Page 7 of Break My Fall

“Indeed. Meredith said she was in the van for about an hour. Then went inside to visit. Mrs. Frost made her hot chocolate and cookies.”

“Are you thinking the damage was done while they were in the house?”

“Probably. When I asked Meredith if she heard or saw anything strange, she said no, but that Mrs. Frost had the TV on and thevolume was so loud she wouldn’t have noticed if a train had come through.”

“Opportunity or planned?” Donovan asked.

“Maybe a little of both? A plan that was implemented as soon as the opportunity presented itself?” Gray looked to where Mo was talking to Meredith, one arm casually thrown over her shoulder, her head against his chest.

“I don’t get it.” Donovan waved a hand in her direction. “She goes there to help. That’s it. She’s not causing any trouble. She’s cleaning teeth and filling cavities. It’s not like she’s busting up meth labs.”

“No. But the kids love her. And kids talk. They talk a lot of trash, but some of it’s legitimate. Back when Landry was taken, Meredith made a comment that if Kirby didn’t cooperate, she’d share some incriminating information. I didn’t have to threaten Kirby with that. But I do wonder if her comment got back to him somehow.”

“What does she know?”

“She’s never said. From what I’ve been able to put together, there’ve been little comments here and there. A lot of small stuff that, taken on its own, means nothing. But when combined? Could mean we have a dirty cop. Maybe more than one. And that the meth and cocaine coming through the mountains has found a safe harbor right on the other side of the county line.”

“Those Atlanta dealers don’t play.” Donovan’s face clouded. “I don’t like having that stuff right across the county line.” Donovan had almost lost his fiancée, Cassie, to some locals mixed up in the drug trade just a few months ago. The wound was raw. “It would help if she didn’t go traipsing off alone. But she’s a Quinn. And the Quinns—”

“Believe me. I know. But we’ve talked. She promised not to leave the county alone.”

“How did you manage that?” There was more innuendo in those five words than Gray thought possible.

“Drop it.”

Donovan gave him a small salute. “Yes, sir.” There was no attitude in his remark. Maybe a little disappointment, but nothing else. “Ready for me to try to get the van moving again?”

“Yeah. Fill her up. Then we’ll caravan into town.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Donovan went to his truck to get the diesel while Gray walked over to the huddle where Meredith and Mo stood in tense conversation. “Excuse me.”

Meredith and Mo turned to him and their familial similarity hit him hard. The way they stood and the set of their mouths were identical. And even though he was sure they’d been arguing, there was still a closeness, a comfort level, between them.

If things had been different, would he and Jasmine have had this kind of relationship? Would people have been jealous of how close they were? Would she have looked at him the way Meredith looked at Mo now, with a mix of exasperation and fondness?

Meredith tilted her head in Mo’s direction. “My big brother thinks I’ve made poor life choices today.”

“You left town. Alone!” Mo pointed at Gray. “Tell her.”

“From what she told me, there wasn’t any reason for her not to pay a visit to Mrs. Frost.”

At Meredith’s triumphant “Told you,” he focused on her.

“Although, it would have been wise to let someone know you were headed out.”

“Exactly,” Mo growled.

“But it isn’t something we need to worry about.” He turned to Mo. “Meredith’s promised not to leave the county alone anymore, so that’s settled.”

Mo’s eyes widened, and he turned on Meredith. “You didn’t tell me that.”

“You didn’t give me a chance. You went all overprotective big brother on me. Gray and I had an adult conversation with no yelling and no threats. I recognize there’s a problem far greater than what any of us realized, and I’ll take all necessary precautions.”

Mo stuck a hand toward Gray. “Man, I don’t know how you did it. But thank you.”

Gray shook Mo’s hand, and when their eyes met, Gray saw something that he didn’t want to know.

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