Page 23 of All I Want for Christmas

I shot him a glare. “So, Jed wasn’t supposed to have a life?”

He pushed out another sigh. “This is a pointless discussion.”

I lifted my chin in defiance. “If you won’t take me to see him, I’ll go on my own tomorrow.”

He shook his head. “You’ll never get in. Visitors’ day is on the weekend, and even if you go, I suspect he won’t agree to see you.”

I stood. “I guess I’ll take my chances.”

“I’m not sure what you think Skeeter can do. He can’t even help himself.”

“I thoughtyouwere some hot shot attorney who can get anybody out of anything,” I snapped.

“I can only help those who want to help themselves,” he said in defeat.

Was Carter really claiming that Skeeter wasn’t trying to help himself now? There was no question that he’d given up his immunity to save Hope and Rose. Did that mean he hadn’t had a backup Plan B? I didn’t believe that for a second. He always had a plan to make sure he ended up on top, which meant something was holding him back from enacting his plan.

I nearly gasped. Was Skeeter protecting someone else?

“Are you saying Skeeter is trying to help Jed?”

Carter made a face as he looked down at his desk. He studied a spot on his blotter for a few seconds before he lifted his head and looked me square in the eye. “You’re asking me to break confidentiality with my client.”

“I need to see him, Carter,” I said softly. “Maybe there’s a way Jed can help Skeeter.”

“You must be having delusions of grandeur. I don’t see how Jed could help him.”

“Maybe not, but we won’t know if we don’t at least try.”

“It’s a waste of everyone’s time.”

“Carter. I’m begging you. Please take me to see him.”

Shaking his head, he turned to the side and studied his University of Arkansas diplomas on the wall. “Damn, you sure are a persistent creature.”

“You have no idea.”

“Okay, fine,” he said, but he didn’t sound happy about it.

“Okay?” I asked in disbelief. “You’ll take me to see him?”

“It’ll take me a day or two to work it out, but yeah. I’ll take you.”

“Thank, Carter! Thank you!” I gushed. “You have no idea how much I appreciate this!”

“Don’t get your hopes up,” he said. “I suspect no good will come of this.”

I was betting our futures that he was wrong.

CHAPTER NINE

ROSE

By Monday night, Mikey was going stir crazy from staying home all day. His fever had broken the night before, but I’d kept him home so he’d be fever-free for twenty-four hours before going back to school.

He and Ashley had been out of sorts when Mike’s parents had brought them home Sunday afternoon, but it wasn’t uncommon for them to be quiet after a visit with their grandparents. Then, when Mikey wasn’t excited about decorating the tree, I figured out pretty quickly that he was running a fever. Ashley confirmed that Mikey had been sick with a cold since Saturday night and Mike’s parents had still made him go to church. I’d been furious and had wanted to call them, especially since they hadn’t told us Mikey had been sick, but instead, I handed Hope to Joe and snuggled on the sofa with Mikey while we watchedElf, his favorite Christmas movie. After we finished the movie, Muffy snuggled with him as Ashley, Joe, and I decorated the tree. Hope sat in her bouncy seat, mesmerized by the lights.

On Monday morning, Joe took Ashley to school before he headed to Baton Rouge to get more lights, and I kept Hope home with me and Mikey. I didn’t get much work done at home, but I was more worried that I couldn’t be at the office to see NeelyKate. When I’d called her in the morning to tell her Mikey was sick and we were staying home, she seemed okay, but when I asked if she’d talked to Jed, she’d told me she didn’t feel like talking about it and quickly ended the call.

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