“Just this week.”
“So why did she come back?” I asked.
“I think she and Margot were tying down loose ends with their property here.”
“During the week the town shuts down for the Rhubarb Rally? During the week Dan’s garden blows up, and Lila’s ex-boyfriend drowns? Coincidence?”
“I hate that word.”
I braced my hand on the table to help me push to my feet. “Me too. We need to talk to them again.”
“I’ll talk to them in the morning. You need to sleep.” She moved to wrap her arm around my back. I was afraid she might squeeze me too hard, but she was careful to support me without jostling my sore places. Walking sucked. I should have taken my pills.
“Do you know what I heard on the way over here?” she asked as we headed to the door.
“No.” I had a pretty good idea, actually. Ham radios were still a thing here in Ordinary, keeping a running commentary on the weather, our high school baseball team the Barnacles, and, on slow nights, bar fights.
“Someone said you punched Cooper in the face and knocked him out. I asked myself, would my sister check herself out of a hospital hours after being shot, and get in a bar brawl with her ex-boyfriend?”
“No?” I said.
We were at the cruiser now. The night was starless and so dark that even the bar’s neon sign couldn’t seem to pierce it.
At least it wasn’t raining.
She opened the door and helped me into the front seat. I was not looking forward to the seatbelt, but she pulled it out before I could even start to twist toward it, and buckled me in, making sure the shoulder strap wasn’t too tight.
I closed my eyes and worked on breathing through the pain from that short walk.
Myra got in the car, started the engine, and headed down the street. It was late enough—or really, early enough—that there was no other traffic on the road.
“Are you taking me home?”
“You can’t walk up that many stairs.”
“Please don’t take me back to the hospital.” I couldn’t help it—I sounded pitiful.
She hesitated, then pressed her lips together. “I should.”
“I’ll just make them release me again.”
“What do you have against hospitals, Delaney?” she asked, exasperated.
The image of Mom hooked up to machines that had done her no good flashed behind my eyes. Myra had been too young to remember. Not me.
I wiped my hand over my eyes, and it was shaking. “Nothing.”
She exhaled. “Fine. You can stay with me tonight.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
She flicked on the blinker and I closed my eyes. I opened them when the car stopped. We were parked in her garage. She helped me out of the car, through the utility room and kitchen, then into the spare bedroom.
I really needed those pain pills.
I sat on the edge of the bed and tried to help take off my boots, but she pushed my hands out of the way and took care of my shoes and my jeans. Ryder had just been doing the same thing a day ago.
