“Yeah, well, I guess I want to talk to both of you.”

River turned to see Tony walking into the living room. He gave her a questioning look.

“It’s Arnie,” she said. “He wants to talk to us.” She turned on her speaker.

“Okay.” Tony walked up next to her. “I’m here, Arnie.”

“Look, the main reason I called was to see how you were. I called you first, but your phone kept going to voicemail.”

“Sorry. I need to charge it. I usually do it before I go to bed, but I was a little busy earlier tonight. How did you hear about the fire? You’re not running the STLFD now too, are you?”

“No, but the chief is a friend of mine. I called him to get more information after I saw the report on the news.” He hesitated a moment before saying, “Look, this isn’t to be repeated, Tony. An investigator needs to confirm it, but Garrett—the chief—thinks someone threw a Molotov cocktail through your window.”

“Can’t say I’m surprised,” Tony said. “I kind of expected something like that.”

“Don’t jump to conclusions,” Arnie said. “It’s possible you might not be a target.”

“But it’s also possible he was,” River said. She’d tried to convince Tony that the fire could have been a random incident, yet even as she tried to reassure him, her gut told her something different.

“Of course, anything is possible, but let’s hope that’s not the case.”

“The chief made me feel as if he suspected me of something,” Tony said.

“No, he doesn’t, but he’ll want to talk to you to see if you know anyone who could have started that fire.”

“Okay, I understand,” Tony said.

Arnie cleared his throat. “Look, there’s another reason I called. I know it’s late, but I felt this might be important.”

Tony sat down on the side of the sofa bed. River knew he was tired and needed to rest.

“What is it?” she asked.

“This has to do with that cold case you’re investigating. The police in Terre Haute, Indiana, contacted me.”

“I don’t understand,” River said. “How does our case have anything to do with Terre Haute?”

“Seems like a clerk at a local motel thought something odd was going on there. They called the police who went inside one of the rooms and found a note stuffed underneath one of the pillows on the bed. The note read I’m alive, and I need help. April Bailey. My father . . . It stopped there. Looked like she was interrupted before she could finish.”

CHAPTER

THIRTY-FIVE

He saw the story about the fire on the late news. He immediately recognized the apartment complex. He’d driven past there more than once, even though Tony St. Clair wasn’t his target. Still, it enraged him. One thing he was sure of—Tony St. Clair wasn’t stupid or careless. That made him wonder if someone had caused the fire on purpose. No one else had the right to interfere with his plans. He didn’t need River to take off, go to a place where he couldn’t reach her. Would this spook them? Then he realized that this could actually work in his favor. If someone else had tried to hurt Tony, they would both be distracted. This could make it much easier for him. He leaned back in his chair and smiled. River Ryland’s breaths were running out. Soon, she would stop breathing forever.

WHEN ARNIE WAS FINISHED, River hung up her phone. Then she turned toward Tony. He didn’t look good.

“Do you want to talk about what Arnie said, or do you want to wait until tomorrow?” River asked.

“Look, I know it’s really important, but if you don’t mind, let’s discuss it in the morning. I’m sorry. I think what happened drained me. I’m sure I’ll be fine in the morning. I just need some sleep.”

“Of course,” River said. “Sleep as late as you want. We’ll keep it down in the morning. When you wake up, I’ll make you a great breakfast.”

He smiled at her. “Pancakes?”

“If you want.”

Tony lay down on the bed and was pulling the blanket up over him when, from behind River, came an ungodly shriek. She turned to see her mother pointing at her, her expression twisted into a mask of rage.

“You get out of here and leave my husband alone,” she screamed. “Get out of my house!”

River got to her feet and hurried over to Rose. “Mom,” she said, trying to calm her down. “It’s me, Mom.”

Rose raised her hand and slapped River across the face. “You can’t have my husband. I need him. We need him. He has children, but you don’t care, do you? You’re selfish and evil. Get out of my house or you’ll be sorry.” Rose walked up to Tony, who was now sitting up on the bed looking confused. “You promised to be faithful. You’re supposed to love me . . .” Rose collapsed to the floor, crying hysterically. Mrs. Weyland came running down the hall, her flannel nightgown flying behind her like a cape. She looked like a chubby gray-haired superhero. Which in River’s mind, she was. She got down on the floor next to Rose and put her arms around her.

“Rose, it’s okay. She’s gone. She left. It’s just us. River, me, and Tony. CeCe is gone and she’s not coming back, I promise, honey.”

“She tried to steal my family,” Rose said, putting her head on the caregiver’s shoulder. “I can’t lose them. They’re everything to me. You . . . you understand, don’t you, Aggie? I know you understand.”

“Yes, Rose, sweetie. I understand. Let’s get you back to bed, okay?”

Mrs. Weyland grabbed the edge of the couch in an attempt to get up. River took her arm and pulled her to her feet. Then she put her arms around her mother and helped her up too.

“It’s okay, Mom. It’s River. I’m here. You’re not going to lose me.”

Her cheek stung from her mother’s slap, but her heart hurt more. She saw her mother’s pain and realized how hard it must have been for her to keep her true feelings from her children after their father left. She may have seemed distant, but it was because she was in pain, struggling to keep herself from falling apart. The hurtful things she’d said came from the pain she carried inside. What was it that River had heard somewhere? That hurting people hurt people?

Once she was standing, Rose looked around the room, blinking. Then she gazed at River, looking confused. “What am I doing still in my nightgown?” she asked, sounding bewildered. “Are you and Dan ready for school? I don’t want you missing the bus again. I have to get to work.”

River looked at Mrs. Weyland and nodded. She knew what to do. “Hey, it’s okay, Mom,” she said. “We’re off today. It’s a holiday, remember? And you don’t have to go to work today. Why don’t you lie down and rest for a while. We’re fine.”

Rose hesitated for a moment, but she let River take her arm and lead her down the hallway to her room. Mrs. Weyland followed behind them but stayed out of sight. Rose got back into bed and River covered her with the bedspread.

“Are you sure it’s okay if I take a nap?” Rose asked. “Can you kids take care of yourselves for a little while? I really am a little tired.”

“We’ll be fine, Mom. You rest.” River struggled to keep the emotion out of her voice. She didn’t want to worry her mother.

“Okay, honey,” Rose said. “I’ll be up in a little bit.”

“Okay, Mom.” River walked over to the door and slowly closed it. Mrs. Weyland waited in the hallway.

“You were wonderful with her, honey,” she said to River. “Perfect.”

“It was hard. So hard.” River took a deep breath. “What if she acts that way tomorrow night when my dad is here? I’m really starting to wonder if we’re doing the right thing.”

“River, I don’t think we can worry about that. But even if that happened, would it really be that bad for your father to see the fallout his actions caused?” She shook her head. “Look, no one believes more in forgiveness and a new life in Christ than I do, but I’m thinkin’ that you, your mom, and your brother have been carryin’ the pain of your daddy’s decisions for too many years. If he was forced to see the consequences, I don’t think that’s the worst thing in the world.”

“I understand, and I’ve thought the same thing. But I don’t want my mother to . . . to embarrass herself in front of my father. She would be mortified if that happened.”