He didn’t look convinced, but he started toward a wildlife viewing area not far away. I trailed behind him, and Teo stayed close to his side.

Three benches formed a U on a square platform, surrounded by gardens. Beyond the end of the walkway, a body of water somewhere between a puddle and a pond sparkled in the moonlight. No rooms were nearby. I was glad both Teo and I had finished our showers with insect repellant.

He lowered himself to the bench in the middle, and Teo and I flanked him. The lights along the walkway were already growing dimmer.

Ex went right to the heart of things. “Your sister is a liar and a murderer.” He looked at me, as if expecting a protest.

No matter what I suspected, his opening salvo caught me by surprise.

Teo leaned forward, guessing that I needed a moment to recover. “Why don’t you start at the beginning, like how you got involved with Wendy?”

Ex’s gaze flicked to Peg. “What happened to your leg, man? You a vet?”

Teo gave a slow nod. “Yeah, and I was a cop. I took a bullet from a murderer...seconds before I killed him.”

I managed a deep breath. “So how long have you known my sister?”

I could see Teo’s story had affected him. “We met at a resort.”

“The Autumn Mountain Club.”

“You seem to know an awful lot.”

My tone was friendly. “The better to trip you up, my dear.”

“We hit it off.”

“Hit it off. You liked the same music? You both liked to hike? She was fun in bed?”

Gone was the friendly bartender. “Are you going to listen?”

“Yes, but I need to understand. Was it casual or something more?”

“Some of both. She seemed to like me. I knew her father owned the resort. She came on to me.”

“Maybe you felt you didn’t have a choice. Like you said, our father owned the resort. Maybe your job was on the line?”

He didn’t take the easy way out. “Nothing like that. We had fun whenever she was there. And after a while, it just turned into more.”

Ex should either be responding to casting calls, or he was telling the truth. “You were falling in love? Was she?”

He glared at me. “Do you know her at all? She thought I was a big, dumb cluck. We had fun together, and she figured if she ever needed me, I’d be there.”

“How long before you figured that out?”

“Give me some credit, lady. Right from the start. You have to know people to tend bar. It’s better than a psych degree. She was never going to leave her husband and kids for me. I was just supposed to be there when she showed up.”

I wondered how anybody’s standards could be that low. “So, were you? There for her, I mean?”

“When I could be. But she underestimated me. She thought I wasn’t wise to who she was, but I guess the way she used people was part of her charm.”