haley’s plate anyway. “Just so happens I may know
one or two folks interested in buying the place. I’ll make a few calls and let
you know.” He forked up a big mouthful of pancakes and sighed. “So where you
kids off to today?”
“Going into Kerrville to get Haley set up with some office
equipment. That dinosaur Jack called a computer won’t last much longer and
Haley’s gonna need the proper equipment to start her business.” Wyatt gave
Haley a nod. “Probably ought to have Holden start working on the paperwork to
incorporate.”
Haley pointed to her mouth, which was filled with blueberry
pancakes. She chewed and swallowed.
“Good idea. I’ll call and set up appointment. But I do have
a question about something we talked about that day in your office.”
“Shoot,” the attorney said, reaching for his coffee.
“It’s about Aunt Jack’s death. You said the sheriff was
suspicious but the coroner ruled it an accident. You got an opinion as to what
happened?”
Holden set his cup down and nodded solemnly. “I think she
was pushed.”
Haley closed her eyes and took a calming breath. “Why?”
“Jack was barely into her sixties.” Haley didn’t miss it
when the lawyer cut a glance toward Wyatt. Did they both know more than they
were saying? “She was in good shape, you understand. Worked hard, ate right,
didn’t smoke, hardly drank. No history of heart problems or high blood
pressure. No reason she’d be lightheaded. And she knew every inch of that barn.
No way would she misjudge the edge of that hayloft. The scuffmarks the sheriff
found tell me there was some kind of scuffle. Way I figure it, she got into a
tussle with someone and lost her balance—or was pushed.”
Haley sat stock-still for a moment. “Who do you figure for
it?”
Holden shook his head. “That’s just it. People in this town
loved Jack. Didn’t have any disputes with anyone that I know of, and you know
something like that would make it to the rumor mill, just like you having
supper with the local vet. My first thought was your daddy but then I found out
he was incarcerated. So I have to assume it was a stranger.”
Haley met Wyatt’s gaze, then looked away. Someone had
probably killed her aunt. A stranger? Or someone her pa had hired? The pancakes
turned to unpalatable goo in her mouth. She swallowed with difficulty and
pushed her plate away. She’d be having a long, hard look at that hayloft as
soon as she could. She glanced at Wyatt’s plate and noted he’d pushed his away
as well.
“Guess I’m ready when you are,” she told him, then turned to
Holden. “Thank you for the information. I’ll call and make an appointment.”
* * * * *
“Wow, this place is something else.” Haley had never
actually been inside a store like it.
“Seriously? You’ve never been to a Best Buy?”
Haley’s face heated and she shrugged. “Never had the need.
Never had the money for a laptop so if I needed to use a computer, I just went
to the local library.” She laughed when Wyatt rubbed his hands together with
glee.
“Come on, sweet pea.” He grabbed her hand and led her toward
the computer department. “Let’s introduce you to technology.”
There were so many different brands of computers and
printers that Haley’s head was spinning by the time they settled on one Wyatt
assured her was the best system for her needs. She wound up getting the
insurance and extended warranty since she was afraid she’d manage to screw it
up somehow. For a printer,
that roadhouse. I got no interest in running a bar. “
Holden looked up and nodded as Helen came back with three
plates of blueberry pancakes. They each eyeballed the plate the woman set in
front of Haley, looking for telltale signs she’d messed with Haley’s food.
“I’ll swap you,” Holden said, reaching for Haley’s plate.
“Looks like you got more blueberries than I did.” Helen didn’t react
suspiciously but Holden took Haley’s plate anyway. “Just so happens I may know
one or two folks interested in buying the place. I’ll make a few calls and let
you know.” He forked up a big mouthful of pancakes and sighed. “So where you
kids off to today?”
“Going into Kerrville to get Haley set up with some office
equipment. That dinosaur Jack called a computer won’t last much longer and
Haley’s gonna need the proper equipment to start her business.” Wyatt gave
Haley a nod. “Probably ought to have Holden start working on the paperwork to
incorporate.”
Haley pointed to her mouth, which was filled with blueberry
pancakes. She chewed and swallowed.
“Good idea. I’ll call and set up appointment. But I do have
a question about something we talked about that day in your office.”
“Shoot,” the attorney said, reaching for his coffee.
“It’s about Aunt Jack’s death. You said the sheriff was
suspicious but the coroner ruled it an accident. You got an opinion as to what
happened?”
Holden set his cup down and nodded solemnly. “I think she
was pushed.”
Haley closed her eyes and took a calming breath. “Why?”
“Jack was barely into her sixties.” Haley didn’t miss it
when the lawyer cut a glance toward Wyatt. Did they both know more than they
were saying? “She was in good shape, you understand. Worked hard, ate right,
didn’t smoke, hardly drank. No history of heart problems or high blood
pressure. No reason she’d be lightheaded. And she knew every inch of that barn.
No way would she misjudge the edge of that hayloft. The scuffmarks the sheriff
found tell me there was some kind of scuffle. Way I figure it, she got into a
tussle with someone and lost her balance—or was pushed.”
Haley sat stock-still for a moment. “Who do you figure for
it?”
Holden shook his head. “That’s just it. People in this town
loved Jack. Didn’t have any disputes with anyone that I know of, and you know
something like that would make it to the rumor mill, just like you having
supper with the local vet. My first thought was your daddy but then I found out
he was incarcerated. So I have to assume it was a stranger.”
Haley met Wyatt’s gaze, then looked away. Someone had
probably killed her aunt. A stranger? Or someone her pa had hired? The pancakes
turned to unpalatable goo in her mouth. She swallowed with difficulty and
pushed her plate away. She’d be having a long, hard look at that hayloft as
soon as she could. She glanced at Wyatt’s plate and noted he’d pushed his away
as well.
“Guess I’m ready when you are,” she told him, then turned to
Holden. “Thank you for the information. I’ll call and make an appointment.”
* * * * *
“Wow, this place is something else.” Haley had never
actually been inside a store like it.
“Seriously? You’ve never been to a Best Buy?”
Haley’s face heated and she shrugged. “Never had the need.
Never had the money for a laptop so if I needed to use a computer, I just went
to the local library.” She laughed when Wyatt rubbed his hands together with
glee.
“Come on, sweet pea.” He grabbed her hand and led her toward
the computer department. “Let’s introduce you to technology.”
There were so many different brands of computers and
printers that Haley’s head was spinning by the time they settled on one Wyatt
assured her was the best system for her needs. She wound up getting the
insurance and extended warranty since she was afraid she’d manage to screw it
up somehow. For a printer,
Similar Books
