Thirty-One and a Half Regrets
Page 37

But my actions ignited something in him and he slid his hands under my T-shirt and up my back, setting my skin on fire.
Mason groaned and grabbed my shoulders, pulling me back. “I didn’t touch you because I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop once I started. As much as I want you, it’s more important for me to make sure you’re safe. And if I’m the one in charge of protecting you, I’ll do a shitty job of it, because when I’m kissing you a damn nuclear bomb could go off and I wouldn’t even notice.”
“Oh.” I could see his point. “So does that mean you’re not going to kiss me?”
His eyes watched my mouth. “I don’t see how I can be this close to you without kissing you, but we can’t get too carried away. At least not until we get you somewhere safe, somewhere with a real protection detail.”
“Then why are we still here?”
He laughed and when he kissed me again, I could see what he meant about a nuclear bomb going off. There was a knock at the door, but the sound didn’t register until Mason set me on the ground and reached for his gun.
“Why are you getting your gun? Do you really think Daniel Crocker would knock on the door?”
“I wouldn’t put anything past that mental case.” He checked the chamber. “Now go hide in the bathroom. It doesn’t have any windows.”
The blood fled my head. “You’re serious.”
He looked down at me, determination squaring his jaw. “I’m dead serious. Now go.”
“No! What if it’s him and he shoots you?” Panic made my voice tighten.
His face softened. “Rose, no one’s going to shoot me. It’s probably Jeff. He told me he was going to come by after he checked out the crime scene, but I don’t want to take any chances, okay?” The pounding grew louder. “Now, go.” He pointed to a partially open door under the staircase.
I did as he asked, mostly because I didn’t know what else to do. I went inside and he pulled the door to the powder room shut on his way to the windowless front door. I sat on the toilet lid, my ears straining to hear what was happening while I studied his décor. It was all sleek and shiny with chrome and dark wood with straight lines. His living room and kitchen were the same—stainless steel and granite counters, contemporary looking sofa and chairs with glass tables. I couldn’t imagine a house more different from mine.
“Come on in, Jeff.” Mason’s voice filtered through the bathroom door. Then the door opened and his face appeared in the crack. “It’s safe.”
I stood and he pushed the door open, taking my hand and pulling me into the hall. “Rose, you remember Chief Deputy Dimler?”
“Have you heard anything about Bruce Wayne?”
He ran a hand over his head. “I confess that we haven’t. Once we got word that Crocker wasn’t in the warehouse in Shreveport, we had to regroup and focus all our attention on that. It’s why I’m here.”
Mason gestured to his living room and we sat on the sofa while the deputy took the chair across from us, leaning forward.
Mason put his arm around my back and the gesture drew Chief Deputy Dimler’s attention. “I’m sure you can appreciate that I have a personal interest in Rose’s safety,” Mason said, tightening his grip.
A frown flickered on his face before it metamorphosed into a grin. “I can see that. I didn’t realize you were dating. You never mentioned it.”
“We just started dating recently,” Mason said, then cast a glance at me as though asking permission after the fact.
I gave him a soft smile.
He turned back to his friend. “What do you know?”
“We don’t have confirmation on the prints yet, so we don’t know for sure that Crocker was the one in Rose’s house, but someone obviously was. For all we know, it could have been one of his boys.”
“How’d they get in?”
“The back window. The Henryetta Police swore they were parked in front of your house, Rose, after we notified them at three this morning, but they wouldn’t have seen anyone who came in that way.”
“So what’s your plan?” Mason asked.
“Whether this was Crocker or one of his guys, the fact that someone was in her house while she was asleep is a huge concern.”
“Do you think it was Daniel Crocker?” I asked.
The deputy hesitated.
“It was him,” Mason said, his voice low. “He swore to get revenge for what he thought Rose did to him. In his mind, she not only got him arrested, she damaged his pride. He’s gonna want the satisfaction of scaring her. I don’t think he’ll stop until he makes her suffer.”
Cold chills ran up my back.
Chief Deputy Dimler rested his forearm on his knee. “With all due respect, Mason, you just admitted you have a personal interest in her safety. That could make you jump to conclusions. You’re no longer impartial.”
“No, Jeff. It makes me more invested, so I might look at things you would miss. Who told you Crocker was still around town?”
He groaned. “You did.”
“Crocker’s dead set on making Rose pay. He won’t leave her alone until he’s satisfied. I’m even more certain after hearing everything that happened to Rose when Crocker thought she was his informant. Most of it wasn’t in the reports.”
The deputy scowled. “Who took the damned reports?”