Holt leaned down and kissed her. “Give us a minute? I’ll come help when we’re done.”
She nodded, her eyes darting back to Reese. “If I don’t see you before you leave, I’ll see you on Saturday.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Bailey gently smacked Brantley on the arm. “That’s for makin’ me worry.”
He laughed as she hurried out of the room, but Reese noticed his smile fade as soon as she was gone.
Holt’s eyes shifted back and forth between them. “Why do I get the feelin’ this isn’t gonna be a happy conversation?”
Reese decided to let Brantley lead.
“We’ve got some questions about my cousin Travis.”
Holt frowned. “What about him?”
“We’re headin’ over to talk to him after this, but thought we might get the inside scoop from you first.”
Holt’s expression turned wary. “Inside scoop?”
“Rumor is you met with Travis not too long ago, and he’s been actin’ strange since then. You mind tellin’ us what you talked to him about?”
“I’m not sure—”
Reese saw the hesitation, but he interjected before Holt could come up with some excuse or, worse, a lie. “We’re worried about Travis. He called Brantley a couple of weeks ago to talk. He was upset, but he shut down when Brantley reminded him we were gettin’ married in a coupla weeks. We just want to ensure he’s not keepin’ somethin’ bottled up because of the wedding.”
Holt exhaled heavily. “Look, guys. I gave him some information I thought he should have. We haven’t spoken since then, so I don’t know what to tell you.”
“What information?”
“I think it’s best you hear it from him. If that’s what this is even about. To be honest, I don’t think he believed a word I told him, so I doubt I’m the reason for whatever might be goin’ on.”
“What did it have to do with?” Brantley insisted.
Holt was quiet, assessing them both as he decided what, if anything, to reveal.
“Again, I think you should talk to him, but I can say that it has to do with Kylie’s mother.”
That stopped Reese short. “Her mother?”
“Meredith Prescott.”
“I thought she left them when Kylie was a kid,” Brantley said, glancing between them.
“Teenager,” Holt corrected. “And yes, she did. You’ll need to get the rest from Travis. I got the feeling I overstepped by telling him already. I honestly don’t want to rock the boat any more than I have.”
It was obvious Brantley wasn’t content with that answer, but Reese figured it was for the best. He knew Travis, and if Travis thought for one second that Holt was sharing personal information about Kylie or her family, he would go apeshit. If there was an issue with Kylie’s mother, they already had enough information to talk to him.
Reese glanced down at Tesha. “Let’s go, girl.”
She got to her feet and shifted to his side so she was practically leaning against his leg, waiting for him to start walking.
“Thanks for your time,” Reese told him, ushering Brantley toward the door.
Holt called out from behind them. “If and when Travis decides to do anything with the information I gave him, I’ll be more than happy to help. Not for a book, either.”
Reese frowned.
