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“So are you.”

That did it. Jodie cracked up. The nurse behind the desk looked up, startled. Her phone buzzed again.

HE CAME HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Another.

OKAY MAYBE “HIGHLY” IS TOO STRONG.

Jodie groaned, dropped her head back against the wall, and closed her eyes. “I’m going to kill her.”

“Seems extreme.”

Jodie opened her eyes and stared at Mac. “She sent me into the wilderness with a psychopath.”

“He wasn’t a psychopath.”

She sat up straight. “Are you actually defending him right now?”

“I’m not defending him. I’m saying psychopath gives him too much credit.”

Jodie laughed despite herself.

Another buzz.

HIS MOTHER SAID HE WAS NICE.

Jodie stared at the screen. “His mother.”

Mac nodded gravely. “Now there’s an unbiased reference.”

Jodie sighed. “I trusted Stephanie.”

“There was your first mistake.”

“But she was right about…” She stopped and gave him a sideways glance.

“About?”

“Never mind what she was right about. She’s going to blame herself for this forever and then she’ll try to make up for it and there’s a good chance I won’t live through that. I need to answer her.” Jodie’s thumbs flew across the keyboard.

I’M ALIVE, STEPH! So can you maybe stop with the all-caps?

Three dots appeared immediately.

NOT UNTIL YOU TELL ME WHO THE MAN WAS WHO DID THIS:

Stephanie sent a picture of Dale’s pouting face. There was a bag of frozen peas pressed against his jaw and cheek. Mac looked closer and realized the hand holding it belonged to a woman—Dale’s mom, he guessed.

“Oops,” Mac said. “My bad.”

Jodie laughed. “Not bad at all.” Then she typed back:

I’m not telling you. I don’t want anyone arrested.

AS IF I’D TELL THEM. BESIDES, I’VE ALREADY OFFERED TO PRESS CHARGES ON YOUR BEHALF FOR THE ANKLE AND ABANDONING YOU!!!

Still not telling you, Steph.