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I stepped inside, taking in the sights as my eyes scanned for Minnie.

The trailer was cute, decorated with Mexican décor, in bright colors and Dia de los Muertos masks on many of the walls.

The small kitchen was clean, with a coffee machine, a half-full pot sitting on the curve of the fake wood counter. The living room sat to my right. Minnie was there, behind a desk. She peered around a computer screen as headphones sat off to the side.

“Have a seat.” She nodded at the couch; it and one end table were the only other furniture in the living space. There wasn’t a television, but the computer screen was huge.

“How in the world do you have a signal out here?” I asked Minnie.

“You missed the satellite out there?” She rolled her chair back and then stood.

Minnie Chavez wasn’t “cute” like some thought she might be, considering her name. She wasn’t adorable or precious. She was stunning; tall with wide shoulders, long black hair, and dark eyes that told you immediately she didn’t suffer fools. She wore a lot of turquoise, which was something I’d forgotten about her. It had been months since I’d seen her in town.

“I did not notice the satellite.”

“It’s on the roof. I can reach Pluto, I think.” She smiled, but her eyes remained fierce.

I’d run the logistics by Sonny at some point.

“How’s the podcast going?” I asked when I set my hat on the kitchen counter.

“Are you going to sit down?” Minnie inspected me.

“Yeah. Sure.”

“Wait,” she said. “Before you do, if you want a coffee, you’re closer to the machine. Mugs are in the cupboard right above it.”

“I’m good, but can I top off your cup?”

“Nope. Let’s just sit and talk. I suspect I know why you’re here.”

As we sat, I considered where to begin.

“I’m guessing you have questions about the podcast about your father?” she prompted.

“I do, but I haven’t listened to it.”

Minnie’s fierce eyes cut at me. “What? Then how do you even know the questions to ask? And why in the name of all those damn bones you like haven’t you listened? I spoke some truths you might want to know.”

I shrugged. “Maybe I didn’t want to know. My truth is what it is. Maybe I didn’t want someone else’s to interfere with that.”

“Well, I could go along with that if you were still a child. You’ve been a grown-up for a while now.”

“Right, but also until now, no one had mentioned my father’s name in the same breath with what might be some horrific crimes.”

Minnie huffed a laugh. “Then you haven’t been paying attention.”

I cocked my head. “Maybe I have some holes in my memory around my father’s disappearance, but I … I know I don’t remember him teaching classes.”

“If you listen to the podcast, you might be able to fill some of those holes.” She paused. “But you might not want to?”

“That’s not what I’m saying. Look, any chance you could summarize for me? I’ve got lots going on.”

Minnie smirked. “Why don’t we know each other better? Neither of us is great at mincing words.”

“We’re probably too much alike.”

“Yeah.” Minnie’s eyes went to the window on the opposite wall. The blinds over it were closed. She took a breath, let it out, bit her bottom lip, and turned back to me. “All right. I can give you some of the highlights.”