“Detective,” she sighed. “Focus.”

“I’m just saying.” He grinned, and Jen studied him for a moment.

“You’re looking healthier.”

“I’m eating better. And exercising.”

“Is that what they call it?”

“I’m on the football team.”

“The foo—” Jen pushed back from the table and got up to pace. “Don’t you understand my entire case hinges on you?”

“And I’m still breathing. So I don’t know what you’re complaining about.”

“This isn’t a vacation for you to spend time playing around with dogs, Detective.”

Slowly, Mitch stood. “And I almost died. And if it hadn’t been for that dog outside, I would have. So watch how you talk about these people. I’d hate for my memory to fade, Counselor.”

Jen held her hands up and stepped back from him. She’d gotten so far so fast in her career by knowing when to push and when to back off.

“I’m sorry if I offended you. And I think it’s a good idea if you stay here for now.” She walked around the table to get her briefcase, but Mitch knew it was to put some distance between her and the unstable, dog-loving male lion she was trapped in here with. “They were on me the moment I drove past the welcome sign. I’m sure they’ll do no less for any cat who drives into this town.”

At the half-hour mark, Sissy realized “Be right back” might be relative, and she pushed away from the desk, wandering out of the building. It was a typical Tennessee summer day—hot and hazy. She wandered down Main Street, checking out the stores and seeing if there was anything she wanted to buy. Of course, with most of her budget going to feeding one oversized cat, she really didn’t have much play room until her next paycheck. But she loved to look, and if she was feeling particularly evil, she could always charge it to her momma’s account. Nothing entertained her more than those early-morning calls with her momma screaming about how she wasn’t made of money.

When Sissy walked past that alley and heard a noise, she assumed it was her Uncle Eggie Dumpster diving again. But when she went around the Dumpster, she found her old Aunt Ju-ju hiding behind it.

“Aunt Ju-ju!” She crouched beside her. “Darlin’, what are you doing here?”

Poor Aunt Ju-ju. She’d lost her mind a long time ago, but Sissy had never found her roaming by herself. Someone in the family was always watching her.

Since her family’s mental health had always been in question, everyone simply assumed Aunt Ju-ju had slipped her bolt as other Smiths had over the years. But Sissy had also heard the rumor that Aunt Ju-ju hadn’t lost her mind until she went up against Grandma Smith, challenging her years and years before Sissy or her brothers were even born.

Perhaps that waswhy Sissy felt a kinship to Aunt Ju-ju even though she didn’t think the woman could tell Sissy from any of her other grandnieces.

“Let’s get you home, sweetheart.”

She reached for her aunt, but hands stronger than she expected gripped her shoulders and eyes that rarely shifted from wolf locked on to her.

“It’s Sissy I come to find. I need to see her.”

“I’m right here, darlin’. I am Sissy.” But she knew her aunt would never see past her madness.

“You need to tell her to watch herself. That old bitch on the hill wants her. She wants her ’cause she fears her so. I hear them calling to her.”

Sissy doubted Grandma Smith or the Smith aunts feared her at all. But she didn’t see a point in arguing it with her Aunt Ju-ju in a back alley.

Helping her aunt to her feet, Sissy promised her, “I’ll tell her. I promise.”

“That bitch hates that little girl like she hates that girl’s momma. Hates ’em both equal.”

There was definite truth in those words but nothing Sissy could do about it. Instead, she led her aunt out of the alley. As they stepped out onto the sidewalk, Sissy looked around for someone to watch her aunt while she went back to the sheriff’s office and let them know where she’d be so they could tell Mitch.

As she looked down the street, she saw Patty Rose walk out of a small gift shop on the corner.

“Hey, Patty Rose!”

Her brother’s mate froze, her entire body rigid.

She slowly turned to face Sissy, her smile bright. “Sissy Mae? Whatever are you doin’ out here?”

“Just waiting on Mitch. Look, could you watch Aunt Ju-ju for a second. I want to run in and let Mitch know where I’m going before I take her home.”

“Oh, I’ll take her.” She took hold of Aunt Ju-ju.

“Are you sure? It’s no problem.”

“No, no. Really, it’s fine. I’d love to.”

Since she seemed so eager…“All right then.” Sissy smiled down at her aunt. At one time, she’d been tall and powerful like all Smith females. But whatever had eaten at her mind seemed to have done the same to her body. “You take care of yourself, Aunt Ju-ju.” Sissy leaned down a bit and kissed her aunt on the forehead. Ju-ju usually didn’t like anyone touching her, and it had been nothing but an impulsive move since her aunt was standing still for once.

Instead of pushing Sissy away like she did with most anyone else who tried to get too close, Aunt ju-Ju blinked, and her eyes went from wolf to human.

“Sweet girl,” she said, patting Sissy’s shoulder. “Sweet, sweet girl. No wonder they’re afraid. You use that gift, Sissy, when you need to. It may be the only thing that saves your heart.”