“Yeah, well, we didn’t talk, even then, and then he practically sprinted out of town—”
“He was deployed, Harley. Just like Dodge—”
“I know. It was a long time ago. And it took everyone a hot minute to figure out how to put things back together after the accident.”
Silence, and yep, probably Echo was thinking about Gabe too.
“Although some of us didn’t quite get there,” Harley said quietly, voicing her thoughts.
Echo touched her hand. “You’re not alone, Harley. I know it feels like it, but Copper Mountain is family.”
Harley withdrew her hand. “I’m good.” She smiled. “Tell me about Starlight Pizza.”
Echo met her eyes. “Fine. That’s Levi Starr’s place.”
“Really.”
“Yeah, it’s good pizza. You should try it.”
“We’ll see. I’m here for work. No need to make a big reunion out of it.”
Echo raised an eyebrow, skeptical but soft. “Work, huh?”
“Mars Sorros is still in the wind.”
Echo’s mouth opened. “Oh, Harley. You should stay away from that one...”
“It’s time for justice.”
Echo dug into her diaper bag, pulled out wipes. “Just be careful. They’ve terrorized this town for a long time, for good reason.”
Because her dad wasn’t around to stop them.
Echo had picked up Chase, now cleaned his face while he tried to escape. And that’s when Harley’s gaze had flicked past her, toward the counter.
She stilled.
No—seriously? A guy in a faded Carhartt jacket stood by the pastry case, his back to them, but the slope of his shoulders, the way he shifted ... She yanked her phone from her jacket, swiped to her open cases. Aw. Travis “T-Bone” Malone, fifty-thousand bond, skipped out of Juneau. Domestic assault charges, then a bar brawl turned ugly. Same buzzed hair, same skinny build.
And on her radar for the better part of a year. “What’s he doing here?” She pointed to T-Bone.
Echo glanced at him. “He looks familiar. I think he works for Summit Construction. They’re working on the Eagle’s Nest.”
Whatever that was.
He was far enough from Juneau that he must have thought he was safe.
T-Bone paid for a coffee and turned.
He wore a scraggly beard, a soiled wool hat, and—ding,ding,ding—dollar signs.
“Who is he?” Echo asked as Harley stood.
Not here.
Harley glanced at Echo. “Stay put.”
T-Bone headed for the door.
