“Leave her be!” Shep slammed his fist on the table. Quiet descended as everyone stared at the family member least likely to pound his fist on a table. “She’s trying to build a life here. Every time you do this, you push her away. I’ve had it. I want her around. Stop chasing her off.”

“What about what she’s doing?” Garrett spoke.

“Why are you speaking at all?” Caroline turned to Garrett. “This is not your business.”

“I’m one of the men of this family. You need to defer to better judgment. No offense, Royal. Of course you’ll want to handle this.”

“What are you talking about?” Royal was so over this whole thing. He’d tried for her sake, but most of these people didn’t care about her enough to even attempt to be careful and he was done watching them tear her up.

“You’re the man, I know you’ll handle this appropriately now that you know what’s happening.”

“Okay, this is getting out of hand,” James cut in, trying to take control. “Caroline, you’re aware of how upset your grandmother gets over this issue.”

“Grandpa, I’m not doing this to make anyone feel bad. I’m doing this because it’s the right thing to do.”

Garrett invaded their conversation again. “The right person died in prison. He should have been put down like a rabid animal. You made the wrong choice and you have to live with that.”

“I am not understanding why you’re speaking to Caroline, Garrett. Perhaps you can explain that.” Royal gave the other man a level look.

“While she ran off with the family of a murderer, her grandparents picked up the pieces and gave Shep and Mindy a home. She turned her back on people, and now she realizes she’s never going to get herself on television talking about freeing her daddy the killer. She’s back here trying to cause trouble because her grandparents will always protect their daughter’s memory. That she’s back now actin’ this way—”

“That I’m here and acting any way is none of your business, Garrett. Back off and butt out. I don’t want your advice. I sure don’t need it. This is not your business.”

“You’re not being fair. He’s marrying me. He wants to protect our family.” Mindy wrung her hands. Ugh, fragile. So totally unlike their mother it made Caroline want to shake her sister and tell her to wise up.

“I’m being more than fair. Whatever you let him get away with is your business and your choice. But he’s not qualified to give me counsel.”

Garrett smiled, smug as he indicated Caroline with a hand. “See? She’s just mad.”

“She was my mother. Is anyone hearing that? I was the first-born child to Bianca and Enrique Mendoza. My mom taught me how to ride a bike and bake cookies. My dad taught me how to roast a chicken and how to change the oil. Am I mad? Hell yes I’m mad. I’m mad that my mother was murdered when I was fifteen. I’m mad that my father was put on trial and found guilty of a crime he did not commit. I’m mad that at sixteen I was not even allowed to whisper about my feelings. Regarding my family! So yes, I packed my bags and boxed up my life and I moved across the country. So I could believe what I wanted.

“I didn’t run off. I was run off.” Caroline looked directly at her grandparents. “And there’s no mistaking who did it. So don’t ever come at me like I don’t care or that my belief—backed up by facts—is a betrayal of my mother. You don’t know a thing about my relationship with my mother.” She stood up and Royal joined her, his arm around her shoulder.

“My investigator will address the police in Millersburg. And anyone else we think might help us. I will continue to do everything I can to find the real murderer and to clear my father’s name. I came to have lunch with my family. I didn’t start this. Y’all did. But I’m finishing it because I’m going now.”

“Wait!” Shep stood. “Haven’t we done this enough? Things were just fine before Garrett opened his mouth. Again. Let’s everyone calm down and sit and finish up lunch. Everyone has spoken their piece so let’s leave it be.”

Abigail gave Shep a flinty glare. “Sit. You’re going to embarrass us in front of Royal.”

Caroline looked at her grandmother, and Shep cleared his throat so she sighed. “I need some air. I’ll be back.”

Royal followed her out onto the back porch. Once they got away from the house a bit, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. It was damned cold, but he wanted to be there for her right then too, holding her so she knew he’d protect her.

“Whatever you want to do. Tell me and I’ll make it happen.”

“I just had this realization I can’t hide this part of myself from them anymore. I don’t want to hurt anyone, but I’m going to include myself this time.”

“You should. Damn it. Caro. When you talked about not running off but being run off? Honey, I bleed for you and all this pain. You’re their whipping boy. When are you finally going to refuse to bleed for them? Huh?”

“You’re right.” Her voice was muffled by his chest, where she had her face pressed. “I don’t want to be here anymore.”

“Here’s what we’re going to do. We’ll go inside and you can tell them we’re leaving. Or I will. Whatever you want. Then we just walk toward the front door. Even if tizzies are being had, we keep going.”