word nuts again.”
“Nuts.” He reached for her beer. “I’m not keeping count.”
“Poacher.” She watched him take a drink and remembered a summer night when they’d shared a beer. Then a bed. Unlike that night, Sully was wearing heavy winter gear. He’d taken off his uniform and was in the typical Glimmer Lake uniform of T-shirt with a flannel over it and a vest over that. He’d probably left his parka by the front door like Val had.
“How was your day?” she asked.
“I’ve had better. I’ve had worse.” Sully nodded at Sergio when the man brought him a tall glass of gold brew and set the silver tray of nuts on the bar between them. “How was yours? You stay in town today?”
“Yeah. Kind of hit a wall.”
He grunted. “I know how that feels.”
“Still haven’t heard from Josh.” She grabbed a cashew from the bowl.
Sully took a long drink. “Just so you know, if you do”—he lowered his voice—“you don’t have to tell me.”
“I’m not trying to withhold anything because I don’t think he stole that money. I think as soon as he shows up, we’re gonna find out that he ordered parts with it. Or that he never had it to begin with.”
“So why would Anderson lie?”
She raised her eyebrows. “Oh, are we sharing now?”
Val could tell Sully hadn’t realized he let the name slip but also that he didn’t care that much.
He shrugged. “Might as well. I’d be shocked if you hadn’t figured that part out yet.”
Val turned to Sully and squared her shoulders. “Fine. I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”
Chapter 13
“I’m definitely not going to turn down that offer.” Sully finished his beer in one long gulp and set the empty glass on the table. “Allan Anderson is an asshole—”
“At the coffee shop, we call him Americano Asshole. Really. That’s his nickname.”
Sully frowned. “Why?”
“Because he orders a café Americano with heavy cream and three sugars.”
“And?”
“You know what that is? It’s a sweet caffe latte. Only he’s too cheap to pay the extra fifty cents to order a sweet latte. So he orders an Americano and he doesn’t even have the decency to go to the milk-and-sugar station and put the milk in himself. He wants us to do it for him.”
“So why don’t you tell him to fuck off?”
“That’s generally considered bad for business,” Val said. “Also, he drives a BMW and leaves twenty-five cent tips. Americano Asshole.”
“Yeah, even I know that’s kind of shitty.”
“It is. Which is just to say that yes, Anderson is an asshole. But apparently he’s friends with the mayor in Bridger, so everyone listens to him.”
A large group of skiers walked into the bar, raising the volume of the room. Val and Sully scooted closer together.
He shook his head. “It’s not just the mayor. He’s friends with God and everyone. The county commission sucked up to him and gave the ski resort all kinds of tax breaks to renovate because they figure it’ll be good for businesses in the area.”
“To be fair, it is. Sierra Slopes brings in a ton of business. I know all the hotels have had a lot more bookings this year since the renovations. Our business went up nearly thirty percent. Everyone in Glimmer Lake is happy about it.”
“Agreed, but it also brings in more work for the police and sheriff’s office. Do we complain about doing more on less tax dollars? No. It’s fine. But then Anderson is on the phone with Bridger PD every fucking day.”
“About Josh?”
“Yeah. This guy is obsessed with finding your ex.”
“I’ve seen the man’s house. I don’t think ten grand is really obsession-worthy for him.”
Sergio brought Sully another beer. “Agreed.” Sully stared at her. “Which makes me think this isn’t about the money.”
Sergio broke in. “Just so you know, I’m gonna turn on the game. I’ll try to keep the volume from getting crazy.”
“Thanks, Serg,” Sully said.
Val waited for the bartender to leave before she turned back to Sully. “Okay, I can’t tell you how I know this, but I’m pretty positive Josh and Savannah Anderson were having an affair.”
Sully’s mouth firmed into a line. “How positive?”
“One hundred percent. I know they’re having an affair.”
“I knew it,” he muttered. “I fucking knew it. Wait, were having an affair? They’re not anymore?”
“I don’t know if they still are. No idea about that part. I couldn’t get her to talk to me.”
Sully stared at his beer. “Do you think she knows where he is?”
“I didn’t get the sense that she did. I