“So we need to talk to Samantha Jo and find out if she knows anything.”

I snorted.

He looked confused. “What was that for?”

“You really think Samantha Jo is going to talk to the Henryetta police or the sheriff’s department?”

He looked taken aback. “If it’s handled properly.”

I laughed. “You obviously don’t know Samantha Jo.”

“And you do?”

I cocked an eyebrow. “Not personally, but I know enough to know she won’t talk to the police or the sheriff. She was in my grade at school. Samantha Jo lived in the trailer park outside of town. Her brother Dickie was a year older than her, and he sold pot and moonshine to the kids in high school. He got busted plenty of times as a minor. But then they busted him the day after his eighteenth birthday. Rumor had it that the sheriff’s department set up a sting especially for Dickie. They knew he was heading out hunting, and they arranged for a kid to meet him on a country road to buy some pot and alcohol. Dickie got busted and of course they found loaded weapons in his truck.”

“Damn.” Mason looked disgusted. “And they threw the book at him.”

“Yeah. He’d been selling to help support the family. Their daddy had run off and their momma had health problems. He got fifteen years. Samantha Jo’s momma died soon after. Some of the women at church said she died of a broken heart because her son had brought her so much shame. The kids at school said it was because she couldn’t afford her medication. Samantha Jo moved in with her aunt and uncle after her momma’s passing, and she started showing up at school with bruises. Needless to say, Samantha Jo hates the sheriff and the police. She blames them for taking away her family and ruining her life.”

Mason ran a hand over his head, looking like he was about to be sick. “Yeah, I can see why she wouldn’t talk to any law enforcement officials.” He lowered his hand slowly. “So will you tell me what she says after you talk to her?”

My eyes flew open so wide they felt like they were going to pop out. “What?”

“I know you’re going to talk to her, and I’m giving you my blessing. Find out if she was in on it or if she knows anything.”

I shook my head, sure I’d heard him wrong. “Are you serious?”

“Yes, totally. If she’s involved, she probably played a minor role. Does she seem dangerous to you?”

“Samantha Jo? No.”

“Then there’s little risk of you getting hurt, though if you feel threatened in any way, I want you to get out of there right away. Of course, none of the information you get will be admissible, but it might give us a few leads.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “I can’t believe you’re encouraging this. Joe would just as soon lock me in the bathroom.” I instantly regretted bringing up his name.

Mason’s eyes darkened. “Unlike Joe, I consider you to be an intelligent woman. Besides, something tells me that Samantha Jo needs a friend…and who better than you?”

“Me?”

“People down on their luck are drawn to you, Rose. Bruce Wayne, Jonah.” He squeezed my hand and gave me a soft smile. “And me. I was in a bad place when I first came to Henryetta and you were like a ray of sunshine. I tried to tell you that once in the courthouse elevator last July, with disastrous results, but it’s as true now as it was then.”

I gave him a kiss. “That’s one of the sweetest things anyone has ever said to me.”

“I’m only speaking the truth.” He sat back. “Now when do you plan on talking to Samantha Jo?”

“Neely Kate and I are going to see her after church tomorrow.”

He smiled. “Great. Now tell me what caused all that commotion at the bar?”

I grimaced. “I don’t think you really want to know.”

He pierced me with his penetrating gaze. “Try me.”

I scrunched my face to the side. “Well…Toby was drunk and his bad breath was more than Neely Kate could take. She ended up barfing all down his back and on the woman next to him.”

“Remind me to never take Neely Kate into a bar.” He chuckled, then said, “She’s having a rough time of it, huh?”

“Yeah, she’s even lost weight.”

He took my hand again. “You haven’t been throwing up, have you?”

“No, but I have been feeling sick to my stomach a lot. Violet was lucky. She only had mild nausea off and on. I hope I’m like her…when the time comes.”

“I hope so too.”

So much would change if it turned out that I was pregnant. Mason and I weren’t even married. I could only imagine how scandalized Momma would have been. But then my birth mother hadn’t been married to Daddy when I was born. In fact, Daddy had still been married to Momma at the time. That was even more scandalous than my situation, and untraditional families were much more common now. Still, the nursery could suffer with the good Christian folk of Henryetta. If there was a nursery left to save. Horror washed over me as I realized it would be that much worse for Mason…it could kill his career.

If I was pregnant. This was all speculation at the moment.

I looked up into Mason’s face and found him watching me, like he knew I was working on a problem and he was waiting me out to see if I solved it. He deserved a better woman than someone with as much baggage as I had, but I was too selfish to give him up.