"Place is hoppin', isn't it?" Hope says, sarcasm rich in her tone as we pull around the block to park in the back.
"Like always."
Brandy doesn't have a car, but I have to believe if the bar is open, then she's gotta be here and working. It's somewhat shocking to think of her getting to work on time and managing to open the place.
Then again, now that I'm not here to stop her from skimming unlimited money from the till, she has a better incentive.
I shove down the bittersweet pang as I carefully make my way to the back door, my ankle twinging from my climb over the fence. When I push open the door, Earl, Pearl, and Jim are in their customary places at the bar. A quick scan reveals a half dozen unfamiliar faces nursing drinks, and a few pairs of eyes light up when they catch sight of me.
Gossip seekers?
It seems about right. Or maybe they're thinking that if I show, maybe Boone will come too.
Glad they don't know the reason that won't be happening.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Brandy's voice snaps out from behind the bar like a bullwhip. "You aren't welcome and you know it, so just turn around and crawl back to wherever you came from."
Brandy's face is caked with thick makeup, especially around her cheekbone. Her contouring looks like shit. On a regular day, it's her eye makeup that looks the worst-heavy eyeliner with even heavier smudging.
I close the distance to the bar and stop at the end. "What did you do?"
Earl, Pearl, and Jim all hunch forward as though making sure they don't miss a single word of this.
Brandy's hand shakes, and she splashes liquor on the wood instead of making it all inside the shot glass. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Bullshit."
I lean in closer and pitch my words low, hoping my audience doesn't hear them. "You called the cops." Brandy's gaze darts away. "Is this about Esteban? You hate that bird, so this is ridiculous."
"I'm not talking to you," she says, her voice low and harsh.
"Because you're full of shit. I swear to you that I'm going to make you regret whatever lies you've told the cops. You understand me? They don't take kindly to people wasting their time."
She slams the liquor bottle down on the counter. "That damn bird wasn't yours to take. Uncle Frank was pissed."
That I have a hard time believing. "He's wanted to get rid of Esteban for years. No way Pop would go through all this trouble to get him back."
Brandy's gaze shifts away again and my gut tells me I'm missing something, but she's not going to tell me a thing.
"Fine. I'll leave, but you better believe I'm gonna figure out exactly what you did, and you're going to regret it."
"More like you're gonna regret getting mixed up with Boone Thrasher. I always knew you were going to be just like your mama. Too bad the bird's not here to call it like it is, but my mom and I see it plain as day."
I know what she's talking about-Esteban squawking one of his favorite phrases-dirty whore. Then the word mom slams into me.
"Wait, what does Aunt Laurelyn have to do with anything? Is she here?"
"Not yet, but she'll be here soon. We're gonna turn this bar around and make bank. It'll be just like it always should've been now that you're out of the way."
Laurelyn stepped in and ran the bar during those first few weeks after Mama died, and Pop barely crawled out of bed except to get another bottle. Once he pulled himself together, he told her to get the hell out, that he couldn't stand to see her face anymore because she looked too much like Mama. Aunt Laurelyn took Brandy and moved to Memphis the next day. I used to wish she'd taken me too, and part of me resented her for leaving me with Pop. I haven't seen her in ages.
"I've been trying to dig this place out of a hole for years, and if I couldn't, there's no way you'll be able to."
Brandy flips her hair, drawing my eyes once again to her shitty makeup job. "We both know my mama was always better at serving drinks than fucking the customers, unlike yours."
"Shut your damn mouth, Brandy."
"Not till you get out of my bar!"
Hope steps up beside me, and I can feel the rage rolling off her in waves. If we don't leave now, she might be the one to take out Brandy, and I'm not about to risk my cousin calling the police again.
"Fine. I'll go. But first, you have to tell me how you paid the fire marshal fines already and managed to get all those safety upgrades in place."
Brandy's lips twist into a mocking smile. "I didn't."
I shake my head. "You're an idiot. He'll be back, and he'll shut this place down."