One Foot in the Grave (Carly Moore #3) - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,81
warrant out for Wyatt’s arrest, and a couple of deputies just came here lookin’ for him.”
My eyes widened, and I turned to Marco as I asked Hank, “What did you tell them?”
“The truth. I don’t know where he is, and I haven’t seen him since yesterday morning. I didn’t tell them he asked you to look into the murder, but they might find out.”
“Okay,” I said, my heart racing. I knew I couldn’t let them arrest him. I had to find the real murderer, with evidence to back it up, because something told me that if Wyatt got locked up, he wasn’t coming out anytime soon. If ever. I’d already cycled through the possibility that Bart had set up Bingham (or vice versa), but I hadn’t stopped to consider that one of them might have intentionally set up Wyatt. “Thanks for the heads-up.”
“Will you warn him if you see him? I know the two of you aren’t seein’ eye to eye, and I’ve been givin’ him a hard time for months, but there’s no way he killed that girl. Not Wyatt.”
“Yeah,” I said, trying not to freak out. “I know he didn’t do it. I’ll warn him.”
“You stay safe, girl.” Then he hung up.
I placed the phone on the table and stood. I had to talk to Wyatt.
“What’s goin’ on, Carly?” Marco asked with concern in his eyes.
“Hank said the sheriff’s department was at his house this morning, looking for Wyatt.”
His face paled. “Shit.”
“Hypothetically speaking, if you knew there was a warrant out for someone’s arrest and you happened to know that person’s whereabouts, would you be obligated to detain them?”
He put down his fork, his face grim. “Perhaps you should take a walk and make sure we don’t have any visitors before I step outside and get in my car to go to Hilde’s.”
I nodded, then hurried out the door, my mind frantic with worry. Where could Wyatt hide that the sheriff’s department would never think to look for him? I was almost to his truck when I figured it out.
He got out and shut the door, standing next to his truck with a blank expression. “What happened?”
“I just spoke to Hank—”
“Is he okay?” he asked, sounding more worried than I’d expected.
“He’s fine. Just concerned. The sheriff’s department just paid him a visit. They’re looking for you, Wyatt. They have a warrant for your arrest.”
He showed no reaction whatsoever.
“You have to hide.”
His gaze shifted to the house. “Is Marco on his way out here to arrest me?”
“No! But you have to leave now. If he sees you, he’ll be obligated to take you into custody.”
He gave a hard shake of his head. “I’m not leavin’ you.”
“Oh, for God’s sake, Wyatt!” I shouted. “Forget the damn blood price!”
He took a step toward me, his hands clenched at his sides. “You think I’m sittin’ out here because of the blood price?”
I shook my head. “No, but don’t you dare go there. You need to get out of here. Now. Marco’s off today. He’s going with me to visit Hilde, and I’ll make sure he follows me to Bingham’s. You have to go somewhere the sheriff’s deputies won’t find you. If you don’t know where to go, I have a suggestion.”
“I’m not hidin’, Carly!”
“Do you think you can protect me, or anyone, if you’re stuck in a jail cell? For once in your life, stop being a stubborn ass and listen to reason.”
He started to say something, then stopped, some of his anger fading. “Where?”
I held up my hands. “Now, hear me out before you tell me no.”
“That bad, huh?” he grunted, shoving his hands into his pockets.
“It’s somewhere they’ll never think to look…Bingham’s.”
He jerked his hands out of his pockets. “What?”
“You took Lula in when y’all thought your father was looking for her. She’ll be more than happy to protect you now.”
“Bingham won’t.”
“He will if Lula tells him to. How else do you think you and Max ended up being Beatrice’s godfathers?”
He was silent for a moment. “I’m not a coward.”
“No one said you were, but I also thought you weren’t stupid. Now go.”
He hesitated and cast a glance back at the house. “Does he love you?”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake!” I shouted, throwing my hands out to my sides. “Why won’t anyone believe we’re just friends?”
Pain filled his eyes. “Because I’ve seen the way he looks at you, Carly.”
“We’re just friends.”
Which was true, even if it wasn’t the whole story. But I needed him to leave, to get to safety quickly.