“Do you want to get punched in the nose? You’re just making it worse.” Shep got right in Garrett’s face.

“If anyone in your family tried to rein her in before now, it wouldn’t be so hard.”

Royal turned to hold Garrett’s attention, because he wanted to be sure the other man heard and understood. “Next time I see you in town you better be with your mother or Mindy. Take a step back and shut your mouth, or I’ll make you twice as aware of my true feelings when we next meet.”

“Garrett, come help Mindy clear up.” Abigail came out to where Royal stood with Shep. “Shep, don’t you have homework?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Shoo.” She made a motion with her hands and Shep shook his head.

“I’m waiting for Caroline. I’m going to walk her out.”

“Royal, I really must insist you use your powers of persuasion on my granddaughter. Help her to understand how much damage she’s doing to her own family. Nothing is going to change. She needs to let it go.”

“Mrs. Lassiter, I understand this was a terrible thing you really don’t want to think about. But why should Caroline have to hide how she feels? She’s making every attempt to not shove it in your face. But she gets to feel grief too. And she has the right to deal with it how she needs to. Caroline has a deep sense of justice. One I do hope you’re proud of because it makes her who she is. And she’s right. I know you believe her father was guilty, but if he wasn’t she’d be right to worry about the real killer don’t you think?”

Caroline came out of the office, so much sadness on her face. But her back was straight and her attention was totally on Royal. “Let’s go.”

He wanted to pull her close and make it better, but now wasn’t the time and in front of the very people who made her feel this way wasn’t the place either. Instead he nodded to Abigail. “Thank you for having me today.” And then held an arm out for Caroline to take, which she did.

“See you Thursday, Shep. Bye, Mindy,” Caroline called out. Ignoring Garrett she turned to her grandmother. “Goodbye, Grandma.”

Caroline didn’t wait for a hug, instead she walked right down the hall to the front door, which Royal opened quickly, and out of the house. Shep jogged next to them.

“I’m sorry.”

Caroline smiled sideways at her brother. “Not your fault.”

“I hate this. I just got you back and already they’re driving you away.”

Caroline paused, letting go of Royal so she could hug her brother. “I’m not going anywhere. You didn’t know Mom, not really, but she taught me to never give up. No matter what, you’re my brother, and I’m sorry if I haven’t been around enough. I’m trying to make it better.”

“Promise?”

She nodded. “Promise.”

“I’ll see you Thursday.”

“You got it. Love you, Shep.”

Shep grinned and waited until they got in and started the truck before he turned and walked back to the house.

“We can call off dinner tonight,” he said quietly as he drove back to his place.

“No. I chose to come back here. I’m not going to let this run me off again. I’m not that same scared, broken girl who’d lost both parents in such a short time. I’m still sort of shocked at how it went down in there.”

“You have so much more self-control than I do. You tried so hard with them just now, and none of them but your brother gave you half a chance. What did your grandfather say?”

“He started off with an apology, but it went way downhill from there. His parting shot was that I wasn’t doing this for my parents, but myself. That I didn’t really love my mother. I think he meant it. Which, well, sucks. But what can I do? I’m done apologizing. I’m here to get to know them and I guess I have.” She snorted. “I came back to be closer with them, but I guess always in the back of my head I knew it was pretty unlikely. I don’t want to give up on them, but maybe some space is necessary. I can’t be going over there to be ambushed.”

“You can’t, no. Let them cool down and come to you. Your grandfather had no right to say all that stuff to you. Caroline, you want to build a life here and that includes boundaries that are healthy. Fuck them for trying to beat you up all the time.”

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore. When are we supposed to be at Lily and Nathan’s?”

“In two hours. If I step on it, we have time for a quickie.”

She laughed. “I think it’s sort of awesome that you consider an hour and forty five minutes or so to be a quickie.”

“Well, you know how I like it.”

She shivered. “I do.”

“We truly can cancel. Lily will understand. She’s got her own family difficulties. I know they haven’t been the friendliest but they’re good people.”

“I’m not consumed with rage at what standoffish people your friends have been. I get it. It’s fine.”

He guffawed. “It’s totally not fine. But it’s how people are in groups, and I expect you get that part. They’ll make it up to you or they won’t be in my life. I should have stood up sooner.”

“This isn’t even an argument we need to have. I’m not mad. I knew what was happening and why.”

“I know. But seeing you get threatened the way you do drives me nuts. I want to punch a million people. Garrett better step quickly if he sees me in town. He’s been warned.”