“Who’s your dealer?” Copper demanded.
“Fuck, man, don’t make me do this.”
Bronze slipped on a pair of brass knuckles and stepped forward. “Have it your way. I’ll beat the piss out of you, and we’ll still find out.”
“It’s Sydney!” Shane blurted.
“As in Sydney the waitress from Precious Metals?” I clarified.
“Yes. Sydney Gallagher.”
“Mother fucker,” Copper swore. “Is she dealing at the bar?”
“I swear I don’t know. I always went to her house to get it.”
Copper looked at his phone and sighed. “Let’s put him in a room downstairs for the rest of the night. I’ll call everyone in for church in the morning, and we’ll discuss what to do about Sydney.”
“Right this way, fuckwad,” Bronze said and grabbed Shane’s arm to hoist him to his feet. Game followed behind them, leaving me alone with Copper.
“There’s something I think you should know, but I didn’t want to say anything in front of Shane.”
“Go ahead,” Copper said.
“The house that Aspen lives in is owned by my uncle, Luke.”
“You fucking serious?”
“Yes.”
“So what you’re saying is Sydney is having cocaine delivered to an FBI agent’s house?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“Holy shit. Well, this changes things.”
“There’s more,” I hedged.
“I don’t know if I want to hear any more,” he grumbled.
“I honestly didn’t think anything of it at first, and I still don’t, but I think it’s worth mentioning.”
“Spit it out.”
“Aspen is Pamela Perry’s daughter. She’s also sort of Luke’s stepdaughter.”
Copper closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Your uncle, a federal agent, was married to the woman we recently framed for murder, who happens to be the mother of your girlfriend, and you didn’t think it was worth mentioning until now?” he asked, his volume gradually increasing until he was almost shouting.
“I didn’t know until a few weeks ago, after I met Aspen. And they weren’t married,” I said and went on to tell him the story I got from Luke. “Aspen doesn’t have anything to do with her mother. She doesn’t like talking about her and was genuinely embarrassed when Luke told me about her. I don’t know what’s going on, but I do know Aspen’s completely innocent.”
“And you’re in love with her.”
His words caught me completely off guard. “I, what? I mean, we’re dating.”
“Oh, Coal,” Copper clapped me on the shoulder and laughed. “Welcome to the club.”
“Thanks, I think. So, you’re not going to hold this against her?”
“I’m not thrilled about it, but it’s not her fault her mother is a piece of shit. Just like it wasn’t Layla’s fault that her dad was. So, if you trust her, and Luke trusts her, there’s no reason for me not to.”