Terry laughed. “Don’t worry. Take a look at us. We’re not fast riders. And you have enough gears”—he nodded at my bike—“to get you up the steepest grades. And even if you can’t, we don’t make fun if you have to get off and walk. Happens to all of us.”

I suddenly wondered if that was why Brown had been off his bike. Not that he’d been on a big hill, but at the end of a long ride, I’d bet even a small hill could seem mountainous.

“Thanks.” I rotated the quick-release lever into place and pushed it down firmly. “Are all these folks regulars?”

Terry stepped back and looked around. “It’s a fluid group. Most of us are summer people, and you know what we’re like.”

He laughed and I smiled. Summer people had a reputation for being undependable for group activities, from chili cook-offs to fund-raising concerts. I’d come to the conclusion that the reputation could be just as easily applied to locals, but so far I’d managed to keep that opinion to myself.

“Didn’t Brown Bernier ride with this group?” I asked. “So sad about him.”

Terry’s shoulders slumped and he looked away. “Yeah. It is,” he said quietly. “We’ll miss him. He was a good guy. Did you know him?”

“I know his wife better.” Which was the absolute truth. “She was asking if anyone in this group might be interested in attending the memorial service. It’s not scheduled yet,” I said quickly. “But when it is, do you think people would want to go?”

“Some of us. Most, probably.” Terry surveyed his fellow bikers. “Let Honey know. She’ll get the info to me and I’ll get it out to everyone else.”

I hesitated, searching for the right words. “Did everyone get along with Brown? Because I wouldn’t want to invite anyone who would upset Lindy or the rest of the family.”

“Not getting along with Brown,” Terry said, half smiling, “would be like not getting along with Santa Claus. I can’t think of a single person who—” He stopped abruptly.

I let the space hang for a moment. “You’ve remembered something? Someone?”

“There was this guy,” Terry said, frowning. “When he showed up a few weeks ago, Brown was surprised to see him and not happy about it. Brown obviously knew him, but never said how.”

My pulse quickened. “Is he here tonight?” But Terry was shaking his head. “Do you remember his name? What he looked like? Anything?”