When the Bough Breaks (Rose Gardner Investigations #6) - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,56
all over again, but I’d just about cried myself out.
“How’s Muffy?” she asked in my ear, her voice breaking.
I shook my head as she pulled away. “I don’t know. Levi’s operating on her. He’s going to call Joe as soon as he knows something.”
She nodded, looking grim, as she led me through the front door. “Jed said it was the station wagon from the nursery.”
“Yeah, but I couldn’t see inside, so I’m not sure if it was Vera or someone else.”
“Do you think it has anything to do with Ashley and Mikey?” she asked, stopping in the entryway.
I shook my head. “I have no idea, but Joe seems to think there’s a connection because of the timing, if nothing else.” I glanced out the front door to make sure Joe was still outside with Jed. “I take it you didn’t find anything else in Mike’s books?”
“Not much more than I already told you. It looks like he was gettin’ cash payments and usin’ them to pay off his debts, but he was pretty sloppy about recordin’ them.” She shrugged. “Still, there was nothin’ to tie him to Hardshaw or anyone else.”
“That’s something, I guess. What about Calista? Because I know there’s no way Jed backed off.”
“Witt went to follow her, but she must have left early. He stayed until all the cars were gone and never caught sight of anyone who fit her description.”
I nodded.
She started to tug me toward the kitchen. “Can I get you something to eat or drink? I made an angel food cake.”
I shook my head. “I just want to go to bed.”
Giving me a worried look, she said, “I got the guest bed ready. In fact, I got it ready earlier, when Joe said you might be staying with us.”
I grimaced as I headed for the stairs. “Yeah, I’ve got plenty to tell you tomorrow.” I was halfway up the stairs when I stopped and turned back to face her at the bottom. “I don’t have my phone. Can you tell Joe to call you or Jed to let me know when he hears about Muffy? If I’m asleep, wake me up.”
“Yeah,” she said. “Of course.”
Since I’d stayed in the guest room before, I knew where I was going. I entered the cheery room with its red and white toile comforter and the stuffed red chair in front of a window draped with white sheer curtains that matched the white plantation shutters. My feet sank into the soft red and white rug when I kicked off my boots. Then I slipped out of my sweater and tossed it onto a chair. Since I was still wearing my nightgown, I pulled back the crisp white sheets and climbed under the covers. I was heartbroken but too tired and shell-shocked to cry. Instead, I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep, wondering how God had seen fit to give me a baby when I’d proven I couldn’t even take care of a dog.
I wasn’t sure how long I’d slept, because the next thing I knew, Neely Kate was softly calling my name. “Rose. Joe’s on the line. He has news about Muffy.”
I tried to sit up, but it was too much of a struggle, so I just took the phone, staring up at the ceiling. The baby rolled to his or her side and kicked softly as though they were trying to reach out and comfort me. I placed my hand on my belly, feeling an even deeper connection to the soul inside me. “Is she okay?”
Joe hesitated before tentatively saying, “She’s out of surgery.”
“But is she okay?”
“Levi said he was going to stay at the clinic to watch her.”
“But she’s gonna be okay, right?” I pleaded.
“She has a couple of broken bones, her right back leg and her pelvis, and there were internal injuries. He cleaned up what he could.”
“Joe,” I said, my voice breaking. “You’re scarin’ me. Did Levi say she was going to be okay?”
“He said it’s gonna be touch and go for a bit.”
“Did he give you any odds?”
He hesitated again. “No. I asked, but he wouldn’t say.”
I sucked in a breath.
“We’re done at the farm,” he said quietly. “We didn’t find anything to help us figure out who did this, but we’re still lookin’ for the station wagon.”
“Thank you.”
“I know you’ve got Neely Kate and Jed…” He paused. “I can come over and be with you if you want. Or I can leave you be. You tell me what you want,