creatures staying outside.”
Kent nodded. “Yeah, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as the time Logan jumped off the roof into the pile of manure and slid into the—”
GG clapped her hands loudly interrupting Kent. “You boys hush up that talk. This is not proper dinner conversation,” she said as they all sat down. Cade grabbed her hand as did Logan and then everyone bent their heads for prayer.
Patience was fond of meditation and considered herself a spiritual person. She liked that these rowdy boys settled for a quiet moment as their grandmother said a blessing.
Everyone yelled, “Amen,” and that’s when the real fun began. They all talked at once and the food was passed in a counterclockwise circle.
This wasn’t like any picnic Patience had ever been to. The table was so full of food there was barely any room for the plates. There were three giant foil containers of barbecued brisket and ribs, along with ten different side dishes and seven pies.
“I can’t believe they made all this food,” she whispered to Cade.
“Just wait, with this crowd there won’t be any leftovers.” He piled a giant spoonful of potato salad on his plate. “We Randalls know how to eat.”
The man didn’t lie. If she hadn’t seen it for herself, Patience wouldn’t have believed it.
As soon as the last person was done, everyone stood up and cleared the table, tossing the plates into the trash and repacking the dishes. Patience tried to help, but Logan gently pushed her back onto the picnic bench. “Guests don’t clean,” he informed her.
Five minutes later everything was done and the tables wiped clean. Then the men went down to the lake and started tidying up all over again.
“Wow. You really do have them well trained, especially the guys,” Patience said in awe.
“Firm hand is all it takes,” GG said. “They lived all over the country growing up, but I had them most summers, sometimes all at once. Never had to swat a one of them, but I was always consistent. They’re all good boys, my grandsons, but like most men they need some gentle guidance.”
Charli laughed. “I don’t know about gentle. She’d make them do chores until they fell into bed at night. They were so tired they could barely hold their heads up at the dinner table.”
GG winked at her. “Well, hard work is good for a man, and look at them. They’re all successful in their own way. That comes from a solid foundation.”
Charli hugged her grandmother. “You definitely gave us that.” She stood up. “Well, I better get back to the diner. I’m sure Rissa is cussing me out for leaving her in charge of the lunch shift on a festival Thursday.”
“This might not be the best time, but, GG, can I ask you a question?” Patience spoke softly so the others couldn’t hear her.
GG took her hand. “What’s on your mind?”
“I need to ask you about your son, Joseph.”
GG’s lips became a straight line across her face, but she nodded to Patience to go ahead.
“Do you know if there was someone who might have wanted to cause him harm? Maybe he had a falling-out with someone?”
“I’ve been racking my brain ever since Beau told me about finding Joseph.” She held on to Patience’s hand a little tighter. “I’m an old woman and that was a long time ago but, to be honest, Joseph was very much his own man. If he had trouble with someone, he wouldn’t have mentioned it to me and would have handled it on his own. I can tell you, even though he was my son, he could be hardheaded sometimes. Cade gets his stubbornness from his father.” She paused to look out at her children and grandchildren.
Patience could see from the older woman’s expression that she was recalling memories.
“I’m sorry I ruined your lovely picnic with the investigation,” Patience said. “I should have waited until we were back at the B and B.”
“No, girl, you are doing your job. Don’t apologize to me. You know, around that time there was a bit of a
Kent nodded. “Yeah, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as the time Logan jumped off the roof into the pile of manure and slid into the—”
GG clapped her hands loudly interrupting Kent. “You boys hush up that talk. This is not proper dinner conversation,” she said as they all sat down. Cade grabbed her hand as did Logan and then everyone bent their heads for prayer.
Patience was fond of meditation and considered herself a spiritual person. She liked that these rowdy boys settled for a quiet moment as their grandmother said a blessing.
Everyone yelled, “Amen,” and that’s when the real fun began. They all talked at once and the food was passed in a counterclockwise circle.
This wasn’t like any picnic Patience had ever been to. The table was so full of food there was barely any room for the plates. There were three giant foil containers of barbecued brisket and ribs, along with ten different side dishes and seven pies.
“I can’t believe they made all this food,” she whispered to Cade.
“Just wait, with this crowd there won’t be any leftovers.” He piled a giant spoonful of potato salad on his plate. “We Randalls know how to eat.”
The man didn’t lie. If she hadn’t seen it for herself, Patience wouldn’t have believed it.
As soon as the last person was done, everyone stood up and cleared the table, tossing the plates into the trash and repacking the dishes. Patience tried to help, but Logan gently pushed her back onto the picnic bench. “Guests don’t clean,” he informed her.
Five minutes later everything was done and the tables wiped clean. Then the men went down to the lake and started tidying up all over again.
“Wow. You really do have them well trained, especially the guys,” Patience said in awe.
“Firm hand is all it takes,” GG said. “They lived all over the country growing up, but I had them most summers, sometimes all at once. Never had to swat a one of them, but I was always consistent. They’re all good boys, my grandsons, but like most men they need some gentle guidance.”
Charli laughed. “I don’t know about gentle. She’d make them do chores until they fell into bed at night. They were so tired they could barely hold their heads up at the dinner table.”
GG winked at her. “Well, hard work is good for a man, and look at them. They’re all successful in their own way. That comes from a solid foundation.”
Charli hugged her grandmother. “You definitely gave us that.” She stood up. “Well, I better get back to the diner. I’m sure Rissa is cussing me out for leaving her in charge of the lunch shift on a festival Thursday.”
“This might not be the best time, but, GG, can I ask you a question?” Patience spoke softly so the others couldn’t hear her.
GG took her hand. “What’s on your mind?”
“I need to ask you about your son, Joseph.”
GG’s lips became a straight line across her face, but she nodded to Patience to go ahead.
“Do you know if there was someone who might have wanted to cause him harm? Maybe he had a falling-out with someone?”
“I’ve been racking my brain ever since Beau told me about finding Joseph.” She held on to Patience’s hand a little tighter. “I’m an old woman and that was a long time ago but, to be honest, Joseph was very much his own man. If he had trouble with someone, he wouldn’t have mentioned it to me and would have handled it on his own. I can tell you, even though he was my son, he could be hardheaded sometimes. Cade gets his stubbornness from his father.” She paused to look out at her children and grandchildren.
Patience could see from the older woman’s expression that she was recalling memories.
“I’m sorry I ruined your lovely picnic with the investigation,” Patience said. “I should have waited until we were back at the B and B.”
“No, girl, you are doing your job. Don’t apologize to me. You know, around that time there was a bit of a
Similar Books
