Page 21 of Cowboy Heat

I’m touched but curious.

I notice she’s wearing her purse. We’ve been in the hospital for almost an hour now, and I haven’t seen her touch it, not even when she excused herself to the bathroom.

My eyebrow goes up. “Do you want to head back to town now?”

A look I can’t place crosses her face. “Yeah. I thought Jon was coming in alone and wanted to help him the best I could, but I just heard he’s riding in with someone who can do all that.” She gives a quick smile then angles her body toward the exit. She’s anxious. “If you don’t mind heading out now, I don’t mind, either.”

“I’m good with going.”

Kissy’s off in a hustle. My leg’s sore, but I manage her pace. She makes quick work of spotting my car in the parking lot.

“Your poor car needs a washing after driving Lolita,” she says once we’re inside. “We have a manual car wash in Robin’s Tree, but only one hose works. If you want something better, I suggest going through the big one here in the city.” She points behind the hospital. “It’s about five minutes that way but has a rainbow light show that’s pretty neat.”

I don’t mind talking about nothing, but it’s easy to see Kissy is trying not to talk aboutsomething. She also seems to be focused on the entrance to the parking lot that feeds off the main street. I start the car and buckle in. “It’s a rental, so I’m not too worried. Worst case, I can use the hose back at the house. I tested it out last night, and it works fine.”

Kissy nods. “That’s good.”

Her eyes stray back to the entrance again.

I back out of the spot and head toward it. There are no other cars coming, and we pull out with no fuss.

Out of my periphery, I see Kissy’s shoulders fall a little.

“Can I ask you something?” The words leave my mouth before my brain can remind me it’s not my business.

Kissy nods again. “Sure.”

I could say never mind, but I’m bowl into it. “Does Alice live out atLa Lumiere?”

This question surprises Kissy. I can hear it in her answer. “Yes. She does. Her and Jon.”

That only leads to my next question. “Does Meggie, the dispatcher at the department you asked about when on with George, live there too?”

She was quick but quiet. “Yes. She does too.”

I nod, because it seemed to be the right amount of pause needed before I get to my original suspicion. “And that person who’s going into the hospital with Jon right now is Everett Guidry.”

It wasn’t a question.

It was a guess.

One that also surprised Kissy.

“Yeah,” she says. “George texted me that Guidry was bringing in Jon.”

Which was why Kissy wanted us to leave.

But she didn’t say that, and I decide to reel myself back in.

I remember the dark road we stopped at the night before.

La Lumiere.

Guidry’s place of power.

I glance at Kissy after a moment. Her eyes peer out onto the street.

The sheriff was right. I’ve only been in town for two days, and I was caught up in the middle of some wildness.