Morgan was still thereas he collected the last of his tips and let his uncle know he was taking off for the night. The knowing glance Jake gave him after flicking to Morgan let him know that Morgan’s presence had been noted by more than just Riley.
Patrick grabbed his jacket and crossed the room, trying not to appear overeager. “Thanks for waiting.”
“No problem. I like your grandfather.”
“Most people do,” Patrick said truthfully. “Want to go somewhere and talk? There’s an IHOP just down the road.”
“What’s wrong with here?”
He glanced back toward the bar, where Riley, Jake, Taryn, Jack, and Ian were now clustered together and looking his way.
She followed his gaze, her cheeks slightly rosier than they had been only a few minutes earlier. “Yes, IHOP is fine.”
13
I KNOW A GUY
MORGAN
The IHOP was exactlywhat she expected, and that familiarity gave her a sense of comfort. Little else since her arrival in Pine Ridge had been predictable.
She'd noted the restaurant on her first drive in. She hadn't anticipated sitting in it two weeks later, across from a man who was near the top of her unexpected list, discussing a death that had too many questions.
Patrick ordered coffee and an insane amount of food, which probably shouldn’t have been surprising. He was tall and packed with lean muscle and probably burned calories like Frank’s coal stove burned anthracite.
She wrapped both hands around her mug and waited.
“So,” Patrick said.
“So,” she echoed.
He looked at her across the table, those vivid blue eyes brimming with interest. She was interested too, but she was much better at concealing hers.
“Why is a Philadelphia MDI in Pine Ridge?” he said.
“You already know the answer to that,” she said. “I’m visiting my grandfather.”
“And?”
“And what?”
His lips curled. “I read people like you read crime scenes. And yes, I looked you up. I know you’re very good at what you do. But you’re not a very good liar.”
That gave her pause. “Why do you care?”
“Let’s just say I’m not a big believer in coincidence.” He lifted the mug to his lips. “Fate, yes. Coincidence, no. And the fact that you just happen to be walking around a campground shortly after a body is found makes me think there’s more to this than meets the eye. A little candor goes a long way, especially if we’re going to help each other.”
“That goes both ways, you know.”
“Fair enough. Like I told you, I have a vested interest in paying attention to what happens around here. Just as I imagine your grandfather does. But you?” He shook his head. “I’m not seeing it. Unless your grandfather brought you in…”
“The body wasn’t discovered until after I arrived,” she pointed out.
“That’s even more suspicious.”
Her gaze snapped up only to find an amused glint in his eyes. He was teasing her! She was at a loss. No one ever teased her. She didn’t know how to respond.
“Fine,” she said finally, opting for curated truth. “I had some time off, and it had been a while since I saw Frank, so here I am.”