Page 47 of Cadaver Lab: Mind Over Murder

“You’re right. There shouldn’t be a restraining order at all. That’s bullshit. But to make a spectacle of it in the Morgan’s place of business… that is totally unacceptable.”

“I know. You’re right. But what if Stone ends up punching Carson and gets thrown in jail because of me? Everything is all my fault and there’s nothing I can do to fix it.” Renewed tears glistened in Harper’s eyes. “Nobody can fix this mess. I’ll just go into debt paying lawyers to fight the lawsuits and to get Stone out of jail for assaulting a deputy sheriff--”

“Stop. You don’t know Stone will assault anybody. Right? He’ll calm down. Have you heard from him since he left in the truck?”

Harper nodded. “He texted he couldn’t find Carson but that he gave the sheriff a talking to, then was going to run errands. I couldn’t stand waiting for him to get back, I’m too nervous, so I came over here. I’m sorry to keep bothering you with my problems.”

“You’re no bother. I’m glad you’re here. Oh and I forgot. I have good news. Liam called the hospital and they said Alice is doing really well and they could bring her out of the coma any day now.”

“Thank goodness. Batty old woman, speeding around on that trike like a person half her age. And these roads around here are not the best. Neither are the sidewalks. It’s no wonder she flipped.” Harper shook her head.

“Thank you for saying that. I was feeling responsible for her accident because I came up with the citizen patrol idea.”

“No. It’s not your fault, Nat,” Harper emphasized. “You need to believe that.”

“Same, Harper,” Natalie said with a pointed stare. “None of this is your fault. You need to believe it too.”

“Okay.” Harper nodded. “Thank you.”

Natalie lifted one shoulder. “That’s what friends are for.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

It was nearly closing time when the bell above the door sounded.

Natalie braced herself for whatever annoying customer had chosen to slide in five minutes to six when all she wanted to do was lock the door, take off her bra, and collapse on the sofa.

It had already been a long and eventful day. Time for it to be over.

She breathed a sigh of relief she saw her last-minute customer was Harper.

“Hello. Twice in one day. I’m happy to see you, but please tell me it’s not because something else happened.”

“Nothing bad. I just decided you were right. I need a bottle of wine, or two, and a night on the sofa with Stone. And since you are my favorite wine purveyor in the village...”

“I’m the only wine purveyor in the village but thank you.” Natalie laughed. “It’s nice to see you in a better mood.”

“Well, I’m trying to think positively. Dee is confident we’ll come out all right in the ridiculous lawsuit. Margaret is home and even if she won’t talk about what happened, at least she isn’t blaming me. Alice is doing better, according to you and Liam. And screw that woman and her restraining order. I don’t want to be within a hundred yards of her anyway. I’ve turned over a new leaf. I’m going to stop worrying. And I’m going to stop writing about Mudville and any of the people in it. Anyone I know at all, really.”

“No.” Natalie gasped with shock.

“Yes.” Harper nodded.

“Then what will you write about?”

“I have no idea. I was hoping something will come to me during the hours and hours of binge-watching I have planned.”

“Okay. That sounds promising.”

“I can only hope,” Harper said as her cell vibrated with a text.

She glanced down at the phone in her hand. “It’s Stone. He wants to know where I am.”

“Maybe he’s on that sofa waiting for you,” Natalie suggested as Harper tapped in a reply.

The response came immediately.

Harper frowned. “He says don’t move. He’ll be here in a minute.”