Hope beamed, and Witt turned to me. “You look like you could use a break. I’ve got the kids. Why don’t you head inside and get a glass of wine or a margarita.”
“A margarita?” I asked with a laugh.
“Or whatever drink you like. Have Lipton Earl tea, for all I care. Just let me take over for a bit.”
Neely Kate propped a hand on her hip. “It’s either Lipton or Earl Gray.”
“Do I look like a fancy tea drinkin’ guy?” Witt asked, mimicking drinking a cup with his pinky extended.
The kids started to laugh.
“Get out of here already,” he said, motioning for us to go inside.
I hesitated. “Okay, but I’ll take Liam inside.”
“And steal my star teammate?” Witt demanded in mock outrage. “I think not.”
The kids laughed again, and I reluctantly went inside. I needed to tell Neely Kate about everything that had happened since I’d gone back to the grocery store, and while I’d talked to Dermot on the porch, Neely Kate and I could discuss everything more freely if we were inside.
Neely Kate put my few groceries away while I poured us each a glass of iced tea, then we sat at the kitchen table. I told her about Darlene and my meeting with Scott. She listened, asking a few questions. Then I told her about my short conversation with Dermot.
“So this Derby Sloan guy might have killed those men?”
“Maybe,” I said, swiping at the condensation on my glass. “Dermot was going to talk to Sloan as soon as we finished the call.”
“But if it’s Sloan, it really doesn’t have anything to do with Lady,” she said. “That’s kind of an internal problem, right?”
“Internal to Dermot’s organization, true. The question is, what were the guys who killed the guy at Adkins looking for? Was it the paper Harvey left with his sister?”
“But that doesn’t really qualify as a package, does it?”
“Maybe Dermot or Jed will find out when they question Derby Sloan and find the out-of-town dealer.”
“I sure hope so.”
The kids came barreling through the front door a few minutes later, with Witt trailing behind.
“We’re hungry!” Mikey called out.
“We have an appet and we hungwy bears,” Hope said, then she and Daisy held up their hands, making claws and growling.
“I think you mean appetite,” I said with a laugh. It was about an hour or so from dinnertime, but I wasn’t even sure what I was making yet. “And, of course, y’all can have a snack.” I grinned at Witt. “You too.”
“Yay!” Witt shouted, like he was one of the kids.
My phone rang again, and I was surprised to see Joe’s name on the screen. I held up my phone so Neely Kate could see the screen.
She made a shooing motion. “You go ahead and talk to him. Witt and I can get their snacks.”
“Thanks,” I said, already walking toward the front porch as I answered. “Hey, Joe. How are things goin’?”
“Hey, darlin’,” he said, sounding exhausted. “Not the greatest. I feel like I’m chasing my tail.”
“I’m sorry.” My guilt ratcheted up several notches. I suspected I had information that would help him, yet I didn’t feel right telling him.
How had I gotten here? Again.
Sure, if I told Joe what I knew, I would damage my reputation as Lady forever, but it wasn’t like I wanted to be the Lady in Black again. I had enjoyed my peaceful life since I’d left the criminal world behind.