Honestly, in the beginning, I’d been hoping that we’d be at the same fuckin’ prison so I could do it while I was in. I mean, I was already serving a life sentence. Why not make it worth it?
“You’re not doing it.”
I looked over at Denver and asked, “Why not?”
“Because you got a fuckin’ kid who adores you, and a woman that can’t stop looking at you like you hung the moon. You have a life. You have everything to lose, and nothing really to gain. Let us handle it.”
When he put it like that…
“She’s my sister.”
“She’s also an adult,” he pointed out. “She chose to leave and didn’t want you anywhere near this. I agree with her. It’s her turn to try to break free of this. Plus, Black’s with her.”
“Speaking of that,” I said. “How, exactly, is Black there with my sister, while being sheriff of this county?”
“Gentry is covering for him.” Denver paused. “None of this is making national news. The people that used to care about that so-called pastor are horrified that they’ve allowed a man they trusted to take advantage of their kids. To be brainwashed into thinking that he was a good guy. They don’t want to think about it. They certainly don’t want to acknowledge that they had a hand in it. Meanwhile, the rest of us want to keep everyone else out. Once we find what we need on Minnie Wheeler, they’ll all go down. A judge that we work closely with is already ready to throw the book at them. One of the three of them will talk, and we’ll get Minnie locked up as well.”
“Already talking.” Gentry came in carrying a thick file folder. “Audrey was very helpful this morning after learning that Barton’s last-ditch effort to get himself out of this failed. She’s shared all kinds of things with us.” Gentry dropped the file folder. “I only brought this in case you wanted to see it all…but I highly suggest that you don’t.”
I was going to take his suggestion and stay the hell away from this.
“I’ll take your suggestion and see myself out,” I said as I pushed my chair back underneath the antique that Denver called his dining room table. “I’ve been gone for a while, and it’s movie and dinner time.”
Denver winked. “I’ll keep you updated on your sister.”
“Thanks,” I said as I walked back out to my truck.
I stopped by the grocery store and got the fixings for hamburgers and french fries.
When I arrived home, it was to find Romeo and Mable there, though Romeo was outside on the porch swing.
“Hey,” I said as I got out and grabbed my bag. “What are y’all doing here?”
“You forgot to cancel my shift.” Romeo looked amused. “Though Mable was already set on getting to know your girl better. They’d seen each other in passing, but walk in different circles. I think that’s about to change, though.”
“Shoot, I forgot,” I said. “I didn’t want her alone because of everything, but Apollo drained the account that was being used to fund the hit. He also deleted everything that even mentioned her anywhere. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
“It’s fine,” he said. “It was good to see her up and moving.”
I winced. “I’ll never be able to thank you enough for that.”
His brows rose. “Like that, is it?”
“Yeah,” I admitted. “At the time that she was attacked by that bear? I knew I had feelings for her. Now, though? I can’t draw a deep breath without her.”
“She and your girl seem to be getting along great.”
I grinned. “Yeah. Boston had some girl crush on the two of them, though Nettie more so than Eddy. She’s in seventh heaven right now.”
“I’ll bet.” He paused. “They kicked around the ball today. Eddy took it way easy, but thought you should know.”
I shook my head. “I feel like that soccer ball is attached to all of their feet.”
“Nettie was here for a bit, but Boone took her to the airport.” Romeo stood up and gestured toward the kitchen. “I’ll gather my wife.”
We both walked in the door together and barely missed taking a ball to the face.
“Boston Leigh.”
