There was no mistaking the curiosity on Wilder’s face, but to the man’s credit, he let it go. Probably because it wasn’t curiosity at all. Wilder wasn’t any more blind than Neil was. And Neil was too tired this morning to go to the effort of masking his feelings. Still, he was grateful Wilder didn’t push or prod.

“So what do we do now? We’ve had a prowler—or prowlers—and you think they’re somehow connected to Diana. What do we do with that?”

Wilder scratched his chin. “Well, right now, you go to the hospital and I do what I do. Keep digging. And then when Maggie’s doing a little better, maybe we talk to her. See if there’s more she can tell us about Diana or the night of the accident.”

There might be. “I remember . . .”

“Meanwhile,” Wilder went on, “we all pray that if I’m wrong and there’s nothing to this, God would knock me over the head or something.”

“If He doesn’t, I’m sure Lilian would be willing to do the job.”

Wilder let out a laugh. “Don’t I know it.” He sobered in the next instant. “I don’t know, Neil. I just can’t shake it. I think . . . I think we’ve only scratched the surface of this thing.”

His friend’s words followed him into the truck and down the lane and all the way to the hospital. Along with Maggie’s voice from last night and his own dogged fatigue . . .

And thoughts of Sydney—so many of them, all swirling together into one giant knot of desire. He just didn’t know what to do about it.

Maybe there was nothing to do. Maybe she planned to avoid him until leaving tomorrow. If that’s what she wanted . . .

“Neil.”

Lilian’s voice greeted him the moment he walked into the waiting room that had become their family’s campsite last night. She was just emerging from a hallway.

“She’s awake.” Lilian hurried to him, barreling into a hug. “She’s awake and doing well. She wants to see you. And Indi, of course, and she even asked about Bennington. Apparently Sydney’s already been here.”

He stepped back, gaze immediately searching each corner of the waiting room. “Sydney’s here?”

“Was here. About an hour ago, I guess. Before Maggie was fully awake.” Lilian looked up at him, tears in her eyes. “She wants to have Thanksgiving at the farm, Neil. It was one of the first things she said to me. She wants to invite everyone like in the old days. I don’t know why or what changed her mind but she practically ordered me to organize it and . . .” She leaned in for another hug. “Go talk to her. There’s things she wants to say to you, too.”

He didn’t doubt it. After last night . . . the treehouse . . . all he’d kept from her.

He released his sister, trying to keep his tension from showing on his face as he told her Indi and her fiancé would be arriving soon. Minutes later, he stood outside Maggie’s door. Just go in. Tell her you’re sorry about the treehouse. Tell her . . .