by Rebecca Deel
As the tension ratcheted up, Nicole slid her phone from her pocket, ready to call 911 if things got out of hand. She eyed Mason and Linc again, noting their confidence, and returned her phone to her pocket. Todd was in no shape to take on anyone much less men trained in self-defense. Mason and Linc could handle Gage without difficulty.
“Should we call the police?” Dawn whispered to her.
Nicole shook her head. “Our men can handle this without breaking a sweat.” Hopefully without throwing punches.
“What good would it do me to harm Todd?” Mason’s voice was quiet.
“Payback for your prison term.”
“And end up behind bars again? No, thanks. My future plans don’t include another prison term.”
“A lot of men might believe the price of revenge was worth the cost.”
“I’m not one of them.” Mason folded his arms. “What about you?”
Surprise flickered on Gage’s face. “Me? What are you talking about?”
“I’m the reason Stacey and Allison are gone. No one would blame you for avenging your family. Are you responsible for what happened to me?”
The other man’s gaze swept over him. “Doesn’t look like you have injuries.”
“By the grace of God, I don’t. But someone wanted me out of commission or dead. Two night ago, a soft drink I left in my truck was doctored with ketamine.”
Understanding dawned in his eyes. “I wondered why the police questioned me regarding my whereabouts on the afternoon I arrived in town. I figured you sent them to harass me.”
“What did you tell them?” Linc asked.
“I was with Todd at the pharmacy to pick up his pain medicine. After that, we ate dinner in Cherry Hill at an Italian place highly recommended by the proprietress of the B & B.”
“Your story can be verified?”
A shrug. “I haven’t heard from the police again. They must have followed up.” Gage shifted his attention to Mason. “How do I know you’re telling the truth?”
“Same reason. The Otter Creek PD is thorough.”
“You live here now. You might have friends on the force. Who’s to say they aren’t covering for you.”
“If my alibi hadn’t held up, I’d be in jail. Yes, I have friends on the force. They’d hate to arrest me, but would anyway if they had proof I committed a crime.”
“Did you hire someone to poison Mason?” Linc cocked his head. “You have access to ketamine. You could have provided the drug to a free agent who doesn’t mind getting their hands dirty for the right price.”
He shook his head. “I could have, but I didn’t.”
“We only have your word for that.”
The vet lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “That’s not my problem. I don’t have to defend myself against something I didn’t do. By the way, I also don’t travel with veterinary medicine in my car. And, yes, the police searched the car and the room.”
“Why did you come to my work site today?” Mason asked.
Nicole’s eyes widened. That was a bold move on the other man’s part. Did he show up to cause Mason trouble with Brian, perhaps toss more accusations at him and convince the construction owner to kick Mason to the curb? If so, he was doomed to disappointment. Brian wouldn’t fire Mason without irrefutable proof of wrong doing.
“I wanted to see your face when you answered my questions about Todd’s injuries. You’re the only person he knows in town. No one else would have the motivation to hurt him.”
“How do you know it wasn’t a robbery gone bad?” Dawn asked.
Todd frowned. “The guy who attacked me didn’t demand my wallet, watch, or cell phone. He just went after me with that hammer.”
“I doubt you’ll believe me,” Mason said to Gage, “but I don’t have ill will toward Todd or you. My prison time was justified. I apologized at the sentencing hearing, and I meant every word. I’m sorry for your loss and my role in taking the lives of your wife and daughter.”
“You’re still breathing. From where I’m standing, an apology isn’t good enough,” Todd snapped.
“No, it isn’t,” Mason agreed. “But an apology is all I have to offer. That and a promise that nothing alcoholic will ever touch my lips again. I’ve kept that promise for fifteen years. If I slip up, I guarantee my wife will have strong words to say about it.”
“You’re married?” Gage seemed surprised by that.
“Not yet. In two months.”
Todd cursed softly as he turned his gaze toward Nicole. “I warned you how dangerous he is.”
“You’re wrong.”
Gage frowned at Todd. “You warned her off?”
“What did you expect me to do? Leave her vulnerable to this drunk? Look what happened to Allison and Stacey. I’m not letting another family suffer like ours if I can prevent it.”
Linc’s eyebrow rose. “Hard to call a man a drunk when he doesn’t consume alcohol.”
“That you know about. What he does in private, who knows?”
Mason snorted. “The police keep close tabs on me and with the way the grapevine works in Otter Creek, law enforcement would know if I bought alcohol in this town. More important, I won’t disappoint Nicole by breaking my promise to her.”
Todd sneered. “Too bad you weren’t a teetotaler fifteen years ago.”
“You’re right. I made a stupid choice, one I’ll have to live with the rest of my life.”
“At least you have a life. Stacey and Allison don’t have one.” His voice broke. “They died on the side of the road. It should have been you.”
Nicole slid her hand into Mason’s, hurting for everyone involved, especially Mason who had fought to rebuild his life and overcome the stigma attached to his past. He’d made all the right moves and chosen the path of honor and dignity, and still people wouldn’t let him move forward.
“Enough, Todd.” Gage sent him a quelling glance before turning back to Mason. “Look, this isn’t getting us anywhere, and I’ve said all I intend to say to you. If you crossed the line into vengeance, you’ll pay. I’ll throw every bit of influence I have into making sure you never see the light of day again outside of prison.”
“A waste of time,” Todd muttered, his hate-filled glare locked onto Mason. “No two-bit hick cops will hold him accountable.”
Mason tightened his grip around Nicole’s hand. “One more thing, Gage. How did you know where to find me?”
Gage frowned. “Your father speaks highly of you and this town. We knew you would be here with Rio.”
“How did you find me when you arrived in town? I work at several different job sites around the county. How did you narrow your visit to Oakdale?”
“I received an email telling me where to find you.”
“Who sent it?” Linc asked.
“I don’t know. The sender didn’t identify himself.”
Mason and Linc glanced at each other, then Mason asked, “Would you forward the email to me? I have a friend who might be able to trace it to the sender.”
“You think it’s important?”
“I believe a murderer is using you to get to me. Worse, I’m afraid he’s setting up both of us.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“You expect us to believe that?” Todd’s voice, filled with derision, carried in the still night air. “You’re a liar and a con artist, Kincaid. And your woman? She deserves whatever she gets if she doesn’t dump you and run as far away from you as possible.” He looked at his brother. “Let’s get out of here. I need some clean air.”
Fury burning a hole in his gut, Mason analyzed Todd’s body language and pushed Nicole further behind him. He didn’t trust Todd. If the guy threw another sucker punch, Mason didn’t want Nicole hurt by accident.
To his left, Linc motioned for Dawn to move back. Guess the PSI instructor interpreted Todd’s body language the same as Mason. Despite the injuries, the man was spoiling for a fight.
“Lay off,” Gage snapped. “We’re finished.”
/> “Whatever.” Todd strode directly toward Mason, balled his fist, and took a swing at his face.
Mason shifted enough for the strike to miss by less than an inch, throwing the other man off balance. He took advantage and shoved him onto the nearest car, face down. Todd grunted with pain as his injured arm connected with the car’s trunk.
Easily controlling the other man’s struggles, Mason said, “Enough. You had your free shot at me. You don’t get a second one.”
“You’re a dead man.”
“More dangerous men than you tried and failed to kill me in prison.” He had the scars to prove it. “Go home, Todd. If you stay in Otter Creek, you’ll be used as a murderer’s pawn. Your family has suffered enough. Get on with your life. Stacey wouldn’t want you to wallow in hatred and misery. You’ll only end up hurting yourself. Nothing you can do to me is worse than the knowledge of my own guilt.”
He stepped back and away from the man struggling to regain his balance, alert for another potential attack. Gage gave his brother a hand. Once Todd was steady on his feet, Gage gave Mason a short nod and herded the swearing man toward the restaurant.
“Nicely done,” Linc murmured as they watched until the men turned the corner of the building and disappeared from view.
“Thanks.” Although he appreciated the compliment, Mason wished he’d agreed to takeout. The confrontation had left him with a boulder the side of Montana in his stomach.
The skin at the back of his neck prickled as though spiders crawled along his hairline. He scanned the area, looking for the source of his unease. A shadow moved at the very edge of the lot.
He focused on that spot, but he couldn’t make out who watched from the darkness.
“What is it?” Linc murmured.
“Watcher at 10:00 o’clock.”
The operative unlocked his vehicle, then pressed the remote into Mason’s hand. “Get the women into the safety of the SUV. I’ll find out who’s interested in us.” Linc walked to the opposite side of the building and disappeared.
“Let’s go.” Mason urged Dawn and Nicole ahead of him to the SUV. He opened the door for Dawn, then tucked Nicole into the backseat before sliding behind the wheel in case he needed to get them out of danger in a hurry.
“What’s going on?” Dawn asked. “Where’s Linc?”
“Someone was watching us from the trees. He’s trying to identify him.”
“Go. He might need help.” Her hands gripped the edge of the seat with a white-knuckled hold.
Amusement zipped through him. “Linc doesn’t need a hand. He’s well trained and armed.”
“What if the person watching is armed, too?”
“He can handle himself.” How much did she know about Linc’s training?
She groaned and relaxed against the seat. “Of course he can. I forgot the extent of his training.”
“What am I missing?” Nicole asked. “Linc’s better trained than a regular Army grunt?”
Mason twisted in his seat to look at Nicole. “Special Forces. He knows what he’s doing.”
He scanned the parking lot again, focusing on the shadowed area near the trees. Nothing. Had Linc caught the watcher before he or she disappeared?
Two minutes later, Linc walked toward the SUV. Mason asked the women to stay inside, then met the instructor away from their hearing. He handed Linc the remote. “Any luck?”
“Do the names Gene Patton and Ed Fisher mean anything to you?”
Mason groaned. “They’re on the Elliott construction crew. Why?”
“They were watching from the shadows and weren’t happy that I insisted they answer questions.”
“What did they say?”
“They heard raised voices and wanted to be sure their coworker didn’t need help.”
Mason snorted. “They wouldn’t lift a finger to help me if I needed an assist.”
Linc’s lips curved. “I got the impression they’d prefer to watch you beaten to a pulp rather than help.”
“They were in the bar while we ate dinner. I noticed them keeping an eye on us.”
“They smelled like they bathed in a vat of beer.”
“Great. They won’t be worth anything tomorrow.” Mason sighed. “I wonder how much of their work Dean and I will have to redo.”
“I’d steer clear of them. Those boys weren’t cooperative at first, but I convinced them that answering my questions was best for their continued good health.”
“You threatened them?” Oh, man. That wouldn’t be good. He was sure to hear about that at some point tomorrow.
Linc shrugged. “Dawn’s safety is at stake as well as Nicole’s. I don’t care who I offend.” He opened the driver’s door and climbed behind the wheel.
A moment later, Linc drove them from the lot and toward his home. Once there, Mason escorted the women inside while Linc checked the perimeter of the property for signs of incursion onto his property.
“Stay near the door while I check the house.”
Nicole brushed her mouth lightly over his. “Be careful.”
With a nod, he searched each room, checking every hiding place along with doors and windows for signs of tampering. He found nothing.
By the time he finished, Linc had returned. “Clear,” he told his friend.
“Same. Anyone want coffee?”
“I can’t handle that right now, but I’m sure whoever is on watch will need it.” Dawn headed for the kitchen. “I’ll start a pot.”
Linc watched her go, concern in his eyes. “I’ll be back,” he murmured and followed her.
Nicole slid her arms around Mason’s waist. “Any chance you have time to star gaze on the deck tonight?”
He dropped a quick kiss to her forehead. “For you, I’ll make time. Besides, my watch shift doesn’t begin until 1:00 a.m.” Mason eased back from her. “Wait here a minute.” He went to his room, snatched a quilt from the end of the bed, and carried it to the living room. “Come on. Let’s see how many constellations you can identify.”
Wrapping his hand around hers, he led Nicole to the kitchen. His eyebrows rose when he saw Dawn with her face pressed into Linc’s neck, holding him tight.
Linc gave him a slight head shake and motioned for them to go on.
Hmm. The parking lot incident must have upset her more than she let on. Mason ushered Nicole into the yard. He scouted for an open area sheltered enough to protect Nicole.
He spread the quilt on the ground and stretched out beside Nicole. She propped her head on his arm and gazed skyward.
“The sky is clear tonight,” she murmured. “You can see many constellations.” She named one after another. Mason wouldn’t be able to identify them without her pointing them out.
Nicole looked at him. “Do you think Dawn is all right?”
“She will be. It’s the first time she’s come face to face with what Linc’s trained to do.”
“He’s an instructor.”
“Linc has the same training as Durango. When Fortress needs him, he goes. If Dawn is in a relationship with him, she’ll have to accept that part of his life.”
“Why would he risk his life? He’s a trainer now.”
“Linc is a warrior and always will be.”
When they returned to the house, they discovered Linc and Dawn sitting on the couch, holding hands and speaking in low tones. Quinn Gallagher monitored the security screen.
After escorting Nicole to her room and kissing her goodnight, Mason closed himself in his room and called Zane. “I apologize for calling so late,” he said when the tech guru answered his call.
“What do you need?”
“I forwarded an email to you. The person who sent pointed Gage Fitzgerald my direction. I want to know who sent the email and why.”
“I’ll let you know what I learn.”
“Thanks, Zane.”
“Yep. Later.” He ended the call.
That done, Mason got ready for bed. An hour before his alarm sounded, he woke in a cold swe
at after dreaming of losing Nicole to Riva’s nameless, faceless murderer.
A few minutes after midnight, Mason walked to the kitchen, hoping Quinn made fresh coffee recently. He needed something to wash the bitter taste of fear from his mouth. A breath of relief whooshed out when he saw the half-full carafe. He poured a mug and sipped half the liquid before refilling it and heading for the security room.
Quinn turned as Mason crossed the threshold. “Couldn’t sleep?”
“Nope. Go home and get some sleep, Quinn.”
“I don’t mind staying if you need someone to keep watch with you.”
“I’m sure Heidi would appreciate having you home.”
Quinn flashed a grin. “I’ll have to nudge Charlie out of my spot. He keeps her company when I’m gone.”
After the operative left, Mason wondered if Nicole would like a dog for their home. She loved her four-legged customers and they loved her.
That conversation would have to wait until Riva’s killer was behind bars, though. He refused to endanger an innocent dog.
“Two months and two days to go,” a soft feminine voice murmured from the threshold.
Mason spun to see a sleepy-eyed Nicole dressed in her yoga workout clothes. He clasped her upper arms. “Why are you awake? Are you okay?”
She hugged him. “I’m fine. I woke up thirsty and saw you in here.” Nicole made a soft sound of contentment. “Two more months, Mason. I’m looking forward to the day I become Nicole Kincaid. The name has a certain panache to it.”
He chuckled, joy filling his heart. “Get your water and go back to bed. You need rest.”
“You sent Quinn home early, didn’t you? It’s not time for your shift.”
“Couldn’t sleep. I’ll be fine.” He dropped a soft kiss on her mouth. “Get your water and quit distracting me from my job.”
“Yes, sir.” Nicole snapped off a quick salute and went to the kitchen.
Smiling at the smart-aleck attitude, Mason settled in front of the computer screen again and scanned the sectors around Linc’s house. All but the view of the back of the house looked the same.
He stared at the screen. Something was off, but what? Mason frowned. A second later, he sprinted toward the kitchen. Nicole’s scream shattered the silence.
