“They ruled it as natural causes, but after I got tackled by someone who was trying to break into her house, I called—”

“Whoa! How did you get tackled? What were you doing around her house?”

“Muffy ran into her backyard. She must have heard the guy breaking in. Even though she was on her leash, she bolted and I chased her around back.”

“Are you okay? Did you get hurt?”

“I’m fine, other than my pride being wounded after getting knocked on my behind. Mason came to check out the crime scene, and he told me Muffy scared the intruder off before he got in.”

“Let me get this straight.” His voice was strained. “Mason showed up for a simple breaking and entering? That seems a little beneath his position.”

Oh, dear. This was getting worse. I knew I should tell Joe that I’d been the one to call Mason, but his tone made it clear that it would be a bad idea. The truck was probably safer territory. “Anyway…I was telling Violet I thought we needed a truck when Mason showed up at the nursery looking for a gift for his mother. He heard and offered to help me negotiate.”

“I bet he did.” Joe’s tone was dry. “And you accepted.”

My anger riled up. I didn’t like what he was insinuating. “I told you that I would have waited for you, but I didn’t know when you’d be back.”

“I’ve been begging you for months, Rose—months—to get a safer vehicle. And then as soon as Mason offers to help buy you a truck, you run out and buy one.”

“It wasn’t like that. We went the next day.”

“Well there you have it,” he said mockingly. “You went the next day.”

“Joe, please try to understand.”

“I think I do understand.” His voice was strangely quiet.

Panic rose up, but it was liberally flavored with irritation. “What are you insinuating, Joe McAllister? Do you think I’d send you off on a dangerous undercover operation, and then cheat on you with Mason Deveraux? Do you think so little of me?”

“After what happened between Deveraux and me in Little Rock, it’s not you I’m worried about.”

“And maybe this conversation would mean more to me if you’d bother to tell me what happened.”

His breath was heavy in my ear. “You’re right.” He paused. “I’ll tell you about it the next time I see you, I promise. I don’t want to have this conversation over the phone. Trust me, okay?”

Joe had never given me reason not to trust him. If anything, he’d given me every reason to give him my absolute blind faith. But this deep, dark secret scared me. “I love you, Joe. You know that.”

“I know.” His voice broke. “I just don’t want to lose you.”

Something about the way he said the words made me wonder if the threat was entirely on my end. “What’s goin’ on there? Are you safe?”

“Darlin’, you know every time I put on my badge—”

“Joe. Stop. Is this more dangerous than usual?”

“You know I can’t talk about my job.” I heard the tired smile in his voice.

My heartbeat sped up. “Quit.”

“I already told you that I’m planning on it.”

“No. Right now. Tell your boss you’re done and come home to me, Joe.”

“Oh, Rose,” he said. “You know I can’t do that.”

I knew, but I was still upset that he was choosing his job over me. But that wasn’t fair, and it wasn’t true, either. Joe couldn’t just quit in the middle of an assignment—that wasn’t the type of person he was. And that was one of many reasons I loved him. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too. Just please be patient with me.”

“I’m just scared.”

“I know, darlin’. I am too. But not because of my job.”

“I’m not goin’ anywhere. I’m here waiting for you.”

“I’m counting on that.” He sighed and his voice was tight. “I trust you, Rose. I’m sorry if I insinuated anything different. That wasn’t my intention. It’s just that…” His voice trailed off.

Tears clogged my throat. “I love you, Joe. Only you.”

“I know, darlin’. I never doubt that. That’s what’s getting me through this.”

“You’re job?” My breath hitched with my rising terror. What was he doing in El Dorado?

“No, darlin’. Not my job. It’s okay. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’ll explain it all when this is done.” The timber of his voice deepened. “I have to go. Whatever is going on there with Miss Dorothy’s death, stay out of it. Sometimes I think you scare up more danger than I do.”

Sometimes I wondered if he was right. But this time, the danger I was facing wasn’t the bad guys lurking outside my door.

Chapter Thirteen

The kids played all night with Heidi Joy’s boys and Muffy. I tried to have fun with them, but I was too upset. Once again, it felt like there was sand shifting under my feet. I barely had time to get used to the new way of things when everything shifted again. Violet and Mike’s world had changed, but that didn’t mean mine had to. Once Joe finished this assignment, he’d get the job at the sheriff’s department and come live with me. We’d build our life together in Henryetta. But would Joe really be happy living here?