When the Bough Breaks (Rose Gardner Investigations #6) - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,89

Joe.”

“You haven’t told him yet?”

“No, but to be fair, I just found out and he’s busy with the murders south of town.” Tears filled my eyes. “Joe would kill him if he did such a thing.” My heart was pounding with unfettered alarm. “Literally kill him, Dermot. And he wouldn’t be careful about it.”

“Then maybe you should hold off tellin’ him. Let me do some checkin’ around. See if anyone’s put out feelers for a midwife with access to Pitocin.”

I couldn’t believe we were having this conversation. Despite everything, I didn’t believe James was capable of such a thing.

Dermot’s tone softened. “This is all a lot of speculation. For all I know, he’s plannin’ to use that forty-eight hours to woo you and create a happy little family. Maybe that’s the reason he won’t sign the papers. He’s just been too stubborn to admit it.” His tone turned dark. “Or maybe he won’t sign them because he doesn’t want anything tracin’ this baby back to him. Have you had a paternity test?”

“No. I didn’t need one. There’s no doubt this baby is his.”

“Like I said, nothing tyin’ it to him but your claim.”

“But Carter had legal papers drawn up. His own attorney. Surely that’s admission.”

When he answered, I heard pity in his voice. “Do you really think Carter Hale would turn over something damaging to his most important client?”

We both knew the answer to that one.

He pushed out a sigh. “Let’s table this for now and focus on your meeting with Vera. It’s nearly two. Let’s meet at the Stop-N-Go outside of Sugar Branch at 3:45. It’s only about ten minutes from the picnic area.

I was still stuck on Dermot’s horrible suggestion about James, but I forced out, “Okay.”

“Hey,” he said. “We’re not gonna let anything happen to your baby, okay?”

Tears flooded my eyes. “Okay.”

“You all right to drive? Do you want me to pick you up on the way down?”

“No,” I said. “I’m good. Besides, I might have a few places to go before we’d meet. It’ll work out better this way.”

“Don’t be gallivantin’ around town,” he said. “I suspect you’re fine with Malcolm. He’s makin’ a power play, which means he wants you to come to him. The station wagon stalker is momentarily taken care of. All that’s left is Carmichael. You want me to put someone on you for protection?”

“Carmichael still thinks I owe him a favor. He’s not gonna hurt me until he thinks I’ve fulfilled whatever purpose he has planned.”

“And what if this is it?”

“No,” I said softly, my head starting to pound. “He would have contacted me by now if this was it.” Not to mention I’d seen a vision of him last summer. He’d led a band of men, preparing an attack—likely against James—and I’d been there with him. That was his purpose, even if he didn’t know it yet.

“Okay, I’ll see you in a couple of hours. Let me know if anything else comes up.”

“Thanks, Dermot.”

I hung up the phone, sick to my stomach over Dermot’s suggestion. He was right about one thing: Skeeter Malcolm issued punishment for betrayals.

Did James Malcolm?

Chapter 24

I had a little less than two hours before my meeting with Vera, but I couldn’t bear to sit and wait. Not when I felt so much uncertainty about everything, including whether James was furious enough with me to do something terrible.

It occurred to me that there might be one person I could ask about his state of mind.

Grabbing my purse, I left the office and headed to the opposite end of the square, walking past the thrift store that had been rebuilt after it had burned a year ago. I kept going several blocks until I came to a tiny diner tucked out of the way and mostly ignored.

I stood outside the Greasy Spoon, wondering if this was such a good idea after all. For one thing, it made me sad. I’d come here with James back when we were friends. Colleagues. Back when he’d respected me.

This was the place where we’d written a list of rules for our cooperation.

But I wasn’t here for a trip down memory lane. I was here to talk to the woman who had known him nearly as long as he’d known Jed.

Inhaling a deep breath, I walked inside and let my eyes adjust to the dim interior. Booths lined the exterior wall embedded with windows, and the other wall had a long counter with ten stools pushed up to it. A TV hung on