Thirty-Five and a Half Conspiracies by Denise Grover Swank Page B

recently?”
    “Oh, yeah. We’re besties now. In fact, you just missed her. She stopped by for a friendly chat. You two should pool your money on a ‘welcome home from jail’ basket. It would be more welcome.”
    “You do not want to be friends with that woman.”
    I cocked an eyebrow at her. “Because I’d rather be friends with you?”
    She looked exasperated. “Believe it or not, I’m trying to help you by helping your family. I’m giving Violet a job, which will help support her children once you’re in prison. In spite of everything you’ve done to me.”
    I gasped. “Everything I’ve done to you? How deluded are you?”
    She moved closer, her smile disappearing. The mad look in her eyes scared me. “You were warned to back off, and now, Rose Gardner, you are going to pay the price.”
    My breath caught in my throat. “What does that mean?”
    “J.R. Simmons doesn’t believe in mercy.”
    That I had no problem believing. The question was why she’d felt the need to enlighten me.
    A ghost of a smile lifted her lips. “Luckily for you, I do. It would be inhuman of me to watch you languish. You may find this hard to believe, but I dohave a heart. I hate to see those less fortunate than myself suffer longer than necessary.”
    Crappy doodles. I knew I was desperate, but not enough to accept help from this woman. “Gee, thanks, Hilary. I appreciate that, but I’m goin’ to pass.” I grabbed my coat off my desk. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to pay a visit to my attorney.”
    She moved in front of me, blocking my path. “Stay away from Joe.”
    “Here’s an idea: Why don’t you tell him to stay away from me? Because the next time I see him, I’m not going to be responsible for what I do to him.”
    A sad smile spread across her face. “Poor, poor, Rose. Caught up in a game you don’t understand and aren’t clever enough to figure out. Fate has a funny way of choosing our paths for us, don’t you think?”
    She didn’t wait for an answer, not that I had one to give. She spun around and walked out the door, leaving me speechless.
    “What just happened?” Bruce Wayne asked several seconds after she shut the door behind her.
    “I’m not exactly sure.”
    “Do you really think she’s gonna help you?”
    “No. She just likes to hear herself talk. Plus, I suspect she’s convinced herself that her vague warning was actually helpful.”
    “This town’s got more than its fair share of nuts.”
    “You aren’t kidding,” I murmured, shaking my head. “We sure don’t need any more imports like Hilary and Kate.”
    “You really going to see Carter?”
    “Yeah, I’m gonna run my theory about J.R.’s end game by him. Maybe he’ll see something we’re missing.”
    But I knew it probably wouldn’t be that easy. Nothing ever was.

Chapter 9
    “ Y ou need to let sleepin’ dogs lie,” Carter said with a groan. “You’ve got no business diggin’ around in Mick Gentry’s business. Gentry is wild, uncivilized, and dangerous. You need to leave him to Skeeter while you and Deveraux focus on Simmons.”
    “Skeeter ran off. Mason’s hit dead end after dead end. I have Joe’s sister givin’ me cryptic messages and his pregnant ex-girlfriend doing the same. I’m not just gonna wait around to let someone else figure this out. I’m doin’ it. Besides, Simmons and Gentry are a package deal.” I was pacing his office floor, too anxious to sit still. “What I need to know is if J.R. Simmons has any ties to Fenton County other than supporting Mick Gentry and backing that contract at Atchison Manufacturing twenty-five years ago—rumored or otherwise.”
    “Well, there are always rumors …”
    “Spill it.”
    He sat up in his chair. “You do realize that I’m supposed to be interrogating you, not the other way around.” He waved his hand back and forth between us. “That’s how this attorney-client thing works.”
    “You’re hidin’ things from me.”
    “I’m telling you