Caroline didn’t say it out loud, but Officer Charles’s joints looked just fine to her. Mighty fine, in fact, he was quite the uber masculine looker.

She raised her brow his way. “You can’t possibly be old enough to have sore joints.”

She poured him and Rob both a cup before nodding in the direction of the milk and sugar if they wanted.

“Thanks for making the time to see us, Caroline,” Ron said as he stirred sugar into his tea. “I figured you should hear Elliot’s story so I brought him over.”

“I’m all ears.”

Elliot sipped and then put his cup back down on the table. “I’m a friend of Shane’s. And of Edward and Polly. Polly is actually my fourth cousin on my dad’s side. Anyway. So I was over visiting with them last weekend and your situation with your father came up.”

Her defenses rose.

“I believe he’s innocent and I’d like to help.”

Ron sat forward. “I’m going to speak to the department there. See what we can root out. Some of the cops in that house are old-timers with great memories.”

She nodded and turned to Elliot. “How do you come by your belief? About my father’s innocence, I mean.”

“I was your age. When your mother died. Now too I guess.” He smiled and it made her relax a little. “My grandfather did a syndicated column about law and justice issues. When your mother was killed and they put your father on trial, my grandfather was absolutely convinced he was innocent. Because he was in the press, he got a pass and went to the trial. Every single day. And he was utterly convinced your father was wrongfully convicted. I studied the case through him, I guess. At the start and then I became a police officer and I studied the case from a different perspective, and yet, I agree with my grandfather and with you.”

“Wow.” She smiled at him, raising her mug in salute. “Well I gotta say I’m totally floored and pleased. Thank you for extending your help.”

Ron went over what he planned to speak to Elliot’s coworkers about before leaving. Elliot gave her a card and invited her to come along with Ron if she liked.

She headed off to her client meeting feeling much better than she had since she’d arrived in Petal. Things were…surprisingly good.

She and Royal had officially been dating a month. Not a long time really, but enough that she was getting used to him in her life. That she turned to him when she had something funny to say, or to relate some weird happening in her day. She liked Royal a lot and he liked her right back and that was pretty freaking nice.

And the sex was outrageously good.

More than the very positive direction in her romantic life, she had the help—and guidance—of Edward Chase, along with the skills and efforts of Justin Chase. Edward had sort of taken on a mentor role since she’d arrived in Petal, and she appreciated it very much.

And, she ended up winning two of the four motions she made, which was a pretty nice thing indeed.

Royal knocked on Nathan and Lily’s front door, and Lily, now seven months pregnant, answered with a smile. “Hey, hon, come on in.”

He kissed her cheek and headed inside. “He’s in the living room with a passel of Chases and his brothers. But before you go, tell me about her.”

Lily was best friends with Beth, who was Anne’s sister. They all formed a big clique of smart, tough, beautiful women who had each others’ backs. He liked them all, including Anne. While Beth had been with them on a group date sort of thing twice more since their date at the Tonk, she’d warmed to Caroline, but there was still a reserve that flustered him. Caroline was a nice person. She was fun to be around, and that his friends were playing games over some long-dead relationship he’d ended because Anne wanted totally different things really pissed him off.

He was trying to let it work out without any interference, but Lily was asking and it clearly was some sort of weird thing so he might as well answer.

“I’m sure you’ve heard already.” He gave her a raised brow.

She shrugged, a smile still on her face. “Sure I have. From everyone else who’s met her, which doesn’t include me. I want to hear from you.”

“I can’t help it if you and Nathan never go anywhere because he’s grading papers and you’re looking beautiful and making a baby and all. Her name is Caroline Mendoza.”

“I was in her year. I remember her. Dark hair and big brown eyes. Pretty. I can’t imagine how hard it was for her after her momma was killed. She works with Edward now. Polly surely does like her.”

“I do too. You will as well. She’s easy to like.” And she was. They’d done tequila shots one night, and he’d let her talk him into riding that stupid bull at Flannery’s over in Riverton.

“She’s a kick-ass mechanical-bull rider.” He laughed.

Lily paused a moment and then smiled. “That’s sort of awesome. I take it you rode over to Riverton?”

He nodded. “She agreed to the mechanical bull before we took any shots.”

“She does seem to be one of our people.” Her grin smoothed out. “Nathan said you looked at her differently than you look at other women you’ve dated.”

Honestly this was like the suckiest version of Groundhog Day ever. “Again? Is this about Anne?”

“Well sure it is.”

“I’ve been with Caroline a month on Monday. In the year and a half before this, since Anne and I really broke up, I went out with countless other women countless other times. How the hell is it about Anne now?”