Page 108 of The Aster Valley Collection, Vol. 1

The one saving grace was everyone’s agreement to wait for Tiller and Sam to return from Breckenridge so we’d have some big muscle on our side in case things went wrong somehow.

Like… if the Stanner brothers had conspired with Barney and were waiting in the wings to beat me up as soon as I’d gotten a confession out of Barney.

But then the plan went completely out the window when Solo casually mentioned boxing up a to-go order for Mr. Balderson, who was picking it up on his way out of town.

The four of us scrambled like idiotic coconspirators.

Mikey called Tiller in a frantic rush as Pim wondered aloud whether or not to slip a sleeping pill into the man’s breakfast order.

Chaya pointed out that might put other drivers in jeopardy when the man got on the interstate, and I simply sat there thinking a silent version of “Ack! Ack!” until I actually saw him come into the diner.

And then everything became crystal clear. I knew exactly what to do.

“Excuse me,” I said calmly to my lovably nutty friends before sliding out of the booth and making my way over to Barney. “Um, hi.”

He glanced at me and then back to the bag of food Solo had placed in front of him. “Hello, Truman. How are you feeling today?”

“Actually, not great. I mean… physically I’m fine, but…” I bit my lip and looked at him. “I was wondering if you might come up to the farm and talk to me for a few minutes before heading out of town. I’m confused about something, and I would like someone to help me sort through it. Would you mind?”

His eyes widened in surprise. “Of course not, sweet pea. My car’s right out front. Why don’t you let me take you home?”

I shook my head, trying not to get nervous. This next part was important if my plan was going to work. “No, I need to stop and get some gas on the way home. But I’ll meet you there in a little while? That okay?”

He studied me for a minute before smiling. “Tell you what. Why don’t you let me fill up the Subaru, and you can take my car. You shouldn’t have to get your hands dirty for something like that.”

“I couldn’t ask you to do that,” I said with what I hoped was a shy grin. “Besides, I wanted to pick out a candy bar, and if you go instead, I won’t have an excuse.”

Barney winked at me and nodded. “Sure enough. See you soon.”

I started to turn away, but then turned back and brushed his arm. “Barney? Would you…? No, sorry. Never mind.”

“What is it, Truman?”

I sighed. “Would you mind running by the shop and seeing if there are any updates on the investigation? I want to know what they know, and no one will talk to me. Maybe they’ll talk to you.”

Barney nodded in understanding. “Of course.”

I had no idea if Dirk or Gail were at the shop today, but it didn’t matter. I only needed a little head start.

I waved goodbye to my friends, who all scrambled to follow me outside without looking like that’s what they were doing.

Pim went out the back door, Mikey followed me, calling out about grabbing his jacket out of my car, and Chaya just threw up her hands and enigmatically called out, “Costumes, goddammit!”

“Go away,” I hissed. “I got this if you clowns don’t tip the man off.”

Mikey’s eyes widened before his face split in a grin, and I had to pause for a second to wonder who the heck I was in that moment. Meek, unassuming Truman Sweet would never talk to his friends that way before going off to confront his arsonist, attempted murderer, former almost-boyfriend.

But then again, that old Truman would never have considered these folks his friends, let alone confronted anyone.

I liked the new Truman way better.

Chaya narrowed her eyes at me. “I will be hiding in your goat shed. Bark twice if you need me.”

“Whatever,” I muttered, reaching for my door handle.

Mikey grabbed my elbow. “Wait for Tiller and Sam. They can help.”

“You know I can’t wait that long. He’s leaving town. It’s now or never, Mikey.” I gently pulled my elbow out of his grip. “I’ve got this. Trust me.”

And I did. I knew I would give it my best shot, and no matter what happened, I’d be proud of myself for trying.

“I know you do,” Mikey said softly. “And I love the hell out of you, so don’t get hurt.” Then he pulled me into a quick hug before practically shoving me in my vehicle. I wasn’t stupid. I knew Mikey was way too nosy to stay away. I could only hope he didn’t park his SUV where…

By the time I remembered I’d driven him to breakfast, he was already lying on the floor of my Subaru under a jacket that barely even covered his ass. “You won’t even notice I’m here,” he said in a stage whisper.

I sighed and slammed the door. “Don’t quit your day job,” I muttered, but secretly I was feeling all warm and fuzzy inside from his claim of loving me. I finally had a true family, like Sam had said. And it felt incredible.

As I drove toward the farm, I picked up my phone and made a call to Deputy Stone.

I wasn’t stupid enough to try and confront someone without backup, and Deputy Stone was the only person I even remotely trusted within a close enough distance to get there in time.

I got his voicemail and explained everything as quickly as I could, hoping like heck I could trust him.

I was relieved when my phone stayed silent after that. If there weren’t messages and frantic attempts to contact me coming from Sam, perhaps Mikey hadn’t tattled on me after all.

Or maybe Sam’s simply driving back here too fast and recklessly to waste time on messaging.

I ignored all thoughts about Sam and focused on what I was going to say. When I parked in front of the farmhouse, I hissed at Mikey to get his ass in the house and stay out of sight. “Try the guest room. And lock the door!”

I made sure the surveillance video cameras were online and working and then sent off the login information to Deputy Stone before slipping my phone back into my pocket. Hopefully, Barney wouldn’t turn violent, but after everything I now suspected of him… it was hard to know for sure.

When his car finally bumped up to the gate, I took a deep breath and marveled at my steady nerves.

Even though this wasn’t the Stanner family I’d always imagined an eventual showdown with, I still felt that this conversation had been a long time coming.

No matter what happened, it would be a relief to finally get some of these things out in the open.

Barney leaned out of his window. “Can you open the gate for me?”

After he parked and got out of his car, I gestured for him to follow me to the rocking chairs on the front porch.

“Thank you for coming,” I began, clutching my knees nervously. “I didn’t know who else to talk to about this.”

“You were right to come to me. Anytime,” he assured me.

I groaned and closed my eyes, resting my head back on the rocker. “I feel like such an idiot. I think…” I opened my eyes and looked at him before glancing down at my lap. “No, I know I was wrong to trust Sam.”

I held up a hand. “Wait. Before you say anything, please don’t be disappointed in me for trusting him in the first place. I feel like a fool…”

Barney sighed and reached over to place his hand over mine. I tried not to cringe. “We all make mistakes. But… what happened to change your mind?”

“I should have seen it. And you tried to warn me. He’s just so crass.

And he pressured me to ride on his motorcycle.

I was terrified, but I didn’t know how to say no, and we almost died!

And then he told me that he thought I should take the insurance money from the fire and use it for something decadent, like an expensive motorcycle.

Can you imagine? When I asked about what I would do with the building, he said I could probably make money by tearing it down and making a parking lot there instead since the town is going to boom after the ski resort opens. ”

Barney’s eyes widened comically. He was a sucker for historical buildings. Or so he’d said. “A parking lot ?”

“Right? It seemed kind of… disrespectful. Of my aunt Berry if not of me directly. That’s when I realized you would have never suggested such a thing to me.”

“Certainly not!”

“And it made me question some other things he’s said, too. Like I think he’s thinking of skimming money off the ski resort somehow. I didn’t really understand what he was saying—you know how business stuff just goes over my head—but it sounded illegal.”

“I told you there was something off about him, didn’t I?” Barney squeezed my hand tighter and shook his head, clucking over me like a mother hen. “From the very first day. I warned you to stay away from him, and now you see the proof yourself.”

I nodded and tried to come up with a tear or two.

“You did. And I didn’t listen. And now I feel so stupid.

You’ve always been there for me. Through everything.

When the Stanner brothers beat me up behind the shop that time, you were the one who brought me flowers and my favorite salad from Bolo’s Market.

You looked out for me and helped guide me on how to stay out of trouble.

I just feel like… I feel like…” I sniffed and looked away.

Barney’s hand came down on my shoulder and squeezed as if trying to reassure me. It took all of my self-control not to shudder under his touch. No wonder my gut was always trying to warn me away from hooking up with him. He was an awful human being. My body had known it, even if my brain hadn’t.

I glanced at him quickly and then darted my eyes away. “I feel ashamed of how stupid I’ve been,” I whispered, and it was the first true thing I’d said since he’d arrived.

“Sweet pea. We all make mistakes. Of course I understand. You’re young. You’re easily led astray.”

I forced myself to smile wanly. “I just hate that I made you have to go so far out of your way to guide me back to the right path. You tried so hard to get me to realize how good you were for me, and I didn’t listen. I abused your trust in me.”