Page 20 of For the Birds

“So he did?” I was going to march in there and give that man a piece of mymind.

“Rose,” she said with a tiny smile. “Did you ever consider this might be why I didn’t tell you? You’re all riled up, and it happened a weekago.”

“Justifiably.”

“Okay, you’re right, but it’s done. I broke Merv’s nose and messed up his hand, and all I got was a few stitches.”

I gasped in horror and reached for her shoulders. “You got stitches? Where? How do I not knowthis?”

“On the back of my head. You couldn’t see them, and I didn’t want to worry you. We’re gettin’ off track. And, no, before you ask, Skeeter didn’t hold what happened at the parley against me. He took my side in the disagreement and sent Jed with me to talk toKate.”

“James sent him as a bodyguard?” Somehow that relievedme.

“No. He sent Jed to ask Kate what she knew about an account. Of course, she refused to tell him anything, and she said we both had to come back this week or she was gonna spill my secrets. Since I didn’t know what she actually knew, I decided to find out who she’d talked to in Ardmore.”

“And James sent Jed withyou?”

Her mouth twitched. “No, Rose. He insisted Jed come back, but Jed refused. Skeeter firedhim.”

I took a step back. “What?”

“Jed hinted this has happened before—Skeeter has a temper and fires him on occasion—but he’d decided he wasn’t goin’ back to work for Skeeter this time. That he wasdone.”

I took several seconds to process what she’d just said. “But they both changed their minds, right?” I finally asked. “Because you said Jed came back as soon as he found out Scooter was missin’.”

“No,” she said quietly. “Jed’s helpin’ him find Scooter, but that’s it. As soon as they find him, Jed says he’sdone.”

I couldn’t believe it. Jed had been James’ best friend since they’d been kids. How could either of them throw away their friendship like that? “What’s Jed gonna donow?”

“He doesn’tknow.”

I studied her for a second. “So what did you find in Ardmore?”

Her blue eyes locked with mine, and she remained silent.

“You’re really not gonna tell me?” The hurt crept into my voice.

She reached out and grabbed my hand and clung to it. “When you’re lookin’ at me now, what do yousee?”

I tried to pull my hand free, but Neely Kate held it tight.

“What does that have to do with any of this?” I asked.

“Please, Rose. Just answer the question.”

I took a breath and decided to give her a real answer. “I see a woman who’s fearless. She sees what she wants and goes after it. She doesn’t take crap from people—as evidenced by the damage you inflicted on Merv—and she stands up for the people she loves. She doesn’t back down from anything.”

She nodded, still holding on to my hand, but there was a new sadness in her eyes. “That’s who I am now. But that’s not who I was in Ardmore. I was weak and . . . I . . . was so far from strong. I want you to see the me now, Rose, not that weak, stupidgirl.”

“I won’t think any less of you, NeelyKate.”

“I know that on some level. Deep down, anyway.” She dropped my hand and shrugged. “It’s like you andLevi.”

I jutted my head back in surprise. “What about me andLevi?”

“You still haven’t told him about your visons, haveyou?”

I cringed. “No, but—”

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