“I know.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and clung to him. At least he was still here. He was still trying.

I stopped by Maeve’s house to get Muffy and was nearly tackled by her and Neely Kate. Maeve was upset that Mason had been so distant. I told her I’d shared her premonition with Mason … and how he’d reacted to that and the news of all the things I’d been keeping from him.

“He’s upset with me too,” I said. “We just need to give him some space.”

Neely Kate picked up my left hand. “Where’s your ring?”

“I had to give it him to hold before my meeting with J.R.”

“He didn’t give it back to you?”

I glanced down at my hand again, fear sinking its claws into me. “There was so much going on, he must have forgotten.” I forced a smile. “He’s meeting with someone from the secretary of state’s office. I think he’s goin’ to get his old job back.”

“That’s wonderful,” Neely Kate said, but I could see the worry in her eyes. Both women were so unlike themselves, talking about everything except for the giant elephant in the room—that Mason might have changed his mind after finding out everything. It became overwhelming, particularly because I didn’t know where Mason and I stood with each other. “I need to go to the office. I told Joe I’d meet him there to give my statement.”

Maeve pulled me into a hug. “Hang in there, sweet girl. My son can be hardheaded, but he’ll come around. He loves you. Love will prevail.”

“I hope so.”

I was already walking out the front door when she called me back.

“Rose, I’ve gotten more work done on the journal page.” I stopped in my tracks. “Although it might be a moot point now,” she added.

I spun around to face her, letting the door close behind me. “No, I don’t think it is. What did you find?”

“It says something about a police chief, a shed, and something you were looking for—a key.”

I sucked in a breath. The Henryetta police chief had been killed in a break-in days before the fire. Maybe this was another of J.R.’s sins. Anything that could keep him in jail longer was worth pursuing. “That’s great. Thank you.”

“My shorthand book should be here tomorrow. Do you want me to keep deciphering it?”

I cocked my head. “Would you mind?” I lowered my voice. “But let’s still keep this between the four of us—Mason included … at least until we know more.”

She nodded, a grim look in her eyes. “No problem.”

Neely Kate followed me to the office downtown. As we walked into the cozy space together, I asked, “How are things with you and Ronnie?”

She made a face. “The same.”

I wondered what would happen with all the people in the county who’d offered their allegiance to Mick Gentry. Would they kiss Skeeter’s butt now? What would that mean for Ronnie? I was just as worried about him as I was about my best friend. But I had my own issues to deal with at the moment.

We’d barely gotten settled in the office when Joe dropped in, looking even more exhausted than I felt. Muffy jumped all over him, covering him with licks and kisses.

He scooped her up into his arms. “Good to see you giving me love again after the way you growled at me in the barn. I could use a little affection today.”

I put my hands on my hips in an attempt to give him attitude, but my heart wasn’t in it. I just wanted answers. “You never did tell me what you were doing out there.”

“I did tell you—you just chose not to believe me. I was worried about you, so I was checking your land. And I did hear something out there. I’m more positive than ever that it wasn’t you.”

“Do you think it was the kidnappers?”

A frown creased the lines around his eyes. “Your guess is as good as mine. Why don’t you tell me what happened at Jaspers?”

We sat down, and I told him about my kidnapping. I hesitated on the next part, but I told him that Jed saved me and I decided to use it to my advantage. That I suggested I meet his father as the Lady in Black and Skeeter went along with it.

He paused and looked into my face, worry in his eyes. “If it’s okay with you, I’d like to leave any mention of the Lady in Black out of this. We’ll just say you were dressed up and wearing a hat. If we include anything about the Lady, it will completely blow up. It’s bad enough as it is without people thinking you could be her.”

“Okay …” I said, stunned. “Thank you.”

“Can you believe my father truly believes you’re her? The real Lady in Black?” He laughed, but it sounded forced. “Crazy, I know. But he’s agreed to keep it quiet.”

My heart skipped a beat. “Why would he do that?”

He refused to look me in the eye. “He just did.”

“Joe. What did you do?”

He glanced up, determination making his face rigid. “I got you into this mess. I swear to you I’ll get you out of it. I told you the truth that night in your barn. I was working on something. I still am. Just because my father’s in police custody in the Henryetta Hospital doesn’t mean this is over. We need to make sure he’s good and neutered.”

I believed he meant it, despite the fact that he was talking about his father, but I couldn’t dismiss my lingering fears. “Did you check on Kate’s apartment?”