“You don’t want to go home?” I asked in surprise.

“I do…but Ronnie will be there.”

Fear lodged in my stomach. Neely Kate and Ronnie were perfect together. But I’d thought the same thing about my sister and her husband. They had faked their happiness so well the dissolution of their marriage had shaken me to the core. Was my best friend having marital problems and I’d missed it? I wasn’t sure Neely Kate could handle much more loss. “Are you and Ronnie havin’ problems?”

“No. Yes. I don’t know.” She ran her hand over her head. “He’s trying so hard to be supportive.”

“How is that bad?”

“It’s not. I’m just tired of disappointing him.”

I gasped. “Disappointing him? Neely Kate, that man loves you more than life itself. You didn’t see him in the waiting room when you were in surgery and we weren’t even sure you were even gonna make it. He was devastated. Mason had to take him into the hallway to get him to calm down.”

“Because I lost our babies?”

“No. Because he couldn’t live without you. How is that disappointing him?”

“He wants babies, Rose.”

I grabbed her hand. “So you’ll get pregnant again and have more. I know it doesn’t replace the two babies you lost, but you can try again when you’re ready.”

She shook her head. “No. I can’t.”

I stiffened in surprise. “Why not?”

“The doctor said it was a miracle I got pregnant in the first place. He said I have endometriosis and my fallopian tubes are scarred. That’s why I had an ectopic pregnancy. Now one of my tubes is gone, and if I get pregnant again, there’s a good chance the same thing will happen with the other one.”

I stared at her in shock. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I just found out yesterday at my doctor’s appointment. And I didn’t want to admit that I’m a failure.”

That explained why she looked so shaken when I saw her at the Bingo hall that evening. “A failure? How can you say that?”

“Ronnie wants kids. He’s told me that since we started dating. Now I can’t give them to him.”

“Neely Kate, I swear to you that Ronnie wants you. And you can still have kids.” She started to protest, but I kept going. “Maybe not the old-fashioned way, but you can try in vitro. Or you can adopt. There are lots of kids out there who need a home.”

“I don’t think I’m meant to have kids, Rose.” She didn’t look upset anymore, simply resigned. “Maybe there’s a reason God took those poor innocent babies away from me.”

I put my hands on my hips. “Now you’re talkin’ nonsense. Any baby would be lucky to have you as a mother, Neely Kate Colson.” I handed her coat to her. “Come on.”

“You tired of me now after all my whining?” she asked, but a tiny spark of mischief lit her eyes.

“I think I’ve had enough crazy nonsense today to last a lifetime. So don’t you be adding more to it.”

We headed for the back door. Muffy was asleep in her dog bed, so I left her at home, purposely leaving the alarm off.

Neely Kate was quiet on the drive back to town. I could tell she was tired, both physically and emotionally. I knew she needed a little time to wallow, as I’d need exactly the same thing if I were in her position.

I parked next to her car in front of the landscaping office and she turned to face me. “Rose, thanks for listening. And for not judging me.”

“What would I have judged you for?”

She gave me a sheepish grimace. “Drinkin’ all those beers at the pool hall this afternoon.”

I grinned. “Shoot, everyone deserves to drink a few beers every now and then. I had my turn when I got drunk at Skeeter’s pool hall last summer when I was trying to find out if he was Frank Mitchell’s bookie. Remember? Mason found me—after you sent him—and he threatened to have the pool hall closed, and then he threatened to have me arrested for a DUI if I tried to drive home.”

“What are you gonna do about Skeeter?”

It was hard to believe the man I’d met last July was now having me hunted down by one of his guys. Then again, maybe it wasn’t so hard to believe. “Hope he cools down sooner rather than later. Maybe Jed will call me soon.”

“Let me know if you hear anything—from Jed or Hattie.”

“I will.” As I watched her get into her car and drive away, I wondered what to do next, but my phone rang and I picked it up, nervous about who might be calling. I breathed a sigh of relief when it was Mason.

“Hey, sweetheart. How was your afternoon?”

“Good. You sound exhausted.”

“I am, but my day’s not done yet. Joe just called about a homicide south of town and I need to head over to the murder scene. I know you want to talk to me, but I’m not sure how long I’ll be. How about you hang out at Mom’s until I can get away?”

“They’re after you, Mason. Not me. I’d rather go home to Muffy. I left her all alone.”

“Then call Deputy Miller and tell him you’re going home so he can check up on you.”

I considered arguing with him, but then I thought of the notes and Merv roaming the streets of Henryetta in search of me. I had to admit, I’d feel better knowing Deputy Miller was there keeping an eye on things. “Be careful,” I said. “Okay?”