Long, Tall Texans_ Boone (Long, Tall Texans #35) - Diana Palmer Page 0,67

you don’t know how he reacted when he found out, either.”

“What do you mean?”

“When he saw you in the emergency room, he came out raving that he’d been conned by Misty’s father’s detective. He left and the next thing we knew, Hayes Carson was here, telling us he’d just had to bail Boone out of jail in San Antonio.”

“What?” Keely exclaimed.

“He beat up the detective who faked that photograph.” Winnie chuckled. “He was arrested and Hayes had to bail him out and bring him home.”

“Will they prosecute him?” Keely asked, her anger forgotten in concern for Boone’s future. “He isn’t going to have to go to jail, is he?” she asked fearfully.

“Not likely. The detective, Misty and her father all ran for the border, and nobody’s around to press charges,” Winnie said smugly. “It so happens that they’re involved with the Fuentes’s outfit, can you believe it? Boone was only seeing Misty to feed Hayes Carson information on her contacts. He was furious at Hayes for making him do it.” She grinned. “I told you he wouldn’t forgive her that easily after what she did to him.”

“Boone got arrested.” Keely said it, disbelievingly. “He never puts a foot wrong.”

“He did this time. But there were extenuating circumstances. He was rather tipsy at the time.”

“He was drinking?”

“From what we hear,” Winnie agreed. She laughed. “My spotless big brother, drunk and beating up detectives.” She shook her head. “What is the world coming to?” She grinned at Keely. “Apparently he thinks a little more of you than he let on, I’d say.”

Keely was afraid to hope for much, especially after Boone had seen her wrecked shoulder. But his actions indicated more feeling for Keely than he’d expressed verbally. There was hope, she thought. He had scars, too. Perhaps he’d had worse experiences than she had, with people of the opposite sex who didn’t understand or care about his scars.

* * *

BY THE TIME Boone came back to the hospital, Winnie and Clark had gone home for supper and to get a room ready for Keely when she was discharged. Coltrain had said she’d be ready to go the next day if she continued improving.

Keely didn’t want to go home with them if Boone only offered out of guilt. But she didn’t want to go to her home, either, with Ella’s death so fresh on her mind. Nobody had told her where Ella died, but Keely suspected that it was at the house.

She had an unexpected visitor while she was worrying her choices to death in her mind. Ella’s best friend, Carly, came in, dressed in black, red-eyed from crying.

“Did they tell you?” she asked gently, because she didn’t want to upset Keely.

“Yes,” Keely said huskily. “We were doing so well together…” Her voice broke.

Carly bent over the bed, and hugged her gently. “I’ve been out of town. There was a missed call on my cell phone, but when I tried to call Ella back, there was no answer. I got worried when I couldn’t get you, either, so I cut my trip short and came home.” She grimaced. “What a homecoming! Ella dead, and you in the hospital in serious condition. Are you going to be all right?”

“Yes,” Keely said. “But I understand that the snake died.”

It took a minute for Carly to get the dry humor. She smiled. “Poor snake.”

“I expect his relatives are all sad.” She dabbed at her eyes with the sheet. “I haven’t had time to make any arrangements about the funeral.”

“Do you want me to do that?” Carly asked solemnly. “Ella gave me a copy of her will and instructions for her funeral two years ago. I never really thought they’d be needed, but I humored her.”

“Could you call Lunsford’s and make the arrangements?” Keely asked gently. “She has a burial policy with them, which should cover everything. She paid it off a few years ago.”

“I’ll be glad to do that,” Carly replied. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. “She was the only friend I had—the only real one.”

Keely reached out her good hand and squeezed Carly’s. “You were her only real friend,” she replied. “I’m glad she had you.”

Carly cried even harder. “I wish I could take back every mean thing I ever said to you, Keely,” she sobbed. “I didn’t really mean any of it. In the old days, I took care of you a lot when Ella couldn’t. I lost sight of that. But I’ll do anything to make it up to you now,