She gave me a coy grin. “Maybe it’s because you insist on sleepin’ with the wrong man.”

“Even if I were interested in your brother, that’s never gonna happen given the fact that he had me arrested.”

She tsked and shook her head. “I told you to mind your P’s and Q’s.”

“If that was your way of warning me I was about to be arrested, you suck at communicating.”

Kate laughed. “I like you.” She tilted her head and looked me up and down. “You’re this perfect combination of the innocent girl next door and the girl who won’t take shit. No wonder Joe likes you.”

I groaned. “As you can see, I’ve survived, at least for the three weeks until my trial. After that, your daddy’s puttin’ me away, which is the sort of thing that puts a damper on a relationship. So, again, I can only tell you that it’s never. Gonna. Happen. Now if you don’t mind, I have work to do.” I started to head for the office.

“Chin up, Rose Petal. One of the things you’re seeking is closer than you think. Practically under your nose.”

I spun around and put my hands on my hips. “Do you always talk in riddles? What in Sam Hill are you talkin’ about?”

She laughed and took several steps backward. “Think bigger and wider than this backward county.”

“If you think it’s so backward, what are you still doin’ here?”

She took another backward step and held out her hands. “What? You want me to miss the show that’s about to unfold? Not a chance. It’s a perfect storm that’s been brewing for years, and it’s all about to come to a head.” Grinning from ear to ear, she shook her head. “No, I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” Then she turned around and walked toward the courthouse, whistling a happy tune.

“What was that all about?” Bruce Wayne asked in the now-open door to our office.

I kept my eye on her as she walked away. “I have no idea.”

I didn’t have time to mess with Joe’s sister and her cryptic messages. I had bigger issues on my list.

“Welcome back.”

I turned around to face him. “It’s good to be back. Even if it’s only for a short time.”

His face fell. “Mason’ll figure something out.”

“And maybe Carter Hale,” I added.

“Hale’s only doin’ this for Skeeter, but he’s still pretty good. I feel better that he took your case.”

“Strangely enough, so do I.” I motioned for him to go back inside. “Let’s get in out of the cold.”

We headed into the cozy office, and I immediately felt less anxious. With our second-hand furniture and desks made out of doors, the office was far from fancy, but it was warm and welcoming. Other than the farm, it was my favorite place to be. “Have you seen Neely Kate since Friday?”

“Only at the courthouse yesterday. She said Ronnie took another day off yesterday and insisted she stay home with him.”

I frowned. “That’s weird. He’s not usually demanding.”

“Yeah. Something’s not right there.”

I shrugged off my coat and threw it on my desk before sitting in my chair. “Mason is going to Little Rock today to try and pin down how he got fired. We’re hoping he can find a link to J.R. Simmons there because we keep running into dead ends here. Have you heard anything about J.R. taking part in the criminal world in Fenton County?”

“If someone like J.R. had an active role, don’t you think people would be talkin’?”

“True.” I leaned back in my chair. “Maybe he’s getting Mick to do all the work for him. If he gets Mick to take over Skeeter’s kingdom and kill Mason, he won’t have to get his hands dirty.”

“Kill Mason?”

I told him about my vision, and he looked pale. “So what’s Mason gonna do?”

“Nothing.” Fear rose up, trying to choke me again, but I smothered it back into submission. “He says he’s bein’ careful, but if they want him dead and he’s not in hiding, things are gonna get ugly. At least he’s wearin’ a gun, although the thought of Mason being involved in a shootout scares the bejiggers out of me.” I took a breath to try to calm my nerves. “I think he’s safer in Little Rock today than he is here, where …” We both knew what could happen here. Still, I was proud of myself for not breaking down while I discussed the possibility of my boyfriend’s murder. “The question is why would J.R. want criminal ties to Fenton County? Twenty-five years ago he invested in the Atchison plant, but was he already in at the time, or was it a new venture?”

“Beats me.” He shrugged, worry lines creasing his forehead.

“He’s obviously here now. So what’s he got his thumb in? Other than the obvious?”

“Dunno. There’s not much to be had here. Not anymore. The county had a lot more money twenty-five years ago. It would have made sense for him to get out after the factory burned down.”

“The town thrived back when they were drillin’ oil. Maybe he’s got information that one of wells is profitable. Could be he wants to take it over.”

Bruce Wayne shrugged again. “Doubtful. Only a few wells are producing anything to sneeze at, and that’s not very much. Especially considerin’ all the trouble he’s goin’ to.”

“So this is mostly personal. But even so, he’s the type who’d want some sort of financial gain out of it.”