"Why?" Riley demanded.
"Why, what? Why was I having a conversation on the main street of town with someone?" I lifted my chin and stared him down. "Why do you care? How do you even know?"
"It doesn't matter how we know," Connor said.
"Of course it does." I turned my gaze to him. "Are you stalking me? Is someone stalking me on your behalf?" Whichever one it was, I didn't appreciate it.
"I saw you," Connor said. "I was coming out of the Frosty Brew as Riley's dad chased him away."
"No chasing took place," I said evenly. "Riley's father barely said a word to him."
"Enough to make him leave." Riley seemed pleased at that.
"I haven't had enough caffeine for this conversation." Giving them both the side eye, I stepped over to the kitchen to turn on the coffee maker. "What is your problem with Josiah anyway? You both seem to have it in for him."
"It's a long story," Connor said.
I leaned my back against the counter and spread my hands. "Seems like we have time right now. Why don't you enlighten me?"
"You should stay away from him," Riley said, his voice low.
I rounded on him. "Why? You can't say that and not explain it." If they wouldn't explain, I might seek him out and spend time with him to spite them.
They exchanged looks.
"If you don't tell me, I'm going to assume you don't like him because his cock is bigger than both of yours put together," I said.
Hell, that might be accurate for all I knew, but I didn't think so. Judging by the bulges I'd seen in the front of their pants, they could hold their own. I tried not to think too hard about holding them for myself.
I totally wasn't curious about seeing them naked. Okay, yes I was, I was only human. But now wasn't the time.
Connor barked a laugh. "He wishes."
"Maybe we should tell her." Riley scrubbed his face with his hand. "If we don't, someone else will."
I didn't bother to tell him I'd asked and no one else would explain. They might decide to never tell me.
"Yes, you should tell me." I gave them an 'out with it' gesture with my fingers.
"You do it." Connor stalked away, rubbing his temples with his fingers.
Riley scowled after him, but let out a breath of acceptance.
"You saw Gavin Clarke at the market the other day," he started slowly. "The guy with the walking stick and the broken eyes."
That was more poetic than I expected from him, but I nodded. The description was an accurate one.
"I saw him. He was on the street today. Josiah was watching him walk away. Did something happen between them?"
"I guess you could say that." Riley glanced over his shoulder to Connor before looking back at me. "Josiah was supposed to be watching Gavin's daughter, Coral."
"The daughter who died." Something scratched at the back of my mind. I must have seen something about it on the Internet. Judging by what Whitney said, I was too young to remember the incident myself, if it was on the news. Tragic things like that had a way of lingering in people's memories and being talked about long after they happened.
"Yeah," Riley said. "I don't remember, but we used to have play dates and shit. Me, Connor, Coral, our sisters and friends. Dash— Josiah was her neighbour. He watched out for her when her dad was working. He was supposed to keep an eye on her. They used to live by the creek. Above the falls."
He paused, his expression solemn.
"When he wasn't looking, she fell in."
