His back was ramrod stiff, his voice tight. “Deputy, I suggest you come back with a warrant if you want to check out my house.”

I heard the rustle of paper. “Then I guess it’s a good thing I have one.”

Oh crap. If they searched the house they’d probably find my Lady in Black hats.

I ducked under Mason’s arm—I couldn’t let him get into any more trouble on my account, and things would only be worse if they combed through our house. He tried to pull me away from the doorway, but Deputy Hoffstetter grinned ear to ear with a gotcha look.

“Rose Gardner, you’re under arrest for the murder of your mother, Agnes Gardner.” She grabbed my arm and dragged me onto the front porch.

The blood rushed from my head and I felt my knees weaken, making me stumble. I glanced back at Mason, who looked just as terrified as I felt.

“You have the right to remain silent. Everything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.” Deputy Hoffstetter led me down the stairs. She couldn’t have sounded any happier if someone had told her she’d won the Powerball lottery.

I gave her my attention, then gasped when I saw Joe standing at the bottom of my porch steps with his arms crossed over his chest, flanked by two other deputies, one of them being Deputy Miller. The feeling of utter betrayal brought tears to my eyes.

“You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you.”

“Really, Joe?” I demanded as I passed him. “You’re letting her do this?”

He turned his back on me and walked toward one of three sheriff’s cars. I’d wondered what it would be like if he ever really turned his back on me, but I’d never expected it to be this literal.

Mason caught up to us and grabbed my shoulders, spinning me around to face him. “Rose, don’t say anything. Do you hear me? Not one goddamn word until I get you an attorney.”

“But—”

He clapped his hand over my mouth. “Not one word.” Tears filled his eyes. “Promise me.”

I nodded, fighting my growing panic. I was even more scared now than I’d been when I was dragged away last June on suspicion of murdering my mother. This time they really might put me away for life.

Mason pulled his hand away and kissed me before Deputy Hoffstetter slapped a pair of handcuffs on my wrists, securing them behind my back, and jerked me across the yard.

Mason followed, getting angrier by the second as a deputy I didn’t recognize blocked his path.

Mason tried to get around him, pointing his finger at Deputy Hoffstetter. “If you’re not more careful, Deputy, I’ll have you brought up on abuse of power charges.”

She dropped her hold on me and hooked her thumbs into her belt, flashing him a big toothy grin. “That’s a mighty big threat for a mere citizen.” To prove her point, she grabbed my arm and jerked me harder, shoving me toward a sheriff’s car. Joe stood beside the open back door, his face rigid and emotionless.

“You condone this?” Mason shouted, getting around the deputy in his path. He rushed Joe and slammed him against the car. “You’re doing his dirty work now?” He grabbed handfuls of Joe’s coat and shoved him again. Deputy Miller and the other deputy grabbed Mason’s arms and dragged him back, Mason fighting them with every step.

I started to sob. “Mason! Stop!” I couldn’t let him get hurt or arrested.

Deputy Hoffstetter put her hand on my head with more force than necessary to push me into the car. Once I was inside, she leaned into the opening and laughed. “Not so high and mighty now, are you?”

“Simmons!” Mason shouted in disbelief. “Are you really going stand back and let your deputies use excessive force on her?” He lunged for me, but the deputies held onto him with a tight grip.

Joe stepped away from the car, rolling back his shoulders, and his eyes narrowed with contempt. “Keep it up, Deveraux, and you’ll get your own cell in the county jail.” Then he walked over to shut my door, refusing to look at me.

Deputy Hoffstetter slipped in behind the steering wheel and looked at me in the rearview mirror, hate glittering in her eyes. “I’m gonna have a whole lotta fun with you.”

Things had just gotten a whole lot worse