She almost smiled. “He will. Ain’t nothing can replace Jeff, but Carson is a good steady boy.”

She left soon after, because we didn’t have anything left to say.

Tolliver said, “Tomorrow, if you don’t have a fever, we’re leaving this place.”

“Absolutely,” I said. “Maybe by the time I get to Philadelphia I will have healed enough that I won’t scare the clients.”

“We can cancel and go to our apartment and just relax for a couple of weeks.”

“No,” I said. “Back in the saddle again.” And then I made an effort to smile. “And when I’m a little better than that, we’ll see about really getting back in the saddle.” I tried to leer, but the result was so ludicrous that Tolliver had to choke back a laugh.

But I poked him in the ribs, and he let it out.

Back in the saddle again.