Page 115 of A River of Crows

“I don’t care,” Sloan said. “Meet me in Tyler. At Anna’s house. Mom is there. Noah, she’s there again.”

“What are you talking about? Caroline is still at the hospital. It was a 72-hour hold.”

“She’s not!” Sloan yelled into the phone. “The hospital called, and she’s gone. They left me a message earlier tonight. My phone didn’t ring.”

“Alright, calm down. How could she have gotten to Tyler on foot?”

“She didn’t!” Sloan grabbed a handful of her hair. “Her car’s gone. She must have gotten a ride back to the house and snuck in her window for the keys. Felicity texted. Mom’s right outside their house.”

“I’ll meet you there, but I should call this into the Tyler police.”

Sloan thought of the open attic entrance. Her mom had climbed up there for the gun. Yes, the Tyler police needed to be called.

But when she opened her mouth, the wrong words came out. “Please, no. She’s just sitting there. I don’t want the media there again, Noah. I can’t handle this all again. Please, just come.”

“On my way.” Sloan listened to his car start on the other end of the line.

Sloan ended the call and texted Felicity.

Don’t go out there. None of you. Text Dad and tell him not to talk to her if he gets there before me. I’m on my way.

She set the phone in the console before pulling it back out to send Felicity a second text.

And just to be safe, lock your doors.

Sloan let out a steadying breath when she spotted her mother’s figure still in the front seat of her car.

“Park there behind her,” Sloan said. “You stay in here.”

“No way.” Dylan angled the car to pull up behind Caroline. “Not when she has the gun.”

“Mom’s not going to hurt me.”

“Fine.” Dylan didn’t sound convinced. “But signal if you need me.”

Caroline stared straight ahead, her face void of all emotion as Sloan approached the car. Sloan tried the door—locked. She lightly rapped on the window. “Mom? What are you doing?”

Caroline rolled down the window and leaned forward on the steering wheel, staring across the street. “This is where I stood when I found out about your father. Right at this spot.” Her voice cracked. “This is where my life fell apart.”

“Is that why you’re here? To feel the pain again?” Sloan understood that. It was why she played the Keith Whitley cassette on repeat, why she couldn’t stay away from Crow’s Nest Creek.

“I’ve never stopped feeling the pain.” Caroline turned to her. “Imagine giving up everything for a man only to have him betray you.”

“I don’t have to imagine it. I lived it too. Let’s go home,” Sloan said. “We can talk about it there. We’ll stop at Taco Bell. That used to be your favorite.”

Caroline turned back toward the house, but Sloan noticed her wipe away a tear. “I want to talk to him, Sloan. I deserve to talk to him.”

“Yes, you do,” Sloan said. “But will it do any good?”

“It will make me feel better.”

“Okay. But why do you need a gun, Mom?”

“A gun!” Caroline jerked her head toward Sloan. “I don’t have a gun.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

“Seriously, I don’t have it,” Caroline said. “I was messed up this morning with Ridge. Out of my mind. I don’t want to hurt anyone. All I want is to talk to Jay.”