I was gonna have to save myself.

I was taking the lead on this, and for the first time in my life, I felt like I was totally in control. False murder charges and a possible incarceration aside.

Neely Kate was sitting at a table at Merilee’s Café with a glass of tea in front of her and a glass of water in front of my seat. She lifted her eyebrows in reprimand. “You’re late.”

“I was talking to Carter Hale.”

“Oh.” She seemed contrite, which made me realize she had been genuinely upset with me. That was totally unlike her, so something was definitely going on.

“Bruce Wayne said Ronnie asked you to stay home with him yesterday.”

She picked up her glass of tea. “Yep.” The word, delivered as crisp and as sharp as a tack through a sheet of paper, told me a whole lot more than a lengthy explanation.

“He’s just scared, Neely Kate. And worried about you.”

“Last week I would have agreed with you. On Friday, he was smothering me, yet I knew he was only worried about how I was reacting to losing the babies. But yesterday … I have no idea what that was about.”

“What are you talking about?”

“He was upset when I went to see Joe after I found out you were arrested because he was worried I’d get into trouble with the sheriff’s department. But he seemed to deal with it, especially since we stayed home the whole weekend, other than me takin’ Mason his casserole. Ronnie was acting weird, but I didn’t take much notice. Then yesterday he said he was staying home again and insisted that I do the same. He blew a gasket when I told him I was goin’ to see you at the courthouse for your arraignment.” Her eyes bugged wide. “He actually forbade me to go! Can you imagine?”

I cringed. I preferred not to let my mind wander to how that had played out.

She whipped her hair over her shoulder, fire in her eyes. “I put that man in his place right then and there. No one forbids me to do anything.”

“Did he say why?”

Anger filled her eyes. “Yes.”

“So?” When she didn’t say anything, I prodded. “Are you gonna tell me?”

“Wouldn’t you rather hear about breakin’ into the safe?”

I gasped. With everything that had happened this morning, it had slipped my mind. “Did you get it open?”

“No. My nitwit cousin didn’t have the right tools. He says he can try again in about an hour. Which is why we need to hurry lunch along.”

Mason and I had agreed to stay out of this part, but my meeting with Carter had left me unsettled. I needed to do something or I would burst. Besides, in the scheme of unlawful things to do, this was on the low end of trouble. Probably. “I’m goin’ with you.”

She gave me a pointed look. “You sure that’s a good idea?”

“Is Witt gonna tell anyone I watched him commit an illegal activity? I don’t think so. I’m goin’.”

The waitress came to take our order, then left us in silence.

“Was it awful getting arrested and being in jail?”

“Yes. And no.” I told her everything about the weekend, even about my near-miss with Janie. “I can’t go to prison, Neely Kate. I just can’t.”

She patted my hand as our lunch showed up. “Don’t worry. We’re gonna make sure that doesn’t happen.” Then she gave me a grin. “Speakin’ of getting out of jail, I have a surprise for you.”

I gave her a leery glance. “What is it?”

She dug her phone out of her purse and opened an app before handing it to me. I looked down at a photo of a guy wearing a red ball cap, a T-shirt with a logo for a small brewery, and a pair of jeans with a ginormous belt buckle. He was standing on the opposite side of a counter, and even though he was looking to the side, it was easy to see he was a very good-looking man. I leaned closer and realized there was a light brown birthmark on his cheek.

I glanced up at her, lifting my eyebrows in question.

“It’s the guy who posted your bail. I convinced Nita to send me the photo she took.” Her grin spread. “So now we don’t have to try and find a mugshot.”

When we finished lunch, we got into my truck and headed toward the factory.

“Do you really think Paul Buchanan is your father?”

I shook my head. “I’ve had lots of time to think about it. Dora wasn’t sure which of them was my father, although it sure sounded like she was hoping it was Paul. But how could Harrison Gardner not be my father? My daddy’s mother had the same visions I do.”

“I wonder what would have happened if Paul had left his wife and married your momma,” Neely Kate said.

I stopped her musings. “It won’t do any good to think about it. All it does is make me sad. What’s done is done.”

Neely Kate grabbed my hand resting on the seat and squeezed it. “You’ve got friends and family who love you now, Rose. I know you think all those years were wasted, but they helped make you who you are today.”

Tears stung my eyes. “And I’m so grateful. But it doesn’t take away the hurt of what Momma did to me. And what makes it worse is how many people just stood back and watched—Aunt Bessie and Uncle Earl, Daddy, and Hattie.” I shook my head. “I just can’t believe it.”

“It’s over now, and that hateful woman who called herself your momma is gone.”

“But she’s not,” I said, casting a glance at my best friend. “She’s haunting me now from the grave, threatening to destroy everything I’ve been blessed with since she died.”