Ava laughed. “Me? How is this my fault? Your wife is the one who turned her walker into a weapon.”

“But you’re the one who rented to that lowlife Rooney in the first place. And you’re the one who took up with Chuck, who invited that lowlife to move in here. I remember, I told Trudi, there’s something fishy with that character and his so-called wife. What was her name again?”

Letty spoke up. “Her name was Tanya, and she was my sister.”

“Oh. Well, uh, sorry to speak ill of the dead and all, but that doesn’t change anything,” he continued. “They were a gang of thieves.”

“And Tanya also happened to be Maya’s mother, in case you’re interested,” Ava said pointedly.

“Okay, but about the walker? These things cost money.”

“I’ll pay for the walker,” Letty said. “Trudi probably saved Maya’s life with it. Just buy a new one and save me the receipt, please. I’ll reimburse you.”

“Happy?” Ava said. She gestured to the door. “I’ll let you show yourself out.”

After they had the kitchen to themselves again, she went to a cupboard and brought out a tin of shortbread cookies. She lifted the lid, helped herself to a cookie, and offered one to Letty.

Letty dipped a cookie into the milky coffee and nibbled, remembering that she’d had no breakfast, or lunch.

“I’m sorry, Ava.”

“For what? Merwin? You don’t owe that old fool nothing.”

“No. For…” Letty made an all-encompassing gesture with her arms. “All of it. If it weren’t for Tanya, and me, by extension, none of this craziness would have unfolded right here on your doorstep. You did me a favor and took us in when I had no place else to go. You gave me a job and treated Maya and me like family. I want you to know that I’ll understand if you want me to leave now.”

“Leave? Why would I want that? You’ve been a godsend. Helped me out in the office. Got me thinking of ways to spruce up this old place, taught me how to use that damned new reservation software. You’ve made yourself pretty damn indispensable, Miss Letty Carnahan.”

“I doubt that,” Letty said.

“No, it’s true,” Ava insisted. “I’ll admit, I’ve been in a rut these past few years. Hadn’t had the energy or the gumption to give the motel the attention it needed.”

“No…”

“Yes,” Ava said. “Just between the two of us, I’ve started thinking maybe the time has come to sell the place.”

Letty raised a surprised eyebrow.