It was the most Liam had ever said to her in one go.
Which made the idea of breadcrumbs even more endearing to her.
“Breadcrumbs,” she repeated. “I like that. It’s a more charming way to call something messy, that’s for sure. Though I’m not sure Lola would take breadcrumbs as a good excuse to skip cleaning day. That might be pushing my luck.” Blake smiled at the thought. Liam caught it.
“You two seem really close. Lola, I mean. She lives here with you full time?”
Blake nodded.
“That’s how we got close, to be honest,” she admitted. “She’s technically my stepmom. My dad married her after I’d already left town, so I’d only met her a few times before coming back to Seven Roads.” Blake hesitated. She didn’t want to unload any more sad family stories, so instead of detailing what had led Lola to move in with her, she decided to be brief. “She already had a good relationship with the kids and came to live with us to help out.”
“Did your dad come too?”
It was a reasonable question. He didn’t know that there had been a falling-out between her father and Blake when she was younger. He didn’t know about the falling-out that had happened again after Beth’s death.
So Blake didn’t answer that in detail either.
“No. He lives in Alabama.”
Whether he wanted to know more or simply took the hint, Liam accepted her answer as enough. Blake capitalized on that and switched back to an earlier subject.
“You texted Darius asking about Missy’s laptop right after we got here, right? Did he respond yet?”
Missy having a laptop the day she died had indeed been news to Liam. After admitting he had never seen it, he’d sent a few messages to Darius after parking in her driveway. He’d buttoned up about it right after, focusing on getting Clem in the house. Blake had momentarily forgotten about the news the moment she had seen Lola’s worried gaze.
And when they were tucking Clem in?
All Blake had been thinking about was how hard the girl had cried against her.
Now she had the space to backtrack, though the excitement from the morning at working a case had dulled. Blake wouldn’t admit it, but she was exhausted. Physically and emotionally. Once Liam was done eating, she was going to check on Bruce and then probably lie down next to Clem on her bed for comfort.
Hers more than Clem’s, if she was being honest.
Liam pulled his cell phone out but didn’t check it. He nodded.
“He just confirmed that none of us saw a laptop,” he said. “I told him we’d talk about it after we talk to the McClennan cousins tomorrow. We’ll see if it was an oversight on our part.”
“What do you think the alternative could be?”
The question popped out before she could stop it. Liam’s expression went impassive.
“Sorry,” she said. “Old habit.”
Blake returned her gaze to the rain past the railing.
She was surprised when Liam didn’t skip a beat in answering her.
“I don’t think Missy jumped off that bridge voluntarily. I think something might have happened to get her there. That laptop might be the missing thing that either proves my hunch or finally puts it to rest.”
Resolution, calm and clear, came through every word.
It was still strong as he snorted.
“It’s been like pulling teeth to try to piece together Missy’s last day. I’ve never run into so much resistance from an entire town.”
Blake knew that feeling.
“That’s an old Seven Roads habit right there,” she said. “If one person thinks you’re in the wrong, it won’t be long before the whole town thinks it too. Especially if that one happens to be someone like Mr. Clearwater.”
