Page 67 of Weight of Guilt

“I can do that.” He paused. “Is this something I ought to be worried about? For Mason’s sake. That’s not me starting anything. I’m asking.”

She remembered the look on Christian’s face. “I . . . I don’t know yet. When I know, you’ll know. I promise you that.”

“All right.”

“And . . . I know this is going to sound weird, but don’t let Mason out of your sight. Please.”

He paused for a beat. “That sounds serious.”

“Just promise me.”

“I promise you.”

Wren stayed in the hallway a minute after he ended the call before she trusted herself to walk back in.

As soon as she got close enough, Marlowe leaned forward, and Wren knew her sister had been waiting for her to come back so she could say something.

“Mom and Dad can’t hear this from a stranger.” Marlowe’s eyes had filled, and she wasn’t looking at either of them. “They can’t. Not after everything.”

“They won’t,” Wren said. “We’re still going to tell them. Today.”

Luke’s name came up on the screen, and Nash took the call in the corridor past the vending machines, where Wren had stood twenty minutes earlier.

“Nash? It’s Sheriff Wilder. You got a minute?”

He glanced around the hospital and considered how much to say. “I do.”

“Good. Listen, I ran that address from the receipts.” Paper moved on his end. “That gas station is out on Route 9, and it closes at ten on Sundays. The guy working the counter tonight has worked every weekend night out there for six years.”

Nash checked the clock over the nurses’ station. It was twenty till seven.

“Tomorrow and Tuesdays are his days off,” Luke said.

“So it’s tonight or Wednesday.”

“I’m going tonight, and I’d love your expertise—if you’re available.”

“Just tell me where to go.”

“Meet me at the county line, the gravel pull-off just past the bridge. Forty minutes.”

“I’ll be there.” Nash pocketed the phone.

He’d only taken a step when Wren appeared. “Is everything okay?”

He explained the phone call and that he was going to meet Luke. “Do you mind if I share what happened tonight?”

Wren thought about it a moment before nodding. “That will be fine. Luke should be in the loop.”

“I agree. But I wanted to ask first.”

Wren glanced back down the corridor toward the double doors. “I wish I could come. Honestly, I wish I could be anywhere but here. It’s . . . it’s a lot.”

“They need you here. It may not feel like it right now, but you and your sisters are stronger together.”

“I know.” But her words sounded wistful.

He could only imagine all the emotions they were going through right now. Situations like these pulled out both the best and the worst in people.