“But I’m not going to fight for you.”

“What?”

He rubbed his thumbs against her cheeks. “You’re an incredible woman, Jill Strathern. I wish only the best for you.”

Her gaze narrowed. “That sounds amazingly like goodbye.”

“It is.”

“That’s it? Thanks for the good times and goodbye?”

“What else do you want me to say?”

“I don’t know. Something. I appreciate that you’re willing to fight for Emily, but why aren’t you willing to fight for me? Don’t I matter?”

“Of course. I love you.”

“What?”

He brushed his mouth against hers. “I love you.”

She pulled back and glared at him. “Let me see if I have this right. You’re telling me you love me and not to let the door hit me in the ass on the way out?”

“No.”

“But you fully expect me to leave?”

“Yes. It’s what you want.” This wasn’t going well, but he wasn’t sure why.

“You think you know everything, don’t you?” she told him. Anger hardened her words until they felt like bits of glass. “For someone who thinks he knows so much, you’re incredibly stupid.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Obviously.”

She walked past him and out the front door. At the top of the steps she turned back. “I’ll see you in court.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

JILL GRUMBLED the entire way to the courthouse.

“You seem to be in a temper,” her father said calmly from the passenger seat.

“I am. Mac is really stupid. I want to slap him.”

“He has a lot on his mind.”

She stopped at the light and glared at her father. “Don’t even think about taking his side against me.”

“I have to defend him.”

“For hitting Andy, not for what he did to me.”

“This would go better if you told me what he’d done.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Do you really want to have an intimate conversation about my personal life?”

Her father held up both hands. “Excellent point. You’re right. Whatever he did, Mac was a jerk and I hope the two of you work it out.”

She sniffed without answering. Men. Were they all idiots? How on earth could Mac say he loved her and then turn around and let her go? What was up with that? Had he thought it through? Did he think the words were enough? Didn’t he know that she was willing to com promise and find a solution that worked for them both? But no. He made the grand gesture and the decision without once consulting her. It was just so typical and when she stopped being so mad that she wanted to spit, she was going to tell him.

She pulled into the courthouse parking lot and found a spot for the 545. Before she opened her door, she looked at her father.

“You have a plan, right?”

He smiled. “Are you doubting me?”

“Sort of. Normally I wouldn’t care, but this is Mac. I might want to beat the crap out of him right now, but that doesn’t mean I want to do it with him in prison.”

“Interesting point. I’ll keep it in mind.”

She opened the car door and stepped out into the morning. It was beautiful and clear, much as it had been a couple of days ago at the pier celebration. Not that she wanted that experience repeated again. If there—

A sharp sound like a gunshot made her jump. Before her heart could leap out of her chest, she realized it was just another car door nearby.

“I’m going to need therapy to get back to normal,” she muttered right before someone grabbed her arm.

“There you are!”

She shrieked and spun away only to find herself staring into the pale gray eyes of her ex-husband.

“Lyle? What are you doing here?”

“What do you think?” he asked, his face flushed and his veins throbbing. “You ruined me.”

She shook her head. “I think you have me confused with, oh, say, yourself. I’ve been here in Los Lobos for the past several weeks, trying to put my life together. You’ve been in San Francisco. How exactly could I have ruined you?”

He looked young and upset, as if he were about to cry. “Everything is gone. My job, my career. There’s talk of disbarring me.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

Surprisingly, she found she meant the words.

“I want my car,” he said, sounding as petulant as a child.

“Of course you do.” She handed him the keys. “Here you go.”

He stared at her. “Just like that? Why are you being nice?”

Because he didn’t matter. Because he had nothing and even if Mac was an idiot, she still had a chance for perfect happiness.

“I agreed to give you the car,” she said. “Take it.”

He brushed back his thinning hair and grabbed the keys, then turned to the BMW and ran his hands along the smooth roof.

“Are there any dents?”

“Not a one. Not even a scratch.”

She thought about telling him her theory that the car was somehow protected by a higher force, but what was the point?

“Enjoy,” she said, and started walking toward the courthouse.

Her father fell into step with her. “I never knew what you saw in him.”

She glanced back as Lyle got into the car and started the engine. “Me, either. I sold myself way short with him, and I can tell you that’s not going to happen again.”

“Good.” He put his arm around her. “You know there’s a very good chance Lyle’s going to be living out of that car.”

“I heard.”

They’d reached the steps of the courthouse and started to climb them. From the street came the squeal of brakes followed by a huge crash. Jill turned to see that Lyle had driven the gleaming black 545 into the side of a delivery truck. He got out and started screaming. She stood there for a second, trying to care, then realized she didn’t and walked inside.

MAC HAD THOUGHT a few folks from town would come to the hearing. Events like this were always of interest, but even he hadn’t expected there to be standing room only.

“You seem to be a popular figure around here,” William Strathern said as he opened his briefcase and pulled out some papers.

“I doubt they’re offering support,” Mac said.

He turned away from the crowd when he spotted Hollis waving at him. He’d been avoiding the social worker for two days. No way did he want to hear the prissy pip-squeak gloating now.

“You might be surprised at what the people want,” Strathern told him. “Have you talked to Jill lately?”

“Not since yesterday.”

Not since he’d told her he loved her and she’d stalked out of his house as if he’d insulted her.

“She’s in a temper,” her father said. “I wonder why.”

Mac swallowed but didn’t speak.

“You know about her job offer in San Diego.”

“She told me.”

“Her old law firm wants her back, too.”

Mac hadn’t known that. “Great. She must be happy.”

“Oddly, she’s not. Oh, I’m sure there’s a nice sense of vindication, but apparently Jill wants to make other arrangements for her future.”

Mac felt sure there was a message in the other man’s words, but he wasn’t sure what it was. “I don’t…”

Jill’s father stared at him. “Did it ever occur to you there was a reason you and Jill both returned to Los Lobos at exactly the same time?”

Before Mac could absorb the question, let alone answer it, Carly came up. He hadn’t seen her in nearly a month and she didn’t look very happy.

“Where’s Emily?” she asked by way of greeting.

“With her baby-sitter. I didn’t want her to see this.”

“At least you got that right.” She glared at him. “Dammit, Mac, how could you do this? How can you act like this and expect me to trust you with our child? What if you’re charged? What if you go to prison? What will she think about that?”

“Mrs. Kendrick?”

Mac nearly growled when he saw Hollis approaching. “Get out of here,” Mac said.

Hollis ignored him. “Mrs. Kendrick, I’m the social worker in charge of your case. If I could have a moment of your time, please?”

Mac wanted to grab the other man by the shirtfront and shake him. “Stay out of this, Hollis.”

Hollis pushed up his glasses. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, Mac. There are some things that Emily’s mother needs to know about you.”

Mac sank down in his chair and knew he was completely and totally screwed.

“Not a fan?” Strathern asked.

“More like someone who would like to see me do hard time.”

The bailiff appeared, along with the judge, and court was called to session. Mac stared straight ahead, not wanting to see what was going on behind him or look at the district attorney.

The charges were read. William Strathern rose and introduced himself to the judge.

“Good to see you, Bill,” the man at the bench said. “I thought you’d moved to Florida.”

“I have. This is a special case.” Strathern slipped on his glasses. “I’m sure the district attorney told you that Andrew Murphy is dead.”

“I heard that, yes. The court sends condolences to the family, but his death doesn’t change what happened.”

Much as Mac had thought.

“Are you also aware that my client has temporary custody of his minor-aged daughter and that there are certain limitations to that custody?” Strathern asked.

“Yes. Mr. Bass from our Social Services department has given me all of the particulars. If Mr. Kendrick is charged, I’ll be informing the court in Los Angeles.”

“Ah, Your Honor?”

Mac turned and saw Hollis had risen.

“Yes?”

“I’m Hollis Bass. About that report to the other court. It’s not really necessary.”

The judge frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“Just that whatever happens here, whatever Mr. Kendrick did, he still loves his daughter very much.”

“There are rules, Mr. Bass.”

“Yes. Of course.” Hollis adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat. “In the past few days I’ve come to see that Mac, ah, Mr. Kendrick is an extraordinary father. What he did to the deceased was wrong, but he did it for the best of reasons. He was trying to protect a young woman’s life. A pregnant young woman. He stepped in when my department did nothing. For all we know, he saved Mrs. Murphy’s life.”

Mac felt as if he’d stepped into an alternative universe. Hollis defending him? Was it possible?

Several people started whispering. The judge banged his gavel and called for order.

“Mr. Bass, are you arguing for Mr. Kendrick to keep his daughter or for the district attorney to drop the charges?”

“Oh.” Hollis looked surprised. “Both, actually.”

“And this would be by what authority?”

“Well, ah, none, but I’ve gotten to know Mr. Kendrick and when I saw how he handled the situation on the beach, it was amazing. So many people could have been killed. There were ample opportunities for—”

“Thank you, Mr. Bass. I’m sure if either side wishes you to testify, they’ll call on you. Please be seated.”

Hollis nodded vigorously and sank back in his chair.

Mac shook his head. Was that why Hollis kept calling? Had he wanted to reassure Mac that he was now on his side?

“Your Honor?”

The judge looked up. “Yes? You are?”