When the Bough Breaks (Rose Gardner Investigations #6) - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,79
tryin’ to hurt me, Levi, and you were right. She was strainin’ to stay awake. She thinks she needs to protect me, and for all I know, she thinks she didn’t finish the job with that car.”
“I’m doing everything in my power to keep her comfortable and help her pull through this.”
“But there’s a chance she won’t pull through?” Maeve asked.
He hesitated. “Let’s just say she’s not out of the woods yet.”
While this news wasn’t a surprise, it was still hard to receive confirmation. “Thank you, Levi. I appreciate everything you’re doin’ and I appreciate your honesty.”
“Just doing my job, but I confess I have a soft spot for Muffy.”
I hung up and held Maeve’s gaze. “I’m so sorry, Maeve.”
Surprise filled her eyes. “What on earth are you sorry about?”
“For letting this happen to her.”
“Oh, Rose.” She pulled me into a tight hug. “This was an accident, plain and simple.” She gave me a teary smile. “And we both know that little dog will do anything to protect you. There’s no stoppin’ her.”
I nodded. She was right, but that urge to protect me had nearly gotten her killed…and it still might. Just like it could hurt the other people who cared about me.
Neely Kate gave me a hug. “Maybe you should go home,” she said. “All this stress can’t be good for you and the baby. Jed could have Marshall come out and stay with you.”
A nap sounded good, but I wasn’t sure that was in my immediate future. I had no intention of spending forty-eight hours with James Malcolm, but I suspected I’d be seeing him sooner than I’d like.
Chapter 21
I considered calling Carter, but it was pointless. He never discussed anything of importance over the phone, and unless he was in court, he was usually at his office during the day.
I parked close to my office on the square, but once I hopped out of the truck, I headed straight to the other side of the square, toward Carter’s office, James’s paper in my hand.
The receptionist was at her desk, typing on her computer. She glanced up at me and her face tightened in recognition. “Oh. It’s you.”
I tried not to roll my eyes. “Is Carter in?”
“He’s in his office,” she said with a strained smile. “Let me see if he has time to see you.”
I expected her to either pick up her phone or walk down the hall, but instead, she leaned to the side and shouted, “Carter, Rose Gardner is here to see you.”
“Send her back.”
Her face brightened. “He says you can go on back.”
“Thanks for lettin’ me know,” I said as I headed down the hall.
Carter’s door was ajar, and before I could knock, he called out, “Come on in.”
I pushed the door open and shut it behind me. Then I crossed to his desk and slammed the paper he’d handed me less than an hour before down in front of him. “What the hell is this about?” He started to say something, but I pointed my finger at him and growled. “And cut the bullshit. I’m not in the mood.”
A smile spread across his face. “You make a beautiful pregnant woman, Rose.”
“What did I say about bullshit?”
He held his hands out from his sides. “I only speak the truth. Maybe Skeeter thought so too after you showed up at his house last night.”
“He told you about my visit?”
“Yep.”
I sat in one of the leather chairs in front of his desk. “Why does he want forty-eight hours with me?”
“I couldn’t say.”
“What did I say about bullshit?”
“I’m dead serious, Rose,” he protested good-naturedly. “He dropped by, unannounced, told me that you’d come to see him last night and he’d reconsidered signing the paternity papers. He tossed the list on my desk, a lot like you just did, and told me he’d only sign if you agreed to both conditions.”
“So let’s say I agree to the forty-eight hours…how would I get in touch with him?”
His brows rose. “You’re actually considerin’ it?”
“I want him to sign those papers,” I said. “I’m explorin’ my options.”
He sat up in his leather chair with a shocked look on his face. “Well, I’d have to contact him.”
“No,” I said in a no-nonsense tone. “From here on out, I contact him. We’ll handle our business without any go-betweens.”
He frowned. “That’s not a good idea, Rose. Phones can be tapped and traced.”
“Please,” I groaned. “I’m not the same woman I was a year and a half ago, when he first dragged me into this