Chapter 25

Getting away was easier than I’d expected. Skeeter had left the keys in his ignition in case we needed to make a quick getaway.

Muffy and I climbed into the backseat. I had no idea when I’d be back, and I couldn’t bear to leave her behind.

As soon as I closed the door, Neely Kate put the car in reverse and the car sped backwards before she hit the brakes. “Whoa. Skeeter’s car has some serious horsepower.”

Then she put it in drive and shot down the driveway.

“I suppose he needs it for his getaways,” I said, looking out the back window. I hadn’t sent Skeeter a message yet to let him know where we went. I wouldn’t put it past Skeeter to strut around my house in a towel, which meant if he heard someone taking his car, he could be chasing us out the front door at any moment. Maybe even naked. “He’s gonna be livid when he realizes we left without tellin’ him first.”

“Good thing he can’t run as fast as his car,” Neely Kate said as she turned onto the highway. She looked in the rearview mirror. “Maybe you should call him and try to butter him up.”

I grabbed my phone. “I have to figure out what to do with Muffy.”

“You want to take her to the safe house?”

I looked out the window at the passing landscape. I had no idea how tonight was going to turn out and no idea when I’d be back to the safe house. What if I never came back at all? What would happen to Muffy then? “No,” I said quietly. “I’m gonna ask Maeve if she’ll look after her.”

“Do we have time for that?”

I glanced at the speedometer, stunned to see she was driving over eighty miles per hour. “If you keep driving that fast, we’ll end up in town five minutes before we left. I think we can make the time.”

She shrugged, but was grinning ear to ear. “I can’t help it. I love me a fast car.”

I still needed to send Skeeter a text.

Neely Kate and I went to Merilee’s to talk to Kate. We’ll meet you and Jed later. She says no bodyguards or she won’t talk.

I called Maeve before he could respond, and she answered right away. “Rose! Have you heard the news?”

I blinked, nearly choking on fear. “What news?”

“Deputy Miller has woken up and is doing well. They’re moving him out of ICU. He’s going to be just fine.”

I pushed out a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank God. We could really use some good news right now.” I looked up front. “Neely Kate. They’re moving Randy out of ICU. He’s going to be fine.”

She smiled. “Well, of course he is.”

“Maeve,” I said, feeling guilty, “I have a favor to ask.”

“Of course, Rose. You know I’ll help you in any way I can.”

“Can you watch Muffy for me? Overnight?”

“Of course. You know I love that little dog,” she said. “She helps keep me company. Are you up to more investigating?”

“Uh . . .” It was a simple question, but my friends’ seeds of doubt had me feeling paranoid. Still, this was Maeve, and if I couldn’t trust her, I couldn’t trust anyone. “Let’s just say I’m busy. I’m not sure when I’ll be back to get her.”

“I can keep her as long as necessary. In fact, I can bring her back to the nursery with me in the morning if need be. She loves greeting the customers.” She paused. “I was thinking about going over and telling Violet goodbye in the morning. I know she’s leaving at eight. Will you be able to see her off?”

A lump filled my throat. Would I? What if it was the last time I ever saw my sister? Or worse, what if I didn’t survive the evening to see her off? But I swallowed my grief and worry. I was going into this with a positive attitude. Fretting was wasted energy. “Yes.” I nodded even though she couldn’t see me. “I’ll be there.” I wiped away a tear that escaped the corner of my eye. “Are you still at the nursery?”

“Yes. It’s been a long day with Anna missing.”

More worry churned in my gut. “No word, I guess.”

“No.”

I expected as much, but the disappointment still stung. “We’ll be by in a bit.”

I hung up and told Neely Kate to stop by the nursery, then said, “I have to go see Violet tomorrow before she leaves. She’s taking off at eight.”

Neely Kate kept her eyes on the road, but her face tensed and her hands tightened on the steering wheel. “That shouldn’t be a problem.” Her gaze flicked to mine in the mirror. “I know you’re not typically an early riser, but surely you can be up and about to make that.”

I put my hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “Thank you. For everything.” I heaved a breath. “I couldn’t do this without you.”

She covered my hand with hers. “I told you,” she teased. “We were meant to do this together.”

“Try to escape a psychopath?”

“Live a life of adventure and mystery.”

“Well, I want peace and quiet, thank you very much.”

“You’d be bored to tears.”

That’s what I was afraid of.

My phone rang, and I cringed when I saw Skeeter’s name.

“Hey,” I answered, putting the phone on speaker as I prepared to be chewed out.

“What the hell do you girls think you’re doin’? How did this meeting with Kate get set up?”

“I had a call with her.”

“Kate called you?”

“No . . . I called her and told her I wanted to ask a few questions, but she suggested an in-person meeting—just me and Neely Kate. No one else.”

“And you’re on your way now? Have you lost your mind? Why didn’t you wait for me or Jed?”

“She said we had to be there by four or she was leaving. I sure wasn’t walking in on you in the shower, and we had no idea when Jed would show up.”

“Here’s an idea,” he said, his voice tight. “You could have called him.”

“It was all so spur of the moment,” I said. “I didn’t want to lose the chance to talk to her.”

He was quiet for several seconds before he said, “What do you hope to get from her?”