Page 136 of Call Back

Chapter 27

As soon asI pulled out of her driveway, I called Colt.

“Maggie?” he answered, sounding on edge. Probably because I only called when I was in trouble. The rest of the time I texted. “Is everything okay?”

He’d given me Rowena’s information. Had he set me up? Was he the handsome date Rowena had mentioned? I couldn’t help but think about how she’d had that tea tray ready to go. “How did you get Rowena’s information?”

“Maggie . . .”

“You’re not going to tell me?”

When he answered, his voice was guarded. “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I promised.”

“Since when do you keep promises?” I asked.

“Since when did I break a promise to you?” he demanded angrily. We were silent for a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice had lost its edge. “You called her?”

“No, I went and saw her.”

“Who’s with your mother?” He sounded agitated.

“The hospital staff.”

“Why didn’t you ask me to go with you? What if that woman was dangerous?”

“She is dangerous.” I pushed out a breath of frustration and pulled into the parking lot of an insurance company so I could look up an address on my phone. “I’ll tell you the rest later, but she knows about the gold, Colt.”

“She came right out and said that?”

“She never mentioned the word ‘gold,’ but when I asked her why she’d given me so much implicating information, she said I wouldn’t turn her in because I have too much to lose—one million dollars’ worth. Then she told me to do the right thing or end up like Shannon Morrissey.”

“Fuck.”

“Exactly.”

“What did she confess to?”

“Who’s controlling your puppet strings?” I countered.

“Dammit, Magnolia! Did she say anything about tonight specifically, or was it just a general threat?”

I replayed the last few minutes of our conversation. “Just in general.”

“Then she doesn’t necessarily know anything. If she knew Walter Frey—or hell, even heard the damn news—then she knew about the money. She was fishing and used it as bait. Did you give her anything?”

I replayed the conversation again. “No. I only asked questions.” But I realized I needed to tell Colt everything; otherwise, he was going into a dangerous situation not completely armed. Still, I didn’t want to tell him on the phone. I needed to do it in person.

“Good.” He sounded relieved.

“I’m coming tonight,” I said. “Although I still don’t have a dress. I’ll come up with something.”

“Then I’ll meet you out front of the Savannah House at eight thirty,” he said. “Don’t bring your car. Take a taxi or an Uber.”

“Okay,” I said. “See you then.”

---