“Sure thing, and just so you all know, we’re all praying for your dad.”
“We appreciate that,” Gunner said. “I’d better let you get back to work.”
They walked out of the break room together and then parted company.
Gunner hurried back to the SUV and was about to drive home when he remembered there was little to no food in the house, and headed to Belker’s.
* * *
Dylan had already poured Blood Buster stain remover on the stain behind the bar, and was letting it work before mopping it up.
He had taken the door off the hinges and made sawhorses out of two bar tables to lay it on and was working quickly, because the cold north air was blowing straight into the bar. He’d already removed the plywood that had been tacked over it, as well as the trim and the rest of the broken glass. He was cleaning out the old putty from around the opening when Ash returned.
“Wow…it’s cold in here.”
“I noticed,” Dylan said, and then grinned. “Get one of those putty knives and help me clean this out,” he said, and soon the brothers were working head-to-head, until Dylan called a halt. “That’s good. Now for the new glass.”
“Where is it?” Ash said.
“On the bar, sandwiched between those two pieces of cardboard. Help me carry it over here, and I’ll finish it off. Then you can help me hang the door back on the hinges. It’s heavy.”
A short while later, Dylan stepped back to eye his work. “Looks good to me. Let’s get this door hung and shut out that north wind.”
Dylan took one side and Asher the other as they carried the door back to the entrance. They stood it up, slipped the hinges in place, and then while Ash held the door, Dylan tapped the bolts back into place. After that, they closed and locked the front door.
“Great work,” Asher said.
Dylan shrugged. “It’s missing the gold lettering that was on it before, but Dad can have that done at a later date. I’ll clean up the mess I made before I head back to Amarillo, and then wipe up the stain remover from behind the bar. You go check on your girl. She has been dealing with the stress of elder care alone, for a long time. Look at the mess we’re in now, but there’s three of us. She is in serious need of TLC.”
Before Ash could answer, he got a text from Gunner.
Miles saw a white sports car parked on the east side of the bar. He thought it was an older model Mustang and assumed someone had left it behind for being too drunk to drive. I’m at Belker’s getting groceries. Be back soon.
He showed Dylan the message. “That’s going to be an affirmative for me, if two witnesses both saw a white, older model Mustang there that night. I’ll update the sheriff later. You go get your stuff and get on the road. I can clean up. You still have to drive back, and it’ll get dark early.”
“Thanks,” Dylan said. “Keep me in the loop about what’s going on. I’ll make sure Dad knows you’re investigating the shooting. And if you need me for anything, I can be here in less than an hour, okay?”
“Absolutely,” Ash said. “Go on. Gunner and I will set up office on the kitchen table and take care of business here.”
Dylan left the bar and went into the house, while Ash got the broom and dustpan and began cleaning up and putting the bar tables back into place. Then after reading the instructions on the bottle of stain remover, proceeded to clean that up, as well.
He was putting the CLOSEDsign back on the front door when he saw Dylan driving away, and Gunner arriving, then turned up the thermostat in the bar before retreating to the house to help Gunner.
“Nora still asleep?” Gunner said as he came in with his arms full of sacks and put them all on the kitchen counter.
Asher nodded as he got out two packages of ham steaks Gunner just brought home. “How good are you at cooking?” Ash asked.
“Good enough on basics. What do you need?” Gunner asked.
“Preheat the oven to 450. Wash three of those baking potatoes, wrap them in foil, and put them in the oven.”
Gunner grinned. “That, I can do. Just like old times, right, Ash? Big brother making our lunches for school, cooking our dinner before ball games, making breakfast. After the fall of the house of Brenda, you became our second dad. Pretty sure I never said thank you.”
Ash threw a potholder at him. “I didn’t need thanks. You guys were my brothers. I just wanted you to grow up enough to quit peeing the bed.”
Gunner grinned, then turned on the oven to preheat and went to get potatoes.
* * *
