Claire zeroed in on Butch. “The mother of your child is up to something.”

“Up to what?”

“I don’t know exactly, but it’s something that is making her face twitch again.”

Butch rubbed his jaw. “What conspired prior to this twitch?”

“Twitches,” she clarified. “Several over a short period of time. But I can’t tell you anything more than that.”

“Why not?” Mac asked before Butch could.

She glanced back and forth between them. “Because Kate made me pinky swear not to say anything to anyone. She forced me into the deal by threatening to hurt my Jeep. And then she added that if she hears of my tattling, she’d hurt my Jeep some more.”

“You mean she’s going to shoot it again?” Mac asked with a solid dose of sarcasm. “Or smear more pies around inside it?”

“She didn’t specify and I didn’t want to ask and risk putting ideas into her head. I simply backed away slowly and left before she started foaming at the mouth.”

“Can you at least tell me if there is another person that spurred the return of her twitching?” A muscle pulsed in Butch’s cheek. “Jesus, she’s not going after Grady’s deputy again, is she?”

Claire mimicked zipping her lips.

“Damn it, Claire,” Butch growled.

“Listen, all I can tell you is that you need to stay hot on her tracks day and night so that Ronnie or Penny or I don’t end up in jail again.”