“I was worried. I know the deputy is ambivalent toward Rose—”

I broke away and put my hands on my hips. “Joe pretty much said the same thing. Why does she hate me? I’ve never even met the woman before she showed up at our house the other night.”

Mason turned sheepish. “She knows . . . your dating history.”

“What does that mean?”

“She knows you dated Joe and then started dating me a month or so later. I’ve been told that she thinks you’re a badge bunny.”

“A what?”

He looked embarrassed. “She thinks you’re fixated on law enforcement officers.”

I shook my head. “That doesn’t make any sense. You’re not a law enforcement officer.”

He shrugged, his cheeks beginning to go pink. “But I am in law enforcement. I file the charges.”

I knew him well enough to know he was keeping something from me. “There’s more. What aren’t you sayin’?”

“Some of the other deputies have told me that she thinks you fabricate or set up situations to get yourself into trouble so the police will be called.”

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard!” Neely Kate shouted. “Is she crazy?”

The deputy turned to stare at my friend, and I grabbed Neely Kate’s arm. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not!”

It wasn’t, but I was used to people thinking the worst of me. So why did it still hurt so much? “Who else thinks that?”

“No one, Rose.” Mason pulled me into another hug. “No one that I know of.”

“Would you tell me?”

“Yes. I would.” He kissed my forehead and pulled back.

“Oh, my stars and garters,” Neely Kate exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips and narrowing her eyes. “She’s jealous!”

“What?” I asked, glancing up at Mason. His cringe confirmed it.

“He was the second most eligible bachelor in Fenton County,” Neely Kate said, “before you took him off the market. It’s not too much of a stretch to figure out that Abbie Lee Hoffstetter wants your boyfriend.”

Mason looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole. “I’m gonna get Joe over here so you two can give your statements, okay?”

“Yeah.”

He lifted my chin, searching my eyes. “Are you okay? Really?”

I took a second to answer. “Yes, but I need you to know that this wasn’t my fault, Mason.”

Surprise flickered in his eyes. “I know that. I never doubted you, Rose.”

“Thank you.”

He gave me a gentle kiss and left me with Neely Kate. A few moments later, he and Joe walked back together. They didn’t exactly look comfortable standing so close to each other, but at least they weren’t about to start a brawl of their own.

Joe studied Neely Kate and me for several seconds, then turned to me. “Ms. Stone says you were asking about Dolly Parton Parker.”

“I was.”

“You don’t know either of these women. What are you up to?”

My chest filled with indignation. “You very well know that Dolly is Neely Kate’s cousin. I asked you about her just yesterday. We’re trying to find her.”

“So what are you doing down here at a place that was busted for meth distribution just a week ago?”

“I came here to ask Tabitha if she knew where Dolly was. I went to her house first and her . . . boyfriend told me she was here. Since all y’all won’t look for her, and Neely Kate’s got a bad feeling about her disappearance, we figured someone had to check it out.”

“And did Ms. Stone tell you where she was?”

“No, she didn’t know. Which is another reason why y’all need to be looking for her.”

“The fact that she’s missing doesn’t mean she’s in trouble.” Joe grunted in frustration. “You have to take her history into consideration. She’s run off before. Neely Kate having a feeling that something isn’t right doesn’t mean I can take deputies off cases with real evidence to go on a wild goose chase.”

I started to protest, but Joe held up his hands. “There are only so many deputies, Rose. Our resources are limited.”

I glared at him. “Yet Deputy Hoffstetter has time to stalk me.”

He sighed. “She wasn’t stalking you. She was doing a drive-by of the community center. I told you that we had a big bust here last week.”

I scowled. His explanation sounded plausible, but I wasn’t sure if I bought it. “Mason?” I asked, turning to him.

“I’m sorry, Rose. I’m going to have to side with Joe on this one. Dolly’s run off before, and the sheriff’s department has its hands full with other, more pressing cases.” He glanced at Joe. “If she doesn’t turn up in a few more days, maybe you can reconsider.”

Joe gave a brisk nod. “Let me know if she hasn’t turned up by Friday afternoon, and I’ll see if I can spare someone.”

I could see their point, even if I didn’t like it. Friday afternoon was two days away.

“I’ve got to get back to the office,” Joe said, glancing at the crowd before turning to look at me. “Rose, I’d tell you to stay out of trouble, but that would be wasted breath.” Then he walked off before I could respond.

Mason looked like he wanted to go after Joe and throttle him.