Drew had brought Melba along because Tom’s nurse had demanded that if he heard anything from Tom—especially about needing help—he should call her. Knowing that he couldn’t stay there all night, Drew had done so. Two minutes after crossing the westbound bridge over the Mississippi River—driving in tandem—Melba had noticed a Louisiana State Police cruiser thirty yards behind him, so she’d texted a warning. To test for surveillance, Drew had gone to the Mercy Hospital first to check on Henry Sexton. After that visit, they’d seen no sign of the patrol car, and so had proceeded to the lake house.

“Thanks, Drew,” Tom said, forcing a smile. “It feels a lot better already.”

“That’s just the local, you know that. Once the lidocaine wears off, it’s going to hurt like a son of a bitch. And I don’t want you hitting that Lorcet too hard.”

“Don’t worry about that,” said Walt. “I took his bottle.”

Drew smiled. “Good. Tom’s bad about self-prescribing.” He leaned over his senior partner. “You know, with your heart the way it is, you really should be in the ICU at St. Catherine’s.”

Tom shook his head. “They’d put me in the county jail.”

“Not if they don’t know you’ve skipped,” Walt said.

“And not with your pericardium filling with fluid,” Drew added.

“We’re talking about Shad Johnson and Billy Byrd,” Tom said. “Shad’s going to get my bail revoked as soon as he can.”

Drew looked troubled. “I think Penn is more than enough lawyer to arrange for you to be held in the ICU while he sorts this mess out.”

When Tom shook his head and protested that he’d brought plenty of diuretics with him, Drew raised his hands in surrender. “All right. But if you develop serious complications over here—or God forbid, have a fatal MI—Penn and Peggy will never forgive me. I didn’t save your life two months ago to have you die in my lake house.”

“You didn’t save my life.” Tom winked at his nurse. “Melba did. You just plugged up that defib unit and shocked me back into rhythm. It was Melba barging into my bathroom and finding me on the floor that saved me.”

Drew laughed, and Melba’s eyes shone with pride.

“I don’t guess you want to tell me why you skipped bail,” Drew said with sudden seriousness.

“You’re better off not knowing.”

“I don’t believe you murdered anybody, Tom. So I’m not worried about getting in trouble for helping you.”

“Don’t be naïve.”

“Hell, I’m already aiding and abetting now, right?”

Walt nodded, and Melba looked worried.

“I wish I could tell you more,” Tom said.

“More? You haven’t told me anything yet.”