The Lawman Claims His Bride (Love Inspired Historical) by Renee Ryan Page B

silently considered how much to reveal in Megan’s presence, Shane’s light footsteps sounded in the cell as he moved away. Excellent decision on the other man’s part. The good doctor didn’t belong in this conversation.
    Neither did Megan.
    “Let’s finish this outside,” Logan said to Trey.
    “No.” Megan hobbled around him, stopping when she stood by Trey’s side. “I deserve to know what Mattie said about me.”
    Although Megan’s voice sounded stronger, Logan noted the pallor on her face. “I’m not sure you should hear this right now.”
    “Yes, Logan.” She lifted her chin at a stubborn angle. “Now.”
    Logan found himself gaping at her uncharacteristic tenacity. And her inflexibility. The Megan of the past had always been even tempered, tolerant. Gracious even, with the kind of patience that could nurse a child’s injured knee in one breath and laugh off a garden snake stuffed in her pocket the next.
    “I think Megan should stay,” Shane said as he stepped out of the shadows. “Hearing the story might spark something in her memory.”
    While he spoke, Shane glided to a spot next to Megan. Shoulder to shoulder to shoulder. Trey, Megan, Shane, all three stood in a single row, facing Logan with various levels of resolve in their gazes.
    The proverbial three against one.
    Logan let out a sharp hiss. There was no way around the inevitable now. He would to have to reveal what he’d discovered at Mattie’s, including the unsavory details of the madam’s business dealings with Kincaid, since he was one of her regular clients.
    Without looking at Megan directly—how could he with some of what he had to say?—Logan ran through Mattie’s revelations in a quick, rapid-fire staccato. He finished with the final piece of evidence that cleared Megan of any crime. “Mattie found her lying on a small divan with a pillow under her head and a blanket tucked neatly around her legs.”
    “Logan,” Trey began. “We still don’t know—”
    Logan lifted his hand to stop Trey from continuing and instead focused on Megan for the first time since he’d started his tale.
    She wasn’t looking at him, though. Her gaze darted around the jail cell and she’d gone completely still. A series of complicated emotions ran across her face, while her breathing quickened to quick, short gasps.
    Was she on the verge of remembering something important?
    Logan wanted to physically pull the hidden memories free for her. If only he knew how. There had to be a way. But then she moved her head from side to side, sighed heavily, and let her shoulders drop at a dejected angle.
    At the sight of her obvious despair, Logan wanted to offer her whatever comfort he could. He wanted to tell her matters weren’t as hopeless as they seemed. That with prayer, time and God’s help everything would turn out well for them.
    He opened his mouth to tell her all that, but Trey’s voice stopped him. “I’m afraid none of this changes Megan’s situation.”
    Logan’s jaw flexed with the heat of renewed fury. “On the contrary. Everything has changed.” He spoke slowly, carefully, keeping his tone even. “It’s clear someone else entered the room and killed Kincaid. Nothing else explains how Mattie found her.”
    “ Mattie being the operative word here,” Trey said, regret filling his eyes. “Consider your source.”
    “I have.” Realizing his shooting hand had started shaking—from anger—Logan wiped his palm against his thigh. “I’ve interrogated Mattie Silks more times than I care to count. I know when she’s lying. Perhaps for the first time in her life, the woman is telling the truth.”
    Well versed in Logan and Mattie’s turbulent history, Trey faltered. “I’ll want to check Mattie’s story myself,” Trey said in way of concession.
    “Suit yourself, but we both know Megan is innocent.” Logan smiled at her as he said the words.
    She smiled back. And for that single moment in time, everything seemed to stop and