Thirty-Five and a Half Conspiracies (15 page)

“We haven’t turned on him. We’re just makin’ Mick Gentry think we have.”

“Word’s gonna get out. Gentry will do everything he can to weaken Skeeter’s position.” Jed was silent for several seconds. “Where are you plannin’ on meetin’ the big guy?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“He might not even call.” Jed sounded a little more hopeful than I would have liked.

“He’s gonna call,” Neely Kate said. “They’re intrigued by her. Sure, they’re infuriated, but they’re intrigued too.”

Jed made Neely Kate drive around county back roads for an extra half hour before he decided we hadn’t been followed. Neely Kate pulled to a stop behind the Sinclair station, and I started to get out of the car.

“Rose.” Jed sounded hesitant.

I turned to look at my friend, because after everything we’d been through together, we
were
friends. “Jed, I’m sorry if I stepped on your toes.”

“No.” His jaw was tense, but his eyes were filled with worry. “Your instincts are good. Almost too good.”

I scowled. “I can’t say that doesn’t worry me.”

“Go with it for now, since this will likely save your hide.”

“And Mason’s and Skeeter’s.”

He nodded. “But don’t get too caught up in it. You can’t keep up with this double life, no matter what Skeeter thinks.”

I wanted to remind him that just last week he’d been upset that I was about to quit my role as the Lady in Black. But this was different. I’d crossed a whole new line tonight, and we both knew it.

I started to get out, then turned back around. “Where’d you get the money?”

A ghost of a smile appeared on his face. “It was your bail bond money.”

“He was really gonna pay it?”

“Yeah. But someone else beat Hale to it.”

“But he was gonna lose it, right? He’d never let me go to prison.”

Jed didn’t answer, which was answer enough.

I climbed out of the car and quickly changed, then got behind the wheel of my truck. Neely Kate got into the passenger side without speaking. Jed waited for us to drive off first, so I pulled out of the lot and started back toward the farmhouse. The silence in the truck gave me time to brood. When I performed my role as the Lady in Black, there was always a separation between the Lady in Black and Rose. But tonight, the line I usually skirted had not only blurred but faded altogether.

I couldn’t help wondering which part of me would be strongest when this was all said and done.

I
t was
after ten o’clock when we got back to the farm, but Neely Kate and I were too wound up to go to bed. I took Muffy outside, then Neely Kate and I changed into pajamas and the three of us snuggled up on the sofa with pillows and afghans to watch Netflix.

Around eleven, Mason sent me a text.

Are you awake?

Neely Kate was dozing on the opposite end of the sofa, so I hopped up and padded into the kitchen, where our conversation wouldn’t disturb her.

He answered right away, his voice as comforting as a warm blanket. Suddenly it all seemed to make sense. Mason was why I was taking these crazy chances. He was the reward at the end of this insanity.

“How’s Neely Kate?” he asked. “Did you girls have a good night?”

“I made potato soup, and we snuggled up and watched Netflix.” Okay, so I had left out a considerable chunk of the middle of our night. Feeling guilty about holding so much back, I added, “And I saw Joe.” I’d considered keeping it from him—at least until he got home—but maybe it would distract him from all my other secrets.

“What?
Where?
” he barked, although I knew his anger wasn’t directed at me.

“Out in the barn.”

“What was he doing in the barn?” He took a deep breath. “Please tell me you didn’t talk to him. He can take anything you say and use it against you.”

“Oh, Lordy.” Mason was right. Why hadn’t I remembered that before I’d spouted off at him? Had I said anything incriminating? “I did.”

“It’s okay,” he said, although he didn’t sound convincing. “Just tell me what happened.”

My back tensed. “I took Muffy outside to wander around, and she headed right for the barn. I figured she’d sniffed out some mice the other night and remembered. Anyway, when we got inside I noticed the back door was standing wide open.”

“That door was closed when I left the barn, Rose.” His voice was tight with worry. “You need to stay away from the barn. In fact, maybe you girls should go stay with Mom after all.”

“I think we’re fine. I’m sure it was Joe. He said he was checking the property for trouble, and he came to investigate when he heard noises in the barn. I accused him of snooping around to look for evidence to use against me, but he swore he’s tryin’ to protect me. He says he has a plan.”

“Hmm …”

“Wait.
You
think he might have been telling the truth?” Given time to think about it, I was beginning to think he had been too, even if I didn’t appreciate the way he was pulling it off. But after my arrest, I was surprised Mason believed it.

“In hindsight, the way he was behaving after your arrest leads me to believe he
might
not be on his father’s side, but damned if I know what he’s doing. Not that I trust him. I take it he didn’t share his plan with you?”

“Of course not. He gave me his usual bullcrap answer of he knows what’s best and I should blindly follow. He said J.R. was fixing to kill me, so arresting me was the only way he could protect me. He might have a plan, but I’m sure as Hades not waiting for him to work on his plan to save me. If anything, I’m worried he’ll end up doing more harm than good.”

“I plan to talk to him tomorrow when I get back,” Mason said, his tone angry again. “He has no business being on your property without a warrant.”

“No, don’t confront him.” The thought of the two of them
chatting
made me anxious. “Just leave him be. Hopefully, your meeting tomorrow will be the first step in getting us out of this mess. How’d it go with the sketch artist?”

“They have a good sketch, but now the state police detective is working on identifying the man. I’ve come up with a pretty solid argument for why the secretary of state’s office should formally investigate the guy who helped get me removed from office. The state detective is coming with me to corroborate my request.”

“Why don’t you sound more excited?”

“I still have that feeling that it’s too easy. I guess we’ll find out tomorrow.”

“When do you think you’ll be home?”

“I can’t imagine the meeting will run more than a few hours, but I suspect there will be some loose ends to tie up. I’m hoping to be back by late afternoon.” His voice lowered. “I’ve been thinking about your vision, and I’d like to take you out for dinner tomorrow night. How about I make a reservation at Jaspers?”

“A date?”

“We need more of those, don’t you think?”

“Yeah. I’d like that.” The timing seemed wrong, in spite of my vision, but for all we knew, I might only have less than three weeks of freedom left. We needed to make the most of our time together. “Any news on the guy who posted my bail?”

“No. Randy hasn’t gotten back with me with anything on Sam Teagen. But in the meantime, stay inside tonight, okay?”

I had no desire to see what was lurking in the darkness. It would be coming for me soon enough. “Yeah.”

“If you feel threatened in any way, call Randy and he’ll come straight away. I’m going to bed, sweetheart. I’ll call you after I finish the meeting.”

“Good luck. I love you.”

“I love you too.” He paused. “We’re going to get out of this, Rose. I promise.”

I only hoped it was true.

T
he next morning
, I slept later than usual and woke up to the smell of coffee wafting up the stairs. For a split second I thought Mason had woken up before me and started a pot brewing. Then I remembered that Mason was in Little Rock and Neely Kate had spent the night.

I found her in the kitchen, wearing a pair of yoga pants and a long-sleeved T-shirt and standing in front of the stove. Her face was free of makeup, and her hair was pulled back in a ponytail.

She turned to look at me as I walked in, a smile wavering on her face. “Good morning.”

“Something smells good.” My stomach growled, but then I remembered that she’d spent the past several weeks concocting bizarre recipes inspired by the cooking show where the contestants were given random combinations of ingredients. “What is it?”

“Pancakes. I was gonna make some bacon, but your refrigerator is freakishly empty.”

“I’m still banned from the Piggly Wiggly, although this time it’s because Mason’s insisted that we ban them.”

“Well,
I’m
not banned, so I’ll pick up a few things when I’m in town today.”

I grinned, but then remembered why she was here. “Have you talked to Ronnie?”

“No.” That one word was delivered in such an emphatic tone, I decided to leave that subject alone.

After pouring myself a cup of coffee, I set the table and took the syrup out of the cabinet.

“I figured we’d need a hearty breakfast to get us through this morning.” Her words had an ominous sound.

My hand froze as I lifted my coffee cup to my mouth. “Why am I suddenly afraid you’re gonna take me out into the woods and re-enact
Naked and Afraid?
”

She gave me a look that suggested my statement was as ludicrous as if I’d announced I no longer knew my own name. “Don’t be so dramatic. We’re gonna have target practice. I figure it’s gonna take a while since you’re so inexperienced.”

“Oh. I almost forgot.” I took a sip of coffee as she brought a plate of pancakes to the table and sat down. “I left the gun Jed gave me in his car.” We could have used one of Mason’s guns, but I didn’t feel like volunteering that information. This had seemed like a good idea last night, but now I was having second thoughts.

“Lucky for you, I grabbed it while you were changing. It’s already in my purse.”

“The only bullets I have are in the gun.”

She groaned in exasperation. “I’ll go buy some. I already checked Mason’s stash in the basement, and you need a different caliber. You’re not gettin’ out of this. If you’re gonna start pullin’ a gun on someone like Mick Gentry, you need to practice. You need to get used to the feel of the weapon you’re carrying and how it fires.”

In the light of day, what I’d done the previous night seemed incredibly stupid. I was lucky that none of us had gotten killed. “I think I screwed up last night.”

Neely Kate shook her head. “No. I think you did the right thing. You had to shake that guy up to get him to take you seriously. But—” she stabbed a pancake and put it on her plate “—if you’re gonna use a gun, you need to know how to use it.”

What we were doing was crazy. This was a Bonnie and Clyde, Thelma and Louise level of insanity. I had to let Neely Kate know what a predicament we were in. “Neely Kate, you killed a man in my vision last night. Doesn’t that freak you out? It sure scares the heck out of me.”

She stopped slathering her pancake with butter and looked me in the eye. “Was one of the guys trying to kill you?”

“Kill
us
. And yes, but you just whipped out your gun and shot him. No hesitation. You weren’t even freaked out!”

She gave a quick nod and then returned to her task.

“Neely Kate. Could you really do such a thing?”

“Didn’t
you
?”

“What are you talkin’ about?”

“You killed Daniel Crocker in November.”

“He was gonna kill Mason and Joe!”

“And the man in your vision was going to kill you. And me and Jed. How is that any different?”

“But the
you
from last night—both in my vision and in the warehouse—was so different. Where did that come from?”

She was quiet for a moment, and when her eyes met mine, they were dead serious. “Don’t ask questions you don’t want answered.”

What in the world did that mean? But she was right. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know all of her deep dark secrets. At least not right now. I had more than I could handle at the moment. But as soon as this mess was sorted out, I was digging in with a backhoe.

When we finished breakfast, I gave Neely Kate the keys to my truck. I tried to give her money, but she waved it off and ran out the door to pick up more food and ammunition. I grabbed my phone and called Mason’s mother while I cleaned up the kitchen.

“Good morning, Rose.” Maeve’s greeting was so warm I felt the comfort all the way down to my toes. But then she continued in a hushed, conspiratorial voice. “Have you made any progress?”

“Actually, yes, on several fronts. In fact, I have a question for you about one of them. I need your help.”

“You know I’d be more than happy to help in any way I can, whether it involves Mason or not. What do you need?”

“Mason said you might know how to read shorthand.”

“Oh, my. I used to back in the Stone Age.” She chuckled. “What makes you ask?”

“I have a photocopy of a page covered in shorthand. I need it translated. I have no idea what it says, but I can’t take it to just anyone. It might contain sensitive information.”

She hesitated. “I see.”

“Do you think you can look at it and try to read it?”

“Of course, but can it wait until after lunch? I’m helping Violet with the shop. She has an appointment this morning, so she asked me to help cover the store.”

That surprised me. She’d been gone the day before too. “Yeah, sure. I wonder why didn’t she ask me?”

“She probably doesn’t want to bother you. We all know you have more pressing issues to deal with at the moment.”

I wasn’t so sure, but then Maeve was always looking for the good in people. When had I stopped?

“In any case,” she said. “I’d love to look at it after lunch. Why don’t you come by the house around one?”

“Thank you, Maeve.”

I felt better that Maeve was going to take a stab at deciphering the page, but we still were no closer to figuring out the significance of the key. With any luck at all, the page would tell us.

I called Bruce Wayne next. While our landscaping business was as dead as the majority of the plants in the ground since it was early February, I still felt guilty about heaping so much of the responsibility on my business partner’s shoulders. I needed to at least check in to see if anything needed my attention.

“Hey, Bruce Wayne,” I said after he answered. “How’s everything with the business?”

“You’ve got great timing. We got another landscaping bid request. It’s out in your sister’s old neighborhood, so it might not be that big of a job.” He sounded reserved, like he was miffed. Was he upset that we were so short on work? That I’d been gone so much?

“That’s a good sign, right? That we’re still gettin’ work even though I was arrested? It doesn’t matter how big or small it is. Right now we need every job we can get. Maybe I can get to it tomorrow.”

“Okay.” He sounded dubious. “But you’ve got a lot goin’ on. Maybe Neely Kate can handle it.”

“She’s only been on two jobs with me, and even then, she only came along because I dragged her out of the house. She’s nowhere near ready. It’ll have to be me.” I sighed. “I have some things I need to take care of with my case, but I’ll try to come in later today.”

“I might not be here. Violet and Anna need me at the nursery this afternoon.”

“Anna will be there?” While I was excited that Bruce Wayne had a crush on someone, I tried to overlook the fact that she had so much animosity toward me.

“Don’t you be startin’ somethin’.”

“I’m not. I’m just askin’ what you’re doin’ and who’s gonna be there. It’s a perfectly innocent question.”

“I’m moving bags of mulch. Don’t be makin’ more of it than that.” He paused. “If you really want to get in each other’s business, how about we talk about the fact that Lady made a special appearance last night?”

My blood ran cold. There it was. The reason he was mad at me. I tried to sound noncommittal. “What did you hear?’

“That she and Jed turned on Skeeter.”

Oh crap. “That’s out already?” It was one thing for us to deceive Mick, but I’d hoped we would manage to put this put to bed before the rumors started flying. But this was huge news. It was going to spread like wildfire.

“So it’s
true?
” he asked in disbelief.

What should I tell him? The fewer people who knew my plan, the better. Even my partner. “It’s nothing to worry about, Bruce Wayne.”

“What the Sam Hill are you doin’, Rose?” He sounded angrier than I’d ever heard him.

“I have a plan. Leave it be.”