Page 160 of Call Back

“He came to me in jail. I’d been arrested for robbing a store, but honest to God, Magnolia, I didn’t do it, although I’d done my share of shady shit in the past. Looking back now, I know it was a setup, but at the time I was scared. It seemed like the deal was too good not to take. He said if I’d work with him on a special project, all charges would be dropped, but if I ever stopped fulfilling my end of the arrangement, I’d end up back in jail. Of course I agreed, and somehow the charges were miraculously dropped, even though he wasn’t an attorney and had nothing to do with the police.

“After I got out, I met him at a restaurant in Nashville. He told me my job was to keep an eye on your mother and your brother. I didn’t find out about you until I started working at the Belles. I was supposed to give him reports every week through email. I was also supposed to keep tabs on Bill James and Belinda.

“I knew you were coming home before you ever showed up at the Belles. Before you showed up on your mother’s doorstep. He told me to watch you closely.”

“The best way to do that was to become my friend.”

He looked down at his shoes. “Yeah. So I stuck close and reported daily, but it didn’t take long for me to realize that I wouldn’t leave you. Not even if he told me to quit looking out for you.” He looked up at me. “I had no idea who he was until I’d been reporting to him for a year. He wasn’t actively involved in much until you came back. He came to town and told me to watch you. As you started to uncover the past, I realized he was hoping you would. I think he was counting on you to flush out the gold.”

“Why didn’t he look in the garage?” I asked. “It’s been there for two years.”

“When I asked what had become of his office, your mother told me everything had been seized or tossed out. He was sure Bill James had taken the gold. But when we found it, I didn’t tell him, Maggie.” His eyes pleaded with mine. “You have to believe me. I took it to my friend and had him research it. I wasn’t sure what to do when I realized he’d stolen it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You worshipped the guy. I wasn’t going to be the one to take that away from you. I wanted to be with you, any crumb you would toss my way. I . . . I couldn’t bring myself to jeopardize that. I’ve already lost enough people in my life. How would you have reacted if I’d told you?”

“Honestly? I don’t know.”

“When things started to get dangerous for you, I started to get paranoid. Do you know I slept on Ava’s front porch several nights so I’d be there if you needed me? And knowing you went to Bennett’s killed me, but what better place for you to stay than a cop’s?”

I closed my eyes to center myself—and took a breath before opening them again.

He searched my face. “I kept falling deeper and deeper into this pit, and I didn’t know how to get out of it. I was determined not to let anything happen to you.” He paused, looking defeated. “I don’t want to lose you, Maggie.”

“Are you still reporting to him?”

“I stopped the day after Emily died.”

“Why?”

“Because I was scared he was the one murdering those women.”

“Why?”

He shrugged. “Paranoia? Bodies seem to pop up whenever he comes back. Merritt disappeared when he came back to hire me. I wanted to protect you.”

I knew I should write him out of my life, but while he’d started out pretending to be my friend, he’d proven himself to be that and so much more.

“Was Belinda right?” he asked quietly. “Did you really leave town because of a serial killer?”

“Yes.”

“The one who killed Emily and Amy?”

“And at least a half dozen more. It wasn’t my father. At least those murders weren’t.” I had to believe that.

“Oh, my God. Are you safe?”

“For now.” But he’d come for me soon.

“What’s Bennett doing about it?”

“Everything he can.” Or at least I hoped he was.

“Can you forgive me, Maggie?”

I thought about what Momma had said about choosing the right man. How I should pick the one who made me laugh and cry. Colt had given me both. I searched twenty-eight years for anything to compare it to, but I came up empty. I wasn’t willing to throw it away.

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