Page 33 of Indigo Ridge (The Edens 1)

I laughed and let him go. “What can I do?”

“Fetch me that cold beer.”

While he grilled burgers, I readied the buns, toppings and napkins. Then the two of us ate on the deck, the river beyond the yard providing the evening music.

“Thanks for cooking dinner,” I said when the dishes were done, and we set off for an after-dinner stroll down his block.

“Of course. Glad I could track you down. I tried calling your other number. It said your voicemail box was full.”

The messages were probably all from Skyler. Our breakup had been four months ago, and the constant calls were wearing thin. “I can’t find that phone. I don’t even know when I lost it.”

“I figured as much.” He laughed. “How are you holding up?”

“I’m . . . okay.” Not great. Not bad. Just okay. “It’s been a week.”

“I still can’t believe sweet Lily Green. Breaks my heart.”

“Mine too.” Melina’s distraught face popped into my mind. “You never said anything about the suicides.”

He tucked his hands into his khaki pockets. “Didn’t want to put that on you while you were dealing with so much in Bozeman. And awful as it is, that’s part of life. Here and anywhere else.”

“Seven in ten years. Don’t you think that’s a lot?”

“Of course I do. Each time, we put more resources into counselors at the school. We’ve got two available for community members, free of charge. But if these kids don’t reach out, if we don’t know they’re hurting, how are we supposed to help?”

I sighed. “I’m not trying to criticize. It’s just . . . it’s been a long week.”

He untucked a hand and put his arm around my shoulders. “Sorry.”

“Do you think there’s a chance they aren’t suicides?”

“I wish I could say yes. I wish there was another explanation. But each of those deaths was investigated. Most came with notes.”

“Lily didn’t leave one.”

“Or maybe you just haven’t found it yet.”

“I’ll keep looking.”

“I know you will. I don’t like thinking of you dealing with this. It’s heavy and hard. But someone has to carry it, and I trust you above anyone else to do the right thing.”

“Thanks.” I leaned into his side. His faith in me was unwavering. I’d earned it. I’d keep earning it. Starting with giving Melina Green whatever answers I could find about her daughter.

“Change of subject,” he said. “I stopped at Willie’s on Saturday.”

“Um . . . okay.” Shit. Willie hadn’t struck me as a bigmouth. He wouldn’t have talked about Griffin and me, right?

“He saw your picture in the paper,” Pops said.

“You mean the gossip rag?” In the one and only newspaper I’d read, there hadn’t actually been much news. Not that I’d read the whole thing. I’d had to stop after the front page.

The article on my position as chief had basically called me a child cop and stated the only reason I’d gotten the job was because of Pops. But the paper had come out on Wednesday. I’d been at Indigo Ridge, then with Melina Green.

Pops had called and left me a voicemail, fuming and cursing the Nelsen name. By the time I’d listened to his message, then stopped by the grocery store to buy the paper, it had been after dark. When I’d finally sat down to read the article, I just hadn’t had many fucks to give.

“Willie mentioned that you and Griffin Eden were there together last week.”

Damn it, Willie. “Yeah,” I muttered.