People headed our way immediately, zeroing in on us. Sandra got there first. I had to insert myself between them, because she was on the verge of launching a drunken assault. She shoved her face over my shoulder and bellowed her disgust at Ricky.

“You! What do you think you’re doing here? I can’t believe you’d have the balls to show your face in this town again. Get the hell out before the cops throw your sorry ass in jail.”

Ricky just smiled, using that smile that was more like a sneer. He’d used it on me that very first day at the high school football game when we met. Back then, I’d had no idea what it really meant. All those years since then, and I’d never guessed the truth, never guessed what he was concealing from me.

“Didn’t you hear the good news, Sandra?” Ricky told her. “Bec and I have reconciled.”

She unleashed a curse of disbelief. “Bullshit. That’s bullshit.”

“It’s true.”

Sandra turned her attention to me with her face just inches from mine. “Say the word, honey, and ten men will toss this asshole out to the street.”

Ricky draped a paw around my shoulder. “Don’t be like that, Sandra. Be happy for us. I’ve apologized, and Bec’s forgiven me. We were both wrong. We both did things we regret. The main thing is, we have a child now, and we have to put her first.”

Sandra stared at me with a mix of anger and horror. “Honey, you can’t be serious. You cannot take him back.”

I took a deep breath. “It’s okay, Sandra.”

“Okay? Are you kidding? What’s wrong with you?”

“Leave it. Please.”

But Sandra wasn’t the only one in the bar trying to rescue me. Norm came up to me, too. “Rebecca? What’s going on? Are you all right?”

“I’m fine.”

“Has Ricky hurt you in any way?”

I shook my head. “No. He hasn’t.”

“Ricky, you need to leave,” Norm told him in a firm voice. “You’re not welcome here. Not after what you did.”

“I think that’s up to Rebecca, don’t you?” Ricky replied confidently, not intimidated by the crowd gathered around us, half of whom were dressed like monsters. “What do you say, Bec? Should I stay or go?”

My face must have looked like the rigid papier-mâché mask that he’d worn. “You can stay.”

Sandra swore again, more loudly than before, and Norm’s eyes narrowed with shocked surprise. He stared at me as if I must be a robot operated by remote control, with Ricky pushing the buttons and telling me what to say.

“Rebecca, did Ricky threaten you in any way? Or did he threaten Shelby?”

“No.”

His face darkened with a new thought. “Where is Shelby?”

“Safe,” I said.

“Safe where?”

“She’s safe,” I repeated.