“Apparently lots of people know that since there’s a betting book at the Trading Post,” she pointed out. “But why would anyone want to set me up for this?”
“Because someone knows you fought with Brock.” Cam put down his mug and glanced around. “Shouldn’t Michael be here? Anyone wake him up? It’s getting late.”
“He took off about an hour ago,” Nate informed the room. “He said he had something to do, and he would be back later.”
“Then he was here?” She couldn’t believe the amount of relief that flooded her system. “He stayed here last night?”
“Yes,” Nate replied. “He did.”
“And he was totally worse for the wear,” Gemma added. “Like he’d been doing some serious thinking. Not drinking, but he was weird. He talked to Nate and asked what was going on in the investigation and if he could help. Politely. Something was wrong with him.”
“He was fine,” Nate assured her.
“I saw him sitting with a woman in the lobby last night,” Cam admitted. “They were close.”
“He was doing what?” Ty asked, his voice going tight.
“They were sitting together, and she had her arm in his and was leaning on him,” Cam replied. “It was weird because she reminded me a little of his ex.”
Another pulse of relief. She sniffled at the thought because when they’d left things, she’d expected him to do what he did—run and isolate himself. Not reconnect with someone from the very past that had torn them apart. “Do you think it was Trina?”
Ty’s hand found hers, and she could feel his relief, too. “Yeah. I think it was. I had a bad moment there, but I don’t think Michael would go from walking away from you to another woman’s bed. He’s not like that. I was worried he would try to leave and get himself killed. I hoped he would talk to her while she was here.” He turned Cam’s way. “Did they seem okay?”
“I think they were having a good talk. Nothing bad,” Cam explained. “I was worried because they seemed pretty cozy. Who is she?”
“Jessie Wilson’s sister. He hasn’t talked to her since Jessie died. He was close to her family, and he cut them out when he went to live on the mountain,” Lucy explained.
“She showed up earlier this week.” Ty sat back. “She came to talk about selling the house he owned with Jessie, but I think she wanted more than that. She wanted to see how he was doing. She cared about him. He was like a big brother to her, and she lost him when she lost Jessie. I think it was hard on her. If he’s talking to her, being affectionate with her, it’s a good thing.”
Nate’s arms crossed over his chest as he regarded Lucy and Ty. “You’re not jealous? You find out the man who walked out on you is snuggling with some other woman and you think it’s a good thing.”
“Like Ty said, Michael didn’t walk away because he was bored and wanted someone else to sleep with.” Lucy didn’t want Nate to think poorly of Michael. “He’s scared to feel anything, and he needs some time to deal with what happened. I know he’s had two years, but that’s what it took for him to start to think about moving on. He was grieving in his own way, and there’s no timer on grief.”
“He told you that?” Cam’s brow had risen, giving him a quizzical expression.
“He didn’t have to. Lucy pointed it out, and I agree with her,” Ty replied. “And you’re both staring at us because you didn’t think we were this smart, but we are.”
“We learned from all the dumbass stuff you guys did. By you guys I mean most of the town,” Lucy pointed out. “There’s always one person in the threesome who’s all wounded and freaked out at the thought of a relationship with one person, much less two.”
Gemma held a hand up. “Cade. It was totally Cade for me. Childhood trauma.”
“Rafe.” Cam nodded. “Dumbass thought we would move to Miami and I would like live in the garage or something.”
Then every eye was on Nate, and the sheriff went the slightest pink and shrugged. “We all know it was me.”
She had to smile because it really had been him. Zane had known he would stay in Bliss long before Nate had committed. “All I’m saying is Michael is our Nate.”
“Or Michael is your Rafe,” Nate countered. “Look, it doesn’t matter who he most closely resembles. I’m glad that you two learned from our mistakes. Did he say anything he shouldn’t have? Because that can happen, too.”
Oh, she’d heard all of Callie’s stories. At least Michael hadn’t left them with nothing but a note and disappeared for years. Yet. “Beyond being worried I might have killed Brock Foster? Not really. He was mostly sad and confused. He hasn’t figured out how to let go yet. We have to hope he doesn’t take forever to come back to us.”