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families in stressful waiting rooms become uncooperative. This was the first time he found himself in that position. Desperate. Pushy. Defensive. He didn’t like the feelings that had raged through his body. Never again would he look at a victim’s agitated family member in the same way.
    He shook his head. In less than fifteen minutes, he’d blocked the nurse from her job, made the doctor mad, and ordered another FBI agent out of the room.
    Way to go, JB. Way to go.
    …
    Marcy had stared at the door ever since JB walked out a few minutes ago. So much for thinking she’d never see him again.
    It had taken weeks for the lawyer to track JB down when she’d sent the divorce papers. Then, out of the blue, the papers arrived back, signed. The FBI’s only comment had been to say they didn’t disclose the whereabouts of their undercover agents. After her attorney had left the papers with her that day, on the promise she’d sign and get them back to him for filing, she’d sat down in JB’s chair and bawled herself to sleep.
    That had been over a year ago. And she’d been perfectly fine all by herself.
    Then last week, when she’d first heard he would be back in town to settle his dad’s estate, she’d thought about taking a trip. Why hadn’t she followed through on that idea? Gone over to the lake. Booked a room for a couple of days at the fancy-shmancy lakefront hotel. Instead, she’d opted for a highly unlikely chance encounter. Now, look where that had landed her.
    Sadie brushed Marcy’s hair back from her forehead with a damp cloth. Offered her a cold drink of water. Rubbed lotion on her hands and arms. The tension from her body began to ease.
    “Thanks.” The motherly attention felt good to her today.
    All the while, Betsy had stood looking out the window. Her sister didn’t like hospital rooms…too many memories from her time spent in one years ago. Yet here she was being part of what the three women had always been. Strong and always there for each other.
    Sadie sat back down in the chair by the bed. “What are you gonna do?”
    “Nothing.” Marcy shook her head, making the room spin for a moment with her grogginess. “Nothing at all.”
    “You’ve got to tell him.” Betsy turned and walked to the bedside, leaning over the rail. “As much as I dislike JB, he deserves to know.”
    Marcy turned away. This couldn’t be happening. Her life had been perfect just a little over twenty-four hours ago. Well, maybe not perfect, but at least it was what she had decided to make of her life. She’d gone her own way. He’d gone his.
    If the people who knew her secret—Sadie, Betsy, her uncle Sheriff Davis, and her church deacon, Dr. Crowley—just kept quiet for as long as JB was in town, everything would be fine. With luck and a little time, she could set everything right.
    “You understand, don’t you, Mama?” She stared into Sadie’s eyes.
    Her mama sighed, lifting her lips into a weak smile. “I understand you made a choice that’s turned into a messy situation. Agreed?”
    “Maybe. But, I can fix this.” She turned back to her sister. “Just promise me you won’t say anything. Promise…please.”
    Betsy turned and walked back to the window, shaking her head. “Sure. Sure, I’ll be quiet. When have I ever been anything but quiet when it comes to what you do with your life?”
    Not good enough. Marcy knew her sister too well. “Promise, Betsy.”
    “I promise.”
    She gripped her mama’s hand tighter. “Now you. Promise?”
    “You know me, I hate making promises. Might have to break one.”

Chapter Four
    JB stopped at the nurses’ station. “Has anyone seen the man who was supposed to be waiting for me here?”
    “He asked what room Leon Ferguson was in.” The unit secretary didn’t look up, just pointed down the hall.
    “Thanks.” From being a Crayton deputy in the past, he knew the location for secured hospital rooms and headed in that direction. No need to ask for a guard on