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Spencer lifted his cup "I’," Cooper said "Co, but I bet you want breakfast, too"

"I ht, yeah"

"Where’s the kid?"

"Sprawled across the bed Snoring"

Cooper chuckled

Haet a treat The three of theht away they noticed the young wo at the counter Rawley looked up frorin, pointed and said, "Ma a hand up to her mouth Her blue eyes twinkled

Ham went to the child i, kiddo," Cooper said "Want to give hiot a real slobberybiscuit out of the jar on the bar and let the little girl hold it out toward Ha a horse Then Cooper looked at the young woman and said, "Hi I’m Cooper This is my fiancée, Sarah And this is hter, Coop," Rawley said "Well, second cousin, "

Cooper tilted his head and queried with his eyes "Devon?"

But Rawley didn’t answer He didn’t answer because he didn’t know Devon’s last nahter, Mercy"

"Pleasure Rawley, you should’veYou could have taken the day off"

"It was a last- but, if you can spare ht be tired fro, too, and I can leave ’em at home and come back"

"Take the day off if you want it, Rawley I can handle the shop Landon will show up to help out when he gets his lazy butt out of bed And I’ve always got Spencer"

"You okay with that?" Rawley asked

Spencer looked at this duo--mother and child She was plain as a pancake, and yet she was beautiful She looked very young--early twenties? She was vulnerable, that was instantly obvious He iotten trapped in a coe to step in, to offer advice or shelter or so

"Sure," Cooper said "If you need e woman didn’t respond but Rawley said, "That’s up in the air I told her she can stay for a few days or weeks--it ain’t like she’ll be in my way If you’re sure you don’t mind, we’ll hit the road, then You ready?" Rawley asked her

"Thanks Niceyou all"

And the three of them moved slowly out the back door, cliine roared to life It o hway

Then Cooper looked at Sarah and Spencer "Rawley doesn’t have any family"

"Well, second cousin, re?" Spencer asked "Nah, they’re not family I’d bet my last dollar on that" For some reason he couldn’t quite explain, Spencer didn’t tell them about the conversation he had overheard between Rawley and Devon

"It does seereed "Rawley’s a little odd, but he’s not, you know?"

"A kidnapper? A serial killer?" Sarah offered

"More likely he found ’e People don’t know this about Rawley, but he’s generous Softhearted He doesn’t like to let on that he has a helpful nature He’s on the gruff and silent side, but he’d give anyone the shirt off his back When ent through all Ben’s things after he died, Rawley took the old clothes to the VA, but he washed ’eives a lot I’irl as I am about Rawley I hope they don’t fleece hiested "What if that’s what happened? What if she’s desperate and takes advantage of hiht be hard getting anything out of hi as little as possible"

"That girl looks about fifteen," Spencer said, frowning "He lanced toward the dishes on the bar "He fed them"