Her Scream in the Silence (Carly Moore #2) - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,134
it was Bart comin’ for me. The guilt just ate at me, so I told them the truth on Sunday. That it was Carson Purdy’s guy who was after me, and I’d been smuggling drugs to Chattanooga.” She paused. “Wyatt didn’t take it well, sayin’ he’d thrown away the best thing that had happened to ’im in a long time to save me, but Max told him to calm down. That you’d understand. Look at what you’d done to try to find me. Then they argued about tellin’ you the truth, but Wyatt said he’d do it in person on Monday. They’d figured out that Ruth had opened the bar by then, and Hank had said you were workin’.” Tears filled her eyes. “Then you called around midnight that night, and Wyatt didn’t get the chance.”
I was dangerously close to tears, and I searched for Marco’s warm eyes. He nodded slightly, and a soft grin lifted the corners of his mouth, his silent message loud and clear. You’ve got this, Carly. You’re stronger than this.
“I’m sorry I wouldn’t let him tell you,” she said, tears tracking down her cheeks. “I’m sorry you were nearly killed tryin’ to help me.”
I gnawed at the inside of my cheek, hesitating. “Marco said Wyatt and Max don’t know the truth about what happened, that you wouldn’t tell a soul. But you didn’t…?”
She shook her head. “As far as they know, you came down with the flu and you’re stayin’ with Marco until you recover so you don’t get Hank sick. The only reason they let me out of their sight is they know Todd will protect me.”
I nodded.
“You look tired,” she said. “I only wanted to tell you thank you and let you know that Wyatt was helpin’ me. Both of the Drummond brothers were.”
I gave her a tight smile. “Lucky for you that you have them on your side.”
“Yeah,” she said with a wistful smile. “I am.”
Greta had been silent, but I turned to her and said, “Greta, there’s something I need to tell you.”
Then I told her what Charlie had told me about her sister.
“Don’t worry,” she said with a soft smile. “I already moved out and into a small house outside of town.”
“That quickly?” I asked in surprise.
Lula gave her a conspiratorial smile. “It helps havin’ friends with connections.”
I lifted my gaze to Marco’s, and the look in his eyes confirmed we were both thinking the same thing—Bingham had helped Greta find her new place.
They got up to leave soon after, and I stood to see them out. They both gave me hugs, and just as Lula was getting ready to walk out the door, I said, “Lula?”
She turned back to face me.
“Do you remember much of the day your mother shot your father?”
Storm clouds filled her blue eyes. “I don’t like to think about that day.”
Then she turned around and walked out the door.
I watched her and Greta get into a car driven by a man with serious muscles and an even more serious expression. Moments later, they were gone.
It stood to reason Bingham would give her a bodyguard.
“I forgot to ask if she was still workin’ at the tavern,” I said softly as I watched the car disappear around a curve.
“I think you know the answer to that. I’m surprised Bingham let her off his property long enough to come see you. I expected him to make you go to her.”
I closed the door and turned to face him, still sitting at the table.
“Did Wyatt try to come see me?” I asked quietly.
He hesitated, and pity covered his face. “No.”
“Did you talk to him at all?”
“Max came by on Monday, and I quickly shooed him out. I told him you had a bad case of the flu, and I wasn’t sure when you’d be back. He’s called to check on you every day, but I haven’t heard from Wyatt.”
Tears filled my eyes and I walked over to the sofa. He got up and hobbled over to sit next to me. “I don’t know what’s goin’ on with you two, but I think he was probably your closest friend in town. After Max kept me in the dark, turns out, I’ve lost my closest friend too”—his voice wavered—“so how about we agree to be that person for each other? The one person you can turn to, no matter what.”
He held out his hand, fingers flexed.
Biting my lip, I held back tears. “Just friends?”
“Just friends. Turns out sex complicates everything.”