Page 26 of Pay Dirt

“This place might not look like much, but the barbecue is to die for,” Nathan said as he pulled the doors open.

The crowd inside was bustling, unlike what I’d expected from the outer appearance. Tables were strategically scattered around the place. Waitresses dressed from head to toe in black were walking around, carrying trays of food to the tables.

Broken peanut shells littered the floor. They crunched beneath our feet as Nathan rested his hand on my back and pointed to a table in the distance near the dance floor.

“Food and dancing?”

“They bring in a DJ on the weekends. We’d have to come back tomorrow if you want me to teach you the two-step. We’re lucky to get a table, seeing as they’re closing early tonight. Several of their workers are in the rodeo.” Nathan chuckled as we approached the table. He pulled out my chair.

The linoleum tabletop shined from the last cleaning.

We hadn’t been seated for a minute when Amanda appeared at our table. “Are you following me?”

“What are you doing here, squirt?” Nathan asked as he handed me a menu.

“We’re seated across the room.” Amanda gestured over her shoulder to a table full of girls.

“Staying out of trouble I hope,” Nathan said.

Amanda rested her hand on her jutted hip and raised a brow at her big brother. I’d been there before, just with my big sister instead. There was nothing like having an authority figure watching your every move.

“We’re just going to eat and then leave,” I reassured her. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure he doesn’t bother you.”

“Thanks, Cassie.” She lifted her chin in acknowledgment before spinning around and darting across the room.

A waitress appeared in the next five minutes. We placed our orders, and she returned with our drinks before leaving us again.

“I’m sorry the money led to the bank,” I said, reading the disappointment in his eyes. “Maybe the thief took out a safety deposit box to keep the money safe and hidden, or maybe he opened an account with the money that wasn’t ruined from the paint explosion.”

“If that were the case, that would confirm my suspicion that the robber still alive was local.”

I rested my hand over his. He lifted his gaze to mine.

“Don’t lose hope. I’m not done yet.” I gave him a sad smile.

He took my hand in his and held it. “What more can you do?”

I shrugged. “I have a few ideas still up my sleeve.”

Food arrived a short time later, and as promised, the barbeque was to die for, and I’d only had the ribs. They had a full menu of stuff I still needed to try.

“So why did you leave town? Monica seems nice.” I held up my hand. “You don’t have to answer that; I’m prying, just ignore me.”

Nathan’s lips twitched as he lifted the beer to his lips. “We were good together. It just turned out we wanted different things. I wanted to leave, and I asked her to come with me. She wanted to stay.”

“So, it was geography?” I asked.

“It was more than that, but...” His eyes widened as he stared over my head, making me glance over my shoulder.

A mountain of a man was headed in our direction. Six-foot-something, he would tower over me. His scowl was deeper than any I’d seen on Nathan’s face. His cowboy hat had a wide brim, his belt buckle even wider.

“Murray.” The mountainous cowboy’s voice was deep and threatening.

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