“I agree.”
Charley felt like a freak. She’d never known her father, and her mother was to blame. Now her mother was dead. Murderedby an unknown assailant. Her eyes went to a framed photo on the wooden mantle of the stone hearth. Sully, probably in his teens, stood between a handsome man with black hair and a beautiful blonde. No doubt his dad and mom. From what he’d told her, Sully had a normal upbringing with loving parents. What was he thinking of her and her unusual circumstances?
Unable to meet his green eyes, she said, “If you will give me your address, I’ll call an Uber to come pick me up.”
“Charley, I’ll take you back into town.” His fingers lightly tapped her shoulder. “Or you’re welcome to stay here tonight. My master bedroom is on the main floor. I have three guest rooms all upstairs.”
“I couldn’t impose on you like that any more than I could Cash and Tracy.”
“You’re not imposing now any more than you were interrupting earlier.”
Charley quickly ran two scenarios through her head: first, staying with Sully to be here in the country bright and early to get a tow truck for her car and second, having him take her home only to be stuck in town.
“If you’re sure I’m not imposing, I’d appreciate staying,” Charley said.
Sully smiled. “Great, after the tow truck comes for your car, I can run you into town.”
“I’ll buy you breakfast, brunch, or lunch to thank you.”
“Not necessary, but you’ve got yourself a deal.” Sully held out his beer bottle, and she clinked her bottle to his again to seal their deal. “So, how close do you live to where the murder by the so-called Cave Killer was committed?”
“Close. Just a few blocks away in an apartment on one side of a duplex where my mother lives—lived on the other side.”
“Were you nearby when your mother was shot?”
“Yes. It happened in my apartment.” She offered nothing more about that and glanced away from the handsome man again to say, “After her death, while cleaning out her apartment, I found the scrapbook and a photo of her with a man. On the back of the photo, in her handwriting, it readCharley’s daddy and me.”
“That must have come as a shock.”
“It did. But I didn’t know whoDaddywas until I met Cash, Chase, and Chloe in an attorney’s office. I showed them the photo, and they identified Clarence Cooper immediately. I liked them on the spot, and I felt a kinship with the three of them. But at my insistence, we had DNA testing done.”
“And?”
“The results showed enough hits in a row and chunks of DNA that matched over twenty-three pairs of chromosomes to convince us we are first cousins.”
“So, you lost your parents, but found a fantastic extended family,” Sully said. “I don’t know any better people than the Coopers.”
“Yes,” Charley agreed with a nod. “They could have resented me, but they seem to be welcoming me with love and kindness.” She placed a hand over her heart. “I am beyond blessed to have them in my life.”
“Have you met your grandfather, Crawford Cooper, who goes by Coop?”
“Oh, yes. In the attorney’s office,” Charley said with a smile. “Coop just turned ninety, and he is a hoot. I fell in love with him.”
“Yes, he’s the best. Coop lives in a log cabin on Chase’s ranch with his longtime girlfriend, Tammy, who is Tracy’s grandmother. There’s another story for you.” Sully shook his head and said, “I don’t know what else is going on in your city life, but you’re in good hands out here in the country.” The grinSully gave her sent a thrill through Charley. What would it be like to put herself in Sully’s large hands? “Would you like to see your choice of bedrooms?”
“Yes, please.”
Sully scooted to the edge of the sofa. “Come on.”
“Okay,” Charley said and stood as he did. She followed him out of the den and down the wide hallway to a two-story foyer. High above the double front doors was a stained glass window. It depicted a big bay stallion in a green pasture with Pikes Peak in the distance and lavender columbines in the foreground. She stared in wonder. “How magnificent, Sully.”
Sully grinned with a shrug. “I got the idea from the stained glass front door that Clarence Cooper had made for your log cabin.” He went up the staircase first and stopped on the second-floor landing. Pointing, he indicated the main guest bathroom and then flipped on the lights of the bedrooms. “Take your pick.”
“I like all three. You pick for me.”
“The bedroom we’re in now has its own private bath.” Sully crossed the floor and turned on the bathroom light. “Take it.”
“Sully,” Charley began, walking to the queen-size bed, where she stopped and looked at the handsome man, “I want you to know that I don’t stay the night with random men.”
