Making It Right (Most Likely To #3)

The football coach jumped in before Freddy could get to his feet.

Gustavo shook out his fist, turned to Drew. “I hadn’t planned on going to prom or state.”



Miss Gina’s idea of playing nurse when it was her shift—Jo’s friends had mapped out a schedule of who was with her day and night—involved marijuana and vodka. Neither of which Jo took her up on.

Jo didn’t mind. She’d blown out of the hospital after six long days and five nights. Three too many, if anyone asked her.

No one did.

Gill refused to let anyone else drive her home other than him.

She wasn’t sure how he was managing to avoid his day job while he played nursemaid. Shauna had visited twice, both times bringing Gill up to date on the case. Jo envied their working relationship.

Jo couldn’t help but think of the tension between her and her so-called partner. Through the years, they had managed to work well, but in the recent past things had become seriously strained.

Still, she was ecstatic to be home.

Miss Gina sat on Jo’s couch, a plate of one of the many dishes Zoe had made and stocked her refrigerator with warm in her lap. “So much better than hospital food,” Miss Gina said between bites.

“You act like you were the one in the hospital.”

“Am I wrong?”

Jo had eaten half her meal, put the rest aside. “Nope.”

From her bedroom, Gill emerged fresh from the shower, his chest bare, his hips holding up his jeans.

“Well, that’s a damn fine sight.” Miss Gina hummed over her fork as she stared.

Gill paused. “I feel strangely violated.”

Miss Gina kept teasing. “That can be arranged. Pretty sure I can take Jo out in her current condition.”

Jo laughed, held her side with her good arm. The left sat in a sling, more for the broken collarbone than anything else. Overall she was feeling pretty good. Didn’t mind taking the pain meds before bed but stuck with the over-the-counter stuff during the day. Even if that meant feeling the pain with every chuckle.

Gill ducked back into her room, returned with a shirt covering his broad chest.

“So not cool,” Miss Gina muttered.

The doorbell rang. Miss Gina jumped to answer it.

Mrs. Miller stood in the doorway, a pie in her hands. “Hello, Gina. Taking care of our patient?”

Miss Gina shrugged, opened the door wide.

Mrs. Miller smiled at Jo, glanced at Gill, who had sat on the arm of the recliner Jo was perched in.

“Looks like you’re on the mend.”

“Thank you. My friends keep telling me I look like crap.”

Mrs. Miller cocked her head to the side. “Well . . .”

Jo glanced at Gill. “Will someone please lie to me!”

Gill stood and extended a hand. “I’m Gill.”

Mrs. Miller smiled and handed the pie to Miss Gina. “A pleasure. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“You have me at a disadvantage,” Gill said.

“I’m Luke’s mother.”

“Ah.” Gill eyed the pie. “I’ve heard about your pies.”

“I suppose it could be worse.” Mrs. Miller crossed the room and leaned down to Jo’s side. “How are you feeling?”

“I have a marathon scheduled next week. I’m in.”

Mrs. Miller smiled. “I’m not staying. Just wanted to stop in. You call if you need anything.” The woman kissed Jo’s cheek.

“I will.”

After Mrs. Miller left, the parade began.

Once the fourth neighbor had stopped by and left, Gill excused himself, said he wanted to see how everything at the station was running. Considering how much she’d talked about her job, about the cars . . . about Karl’s desire to vie for her job, stress ate at her sleep almost as much as the pain.

Gill noticed.



The station was an excuse. He had every intention of stopping in, make sure that Karl knew Gill was paying attention, but not before talking with Wyatt about his cloaked text. Gill agreed to meet him at Miller’s Auto. Since the mild weather was holding out, Gill took the opportunity to walk through town.

Each step felt more familiar than the last.

When he passed the station, and then Sam’s diner, he found himself waving at the waitress through the glass. He’d forgotten her name but remembered she’d been kind.

Hard rock pumped through the doors of the garage. He found Luke and Wyatt shooting the crap around an old pickup that looked like it was twenty years past its prime.

They shook hands, went over how Jo was doing now that she was home.

“What’s going on?” Gill jumped to the point.

“There are some significant rumors going around,” Wyatt told him. “Beyond gossip.”

“I’m listening.” Gill crossed his arms over his chest.

“It’s starting at the high school. One of my track kids ended up suspended for the last few days for fighting. Apparently he was defending Drew Emery.”

“Karl’s son?”

“That’s the one. One of the kids alluded to the possibility of Karl being behind the dog.”

“You’re kidding.”

“There’s more,” Luke said. “With Karl taking a position for Jo’s job, there’s talk of him tampering with the brakes.”

Gill uncrossed his arms, looked over his shoulder, down the street to where the station probably housed the man right now.

“Gossip or reality?”

“Hard to say. I’d like to know what the mechanics find on the squad car,” Luke said.

“Karl’s dislike for animals isn’t rumor.”

“These are some serious accusations.”

Wyatt shuffled his feet. “Karl is taking point on Jo’s job now with her laid up. An accidental death . . .” He let his words die in his mouth.

“Like her father’s?” Gill asked on a breath.

“We all know how Jo feels about that.”

Could it be that simple? Could Karl be that man?

“Jo can’t take this right now.”

“Which is why we’re talking to you,” Luke told him.

“If it is Karl, why wait until now to make a move?”

“Too suspicious to happen on the heels of her father? You’re the FBI agent, you tell us.”

Wyatt had a point.

“I don’t like how this smells.”

“Neither do we.”





Chapter Twenty-Eight




“How is it you’re still here?” Jo asked on her third night home.

“I’m the night shift,” Gill told her as he tucked her into the crook of his arm once they climbed into bed for the night. “You have to admit, I’m a decent pillow.”

“You’re hard as a rock.”

He kissed the top of her head. “You love it.”

“I do. But seriously, you have a job, a home.”

“Shauna has it covered.”

Jo wasn’t convinced. “I can’t keep you away forever.”

“Yes, you can.”

She looked up at him. “Gill.”

“My boss understands. Everything is okay.” He closed his eyes.

“You wouldn’t lie to me, would you?”

Gill nodded without apology.

“Gill!”

“It’s okay.”

She hated being placated. “Gill!”

He opened his eyes and sighed. “Okay, here’s the truth. You ready for it?”