“Our carriage awaits,” I tell Henry, who tenses instantly. “Do you feel good enough about this to walk out there unarmed?”

He shrugs. “What choice do we have?”

“I could call the Natchez police chief and ask him to ride over here and get us. But I don’t think that’s necessary.”

“Screw it, then. Let’s go.”

I slide the picture of my father and Brody Royal off the table. “May I take this?”

“Sure. I’ve got a copy.”

Henry unlocks the door of the war room and leads me down the hall to the main office. Red lights are flashing in the parking lot, and their distorted refraction through the glass door lends a cinematic sense of danger to the scene. As Henry gathers papers into his briefcase, I touch his shoulder, and he jumps like a man who thought he was alone.

“I really need to be able to tell Shad Johnson a little of what you’ve told me tonight,” I say. “Not much, and I won’t tell Caitlin anything. But if I can’t slow Shad down, he’s going to have my father arrested in the morning. Will you give me your blessing for that much?”

Henry looks like a man being asked to lend out his life savings.

“I wouldn’t ask if I had another option. But Dad nearly died from that last heart attack. I’m not sure he can survive an arrest, much less jail.”

To his credit, Henry hesitates only a moment. “Do whatever you have to, Penn. I don’t want Doc to suffer for something he didn’t do.”

“Thank you.” I edge up to the glass door. A white Ford Crown Vic with a bubblegum light waits in the dark parking lot to my left, gray smoke puffing from its tailpipe. “Okay. We’re going to walk out there like we own the town. Right?”

“If you say so.”

“I’ll go first.”

“Won’t argue with that.”

Turning my back to the door, I take hold of his arms. “Before we go, is there anything else you want to tell me?”

Henry’s eyes widen. “Are you saying you think I’m about to get shot?”

“I hope not. But you never know.”