My heart sunk. “I’m sorry, Marco. I know you were hoping to do this the right way.”

He gave me a tight smile. “The important thing is that you’re safe. Greta and Lula too.”

Something about his tone caught my attention.

“He blackmailed you, didn’t he?” When he gave me a blank look, I said, “He wouldn’t let you take me to the hospital, but it was pretty generous of him to provide medical assistance, so I’m sure he got something for it. He asked you not to involve the sheriff, didn’t he?”

“Don’t feel bad,” he said. “You saved my life. I saved yours. We’re even.”

So why didn’t it feel like that?

Because he hadn’t just saved my life. For my sake, Marco had given up his morals and his aspirations for the sheriff’s department.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

“No. My guts feel like they’ve been scrubbed with sandpaper.”

“The medic says you probably won’t be able to go back to work for a few days.”

That sobered me some. “I’m not sure I’m going back to the tavern.”

“Max said you have your job back.”

“I know,” I said. “But if Max had just been honest with us, then we never would have gotten this deep.”

Wyatt too, but I didn’t want to say it.

“He and Wyatt did what they thought was best given the circumstances. They think you’ve got a bad case of the flu,” he said in a tight voice. “They don’t know how many times you came close to dyin’ over the last few days. We didn’t tell them about what happened with Jones. Greta and Lula have sworn they won’t tell a soul.”

“How are they explaining Greta’s face?”

“She’s tellin’ everyone her ex kidnapped and beat the shit out of her, but she refuses to press charges. Hines is Bingham’s man, so he won’t make a peep.”

“And Mobley?”

“Disappeared.” He swallowed, then said, “But Bingham paid Mobley a visit and got the location for where Charlie Jones was keepin’ you and Greta.”

“And then Bingham shut him up permanently,” I said. It wasn’t a question.

Marco didn’t need to respond, and he didn’t.

“How did you end up showing up with Bingham?”

“Ruth called me and said you’d disappeared after going to the back room. She was scared, saying you disappeared shortly after Bingham came to see you. Charlie was careless when he kidnapped you, because there was an obvious sign of a struggle and your coat was still there. So I went to Bingham’s property to tell him you’d been taken. I demanded he give you back if he was the one who’d taken you, but he swore he didn’t have you, which put Charlie Jones at the top of the suspect list. Seein’ as how Bingham’s not bound by the law, he drove straight to Mobley Funeral Home and demanded answers.”

“You were with Bingham when he questioned Mobley?”

“No, but I was in my car in the parking lot. I’m still an accessory.”

I closed my eyes and tears leaked from the corners. “Marco. I’m so sorry.”

Marco pulled me into a hug. “I’m not. I’d do it all over again, and then some, to save you.”

The whole nightmare replayed in my head. I started to sob. He let me cry myself out, gently wrapped me up in his arms, then tucked me back into his bed when I got sleepy from the exertion.

The next time I woke it was late evening. He gave me some chicken broth and then helped me into the bathroom. He gave me some privacy, but returned to sit on the toilet while I showered in case I needed help.

After that, I was awake more often, and the next day I could get out of bed on my own. I’d moved out to the sofa, and we were watching an action movie that Marco had picked from his satellite dish lineup. I was leaning into his arm, dozing off and on, when his body stiffened. He jumped up, grabbing his crutch, and hobbled to a window overlooking the front yard.

I could hear a car engine coming closer.

Marco picked up a shotgun lying on his kitchen table and headed for the front door.

“Marco?”

He ignored me, opening the front door and lifting his gun as a greeting to the approaching vehicle.

“Marco.”

I started to get up, but he shot me a glance as he lowered the weapon. “It’s Lula and Greta.”

I sank back into the cushions, pulling the blanket on my lap higher to ward off the chill from outside.

“Is it okay if we see Carly?” I heard Lula ask.

“She’s still recoverin’,” Marco said, “but I know she’d be happy to see you both.”

A few seconds later, they both bustled inside and hurried over to me. Greta was carrying a vase of flowers and Lula had a handful of magazines.

Relief flooded my veins. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you both.”

“We’ve been dyin’ to see you,” Lula said. “But Marco said you weren’t up to visitors yet.”

“I suggested that you wait until tomorrow,” he grumbled, shutting the door and laying the gun on the table. “She still needs her rest.”

“I’m glad you came,” I said, even though I felt a little self-conscious. Lula’s face was glowing with an inner joy that made me slightly jealous, and while Greta’s face was still bruised, she’d covered it up with makeup and had on a cute shirt and jeans. I was wearing one of Marco’s long-sleeved T-shirts and a pair of sagging jogger pants. I hadn’t brushed my hair since my shower the night before, and I knew I had a serious case of bed head from lying against Marco and the sofa back.

“We brought you some things as a thank you,” Greta said, holding out the vase of mixed red, yellow, and white flowers, “even though it’s pretty lame in comparison to what you did for us.”

“Thank you,” I said with a soft smile. “I love flowers, but you didn’t have to bring me anything but yourselves.”

They set their gifts on the coffee table, and Greta took a seat to my right while Lula got settled in the armchair. Marco offered them drinks, but they declined. He hung back in the kitchen, giving us space but ready to step in if I needed help.

Lula stared at me for a few seconds, clearly wanting to say something but hesitant to do so.

“It’s okay, Lula,” I said. “Feel free to say what’s on your mind.”

She glanced down at her lap before looking up to meet my eyes. “No one in this town thought to look for me except you. Max was countin’ on that.” She grimaced, then shook her head. “The no one lookin’ part. Not the part about you lookin’.”

“I gathered that,” I said, the scab ripped from the wound of his betrayal. “What happened after I dropped you off at home? How’d you end up with Max?”

“I went home and started a fire before bed. I was getting ready for work the next morning when I heard a truck comin’ down the lane. No one comes to see me, so I knew it was probably one of Carson Purdy’s guys wantin’ their money. The thing is, I did something stupid, Carly. When I got to Chattanooga, I stood by the river, looking down at the water, and it was just so beautiful. I thought about taking my baby there someday, and suddenly I couldn’t stand the thought of going through with the deal. I threw the drugs in the water. I knew I couldn’t come back after what I done, but then I heard about Carson Purdy, and I figured maybe it would be okay to come home. I didn’t think Pete would hurt me because of the baby. But when that man showed up on my property, I realized I’d thought wrong. I grabbed my shotgun and ran out the back to the creek, then hurried down it a ways so he wouldn’t see my footprints.”