picked enough up to make themselves understood over the years.
“Nice of you to ask.”
“Knock it off. I get you’re pissed at me, and you probably have reason, but don’t hang Momma’s condition on me.”
I can tell he’s angry by the way he tosses back his beer. No way my father is going to hold back on alcohol on my account and he wants me to know it. Conveying a silent message, I grab the bottle Tse slides in front of me and take a swig of the water. I know I made my point when Nosh grunts.
“She’s miserable there.”
“She won’t be for long. You know it’s the right place for her to be.”
“Fifty years next month, boy. Other than ‘Nam, never more than a couple of nights apart, ever. Now it takes twenty minutes to get to her.”
Jesus. I can’t even imagine that kind of devotion. Almost five decades they’ve lived and worked side by side, it’s no wonder he’s out of sorts. All he has left now is his wayward son.
“Have you thought about moving closer to her?” I ask carefully. “They have some independent senior housing on the property as well.”
The glare he throws me is scorching. If I were a lesser man, I’d cower, but I know my father and he’s more bark than bite. Usually.
“Trying to write me off too?”
“Pointing out options,” I correct him, trying hard not to react.
I have my back to the door, but suddenly I notice the atmosphere in the clubhouse change. When I turn on my stool, I’m surprised to see Tony Ramirez walk in, followed by Lissie. Her eyes register surprise as well when she spots me, only to look away quickly.
“What brings the Durango PD here?” Ouray asks friendly enough.
“What do you know about the Wildcat Canyon development off Highway 160?” Ramirez asks Ouray, who looks over at the boys at the table before returning his attention to the detective.
“Let’s take this into my office.”
I watch as Lissie falls into step behind Ouray and Ramirez, heading toward the back of the clubhouse.
“Yuma!”
“That’s you, brother,” Tse grumbles, and I slide off my stool and follow the group to Ouray’s office.
My eyes immediately find Lissie sitting in one of the visitor chairs, and I hitch a hip on the corner of Ouray’s desk across from her.
“I know about the development,” Ouray says, tenting his fingers under his chin.
“Good,” Ramirez says, holding the other man’s eyes as he leans forward. “You know Red Mesa Holdings?”
I’m watching Lissie but at the silence following that question I turn my attention to Ouray. A muscle ticks in his jaw and his eyes flit to me.
“It’s clear you already know I do.”
I’m out of the loop here, I know the development they’re talking about, and I know about the body found there, but I’ve never heard of Red Mesa Holdings.
“I get the feeling I’m missing something here.”
All eyes come to me, but it’s Ramirez who answers.
“Red Mesa Holdings is one of the investors in the Wildcat Canyon Development. Jasper Greene did some digging and discovered your friend Red Franklin’s club joined forces with Arrow’s Edge to form the holding eight months ago.”
This is news to me. I raise my eyebrow at Ouray.
“You weren’t around much back then, brother,” he says by way of explanation.
“Been around for a couple a months now,” I remind him, trying to hold off on losing my temper. Any major investments by the club are decided on by the club. Except apparently in this case.
“Was a behind closed doors decision. Only Kaga and Trunk were in on it. Luna doesn’t even know.”
“With Greene digging up that info, I don’t think she’ll be in the dark for long,” Ramirez points out.
“Fuck.” Ouray rubs a hand over his face. “Red and I got to talking one night. I was frustrated with the lack of progress finding any family members for those two boys out there, and Red didn’t trust law enforcement to follow through bringing down the ANL.”
“Why?” Lissie, who hasn’t said a word so far, but has been intently listening, asks. “Did he have reason for that?”
“Red doesn’t have a high opinion of the Moab PD anyway, but in this case, he believes the ANL must’ve had some power over local cops to have been able to operate under their noses that long.”
“Still doesn’t explain how you came to invest in the development,” Ramirez points out. “Especially since the first phase was already up at that time.”
“Nowak.”
At that moment, the door swings open