by Jill Sanders
“Breanna Garrett?” he asked. “You’re congressmen Garrett’s daughter.” He knew the congressmen personally. Mason had met him a few years back when he’d attended a fundraiser that the congressmen had put together.
“Yes, but it’s Breanna Kincaid now.” She held up her finger and wiggled the wedding ring. “As of last month, anyway.”
“Congratulations,” Mason added. “I’ve met your father, several times.”
“I’m sorry,” she said with a slight smile.
“I read your article about what happened in town last year.”
“And this,” Jacob said, shifting slightly, “is Reed St. Clair.”
He glanced down at the baby and smiled. He normally wasn’t one to think babies were cute, but this little guy was, well, perfect. His skin looked smooth and flawless, and the kid was looking up at Mason with perfect gray eyes.
“He likes you,” Jacob told him. “He stopped fussing the moment the two of you stepped inside.” Jacob shifted his son in his arms to hold him tighter.
“How long will you be staying in town?” Xtina asked.
“Until I find the answers I’m looking for,” he replied after sipping his coffee. It was perfect, just the way he liked it. He spared a glance towards Jessica, who was busy getting other orders ready.
“She’s a witch,” Jacob said quietly while leaning towards him. “That’s how she knows what everyone will order.” He sat up and then winked at Joleen, who chuckled.
“He always says that,” she assured Mason.
“It would make sense,” Mason replied with a chuckle. “Like Bewitched.” He played along with the joke.
“Something like that,” Jacob joked back.
“I was hoping I’d run into you; I had a few questions about the incident the other night,” he said after he’d gotten settled with his muffin and coffee.
“On that note,” Xtina said as she held in a yawn. “We’d better take Reed and let you get back to work. Besides, I need a nap. Carrying around all this”—she ran her hands over her large belly—“takes its toll on me.” She nudged her husband and started getting up. Michael jumped up and helped her stand up.
Jacob knelt down and laid his son gently into the carrier, then kissed him on the forehead. “Say goodbye to Mommy. I’ll see you after work.” He kissed his son again. “Thanks, guys.”
“We need to head out too.” Ethan nudged his wife. “We’ll leave you to get back to work.”
“See you later,” Jacob said as everyone left.
“We didn’t mean to scare everyone off,” Joleen said between bites.
“Technically, my break should have been over ten minutes ago.” Jacob chuckled. “I lost track of time, holding my son.” Then he turned to Mason. “Are you staying at the hotel?”
He sighed. “I was, until the manager kicked me out because of Stinky.”
Jacob’s eyebrows shot up.
“His dog,” Joleen supplied for him. “They’re going to be staying at my place. I have a spare room and a big fenced yard.”
“So, the two of you know each other from before?” Jacob asked.
Chapter Seven
“No,” Mason and Joleen answered Jacob at the same time. Jacob’s eyebrows shot up.
Joleen had known Jacob her entire life. Even though he was a few years older than her, he’d been a staple in the small town. Being the adopted son of the police chief meant that he was always in the spotlight. Besides, he’d been the one person in Hidden Creek to break the barrier between outcasts and popular kids. He’d been a friend to all and one of the most popular kids in school.
“We met last night… I, um, saved his dog. Sort of,” Joleen struggled to explain. She didn’t know why she felt the need to, but there was a look in Jacob’s eyes that had her face heating.
“Stinky ran off. Joleen helped me catch him,” Mason added.
“Right.” Jacob smiled at them, then turned to Mason. “So, what do you want to know about the bird-cident?”
Joleen held in a chuckle. Everyone in town was calling it that, but coming from Jacob while he was dressed in his chief of police uniform just seemed… ridiculous.
“I’ve heard there are a few more incidents around town that can’t be explained,” Mason asked.
“Like?” Jacob asked, smoothly.
Mason took out his notepad and flipped a couple of pages after putting on those sexy glasses to read. “The night over a year back when the moon seemed to fall from the sky?”
She couldn’t control the gasp and when both Jacob and Mason turned to her, her face flushed.
“Who told you that?” Jacob asked, turning his attention back to Mason.
“I’ve scoured through the last few years of articles from the town paper,” Mason added, glancing towards her.
“The night in question was deemed a mass hallucination,” Jacob answered. “You can’t believe everything you read in the papers.”
Mason’s eyebrows shot up. “Doesn’t your new sister-in-law write for the local paper?”
Jacob chuckled. “Yes, and you can already see the quality of the articles improving.”
“Okay.” Mason flipped the page of his notepad, then glanced up. “Is it true that Xtina can read people’s minds?”
Jacob’s smile grew. “She has an amazing talent for seeing what other’s try to hide.” He nodded.
Joleen didn’t know Xtina very well. As a child, she’d gone by the name Christina Warren. The only thing she’d known about the quiet blonde girl had been that her parents were extremely religious, and she lived in one of the largest and oldest homes in Hidden Creek. She’d always shied away from contact with anyone. Rumors circulated that she was allergic to everything and didn’t like to be touched. When she’d returned to town last year, she’d had jet-black hair and a new name.
Everyone in town gossiped about Xtina after she helped the police in one of the town’s only murder investigations.
Mason wrote a few things down in his notepad. “What about you?” he asked, glancing up to Jacob.
“Me?” Jacob asked. “What about me?”
“Rumors have you in the middle of the battle with the cult that kidnapped Xtina,” Mason said.
“And?” Jacob asked. “I was just a police officer back then.”
“You just happened to be driving by an abandoned military silo on the night she was kidnapped?” Mason asked.
Jacob leaned back and smiled. “We’d gotten rumors that kids were partying in the silo. The owner of the field had called in about some activity.” He shrugged. “I went to check it out.”
Mason nodded and wrote more things down. “And your wife.” He glanced over at Jessica, who was leaning behind the counter watching them closely. “Rumors—”
“Can be vicious,” Jacob interrupted. “Jess and I have known each other all our lives.” Jacob leaned forward slowly. “You’ll want to be very careful what you say next.”
Mason smiled and seemed to relax as he took in the man. “I respect a man who stands up for the people he loves. I’m not here to tear the town apart. I’m here to get answers.” Mason took a deep breath, shut his notepad, and laid his glasses on the table. “Let me give you a little of my backstory. When I was ten, my mother worked for a company that knew full well that their products were causing cancer. What they hadn’t expected was that one of their top executives, my mother, was using the product without that knowledge. When the cancer struck, she had less than a year to live. Since the day of her death, I’ve vowed to find answers so nothing like that ever happens to anyone again. My research has taken me down a… different path than most scientists.” He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in the chair. “Some call me crazy for my methods, but I believe that there are more things in the world than most see. If those things… lead down a path to finding a cure, I’m willing to explore them. So, you see”—Mason leaned forward again—“I’m here to get answers. No matter how crazy or farfetched they may seem. One way or anot
her, I will find out the truth.”
Jacob had been listening to Mason talk and when he was done, a smile slowly spread on his lips. Then he turned to Joleen and surprised her by saying, “I like him. Why don’t the two of you come out for dinner tonight? We can cross off every question you have in that notepad of yours.” He motioned to Mason. “Say…” Jacob glanced over at his wife, who held up seven fingers and smiled. “Seven o’clock?”
“What just happened?” Joleen asked as they walked back out to Mason’s car.
“Hell if I know,” he said, giving Stinky the rest of his muffin.
“Dog’s aren’t supposed to eat chocolate,” she warned as the dog inhaled the muffin like it was air. “Have you ever stopped to think that the reason he’s so stinky is because of what you feed him?”
Mason frowned at her. “I only feed him chicken, eggs, and rice.”
She laughed. “And a bunch of other stuff. Sure, mealtime may be strict, but giving him handouts like chocolate muffins is probably the main reason he smells. How often do you give him human food?”
Mason frowned. “I guess I never really thought about it like that.”
She settled in the passenger seat, feeling far better than when she’d left the clinic half an hour earlier, thanks to the massive sugar intake. “I bet if you cut down on handouts, you’ll see a change in his… smell.” She petted the dog on its head when he laid it on her shoulder.
“It’s worth a try,” Mason agreed. “Thanks again, for letting us stay at your place.”
She shrugged. The fact was, she didn’t know why she’d offered to let him stay with her. The only thing she knew was that she didn’t want to be alone. Especially after last night. What if there were more of those creatures out there, or worse? She remembered her vision in the café and shivered.
What had happened to her? It had been like she’d touched a live wire. She’d felt totally shocked and frozen as she’d watched the scene unfold in her mind. Who or what was the thin creature? Was this the thing the voice had been warning her about? It was strange, up until last night, the voice had been very active. She had yet to hear from it today. It wasn’t a daily occurrence, but she would have thought that after last night, it would at least say something. Anything.
They pulled into her driveway and she groaned when she spotted her parents car parked on the street.
“Problems?” Mason asked.
“For what’s about to happen, I am truly sorry,” she said as her parents stepped out of their car. “My parents.” She motioned. “Why don’t you take Stinky around back and let him get familiar with the yard? There’s a gate on the side there.” She pointed to the left of the house before climbing out of the car.
“We heard you were taken to the clinic.” Her mother rushed towards her. “Are you alright?”
Before she could answer, Mason and Stinky climbed out of the car and made their way towards the back of the house under the watchful eye of her mother.
“I’m fine,” Joleen said, taking her mother’s arm and leading her towards the front door.
“Who is that?” her mother asked her with a frown. “John, do you know who that man is?”
Her father was still standing by his car, watching Mason disappear with Stinky behind the house.
“No, dear,” her father answered quickly.
“Joleen, who is that man?” her mother asked again. The fact that she hadn’t given her time to answer the first time didn’t go unnoticed by Joleen. Her mother often demanded answers without giving anyone time to respond. Her mother was an extremely demanding person. Both Joleen and her father had learned long ago to work around her formidable personality.
“That is a friend who is going to be staying with me for a while,” she answered quickly, knowing full well that she wouldn’t be able to get any more out until after her mother was settled with a cup of tea.
“What?” Her mother stopped walking and glanced to the spot Mason and Stinky had disappeared. “A friend? From where? I don’t recognize him from school or church.”
Joleen nudged her mother inside and waited for her father to walk up the walkway. “I’m going to… take a walk.” Her father motioned towards the back of the house.
“Don’t you dare.” Joleen’s eyes narrowed. She motioned again and this time her father stepped inside without a word. How many times had her father scared off her friends? Too many over the years to count.
Her mother could be a daunting nag, but her father was the silent powerhouse behind the duo.
“Mother, would you like some tea?” she asked sweetly. She kept a cupboard full of the brand her mother liked, just for such occasions.
“Yes, the chamomile with some honey would be nice.” Her mother settled on the sofa while Fred jumped up to welcome the guests. The only thing she and her mother agreed upon was the love of cats. Currently, her mother had five of them. “There’s my boy.” Her mother snuggled with the cat. “He’s looking skinner.” Her mother glanced up at her.
“Lane’s having me change his food,” she lied and started getting the tea ready. “Dad, would you like something to drink?”
“Coffee,” her father answered. He settled on the chair facing the sofa. Her father wasn’t an animal lover, that she knew, even though it was his job to care for the five cats at home. But, if her mother wanted something, he was always the first to jump up and get it for her.
Standing in her kitchen, she watched Mason toss a stick to Stinky in the large backyard. Just watching the man move had her daydreaming about hot steamy sex. How long had it been? Too long. Kevin had broken things off last fall. Damn, why hadn’t she at least tried to date since then?
When she stepped back into the living room with the tea and coffee, her mother started in on her again.
“Where did you say you know that man from?” her mother asked, taking her cup of tea.
“School.” Joleen had come up with the lie while she’d waited for the water to boil. “Miami Dade. He’s a science major and wanted to come into town to try and find out why the birds bombed the store the other night.” She sat down next to her mother.
“You never mentioned having a friend from Miami before,” her mother said.
She chuckled. “There are a lot of things I don’t mention.” She relaxed back as Fred strolled over and greeted her.
“Well, why is he staying here instead of the hotel?” her mother asked.
“Because he has a dog and Shane doesn’t allow dogs.”
“What happened earlier? Why did you go to the clinic?” her father asked.
“I fell,” she lied again. “It was silly, really. But, since it was on café property, they wanted me to get checked out.”
“Were you hurt?” her mother asked.
She mentally made a sweep over her body and found only a few aches. “No,” she replied. “Mason caught me before I hit the floor too hard.”
“Mason. I assume that’s the man in your backyard?” her mother asked.
“Yes,” she replied, knowing full well the questions would continue for hours if she didn’t do something quick. “Dad, I heard that you and Mark Stein were going into business together.”
Her father chuckled. “We’re making fishing lures. It’s not like we’re starting a Fortune 500 company. We’ve sold a handful of them to some friends, nothing more.”
She was thankful as the talk turned away from her allowing a stranger to stay with her. She lost track of time but when Mason knocked on the glass door, she rushed to unlock it for him.
“Sorry to interrupt,” he said, glancing around the room. “Do you have a bowl so I can get Stinky some water?”
“Sure.” She rushed around her kitchen and found an old bowl for the dog.
“How’s it going in here?” he asked as she showed him where the water hose was.
She rolled her eyes. “My parents can be a little… protective. I wanted to spare you from answering a million questions. This is nothing more than a business arrangem
ent and, knowing them, they’d turn it into something personal.” She felt embarrassed for even saying it out loud. After all, she felt attraction towards him, but that didn’t mean he felt the same way. Besides, she’d been honest. She’d invited him solely for the purpose of not being alone. He was in town to do a job.
“Right,” he agreed and glanced over to where Stinky was sniffing the back fence. “Thanks for that. Stinky really likes the yard.”
She smiled. “If you want to, you can come on inside and meet my parents.” She lowered her voice and glanced towards the back door. “You did say you liked psychology puzzles. Let’s see how good you are at spotting their faults.”
He chuckled. “It’s a deal.”
Chapter Eight
It only took two minutes for Mason to interpret just who wore the pants in the relationship. After five minutes, he was more interested in Joleen’s reactions to her parents than the many faults of the couple.
Even though he didn’t deem himself an expert in psychology, he instantly pegged Joleen’s mother, Mary, as a conscientious neurotic. The woman was calm and reserved but when she opened her mouth, only negative things came out.
She was a petite blonde woman with sharp features, and she dressed immaculately. She constantly straightened her clothes as if worried that they would become too wrinkled.
Joleen’s father, John, had been a little harder to lock down. He had a wide range of personality traits that confused Mason at first. He was open and agreeable, at least when it came to dealing with his wife. With his daughter, he was more unemotional, as if he were dealing with a stranger instead of someone he cared about. The man was tall and on the very thin side. His dark brown hair was neatly combed, and he appeared to be wearing his Sunday best, which would have been normal, if it was Sunday.
As for Joleen, he could tell when she was embarrassed at something her parents said or frustrated when they asked him personal questions.
