When the Bough Breaks (Rose Gardner Investigations #6) - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,87

make him suspicious enough to go to the police.”

“Agreed.” Kind of. I was having second thoughts about keeping this whole thing from Joe. Busy or not, he’d want to know, particularly given he’d just found two bodies. That meant it was more important than ever to find Ashley and Mikey soon, but it also meant the situation was more incredibly dangerous.

“The note said Shute Creek Park. I presume she’s talking about the picnic and beach area?”

“My thought too.”

“There aren’t many places to hide there, and there’s one road in and out, which means she’d be trapped if we showed up with a group of men.” He pursed his lips. “Does she seem like she’d do something stupid?”

“I don’t really know her well enough to guess,” I confessed. “But she’s been careful when she’s tried to see me in the past. I think she’d be extra careful now.”

“Then she must have another way to the spot.” He paused as though to consider it. “She’s probably usin’ the creek.”

“The creek?” But that made sense. We’d had a lot of rain, so she wouldn’t have to worry about it being too shallow to get a small boat or canoe in and out.

“So what do you plan to do?” he asked matter-of-factly.

“I don’t know.”

He was silent for a moment. “Who else have you told?”

“No one else knows, Dermot. Only you.”

Another moment of silence. “And why do you suppose that is?”

His question caught me by surprise. “I called you this morning and told you what was goin’ on. Why wouldn’t I give you an update?”

“But you haven’t told the others about Vera’s request.” He paused. “I think we both know what you plan to do, and that influenced your decision to call me instead of the others.”

He was right. I was going to meet her, of course. Joe would never, ever let that happen if he knew, and Jed would likely be opposed as well, even though he’d been my guardian on most of my past dealings with the criminal world. Neely Kate, I knew, would insist on being at my side. I had to admit that they all had just cause to be worried, but I’d never gotten the impression that Vera was dangerous. I suspected she wanted me to come alone because she was frightened.

Joe had the legal route covered, and it sounded like he would be occupied for the rest of the day. In case the Vera situation was a bust, I needed him to keep at it. And as for Jed and Neely Kate...I couldn’t banish my memory of that vision. I’d do best to keep them away from any possible trouble.

Maybe my subconscious was just trying to convince me I was doing the right thing, but if I could only pick one person to help with this task, I was certain that Tim Dermot was the right choice.

When the dust cleared, I only hoped everyone else was just as convinced.

“In regards to Simmons, I think keepin’ it from him is a good call,” Dermot said. “He’ll insist on sending deputies, which will likely spook her.”

“Agreed,” I said, although it didn’t totally sit right with me. I wanted Joe to trust me, and although I wasn’t lying to him, this was another instance of me not including him.

“Carlisle is your call, but I think the less people involved in this the better.”

I had another flash of Jed’s face from that vision I’d had of him and Neely Kate. He’d looked so sad.

“We’ll keep this between you and me,” I said, feeling nauseated. There was no right call here. Just the one that ticked enough boxes for a possible best outcome.

“Okay, then. I say you drive into the park with your truck, and I’ll hide in the backseat to make sure you’re covered.”

“And if she has other people with her?” I asked.

“I doubt she will, but I’ll have some men for backup out on the highway, waitin’ for my order.”

My stomach twisted. “Surely it won’t come to that.”

“I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

“If she shows. She got spooked at least twice before, so it’s probably better to go in alone.” But I still couldn’t help thinking Joe would have a fit.

“You up to this?”

I bristled. “Of course I am.”

“Don’t misunderstand me, Rose. I know ordinarily you’d be up for anything, but you’ve got more to think about right now. You could be putting the baby and yourself at great risk. You can’t run. It will be hard for you to react