Thirty-Three and a Half Shenanigans
Page 73

“Yeah,” I scowled. “I know what she thinks.”
He snickered. “I need to check out the house before you go in. Why don’t you wait out here, and I’ll tell you when it’s safe.”
“Okay.” I handed him the keys to the front door and paced the yard in front of the porch until he returned. “It’s clear.”
Deputy Miller waited in the living room while I went upstairs and packed our things into two bags. My Lady in Black clothes and accessories were buried in a box in our bedroom closet. Neely Kate had loaned me a few things as a costume for my Thanksgiving Day escapade and then told me to keep them, figuring she wouldn’t fit into the shoes or dress once her feet swelled and she started gaining pregnancy weight. Neither of us could risk wearing the hat casually, as it had become the hallmark of the Lady in Black.
I gave Deputy Miller a few leftover cookies to take with him before he followed me back to the hospital. While I found his presence comforting at the moment, how was I going to ditch him later to meet Jed? He was supposed to follow me back to Maeve’s house to stand watch for the night.
By the time I got back, Mason had been moved to his new room on the second floor. He was sitting in a chair with a laptop, wearing a pair of blue scrubs.
“I brought your clothes, but you look good in scrubs,” I teased as I entered the room.
He set the computer on the bed and stood. “Did you have any trouble out at the farm?”
“No.”
“I talked to Mom, and she’s got the guest room ready for you.” He gave me a kiss. “The three of you will be safe with Deputy Miller watching you.”
“Three?” I asked.
He grinned. “Muffy, although I think she could take the deputy’s place as your guard.”
“True enough.” I pulled him over to the side of the bed and sat down. “Mason, I want you to tell me the truth.”
His smile fell. “About what?”
“Does this have anything to do with J.R. Simmons?”
He studied me for a few seconds. “No, I think Joe is right. If his father wanted me dead, it would have been done.”
I started to protest.
“Rose. It’s not him. That’s not how he works. Killing someone would be too easy. J.R. Simmons is more interested in giving people prolonged suffering. Something like this wouldn’t satisfy his quest for vengeance.”
“Did the deputies find out anything from Eric?”
Worry flickered in Mason’s eyes. “No,” he said, his voice quiet. “They found him dead in his car. It was parked in the garage of his home. Carbon monoxide poisoning.”
My stomach dropped. “He killed himself?”
Mason put his hands on my arms to steady me. “Joe’s not sure. It could have been set up that way to make sure he didn’t talk.”
“So Joe’s no closer to finding out who’s responsible than he was before?”
“No.”
I stayed with Mason a little while longer until he insisted I go to his mother’s, since it was getting dark. I didn’t want to leave him, but the truth was I could do Mason more good as the Lady in Black.
I wrapped my hands around his neck and pressed our foreheads together, careful of his stitches. “Please be careful, Mason.”
“I’m here under guard,” he said, his palm pressed to my cheek. “I’m more worried about you and Mom, but knowing there will be a deputy parked outside Mom’s house to keep an eye on things makes me feel better.”
I only hoped they wouldn’t be watching too closely. “I wish you had your phone so I could call and check on you.”
“I think someone’s going to bring me a loaner until I can get a new one. I’ll let you know when I find out the number. In the meantime, be careful.”
“I plan on it.”
Deputy Miller followed me from the hospital to Maeve’s house. He parked across the street and waved as I walked to the front porch. Maeve had obviously been waiting for me, because she opened the front door immediately, looking more worn than usual. “Did you see him? Is he okay?” she asked as I shut the door behind me.
Muffy jumped up on my legs, excited to see me. I picked her up and hugged her close.
“He’s fine, I promise. He has a few stitches on his forehead and a headache,” I said, giving Maeve a reassuring smile, even as I was trying to convince myself I was telling the truth. “You know how stubborn he is. He’s not going to let something as mundane as faulty brakes do much damage.” Since Joe wasn’t telling the public about the attempt on Mason’s life, they’d decided it was best to keep it from Maeve as well. Mason told her that the house was being watched because of our break-in the night before. “They’re only keeping him as a precaution. Just to be safe.”
Her mouth tipped up into a small grin. “You’re right.”
“You look exhausted. Why don’t you sit down, and I’ll figure out something for dinner? I promise that I really do know how to cook.”
She let me lead her to one of the chairs at the kitchen table. “I already made a chicken casserole. It should be ready to come out of the oven.”
“Well, I definitely know how to use a pair of potholders,” I teased. I pulled the casserole out and set the pan on a trivet on the kitchen table. Glancing down at her, I noticed she was wiping her eyes. I squatted in front of her and grabbed her hands. “Maeve, he’s going to be okay.”