Her expression brightened. “I’m getting better. Lillian gave me her old gear. Tucker and Zappa invited me along yesterday for more instructions.”

Pretty pitiful to feel envious of her time.

“What bait did you use?” Caz asked.

As she turned to him, Gabe asked Lillian, “What can we do to help?”

“With the cooking?” She moved the trout to a white china platter.

“Yep. I was raised in a no work, no eat regime.”

Lillian laughed. “Yes, that does sound like the sarge.”

“You knew Mako?”

“Over the years, we grew to be good friends.” She smiled. “The winters here are long and cold. It’s pleasant to have a way to keep warm.”

“Huh.” Gabe’d thought Mako had remained a hermit, despite the move to Rescue. It seemed the sarge’d had friends…and friends with benefits, as well.

Gabe frowned. He’d told Julie people weren’t meant to live in solitude. Why had he assumed Mako was an exception?

He’d been wrong, hadn’t he? Mako had made himself part of this town—not as visible as Dante—but considering the type of properties the sarge purchased, he’d known a hell of a lot about the place. And had cared about it.

As Caz went to check the fish still on the grill, and the two women dished up food, Gabe stepped closer to Dante. “Mako discussed Rescue with you and Lillian, didn’t he? How to get the town growing again?”

“Yeah, the three of us and sometimes Uriah and Sarah talked about what we wanted for the town.”

“And the businesses Mako bought?”

Dante moved his shoulders. “Eh, that was his thing. He bought up the old hotel just to help the owner who was moving Outside for some fancy cancer treatment. Then he went kinda crazy.”

That was Mako. The sarge gave everything his all. And yet… “He bought a lot of businesses.”

“Living all those years in that old cabin, he piled up the savings—and said the money was just gathering dust. He wanted to leave you boys something more than piles of green paper.” Dante looked away for a moment. “He wanted the town to have someone trustworthy guarding its future.”

“And he wanted to see his boys building something.” Lillian’s eyes were soft. “He worried that you’d seen too much death. Especially, you, Gabe. And Hawk.”

As grief shook him, Gabe looked away. Dammit, Sarge. “We better get the table set. Where are the plates?”

Lillian pointed to a high cupboard, and he caught the gleam of tears in her eyes.

Julie turned away to wipe her eyes, too. Tenderhearted sweetie.

The mood lightened as everyone worked to get the table set, and Caz carried in the last of the grilled fish.

It was a fine meal.