Thirty-Six and a Half Motives: Rose Gardner Mystery #9 (Rose Gardner Mystery Series) (3 page)

She nodded and leaned back.“We need to talk about the nursery and the house.”

I shook my head. “No, Violet. Not now.”

“Yes, Rose.
We do.
We have to be practical about this. I could be gone for weeks or months. I have to make sure everything’s in place.”

“Months?”

She held my gaze. “I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. We have to plan for the worst.”

The worst. I’d experienced too much of
the worst
in my life. I didn’t want to think that way now, not when my sister’s life hung in the balance. “Our daddy is my father. I’ll be a match.”

She gave me a patient smile. “Even if he is, there’s only a slim chance you’ll be a match.”

Part of me wanted to offer to have a vision, but I was terrified of what I’d see. I wasn’t sure I could handle seeing my sister’s death, let alone blurting out that the trip might be hopeless. Some things weren’t meant to be known. “Let me get tested. Then we’ll deal with the rest. You have to think positive, Violet.”

She cracked a grin and nodded. “Yes, ma’am. But we still have to talk about the nursery.” She paused to make sure I was listening. “Anna is still so new, but she’s learned a lot. I think she can handle most of the day-to-day operations, and Maeve has agreed to help out.”

“Maeve? She knows?”

“She guessed something was up. And I’ve already told her and Anna that I’ll be gone for awhile. Just not the full details. I wanted to tell you first.”

“What about Hilary’s baby nursery plans? I thought you were going to decorate her baby’s room.”

“I gave her some ideas and left her to do the rest. I’ve been too tired.”

“I’ve known you weren’t feeling well for weeks, but I was too self-absorbed—”

“Rose, stop.” Pinching her lips, she shook her head. “This isn’t your fault. And if you’d asked, I would have lied and told you everything was fine. But now it’s time to come clean. I need you to help me.”

I nodded, biting my lower lip to keep it from quivering. “Okay. If you think Anna’s capable, I’ll let her run the nursery. I can have Joe check in on her since she seems to hate me.”

“What are you talking about?” she asked in surprise. “Why would she hate you?”

I shook my head, refusing to confess my paranoia. This wasn’t about me. “Never mind, just a weird feeling. But since Joe’s part owner, he’ll need to step up. Have you told him yet?”

“No.” She swallowed. “Like I said, I wanted to tell you first.”

I pushed out a breath. “Okay. Then tell him that I’ll only step in if he thinks I’m needed. Otherwise, I’ll leave it to Anna and Maeve.” It made me feel better to know Maeve would help oversee everything. But then a new thought struck me. “Oh, my word. You’re going there alone! I can come—”

“No,” she said softly, “Aunt Bessie’s coming with me.” She grimaced. “I only told her before you because I asked for her help.”

“Oh.” I searched her face. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come?”

“For weeks?”She shook her head. “No. You have your own problems to sort out. I still can’t believe Mason left you like that. Especially right after you were kidnapped. What is that man thinking?”

“You can’t blame him, Violet. I did something that hurt him terribly. He has every right to be upset with me.” I swallowed my tears. “I only hope he finds it in his heart to forgive me.”

“What could you have possibly done?” Violet asked in disbelief.

I shook my head. “This is about
you
, not me. Will you take me to get tested? I want to get it done right away.”

“Of course. Thank you.”

“Is there anything else I can do for you?”

She studied me for several seconds and then stood. “No, you’re already doing it.”

I got to my feet and took her hand in mine. “Okay, but I want to come visit you in Texas, all right?”

She squeezed back. “I’m counting on it.”

V
iolet sat
with me while I had my blood drawn in the clinic, then dropped me off in front of my office downtown. I gave her a long hug, pushing my worries aside as best as I could. When it came down to it, she had to be okay. I couldn’t imagine my life without her.

I stood on the sidewalk, waving goodbye as she drove away. When I turned to go inside, I saw Neely Kate through the window, focused on her computer screen. Something made me stop before going in. I couldn’t do anything else to help Violet, but maybe I could still make things better for Neely Kate.

It was time to pay Carter Hale a visit.

Besides, I didn’t just want to grill him about what he was up to with my best friend. I wasn’t happy with the slow wheels of justice in J.R. Simmons’s case, and since Mason and I weren’t on speaking terms right now, and since Joe’s answers were always carefully worded to placate me, I needed to talk to someone else who might know something.

Greta, Carter’s receptionist, looked up from her desk when I walked through the door.

“Hi, Rose. What are you doing here? Carter said your legal troubles were all cleared up.”

“They are . . . kind of. I was wondering if he was in. I need to talk to him about some follow-up issues.”

“Sure, just let me buzz him,” she said, picking up the phone. I half expected him to tell her no, but to my surprise, she gave me a warm smile. “He says to go on back.”

His door was ajar when I got to the end of the short hall. I pushed it open and found him sitting at his desk, his feet kicked up, his grin stretching from ear to ear. “Why, Rose Gardner, to what do I owe the honor of this visit?”

“I thought I’d stop by to chat,” I said, stepping through the doorway.

His eyes lost some of his sparkle, but his grin remained in place. “I’m not able to discuss Ms. Colson’s case with you, no matter how close the two of you are. She’s asked me to keep it strictly confidential.”

That would have surprised me if I hadn’t known Neely Kate’s cousins’ penchant for nosiness. I wouldn’t put it past them to needle Carter for information. But now I couldn’t very well ask him any questions about the divorce papers. I’d have to swing the conversation back later. “Well, I’m not here to ask about her, so I guess you’re in the clear.”

He sat up, swinging his feet to the floor. “If that’s the case, then why don’t you close the door behind you and take a seat?” He motioned to the chairs in front of his desk.

I shut the door and perched on the same chair I’d sat in a week ago, back when I was still facing murder charges. Which got me thinking—we still didn’t know a thing about the man who’d bailed me out of jail.“I wanted to see if you know what’s going on with J.R.’s case, and if you found out anything about Glenn Stout.”

He laughed. “You don’t beat around the bush, do you?”

“Did Glenn Stout pick up the million dollars he posted as my bail?”

“Nope.”

“So the money’s still sitting there?”

“Yep.”

“Who leaves one million dollars sitting around?” I asked in disbelief.

He winked. “
That
is the million dollar question.”

I shot him a glare. “Very funny.”

He sat back in his chair. “In all seriousness, I suspect he’s waiting until things die down, hoping he can pick it up without someone noticing.”

“Is that likely to happen?”

“Not a snowball’s chance in hell. Although, frankly, other than your boyfriend, no one’s paying much attention.”

I sat up. “Mason’s watching?”

“Yeah, he’s given strict orders to the court clerks to call him the moment someone shows up to pick up the money.”

I wasn’t prepared for the hope that warmed my chest. Mason still cared.

“But we’re watching, too,” Carter said in a slow drawl.

“And why do you care?” I asked.

“Because it’s a true mystery, Lady. And any mystery man with that much cash is bound to be bad news.”

“But why do
you
care? I’m not your client anymore.”

“You really believe that?” He released a short chuckle. “I’m still
very much
your attorney.”

“Why?”

“More like who. Skeeter Malcolm doesn’t buy the story that J.R. Simmons orchestrated your kidnapping. He believed the bastard when he denied it. If that’s true, whoever did it is still on the loose. Not to mention that J.R. definitely has it out for you now, if he didn’t before.”

“He’s worried about J.R. coming after him?”

“No. More like he’s worried about J.R. coming after
you
.”

“But J.R.’s in jail—or at least he’s about to be.” At least that’s what I told myself when I got worried. That J.R. was no threat to me now. Joe had told me that he was being transferred from the Henryetta Hospital to the Fenton County Jail that very day. The doctors had declared him ready to be moved out of the hospital even though he was still recovering from the gunshot wound to his thigh—courtesy of me.

“We all know he hasn’t been neutered yet. J.R. Simmons’s reach hasn’t been eliminated just because he has a sheriff’s deputy watching him.”

Was Mason worried about me, too? He hadn’t said, and Joe sure didn’t seem concerned. But I’d been the one to take down J.R. It made sense he’d seek some kind of retribution.

“Don’t you be worryin’, Lady,” Carter said in a patronizing tone. “You’re under a watchful eye.”

“What? Who?” But I instantly knew. “Why didn’t Jed tell me he was watching over me?”

“They didn’t say. I suspect Deveraux wouldn’t appreciate the interference, but Skeeter and Jed have refused to let you go unprotected. Jed and Merv have been taking turns watching you 24/7.” He winked. “But you didn’t hear that from me.”

I hadn’t even suspected, but I hadn’t been looking, either. After everything I’d been through, that was pretty stupid of me.

“But back to Glenn Stout . . .” Carter drawled. “It’s in Skeeter’s best interest to draw him out. You can bet he won’t let this drop until he’s unmasked him.”

“And the courier? Sam Teagen? What about him?”

Carter held his hands out at his sides. “Disappeared into thin air.”

I bit my lip, deciding to share something I’d previously dismissed. “Last Friday—the day after J.R.’s arrest—I thought I saw someone suspicious across the street from my office, around the courthouse. I’m pretty sure he was watching me. I went to confront him, but I lost sight of him somewhere around the antique store.”

Carter sat up in his chair, releasing a grunt. “Why are you only telling me about this now? What did Deveraux say? Did he look into it?”

I shrugged, trying to play it off. “I didn’t tell Mason.”

“Why the Sam Hill not?” he asked. Then he glared at me. “Because he left you?”

I gaped at him. He looked annoyed.

“What? It wasn’t that hard to figure out. Skeeter’s known since Friday night. Neely Kate confirmed it when she came to see me on Monday.”

I lifted my eyebrows, getting irritated. Did everyone know my private business? “I had no idea that Skeeter was a gossipmonger.”

Carter laughed. “He always has his ear to the ground. You should know that by now.”

I could have argued that Skeeter kept his finger on the pulse of the county’s underworld, not the
Henryetta Gazette
’s gossip column. But we both knew that for me, he would make an exception.

“Skeeter knows you’ve been on your own, and like I said, he’s made sure you’re protected.”

I hated to admit it, but it did make me feel better to know Jed and Merv were looking out for me. “I don’t understand why you’re still my attorney.” I paused, deciding now was as good a time as any to swing our discussion back around to Neely Kate. “And I had
no idea
that you were now an expert on divorce law.”

A slow grin spread across his face as he sat back in his seat. “And there it is.”

“What?” I asked defensively.

“I knew you were here about Neely Kate.”

“I came to see my attorney for an update on my ongoing troubles.” I lifted my chin. “But yes, Neely Kate’s my best friend, and it’s my duty to make sure you have her best interests in mind.”

“Ms. Gardner,” he drawled, “Ms. Colson came to me seeking representation. I’m providing a service.”

“Cut the crap, Carter. Anyone can see you like her.”

He smirked. “You know, I actually used to like you until you became a thorn in my ass.”

“You know what I’m talking about.”

He pushed out a huge sigh. “Rose, I assure you that I’m not up to something devious or underhanded. I encouraged Neely Kate not to act rashly, but she insisted on drawing up the papers. My only other option was to tell her no and have her go to someone else.” He cocked his head. “Now, I shouldn’t have told you that much, but I want you to understand I’m doing the best I can for her.”

I studied him to determine his sincerity. Call me a fool, but I was buying it. “She’s been through so much these last few weeks.”

“I know. Which is why I strongly suggested she wait, but she wants it done. She says they both misrepresented who they were when they got married.”

That didn’t surprise me. Neely Kate hadn’t known about Ronnie’s strong criminal ties, and she’d hinted that she’d hidden parts of herself from her husband. Despite everything, I liked Ronnie. I couldn’t help but think they could work it out.

“Cheer up,” Carter said, getting to his feet. “Neely Kate has the three-month waiting period to change her mind, and her husband still hasn’t been served, so the clock hasn’t started ticking.”

I stood and placed my hand on my hip. “Is your guy looking very hard?”

“My usual guy is tied up, so I’ve hired someone else to help out. Floyd’s like an old mule—slow and steady, sure, but he wouldn’t speed up even if his ass was on fire.”

Turned out I’d underestimated my attorney.

“But if you tell Neely Kate I’ve confided any of this to you, I’ll destroy you myself, Skeeter be damned,” he teased with a grin, although I could see a glint of truth in his eyes.

“No worries. She’d kill me if she knew I was asking. Since I now know we both have her best interests in mind, I’ll back off.”

“Yeah, right,” he choked out.

“Okay, I’ll
try
to back off,” I conceded. “Thanks for looking out for Neely Kate.”

“Always.” But the warmth in the single word had me questioning his motives all over again.