door. She glanced at the clock. It was after nine. Who would stop by here that late?
Grabbing a tea towel, she dried her hands as she walked to the door. A familiar form stood in the glow of her porch light. Savannah’s breath caught. Zach!
She couldn’t help but smile. Had he been as miserable as she’d been these last few weeks? Was he ready to try again—on her terms?
Just what are your terms? Do you even care? What does it even matter? He’s back!
Hope lifted her heart and her smile was wide as she opened the door. “Hello, Zach. I’m so glad …”
Her sentence trailed off and her smile faded. He wasn’t smiling. His expression looked grim. He wasn’t alone, either. Gabi stood behind him, her expression as dark as his. Martin Varney was with them. Three of them? Why? Apprehension washed through her. “What is it?”
“Is TJ home?” Zach asked.
“Yes. He’s up in his room.”
“Would you call him, please?”
He didn’t come in. He was wearing his uniform. His badge. His gun. His lawman’s stare. Fear washed through her. “What is this about?”
“I need you to call your nephew.”
“Why? Why are you here?”
Zach entered Heavenscents and handed Savannah a sheet of paper. He was cold. He was detached. He’d been her lover … and now he was like an iceberg. “Gabi, go up and get TJ. Savannah, I need you to step outside. That is a warrant to search the premises.”
She glanced at the document, saw words that made no sense. A sick, helpless feeling rolled through her. “A warrant! What … why …?”
Zach gave Martin a pointed look. He stepped forward and took Savannah by the elbow. “Ms. Moore, please.”
Panic had begun to set in, and Savannah reached out to touch Zach. He jerked away. Oh, God. Savannah planted her feet. “Zach Turner, talk to me!”
He wouldn’t talk to her. He wouldn’t even look at her. Instead, he stood turned away, his jaw set, his hands braced on his hips until TJ came downstairs, followed by Gabi. Savannah found TJ’s bewildered expression reassuring. “What’s going on?” he asked her.
Zach said, “You need to step out onto the porch now.”
In that instant, Savannah’s fear turned to rage. His wasn’t the voice of her lover or even a friend. This was the cop who had rifled through her trunk in the wake of the car accident. It was the detective who’d fired questions at her in that uncomfortable little interrogation room. It was the prison guard who’d made sexual remarks as he slammed the cell door behind her.
She shot an accusatory look toward Gabi, then lifted her chin. “Come on, Teej. The sheriff is ordering us from our own home.”
With the palm of her hand, she shoved open the screen door. Just as she stepped out onto the porch, she heard Zach say, “Savannah, wait.”
He strode to Heavenscents’ checkout counter and lifted the portable phone from its base. Crossing the room, he looked her directly in the eyes for the first time since his arrival and handed her the phone. Concern clouded his blue eyes. “Call Mac.”
Anger drained away and fear returned. Mac. He wouldn’t tell her to call a lawyer unless he thought she needed one.
Outside, she took hold of TJ’s hand and guided him off the porch and halfway down the front walk. Speaking softly so that Martin Varney couldn’t overhear, she said, “Tell me the truth, TJ. Do you know what they are looking for?”
He shook his head as if clueless. “No.”
“You have no idea?”
“No! Who is Mac? Why did he say for you to call him?”
“Mac Timberlake is my friend Ali’s husband. He’s a lawyer.”
“A lawyer!” TJ’s eyes rounded with fear. “Why do you need a lawyer? What did you do? Oh, shit. You’ll go to jail, too, and I won’t have anywhere to go. They’ll try to send me to foster care. I won’t go. I’ll run away.”
“TJ!” She grabbed him by the shoulders. “I didn’t do anything. Not then and not now. That’s the truth. But you had better be straight with me, too.”
His gaze slid away from hers. “I didn’t do anything they need a search warrant for.”
Something was there, she thought. But she didn’t have time. She needed to make the call to Mac.
Ali answered the phone. Savannah said, “Ali, it’s Savannah. I don’t know what’s going on, but Zach showed up here a few minutes ago with a search warrant. He told me to call Mac.”
“What?”
“I don’t know, Ali. Please, can I