I needed to reassure him, not confirm how inept the HPD was. “We’ll be fine. We have Muffy the watch dog, and I’ll call Joe if I see anything suspicious.”

That didn’t make him look any less worried.

“Do you want anything from home?” I asked. “I need to pick up some things for myself. I can get you some clothes and toiletries while I’m there.”

He gave me a warm smile. “Thanks. That would be great.”

I buried my face into his neck, pressing my chest to his. What if something happened to him?

“I’m going to be fine, Rose.”

“Maybe I should stay here with you tonight.”

“No. You’ll be safer at Mom’s than with me. If this person tries something, it’s liable to be in the middle of the night. Joe’s going to make a press statement that I’ve been in an accident and am being held for observation. The suspect will know where to find me, and with any luck at all, they’ll catch him or her.”

I leaned back, my eyes narrowing. “You mean you’re bait.”

“It’s a good plan, Rose.”

Maybe so, but I didn’t like it.

“If you’re going home to pick some things up, do it now, okay? I don’t want you there after dark. In fact, maybe Joe should send a deputy with you.”

I wanted to argue with him, but I didn’t want to cause him any more stress. “I’ll ask Joe what he thinks.”

Relief covered his face. “Thank you.”

I cupped a hand around his cheek and stared into his eyes. “I love you, Mason. Please be careful.”

He smiled and wrapped an arm around my back, pulling me closer. “I’m not going anywhere.” Then he kissed me.

When I stepped away breathless a minute later, I flashed him a grin. “What is the hospital’s policy on conjugal visits?”

He laughed. “Maybe we’ll discuss it later.”

I walked into the hallway, surprised to see Joe finishing a phone call. I checked the clock on the wall. I still had five minutes before I was supposed to meet Skeeter.

Joe was about to make another call, but he glanced up and turned his attention to me. “Where are you staying tonight?”

“Maeve’s,” I said as I stopped in front of him.

He nodded. “That’s good. I’ll have a deputy watching the house. I think you two will be fine, but I’d rather make sure you’re safe.”

I blinked in surprise. “A deputy? What about the Henryetta police?”

His face hardened. “I’m overstepping their jurisdiction on this since it’s the Fenton County ADA. They could put up a fight, but I suspect they’ll be too lazy to do so.”

“I’m going out to the farm to get a few things. Mason thinks a deputy should go with me.”

“That’s probably a good idea. I’ll have one meet you out there and make sure the house is clear before you go in.”

“Okay, but I need to go run an errand first.”

“How about an hour then?”

“Sounds good.”

“I’ll have someone meet you there at four o’clock. Okay?”

“Thanks.”

I started down the hallway. “Rose,” he called after me. “Stay out of trouble.”

If he only knew who I was about to meet.

Chapter Twenty-One

The chapel was empty when I pushed the door open, and I worried that I was late. But I sat in the second row and looked up at the stained glass window behind the tiny pulpit, figuring a moment of prayer was probably a good idea about now.

I was partway through concocting my list of promises of what I’d do to keep Mason safe when the door opened behind me, and the thud of footsteps filled the space.

Skeeter slid into the pew behind me over a few feet away. He leaned forward, draping his forearms over the back of the pew. “Good to see you could make it,” he said quietly.

I kept my eyes forward. “You knew what to say to get me here. What do you know?”

“Not as much as I’d like, but enough to know your boyfriend’s in deep shit.”

“You said you knew who did it,” I huffed.

“No . . . I said meet me here if you wanted to know who did it.”

“I’m sick and tired of the games, Skeeter Malcolm.” I started to get up, but he reached over and placed a hand on my shoulder, pushing me back down.

“Do you want to find the guy or not?”

“You know I do.”

“Then sit down and listen.”

I pushed my back into the seat, crossing my arms. “Go on.”

“Someone wants to kill the ADA and pin it on me. That’s why they planted my knife in his office.”

“Don’t say that so callously.” I looked over my shoulder to glare at him. “You’re talking about my boyfriend!”

His eyes hardened. “I’m only stating the facts, Lady. I want to find who’s behind this and stop them.”

I turned back to look at the stained glass window. “So what do you want from me?”

“There’s a meeting tonight. I want you to come as the Lady in Black.”

“What?”

“Your presence will do two things. One, it’s a display of power on my part. No one knows your real purpose in working with me, and like you suggested a few weeks ago, they think you’re an investor.”

I was well aware of that theory from Mason.