but it was already three thirty. I’d only have about twenty minutes or so to do some digging before I had to quit.
“Can you drop me off at the tavern instead?” I asked. “Ruth’s already opened, and unless Max came back, she’s covering the bar on her own.”
“Yeah. No problem.” He turned and pulled into the back parking lot. “I’ll watch you go in, then come by later to take you home.”
“Thanks, Marco,” I said as I grabbed my bag out of the back. Before I left the car, I searched his face. “You be careful too. You’re not at 100%, which makes you vulnerable too.”
He patted his chest over his jacket. “True, but I’ve got a gun.”
“Still.”
A smile cracked his mouth. “I will.”
When I got inside, I quickly changed into my Max’s Tavern T-shirt. Tiny was working at the grill, but my heart sunk when I found Ruth behind the bar.
“Still no Max?” I asked, tying on my apron.
She frowned. “No.”
“How long have you been open?”
“Not long, so get that guilty look off your face.”
“Has anyone called Wyatt to see how Max is doin’?”
“Yeah, I called him this morning. He said Max is better, but he’s keepin’ him out at his place until tomorrow.”
I nodded.
“This is not your fault, Carly,” she said in a stern tone. “Max has had a drinkin’ problem for years, and we’ve been sweepin’ it under the rug, pretendin’ it doesn’t exist. If Lula hadn’t set him off, it would have been something else.”
I gave her a tight smile. “Yeah.”
She put her hand on my arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Why don’t you go call Wyatt and talk to him yourself? Maybe Max’ll talk to you. The sooner you two make up, the better.”
As much as I hated to call Wyatt, I really needed to hear Max’s voice. I had to reassure myself he was okay. “Yeah. I think I will. I’m going to call him from the office.”
“Good idea.”
I got settled in Max’s office chair, then took a deep breath and dialed Wyatt’s number.
Wyatt answered and launched into a tirade. “For the umpteenth time, Ruth, Max is fine.”
“It’s Carly.”
The line went silent, and I was starting to wonder if he’d hung up when he said, “Are you callin’ to check on Max?”
Had he hoped I was calling to talk to him? “Yeah. I’m worried about him.”
“He’s feelin’ like shit right about now, but he’ll be much better tomorrow. Sober at least.”
“That’s good.”
“He feels terrible about the things he said to you. Do you want to talk to him?”
“If he’s willing.”
I heard muffled voices in the background. Then Max’s voice came over the line. “Carly, if you never speak to me again, I’ll understand.”
“No,” I said, covering my eyes with my hand in relief. “We’re good. I promise.”
“You’re not fired.”
I released a short laugh. “Well, that’s good, since I’ve been working. Just get better and come back. We miss you like crazy.”
There was so much unsaid, but it wouldn’t feel right to talk our issues over on the phone, especially not on Wyatt’s phone. We said our goodbyes and I hung up, taking a moment to let my emotions settle. I was still sure that Max knew something about Lula, so why hadn’t I pressed him? Was it because I was scared to find out he’d done something bad? Or was I worried he’d reject me again?
I was considering calling him back, but the phone rang again. I picked up and said, “Max’s Tavern.”
A recorded voice asked, “Will you accept a collect call from the Tennessee Prison for Women?”
The blood rushed from my head and it took me a moment to choke out, “Yes.”
Marco had intended to request a call from Lula’s mother, but as far as I knew, he hadn’t gotten around to it yet. So why was she calling?
I heard some clicks and then a woman’s raspy voice said, “I need to speak to Lula.”
“Louise?”
There was a pause. “Ruthie?”
“No,” I said, putting a hand on my chest and taking a breath to slow my racing heart. “This is Carly. I work with Lula.”
“Never heard of you. Put ’er on the line,” she said impatiently.
“I can’t. She’s not here.”
“What do you mean she’s not here? She works every Sunday.”
Had she been scheduled to work today? She’d only been missing for a few days, but it felt like much longer. “Ms. Baker, Lula’s missin’.”
She took a beat before she said in a neutral voice, “She never came back?” Then her tone turned harsher.