“This is major,” Blake said, taking her hand and shaking it. Hope entered his voice for the first time. “Thank you. You may have just saved this dolphin’s life.”

He turned and raced back to the truck. Once there, he handed the paper to the vet and climbed into the truck. “Let’s go!”

“Wait! I’m going with her,” Carson called out, the towel falling from her shoulders as she ran to the truck.

Blake’s eyes flashed. “You can’t.”

“She needs me.”

“You’ve done enough,” Blake said bluntly.

Carson cringed under the sting of the double entendre.

“You’re wasting precious time,” Blake said. “Time this dolphin doesn’t have. You can’t come, Carson, so drop it.” He paused, then offered, “I’ll call you and let you know how she is.”

“Let them go, darlin’,” Mamaw said at her side. “You’ll just be in the way. Sometimes the best support is a retreat.”

Carson nodded her head reluctantly and looked up at the truck. All she saw was the box that carried Delphine.

Blake’s face softened as he stood at the edge of the truck. “We’ll take good care of her. I’ll call you.”

He reached up to slide down the back gate. The metal slammed loudly in her face. The truck’s engine fired. Mamaw took Carson’s hand and they stepped back away from the vehicle.

A gut-wrenching sob erupted from her mouth when she saw the truck drive away. She felt as though part of her soul was being torn from her, leaving her raw with loss.

Carson turned to Mamaw. “How did it happen? The fishing line . . . where did it come from?”

Mamaw’s eyes flickered and she looked away. “He meant well. He was trying to catch fish for her.”

Carson felt the blood drain from her face as she stared at the empty space where the truck had been parked. She swung her head to look at the dock. Blood still tinged the water where several long pieces of fishing line from several rods caught the wind and blew gaily like streamers. Carson felt a sudden and overwhelming surge of guilt. It roiled in her stomach like nausea. Followed quickly by a white-hot fury that blinded her. And her rage had a target.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

“Nate!”

Carson felt like a demon licked at her heels as she stormed through the wild grass to the house. Her heart was pounding in her ears, blocking out the cries of Mamaw and her sisters as they followed her.

“Carson, wait,” Mamaw said, reaching out to grab her arm. She was pale and breathless from the exertion. “Don’t do anything in anger. You’ll regret it.”

“I already regret it. I’m sick with regret,” she said, choking out the words. She pushed on out of Mamaw’s grasp and bolted through the porch door. “Nate!” she called out, so loudly her voice was raspy. “Nate, where are you?”

Dora was at her heels as she marched through the living room. “What do you want with Nate?” she cried.

Carson wiped the damp hair from her face as she continued down the hallway, her feet dripping mud and sand on the Oriental carpet. She pushed open the library door without knocking. The curtains had been pulled and the room was darkened. She found Nate sitting on the edge of his bed, his hands clasped between his knees. He was rocking back and forth, keening in a low wail.

She went to stand wide legged in front of him. Nate didn’t look at her or acknowledge her presence.

“Do you know what you did?” she screamed at him. “Do you have any idea what you did to Delphine?”

Nate continued rocking, his eyes focused on the floor.

Dora ran into the room, blustery with outrage. “What are you doing? Don’t you dare yell at my son!”

Mamaw, Harper, and Lucille were right behind her

Carson swung around and faced off with Dora. “Stop protecting him. You’re always protecting him! Do you even know what he did?”

“No! What did he do?” she shouted back, near tears of worry. It was a standoff between the two sisters, face-to-face with eyes raging.

“Your son set up all the fishing rods out on the dock. He left them out there all night.”

“So?”

Carson’s eyes flamed. “So, that’s how Delphine got caught in the wire. She’s severely hurt, maybe dying. And it’s his fault! He knows better than to leave his gear out. He practically killed Delphine and he doesn’t even say he’s sorry.”

“He won’t say that. Don’t you get that yet? Stop yelling at him!” Dora yelled, the irony lost on them.

“I’m so angry!” Carson cried, fisting her hands at her sides.

“Well, you taught him how to fish,” Dora said accusingly.

Carson took a step back. “That’s just great. Blame me. The truth is, he was having a good time out there, without you, and you can’t stand it.” Her voice was rising. “He has to accept the blame when it’s his fault.”

“Look who’s talking about accepting the blame!” Dora shouted back at her. “Who was the one who brought the dolphin to the dock in the first place? You, that’s who! Not Nate. You’re the one who calls for it to come, and swims with it. It’s your fault that dolphin got caught. That dolphin had no business being by the dock in the first place. Stop blaming a nine-year-old boy. Grow up for a change and put the blame where it belongs. On you!”

Carson stepped back as though she’d been struck, hearing the echo of Blake’s accusations in Dora’s words. A silence fell between them as, for a moment, the pain literally took her breath away.

“Okay. Fine,” Carson said, admission in her voice. “But I’m not the one who put the hooks on the line and left the fishing rods out there like some trap,” she cried. “Goddamn, Dora, you can’t always protect him. He hurt Delphine. He almost killed her. She may not live. And he doesn’t even acknowledge what he did.” Tears sprang to Carson’s eyes as she glared at Nate accusingly, but his eyes wouldn’t meet hers. She knelt down and placed her hands firmly on his upper arms, forcing him to look at her.

Nate reared back and struck out. There was a collective gasp as fist met skull. Carson saw stars and fell back, cradling her cheek.

Nate leaped from the bed, running for the door, but Lucille reached out and caught him. He flailed his arms, screaming hysterically. Dora ran to his side and wrapped her arms around him, trying to calm him. Everyone started yelling then as the room erupted in chaos. Nate put his hands over his ears, slid to the floor, and wailed.