“Mason, I’m going to keep looking for my cousin,” Neely Kate said defiantly.

He nodded, his anger fading. “There’s nothing wrong with you looking for her. Just try to steer clear of people who have a personal vendetta against either one of you, okay?” He grinned. “And I thought everyone liked you, Neely Kate.”

Neely Kate crossed her arms over her chest. “She tried to steal my husband days before my wedding. Ronnie dated her in high school. She hates me because Ronnie chose me.”

Mason’s grin widened. “And that confirms what I already knew: Ronnie is an intelligent man.”

“I know, right?” Neely Kate beamed. “But that’s why I had Rose talk to her. I figured Tabitha wouldn’t tell me a thing.”

Mason put his arm around my waist and tugged me to his side. “I know you didn’t do anything wrong, but I feel the need to reiterate that if you continue to pursue this matter, you shouldn’t put yourselves into dangerous situations.”

Neely Kate nodded solemnly. “We’ll steer clear of crazy ex-cons in the future.”

What had Tabitha done that made her an ex-con?

“I have to get back to work,” he said, leaning over to give me a kiss. “Check in with me today so I know you’re safe, okay?”

I looked up into his face, feeling so lucky that this man was mine. “I love you, Mason.”

He pulled me flush against him and gave me a toe-curling kiss, right there in front of everyone. Then he lifted his head with a grin. “I’m counting on that.”

“Deputy Abbie Lee is fuming right now,” Neely Kate laughed.

I didn’t even look at her; I just watched Mason walk back to his car, still in a daze. Neely Kate looped her arm through mine. “Come on, love bird. We’ve got work to do.”

Chapter Twelve

We got back in my truck and I turned to her. “Tabitha really doesn’t know where Dolly Parton is. Apparently she hasn’t talked to her much since your wedding.”

“Dolly picked me over Tabitha?” she asked in surprise. “She didn’t tell me.”

“It sounds like it. But she told me something that doesn’t mesh with what Billy Jack told us. He said Dolly broke his TV on the way out the door, but Tabitha said she heard from a friend that Dolly had broken it a couple of weeks ago.”

“Why would he lie? What’s he hiding?”

“I don’t know, but Tabitha said your cousin was working somewhere new. A place called Gems.”

Neely Kate tapped a finger to her cheek. “I knew she’d started working there, but I’d hoped she’d come to her senses and quit. I suppose we should go there next.”

“Sounds like it, but don’t you need to go back to work?”

Neely Kate shrugged. “I think maybe I can sneak away for another hour or so before Stella the Hun realizes I’ve gone.” She forced a smile. “So let’s go to Gems.”

“There’s only one problem: I’ve never heard of it. Do you know where it is?”

“It’s down Highway 79, outside of Holler Creek.”

I pulled out of the parking lot and headed straight for Holler Creek. “Tabitha mentioned that Gems wasn’t a good place to work. Something about her boss, Mud, being up to no good. Do you know what that’s about?”

“No,” she said, looking out the window, deep in thought. “But I’m not surprised. It’s a new place and maybe a little shady.”

It was southern Fenton County. “Do you think it’s safe?”

“Yeah.” She waved her hand. “I think it’s fine.”

Neely Kate’s phone went off, filling the truck cab with her ringtone. The cringe on her face when she glanced at the screen was at odds with the happy song still filling the car. “It’s the courthouse.” She pressed the screen and held the phone to her ear. “Hello?”

The shouting from the other end was almost loud enough for me to hear each and every word.

Holding the phone away from her ear, Neely Kate said, “I had to run an errand. I told—”

There was more shouting and then nothing.

“What happened?” I asked as she lowered the phone.

“The good news is I don’t have to worry about getting back to work. I just got fired.”

“Neely Kate. I’m so sorry.” I reached over to grab her hand. “Maybe I should take you home. The whole day has been pretty traumatic.”

Her mouth tilted up into a grim smile. “Rose, you and I both know how much I hate that job. Let the old Nazi have it.”

Despite her words to the contrary, I knew Neely Kate was upset at the prospect of being unemployed. “Maybe Joe can tell her about why you were late if she—”

“It’s okay, Rose. I’ll be happier without that job.”

I had no doubts about that, but she wasn’t the only person it concerned. “What will Ronnie say?”

She smiled even though her eyes brimmed with tears. “That’s just it. Ronnie won’t care. He’s been bugging me to quit for months.”

“Well, see there? You hated your job, and Ronnie wanted you to quit. It’s a win/win situation.”

“But I wanted to decorate the nursery for little Ronnie Jr. I want to get him new furniture, not ugly hand-me-down stuff from my cousins.”

“You still can. Maybe you can get another job. A temporary one until you have the baby.”