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“Did he want to come in to see the baby? I don’t mind—”
“No, he left. He’ll come back later.”
“Matthew, you’re scaring me …”
Matthew was terrible at hiding his feelings, and she could see anguish plainly in his eyes.
“What’s wrong?” she asked fearfully.
“Greer had a stroke.”
“Oh God …” She sat up in the bed. “How bad is it?”
“Bad,” Matthew told her, his face twisted in grief. “He had it three days ago.”
“Three days …” Her voice broke off. She had been in labor three days ago. Their eyes met, thinking the same awful thought. She started getting off the bed.
“Is he still in the hospital?”
“No. They just brought him home. He refused to stay there any longer. What are you doing?” he asked, gently lifting the baby into his arms.
“Getting dressed. You’re taking me to see Greer.”
Tate answered when she knocked on Greer’s door. Lines of fatigue fanned across the man’s face as he stared at Matthew then her questioningly.
“May we see Greer?”
“Greer isn’t up for visitors. He just got home from the hospital.”
She didn’t move away from the door, pleading, “We won’t be long, I promise.”
Tate moved away from the doorway, allowing them entry. “Greer won’t want to see you. He even locked Holly out of the bedroom.”
Entering the home, she saw Greer’s other brother, Dustin, and Greer’s wife standing in front of a door. Both turned as they approached.
Dustin gave Tate an irritated glance. “I told you to get a screwdriver, not to let company in.”
Tate shrugged. “They can’t do any worse than we’re doing. He’s been locked in there for an hour.”
Alanna stared at them in shock. “You haven’t busted down the door? What if he’s had another stroke?”
Dustin and Tate stared her down.
“I hear him throwing stuff. He just doesn’t want us to see him. Besides, I just came back inside from looking through the window. He flipped me off.”
“In that case.” Alanna moved away from the door. “Open the door, Matthew.”
“What makes you—”
“If you can open a cell door, you can open this one.”
Matthew gave her a harassed look.
“He’s not in the best mood for company …” Dustin warned.
Alanna twisted her hands together. “I just need to …” Blinking back tears, she tried to get out what she wanted to say and couldn’t.
Matthew swore under his breath, moving his hand to his pocket. Taking out his pocketknife, he opened the blade and slide it into the metal lock, then shimmied the knife until the lock clicked open.
