Bernice hesitated.
“Mable knows,” I said softly. “Her husband was in the same boat as Creed.”
“Oh.” Bernice looked relieved, thinking she’d already said too much. “I’m going to have to be more careful.”
“Just keep hanging out with us, and we can talk about it among ourselves,” Mable offered.
“Well, we don’t have to worry about that with me. I have five friends,” I offered up.
“What do you think’s going to happen next?” Mable asked quietly after my words had settled. “I can’t believe Cody would do something like that. And be stupid enough to get caught. This is crazy.”
Everyone and their brother knew that you didn’t fuck with Montana Game Wardens.
They were like the boogeyman of the state.
And to be caught not only hunting out of season, but hunting moose at that?
This wasn’t going to be swept under the rug. This was going to raise a huge stink that the entire state would be hearing about.
That was exactly what Creed needed…
There was a knock at the door, and I got up. “That’s gotta be Charleigh.”
But it wasn’t Charleigh.
It was Dad and Grace.
“What the…”
I opened the door hesitantly and said, “What’s up?”
They both looked wrecked.
I could imagine this day hadn’t gone all too well for them.
“Where is he?” my dad asked.
“Where is who?” I asked.
“Don’t play dumb with me right now, Birdee.” He growled. “Where. Is. He?”
I shook my head. “If you’re talking about Creed, he’s not here.”
That was the only “he” I could think that they’d be looking for. But weren’t they at the hospital with him?
“His truck is literally right there!”
I cringed at the way my father raised his voice.
His body shook with the emotion roaring through him. I flinched away from him, causing my arm to jolt.
I glanced to the side and sure enough, Creed’s truck was there.
But he hadn’t come through the front door…
“He must still be out here,” I admitted. “Because he didn’t come inside. He…”
“Don’t lie to me!”
