“Aria, I don’t know whether to hug you or turn you over my knee,” he said. “When the sheriff called, I was afraid I’d lost you.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “All I thought about was myself instead of how this would hurt you. All I could think about was meeting Aunt Shelby, talking to her.”

An angry flash met me. “Are you satisfied your mom and grandparents told you the truth?”

She shook her head. “No. Grandma told me to talk to Aunt Shelby and ask her hard questions.”

“And?”

“Her answers are the same as yours.” Aria struggled to speak. “But I don’t hate her.”

He took a deep breath and opened his arms. Aria rushed to him while déjà vu made me shiver. I tore my attention to Denton, who gave me a slight smile. His eyes emitted tenderness, a gift I craved desperately.

“It’s just you and me now.” The heartfelt intimacy moved me to blink back the tears.

“Mom told you she’s moving to Phoenix?”

“She’s not coming back.” Dad held Aria at arm’s length. “She felt it was better not to have an emotional goodbye with either of us.”

“Granddad, that’s cruel. What about her clothes and stuff?”

Aria had told the truth about Marissa. How horrible.

“She’ll send for her things. I’ll tell you more in the car.” Dad glanced up at me as though he’d forgotten Denton and I were in the room. “We need to get on the road.”

“Clay,” Denton said, “you’re facing a long drive. Why don’t you and Aria stay here tonight and get a fresh start in the morning?”

“Can’t take advantage of you, especially with the circumstances. You looked after Aria, and you’re not in good shape.”

“Dad, I’ll go to my cabin if—”

“No way.” Denton shook his head. “Randy’s parked at his drinking hole, talking crazy.”

Dad focused on Denton, and I understood how looking at me created bitter memories. “The man who’s made threats and caused so much trouble?”

“We think this is a separate issue. He was a local police officer who got fired for a variety of reasons. He blames Shelby and me, and he’s already spent a little jail time for acting stupid. The FBI and local law enforcement haven’t discounted a connection, but he won’t show up here and risk crossing a federal officer. Why not stay at my cabin for supper and rest up before the drive back?”

Exhaustion etched deeper on Dad’s face. Thank goodness Aria didn’t utter a sound. “Not sure what is best.”

“Isn’t the bakery closed on Sundays?”

Dad nodded. “We’d be a big imposition.”

“Not really. Shelby gave me her mother’s recipe for chicken and dumplings. I’ve got the fixings for a salad, and we have a pecan pie from the bakery.”

Dad rubbed his face. The stress of losing Mom, Aria’s escape, and Marissa’s announcement clearly bombarded his head and his heart. And then there was me, his younger daughter, newly released from prison. If only I could put my arms around him.