voice.
I opened my mouth to tell him—then stopped. If I told Max the entire truth, there was a good chance he’d tell the sheriff. Even if he agreed to keep it quiet, what if the murderers found out either of us knew something? I was certain at least one of those guys had been in the bar earlier. Would they kill Max? I had no doubt they would kill me.
His brow furrowed. “Carly. I promise you’re safe.”
“I heard a noise outside and found Seth lying on the ground. Bleeding.”
He frowned. “How’d you know his name? I didn’t see him in the bar last night.”
I took a shaky breath and let it out. “He told me.”
His eyes went wide. “He was alive when you found him? Did he tell you who did it?”
I shook my head, a little too fast and insistent, and hoped Max didn’t realize I was lying. “No.” Then a new thought hit me. Drum was a very small town. “Did you know him?”
He sank back on his heels, still holding my hand, and for the first time, his face fell. “He was a good kid.” His voice broke and he cleared his throat. “I coached him in football and baseball a few years back before his momma died last year.” He paused. “His granddad’s gonna take it hard.”
I needed to see his grandfather, but now didn’t seem like a good time to bring that up. “I’m so sorry.”
Surprise filled his eyes. “Why are you sorry? You held his hand as he died, and you tried to save him. There was nothin’ else you could have done.”
“Someone beat him up,” I said, my panic rising again. “They beat him up and shot him. Why?”
He shook his head, his lips pressed into a thin line. “I don’t know, but if the sheriff doesn’t take this seriously, I know a few guys who will be more than happy to look into it. Everyone loved Seth.”
Well, apparently not everyone.
“Do you remember anything else he said?” Max asked.
Could I trust Max? I sure hoped so, but Seth had made it clear he only wanted me to talk to one person. His grandfather could decide whether he wanted to share what little Seth had told me. I’d be long gone by the time Max found out I’d lied—if he found out—but it still hurt my heart to be dishonest to someone who’d been so kind.
I shook my head. “I asked him what his name was and told him I’d get him help.” Tears were flowing down my cheeks again. “I lied to him, because I didn’t get him help at all. I lied to a dying boy.”
He gave me a soft smile and squeezed the back of my hand. “You didn’t lie. You tried to get him help, but the closest medical facility is half an hour away, and it’s not even a trauma center. He was shot in the chest. Twice. There was no savin’ him, Carly.” His voice cracked and he looked down, his cheeks flushing. He swiped his face and got to his feet. “I’m gonna check on that pot of coffee.”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak, not that he stuck around to hear anything I might have said. Max’s shoulders shook a little as he rounded the corner. The realization that Seth was dead had to be hitting him full force.
I glanced down at my hands, feeling the urge to wash them. I wasn’t sure if the sheriff’s department would want to see them as part of their investigation. Which was when I realized there was something else that would interest them.
My gun.
I jumped out of the seat and ran for the front door, but just as I got it open, I saw flashing lights in the distance.
The sheriff was just down the street.
Oh crap. Oh crap. Oh crap.
My gun was on the ground next to Seth, but there was no way I’d be able to run over there and retrieve it and run back. The sheriff’s deputy would see me.
I was screwed.
“Carly!” Max called out behind me.
“The sheriff is here,” I said, my hand trembling on the doorknob.
“Come back inside and shut the door,” he said. “You don’t have any shoes. The deputy will come over here to talk to you.”
I turned back to look at him, realizing he’d put on his own shoes and donned his jacket. “Are you going out there?”
“I’m gonna go talk to the deputy. Ruth’s on her way, so stay put until