Free Thirty-Six and a Half Motives: Rose Gardner Mystery #9 (Rose Gardner Mystery Series) by Denise Grover Swank Page B

knowin’ Merv’s holed up there, and we sure as hell don’t want them knowing that you saw Teagen, let alone that you recognized him.”
    “I think we should—”
    “Yeah, I know. Your boyfriend’s gonna pitch a fit, but I’ll make him see it my way.”
    And there it was—the pain I’d stuffed down all afternoon was rising up and demanding my attention. But I wasn’t about to fall apart now. Not here in the bathroom of my office, with a man bleeding in front of me. I’d let myself cry later.
    “Mason’s not an issue at the moment. We’re not telling him anything. Have I made myself clear?” I asked in a direct tone.
    “Crystal.” Skeeter said, clearly pissed.
    “But won’t the police figure out I’m here?”
    “Your truck’s not out front, since Neely Kate drove it to your farm. As far as they’re concerned, you’re nice and cozy in that farmhouse of yours.”
    “How do you—” I cut myself off. “Jed’s watching Neely Kate, isn’t he?”
    “You let me worry about who’s watching who. My point is that you need to hole up for a few hours, and then I’ll come to get you.”
    “You think it’s a good idea for you to come?” Merv asked. “Why don’t you send one of the guys?”
    “Are you telling me how to my damned job, Merv?” Skeeter demanded in a cold, ominous tone.
    Merv was not immune to it. “No, sir.”
    “Good. Rose?”
    “Yeah?”
    “You sure you want to keep this from the D.A.? Because I’m playin’ this differently if you do.”
    “I’m sure.”
    After a beat of silence, Skeeter said, “You both sit tight, and I’ll let you know if I hear anything. You do the same.”
    “Okay,” I said.
    As soon as the line disconnected, Merv shot another angry look at me.
    My back stiffened. “Go ahead and say what’s on your mind.”
    “You’re not worth all of this trouble.”
    “I never claimed to be.”
    “You’re not even puttin’ out, and he’s still chasing you around.”
    I cringed. “It’s not like that, and you know it. I provide a service that has helped Skeeter ferret out his enemies.”
    “I don’t believe that hocus-pocus bullshit for a minute.”
    I gave him a haughty look. “Well, good thing for me it’s not up to you to believe it or not.”
    “You’re gonna ruin him.”
    I cracked the bathroom door open. “Not if I can help it.”
    “Where the hell do you think you’re goin’?”
    “I want to see what’s goin’ on out there.”
    “Like hell!” He reached for me as I slipped out the door and into the hall.
    “Calm down, Merv,” I said, closing the door but leaving it open a crack. “I’ll be careful, and you know you’d be lookin’ yourself if you could.”
    He grunted, which I took to be acceptance, and I plastered myself to the wall in the short hallway that opened to the office. Red lights swept across the darkened room, and through the edge of the front window, I could see several police cars spread out around the square. I squatted down and made my way to Neely Kate’s desk. Hunkered down behind it, I had a much better view out of the front window.
    Officer Ernie was standing on the sidewalk outside my front door, looking down the street while talking to an elderly man. Great. If Officer Ernie was working the case, the police were just as likely to offer Teagen a job as they were to arrest him. The elderly man pointed toward the courthouse, and then the two of them walked out of my view.
    My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I pulled it out, not surprised to see Mason’s name. I considered not answering, but I couldn’t do that to him—especially because I suspected I knew why he was calling.
    “Hey, Mason,” I said quietly, hiding in the hole under Neely Kate’s desk.
    “Where are you?” Worry sharpened his words.
    “We broke up, Mason.” I sounded as weary as I felt.
    “Rose, there was a shooting by your office. I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
    I squeezed my eyes shut. “I’m fine, but it’s not your