“Her back’s bruised and scraped.” Zane’s voice came out deadly calm, in direct opposition to the blood rising hot under his skin.

“It’s a little sore, that’s all.” To prove it, she lifted her elbow, then her arm, rolled the shoulder back, rolled it forward. “Nothing’s pulled or broken. Full range of motion. I know what it feels like when it’s really hurt. It’s not. A couple of Motrin will handle it.”

“After a visit to the clinic,” Lee said.

“I don’t—”

“I’ll take her,” Zane interrupted.

“It only adds to the case against Bigelow if you’re under a doctor’s care for injuries he inflicted,” Lee pointed out. “It would help us out.”

“Okay, okay. But I need to get the crew started. They’re probably here and wondering what the hell.

“Give me a minute.”

When Dave went out to consult with Jim, and Lee walked away to answer his signaling phone, Zane got a bag of peas out of the freezer. “Never eat them,” he said as he handed Darby the Coke, laid the cold bag on her shoulder. “Always have them.”

“Hey, me, too. It’s just bumps and scrapes, Zane.”

“I know.” Still he stroked her hair. “But you’re going to the clinic.”

“We’re taking Bigelow into Asheville,” Dave said. “Jackie Chan here did a number on him. Broken nose, black eyes, a few loose teeth. Jaw may be broken. His balls are nicely black-and-blue. Lee’s having two officers ride with us.

“And you.” Dave walked over, framed Darby’s face, kissed her on the mouth. “We’ll let the clinic know you’re coming in shortly.”

He walked over to Zane, gave him a hard, one-armed hug. “Don’t worry about this. We’ve got him.”

When she stood up, Darby felt some twinges, a lot of stiffness she wasn’t ready to admit. “I need a fresh shirt. I need to talk to my crew.”

“I’ll get you a shirt.”

“Moving’s good, otherwise you stiffen up.”

He worried he’d snap, just snap. “Let me take care of you.”

“You have been, from the second you drove up at light speed. Believe me, it made a difference. But okay, you can get me a shirt, then drive me to the clinic after I talk to the crew.”

“Zane.” Lee stepped back in. “I need a minute.”

“What?” He could see it, see something coming.

Darby took a step back. “I’ll just—”

“No.” Zane took her hand, held her in place. “What is it?”

“I got a call from Raleigh. The locals gained access to the Bigelow residence. Eliza’s dead, Zane. Probably a few days dead. They’ll do an autopsy to determine that and cause of death.”

Darby edged in closer, took a harder grip on Zane’s hand.

“I should feel something, but I don’t. Maybe later.”

“I don’t want you to worry about this. I’ll handle it.”

“Emily. My grandparents.”

“I’ll handle it. You take care of your girl, and leave this to me.” He put a firm hand on Zane’s shoulder. “Leave it to me.”

Dulled, numb, Zane just stood where he was. “I want the details when you have them.”

“You’ll get them. You get checked out now, Darby, and I want the details on that. I need to take some pictures of your injuries.”

“Sure. Fine.”

“I’m going to go up, get her a fresh shirt.”

Nodding, Lee took out his phone. “You let him take care of you now, you hear? It’ll help him.”

She’d seen Zane’s eyes go blank, felt the absolute stillness in him.

“We’ll take care of each other.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

While, in odd synchronicity, the doctor who lived in his old house treated Darby, Zane walked over to Britt’s office. He caught her before her first appointment, and her surprised smile of greeting faded when she got a good look at his eyes.

“You need to sit down.”

“Grams.” As she did, she pressed a hand to her heart. “Pop.”

“No, it’s not that.” Fast was usually best. “Eliza’s dead.”

“Oh.” As her hand dropped to her desk, Britt’s breath came out long, shaky. “I’m not surprised. How could I be surprised? He killed her.”

“That’s not official yet, but of course he did. There’s more.”

While he told her, she stood up, walked to the window, and circled the room, her hands clasped tight.

It shouldn’t have surprised Zane how strong she was, but it constantly did.

Her voice held just a touch of pity when she spoke. “He could have lived his life. They could have lived their lives. But it wasn’t enough for him. We took everything that mattered away from him—that’s how he saw it. The only way he could see it. We had to be punished. He meant to kill you this time.”

“And Darby just because she was there. Because she was with me. He’d have come for you if he could.”

She didn’t flinch, only nodded in agreement. “Yes, you first, then me. Then Emily, Lee, Dave, very likely Charlene and Joe because they had the house he’d see as his.”

She leaned a hip on her desk. “I’ll tell you he’ll have a list, either written down or inside his head. Everyone he deems responsible for what he lost. Lee should check, make sure, he came here first. I think he would—you’d be priority one—but Lee should check on his lawyer, the judge who sentenced him.”

“Christ.” In opposition to her admirable calm, Zane raked his hands through his hair. “I should’ve thought of that. Lee probably has.”

“I’m surprised you can think of your own name with the morning you’ve had. You’d have stopped him, Zane. He doesn’t know the man you are.”

“Darby did stop him. He didn’t know the woman she is.”

“Darby, God.” Britt scrubbed her hands over her face. “Charlene’s a good doctor. If it’s any more than bruises and scrapes, she’ll find it, treat it. I want to see her, but damn it, I don’t even know what to say.”

“You’ll think of something.” He found himself able to smile, at least a little. “It’s what you do.”

“I should reschedule my appointments. Emily might need me. She was Eliza’s sister. And Grams, Pop. No matter what, she was their daughter. Oh God, Zane, what are we going to do for them? What can we do for them?”

“We’ll figure it out.” He drew her in, held her. “We’ll figure it out,” he repeated. “We came out okay, didn’t we, you and me? We got through worse. We’ll get through this, and so will they.”

“I’m so glad you’re here. I’m so glad you came home.” She squeezed hard, drew back. “I thought of something. I have something that may help Emily, Grams, Pop. Something good.”

“I’ll take it.”

“I peed on a stick this morning.”

Baffled, he squinted at her. “Why the hell would you—” Then his brain clicked. “Oh. Seriously?”

“Positively, you could say. I haven’t even told Silas yet because he was … Well, you know where he was. I wasn’t going to say anything to anybody but him for a few weeks, but hell, if not now for happy news, when? We wanted our kids close, and we rang the bell.”

“This is great. Britt, this is just amazingly great.”

“It shows who we are. We’re making our lives, living our lives, both of us, Zane. Yeah, we’re okay. They couldn’t take who we are away from us. We’re who we are despite them.”

Despite them, Zane thought. And in some ways, because of them. He worked his way back to urgent care, and while he waited, contacted Maureen.

She’d have heard plenty over the grapevine, but he filled in some details, let her know he was fine, Darby was being looked after. And asked her to handle the insurance claim, reschedule his appointments.

He’d get in when he could.

Darby, looking mildly annoyed, came out along with the pretty, pregnant Dr. Ledbecker.

“You’re Zane. Charlene. And you’re in charge of this one today?”

“Hey.”

Zane overrode Darby’s objection. “That’s right.”

“No breaks, no torn or pulled muscles. She has some substantial bruising, and her shoulder’s going to be tender for a few days. Ice, ibuprofen should do the job. No lifting anything over five pounds, and no digging for forty-eight hours.”

“Got it.”

“The same for her back, her hip.” She handed Zane a bag. “Some samples of medication for her knuckles, and a list of instructions. We’ll follow up in two days.”

“She’ll be here.”

“My number’s on the instruction list. Any other issues, call.”

“Thanks. I’ll be fine,” Darby said.

“No digging!” Charlene warned as Darby dragged Zane out of urgent care.

“Jesus, she’s thorough. I was half-afraid she’d bring out the leeches. Did you see Britt?”

“Yeah, we’re good.”

“Okay then. You drop me off, then go see Emily.”

“That’s the plan.” Not the whole plan, but the first part.

When he dropped her off, he annoyed her all over again by relaying the doctor’s restrictions to her horrified, angry, fascinated crew. With the addendum if they didn’t make sure she followed same, he’d kick some asses himself.

Then he went to Emily.

She sat alone on her back patio, staring off at nothing, but jumped up when she saw him.

“I should’ve come to you. I—”

“Stop. I’m fine.”

“Darby.”