Chase blinked, forcing the coffee down his throat. It took a good few seconds to absorb that information. “Are you sure?”
Brody nodded and moved toward the post on the cabin, leaning against the wooden beam. “He’s apparently a cousin.”
Chase considered that tidbit of information. “It’s strange that Todd didn’t mention that to me when we first met. I suppose it’s possible they’re not close. But seeing how close Joel is to my parents, it seems unlikely he wouldn’t have said anything.”
“Yeah. I guess Todd moved here about a month or so ago.”
“Explains why we don’t know him.”
Brody agreed with a crisp nod, then offered, “Though this connection to Joel does give a reason why this inspector is being pickier than usual, don’t you think?”
Chase ran a hand across his neck. “Why, because Joel is also a builder?”
“It’s a connection that seems a little fishy.”
“Maybe.” The second the word left his mouth, he shook his head. “There’s no way Joel would do this to me. Christ, he was Dad’s close friend. We grew up with that man. He was my mentor. He’s always been kind and supportive. This doesn’t make sense.”
“Good men do fucked-up things sometimes.” It was a statement that seemed slightly directed at Chase. Brody shoved his hands into his pockets. “It’s a strange enough connection to maybe make it worth taking a deeper look at Joel. Besides, when it comes to money, you don’t know what people can do. You’re a pretty big threat to Joel. He’s been the main builder here in River Rock. And your work outshines him a thousand times over.”
A compliment? Brody cooling off wasn’t a surprise. He had a hot temper and usually came to see sense soon enough. But he seemed a little too lax, leaving Chase to wonder if Harper had talked to him.
He kept his thoughts on task, realizing something he had not thought of before. “Now that I think of it, at the beginning of the week, I saw Joel outside the vet clinic when I was picking up Houdini. He offered me a job.”
“I take it you turned it down?” Brody asked.
Chase nodded, not liking where his thoughts were taking him. “Which I suppose is a good motive to try and put a dent in my reputation.” He glanced out at the farmhouse, seeing only the outline of the home in the shadows. Joel had been close to his father, even coming for Sunday night dinners with his wife quite often. This was too dirty, too shady to be about Joel. Turning back to Brody, he said, “I’m going to give Joel the benefit of the doubt here, but it’s definitely something to look into. Thanks for the heads-up.”
Brody nodded and paused. “I’m not the one you should be thanking. I didn’t come across this information myself.”
Chase frowned. “Who got it?”
“Harper.” Brody shifted on his feet from side to side. “She was at the Spurs earlier, and I guess Joel came into the bar. She and Megan hit on him, got him drunk, and then got him talking.”
A lot crossed Chase’s mind with that information, but he kept on point. The rest he’d tell Harper himself. “Why didn’t Harper come here if this was her news to share?” he asked.
Brody’s stare held Chase’s. “You know why.”
“Yeah, I guess I do.” Quite the way to force Brody to talk to Chase. Harper had outsmarted her brother once again.
“So . . .” Brody shifted on his feet, glancing everywhere but at Chase. “She’s sad.”
“I imagine she is.”
Brody glanced up, then. Chase saw the change immediately. This was his friend; a man who loved his little sister fiercely and was loyal to those in his life. “You make her happy.”
“She makes me happy.”
Brody hesitated, looking at his boots. “It pisses me off when she’s sad.”
“Me too.”
“When she cries . . .” Brody’s hard gaze lifted, his jaw muscles working. “I fucking hate that.”
“So do I.”
“I made her cry.” Brody took a step forward, staring Chase directly in the eye. “Don’t do that to her. Promise me.”
Chase cupped Brody’s shoulder. “You know I wouldn’t ever hurt her.”