He grinned as his gaze landed on me. “Do you want to explain why you’re wearing a guilty look, Ms. Gardner?” he asked, but there was a teasing glint in his eyes.

I shrugged and grinned back. “Habit.”

Muffy raced to him, barking with excitement, and he bent down to rub her head. “Hey, girl. I’m happy to see you too.” He glanced at the journal, then back up at my face. “You’re not going to hide what you’re doin’?”

I gave him a haughty look. “I don’t see any reason to. Last I heard there’s nothin’ illegal about reading your birth mother’s journal.”

Joe stood, then grabbed the office chair from Neely Kate’s desk. He rolled it back over to the table and sat down. “I hope you’re finding the answers you’re looking for, Rose,” he said softly.

I let out a sigh. “More questions than answers, honestly.”

“Oh?”

I cast Neely Kate a glance, then turned back to him. I was tired of secrets. Mason had the right to know first, but Joe was sitting in front of me and might be able to offer some advice. “Dora worked at Atchison Manufacturing here in Henryetta as a bookkeeper until about a month before I was born. Then the factory burned down at the beginning of December. Dora died in the car accident a week later and her boss hung himself days later.”

Joe sat up straight in his chair, shifting from concerned friend to chief deputy sheriff. “That’s a little too coincidental.”

“This morning we had breakfast with Jessica Gunner and her mother. Gloria was a secretary at the factory. She knew Dora.”

Joe gave me a guarded look. “What does she remember?”

“She painted it to look like Dora was having an affair with the boss,” Neely Kate interjected, anger in her voice. “She said she used to go into Henry’s office and shut the door…and it happened a lot more often up until the day she quit. But I don’t think it means a thing. She could have been talkin’ about the books.”

I looked into Joe’s face. “But there’s more. Gloria went into the office one Wednesday night about a week before Dora quit. She saw Dora coming out of her boss’s closed office, crying. He followed, calling after her.”

“Did this Gloria have anything else to say?” Joe asked.

“After I was born, Dora went back to the office and demanded to see Henry. I guess she raised a fuss, saying she wouldn’t leave until he saw her. She had me with her. Henry took her into his office and when she came out she was cryin’ again and askin’, ‘What about our baby, Henry?’” I took a breath. “She said ‘our baby’, Joe. As in hers and Henry’s.”

“Gloria Gunner is a gossip,” Neely Kate said in disgust. “She’ll sensationalize anything to make it more excitin’ than it really is.”

Joe studied Neely Kate for a moment before turning back to me. “So who else thought they were havin’ an affair?”

“The office staff,” I said. “I don’t know about the factory workers. And I guess Henry’s wife thought it was true too. After Dora came in with baby me, Ima Jean steamrolled on into the office and fired the other office worker because she was single and pretty like Dora.”

“So Henry’s wife could have held a grudge against Dora. Probably would have if she believed it was true.” He looked away in thought. “The fact her boss killed himself days after her death could support the affair theory. He might have felt guilty if his wife killed her or maybe he was upset he didn’t leave his wife for her.”

Neely Kate jumped out of her chair. “Why are you both believin’ a flat-out liar?”

Joe’s mouth dropped open, but he said softly, “I’m just gatherin’ the facts, Neely Kate. That’s all.”

“Well, I’m not gonna listen to another fool word about any of this.” She grabbed her coat and stomped out, leaving me gaping at the front door as it slammed behind her.

I considered going after her, but I’d never seen her like this before. Mason always needed to get away for a bit after we had a fight. If Neely Kate were the same way, I’d only make it worse if I followed her now.

“How’s she doin’?” Joe asked quietly.

“I honestly don’t know. I thought it was a good idea to get her out of the house and get her mind off her troubles, but now I’m not so sure.”

“I’m sure it’s not easy for her.” Joe’s gaze stayed on me. “How are you dealin’ with this?” He gestured toward the journal.

I took a breath. “The truth is, I don’t know. I was upset at first, but Neely Kate is so insistent Dora didn’t have an affair with Henry. Part of the reason is that she doesn’t want me to get hurt, but my gut tells me she might be right.”

“What if Dora did have another affair? If Harrison Gardner isn’t your birth father?”

I shrugged. “In the scheme of things, I’m not sure that it matters. It doesn’t change a thing.” Yet it changed everything.

“Well, I agree with Neely Kate not to jump to conclusions. But if you really want the truth, I encourage you to also keep an open mind.”

“So you’re okay with us asking questions?” I gave him a leery look.

He grinned. “Don’t look so surprised. It sounds like a domestic dispute that turned tragic, but you should always be careful when you’re pokin’ at a hornet’s nest with a stick. This may have happened twenty-five years ago, but you’re liable to tick off a few people, especially the man’s widow if she’s is still alive.”