by Karen Kirst
His fingers tightened on the wheel. She still affected him. An annoying state of affairs, that.
“What day is it?” Lily asked.
“Sunday.”
“I want to go to church.”
Tessa sighed. “I wish we could, ladybug. Maybe next Sunday.”
Mason was glad Lily didn’t press the issue. While he would’ve liked to take her—and possibly Tessa, as well—to his church, it wasn’t safe. He usually attended services after feeding and grooming the horses. This morning, he’d be in a meeting with his immediate superior, Lieutenant Hatmaker. Hatmaker had called last night and shared his extreme annoyance that Mason and Silver had left the event prematurely. While he had a right to his opinion, Mason was in charge of the horses and his officers. He’d made the only decision open to him—get Tessa and Lily to safety. Fortunately, the man in charge of patrol division, Lieutenant Polk, would also be in the meeting. He hoped they could review the case and agree on a plan of action going forward.
“Here we are,” he said, pointing to the unit stables. They were located on the far side of town, beyond the firehouse and police headquarters. While not as large as the state’s other units, the facility was more than adequate for both the horses and officers.
“I don’t remember this being here,” Tessa said.
“It’s new, only open eighteen months. The old site was several miles outside of town and fairly run-down. We had several fundraising events to raise money. Private donors also pitched in.”
The parking lot was enclosed by a tall, chain-link fence. Mason got out and unlocked the gate, then drove close to the building’s side entrance. Silver had followed them from the house, and he took care of locking the gate.
“Why are the horses outside?” Lily strained to see the large paddock that ate up much of the property.
Mason liked her boundless curiosity and wonder over seemingly simple things. She was a bright, beautiful child. Of course, she took after her mother.
“They spend each night in the paddock, as long as the weather cooperates.”
“Can I go inside there with them?”
“How about you and your mom watch as Silver and I lead them inside? Then you can help us feed and groom them.”
She seemed satisfied with that as he released the restraints and hoisted her into his arms. Her weight was slight, her hair springy and soft, and she smelled like the syrup they’d doused their waffles in. He closed his eyes briefly to drink in the experience. When he opened them, he found Tessa watching him and Lily. He couldn’t pin down one singular emotion in her wide eyes. He only knew that she was aware of what her choices had cost him.
Good. She should feel guilty and ashamed.
Will that really make you feel better?
Not comfortable with his thoughts or their exposed position, Mason directed Tessa and Lily to stand just inside the stables’ wide pass-through while he and Silver led the horses into the central area, a long, spacious aisle lined with stalls.
“It’s time to groom the horses and give them a quick checkup.” Mason positioned Scout in the middle of the aisle and attached ropes to his head collar. They waited as he gathered the grooming kit from the tack room.
Farther down the aisle, Silver was executing the same routine with Lightning.
Halfway through his routine, Mason noticed Lily was getting antsy. He started explaining the things he was checking on Scout.
“You check his teeth?” Her eyes got big. “Like a tooth doctor?”
“Like a dentist, exactly. A horse with a sore tooth can become very cranky.” Beckoning Tessa closer, he said, “Have a look for yourself.”
Adjusting Lily higher on her hip, Tessa approached and petted Scout’s strong neck. “You do this every day?”
“Before we head out on patrol and after we return. If we find anything beyond our ability to treat, we call in the vet.”
“I remember how much you enjoyed riding. Now that your job involves horses, do you find time to ride for fun?”
He and Tessa had been frequent customers of area riding stables. Their favorite was located in Cades Cove, inside the national park. “Not as often as I’d like.” He snagged a dandy brush. “Do you want to brush him?”
“You don’t mind?”
He held out his arms to Lily, who willingly came to him. He placed the brush in Tessa’s palm and got out of her way. She was almost finished when Mason heard a feminine gasp coming from the side hallway, where the offices were located.
He turned and saw his sister staring at them with mouth agape.
Tessa slowly lowered the brush. “Candace.”
Candace’s eyes narrowed. “What brings you back to Serenity, Tessa?”
“I, ah—”
“Let’s go to the break room, sis,” Mason interrupted, lowering Lily to the ground.
Leaving Lily with Tessa, Mason took hold of Candace’s arm and steered her the way she’d come. She resisted, and her head swiveled over her shoulder.
“Why aren’t you at church?” Mason said, urging her forward.
Her blue gaze pierced him. “When my brother texts and asks if I have any spare toddler books at the day care and possibly a bath floaty, I get suspicious.”
He flicked on the break-room light, ushered her inside and closed the door. She slapped a cloth bag on the nearest table and jammed her hands on her hips. “Why is she here, Mason? And why does that little girl have your eyes?”
“You think Lily has my eyes?”
She made a flustered sound. He might have inherited his mom’s looks, but his sister had gotten her high spirits.
“Tessa sought me out because she needs protection from her brother.” He explained her unfortunate family ties. “And, yes, Lily is my daughter.”
“But she cheated on you.”
“No, she didn’t. That was a ruse to get me to leave her.”
“She could be lying, you know.”
“I believe her, Candace.”
She thrust her hand through her pale hair, mussing the short strands. “She does look like you.”
“The timeline is right.”
“I can’t believe you’re a dad.” She slapped her hand to her chest in typical dramatic style. “And I’m an aunt. Mom is going to flip! Have you told her?”
“I was planning on calling her sometime today.” It wasn’t a conversation he was looking forward to having.
“Promise me something,” Candace urged. “Don’t fall for her again. When you and Tessa were together, you were happy—insanely happy. I was jealous of what you guys had, in fact. But afterward...” She closed the distance between them and placed her hand on his shoulder. “Mason, I can’t let you return to that bleak place.”
He had no intention of letting that happen. “No need to worry. Tessa and I had our chance, and we blew it.”
* * *
The rectangular office space wasn’t meant for this many people. Officers in and out of uniform crowded around the boardroom-style table. Mason wielded a marker in front of a dry-erase board at the room’s far end. Leadership was an easy mantle on his shoulders. He looked official in his Serenity PD T-shirt, which had a bear logo over his heart, cargo pants and military-style boots. His holstered weapon rested against his waist.
Tessa remained at the room’s edge, seated apart from everyone, her chair straddling the open doorway. From this vantage point, she could see into the break room, where Candace was entertaining Lily. The petite blonde, opposite from Mason in looks and temperament, was clearly enamored with her niece. It made sense, since Candace loved kids. So much so that she’d opened her own day care.
Tessa and Candace had once gotten along like sisters. Indeed, Tessa had thought that someday they’d be family. Candace had refused to take her calls following the breakup, and Tessa had eventually stopped trying. While sh
e accepted that their friendship likely wasn’t going to be restored at this point, she was thrilled for Lily. Her daughter would benefit from having a law-abiding family.
“Tessa?”
With a start, she realized everyone was staring at her. The mounted-police unit had been joined by Lieutenant Hatmaker, whose attitude suggested the milk in his coffee had soured, and men from the patrol division—Lieutenant Polk, Officer Bell and Officer Weiland.
Mason’s eyebrows were raised. “We need more insight into Dante and how he operates,” he said. “Does he dole out orders, or does he like to get his hands dirty?”
“A little of both, I guess. He lets his guards round up the target. If it’s someone he wants to deal with personally, he has that person brought to a specified place.” Her throat went dry. “He likes to toy with his victims.”
Silver pushed his laptop to the center of the table. “The photos of Officer Fisk were leaked online. Is this Dante’s handiwork?”
Tessa kept her gaze on her lap, her stomach churning. Those images were burned into her brain, and she had no desire to be subjected to them again. “Yes.”
Ominous silence filled the space. She could feel their horror being directed at her. Her own sibling had committed atrocities against an officer. How could she be normal?
Cruz was the first to speak. “Where would he choose to stay when far from home base?”
She forced her gaze up. “A hotel is not ideal, with security cameras and witnesses. I’d say he would scout out a private residence and either pay for someone’s silence or seize it.”
“He’ll find a place convenient to Mason’s,” Raven announced to the group. “I’ll compile a list of nearby residences, focusing first on the rentals.”
“Call my assistant Lindsey,” Silver instructed. “She’ll help you with the rentals I own.”
“Will do.”
Lieutenant Polk, a pleasant-faced gentleman, stated that he, Bell and Weiland would visit the homes in Mason’s vicinity and warn residents to be vigilant. Other officers would contact local business owners.
When everyone began to file out of the room, Lieutenant Hatmaker squared off against Mason like an irate bulldog.
“This personal issue better not overshadow your other duties, Reed,” he snapped. “If I see that it becomes a problem, I’ll take my concerns to the chief.”
Mason squared his shoulders. “My officers and horses are my top priority, as is protecting every member of this community. Dante Vitale is a threat to everyone in Serenity, not just Tessa. No one is safe with him running free.”
Hatmaker’s gaze flicked to Tessa, and he seemed to dismiss her out of hand. “Then we need to make sure he’s caught soon.”
He stalked into the hallway and joined Polk and the others. Mason closed the door behind him and rested against it.
“Is he always like that?” she asked.
“He has his days,” he sighed. “We don’t always see eye to eye. I have to do what’s best for mounted patrol, and he’s working on behalf of the department. Our goals sometimes clash, and we have to find ways to compromise.”
Catching Dante was crucial for so many reasons. Tessa walked over to the board and reread the case notes. He came to stand beside her.
“I used to pretend I was adopted,” she mused. “That I had a regular family somewhere.”
“Did Dante ever hurt you?” His voice was like gravel.
The question threw her. She thought about her bruised and swollen throat after he’d strangled her, the slaps and pinches he’d doled out that their father knew nothing about.
“Tessa.” Her name was a jagged whisper on his lips. His fingers closed over hers, warm and comforting.
Tears sprung to her eyes. She hadn’t expected compassion from him.
“It wasn’t severe.”
“Doesn’t matter,” he growled. “It’s still abuse.”
She merely nodded, the words on the board blurring.
“Did your mother know?”
“She lives in fear of both my father and Dante. She wouldn’t have dreamed of intervening.”
His fingers flexed on hers, then let go. “Did he torment your sister, too?”
Tessa finally met his turbulent gaze. “Growing up, Fran idolized Dante. That fed into his ego.” She toyed with the jacket buttons on her sleeve cuffs. “My mother did help convince Father to let me attend an out-of-state university. I’m grateful for that.”
“You said you chose UT Knoxville because a childhood friend vacationed in the Smokies.”
“That’s true. It only took one prospective college visit to convince me.” She smiled, thinking about her freshman dorm room. “Some might think changing out a mansion for a cramped dorm would be a rough adjustment. That wasn’t the case for me. I loved everything about campus life, mainly because it wasn’t tainted by my Mafia roots. I went home that first summer because it was expected.” The good memories dissipated. “It was a nightmare. Dante and my father were pressuring me to spend time with their chosen groom, Leo Girardi. He was the oldest son of another Mafia family. My father believed our marriage would seal a lifelong alliance.”
Mason’s mouth became pinched, and his gaze could have cut through metal. “You mentioned your parents wanted you to marry a family friend.”
“That was Leo. I went on a few dates with him long before I met you. We were never engaged. In fact, I didn’t spend a significant amount of time in New Jersey after that first summer. I flew in for holidays, but I made sure I had summer internships lined up after that. When I graduated, I was supposed to return home. I defied them. I had already been offered a full-time position with Family Connections.”
“The private foster agency where you worked.”
“I had interned with them the summer before my senior year, and I saw the director’s heart and passion for the kids. I liked everything about their process, and I was thrilled to be an official member of the team.”
“You miss it.”
“I do. I can’t explain how it felt when we made a successful placement. Knowing that hurting kids were going to a loving home, to live with people who’d been trained and equipped to help them adjust and thrive, gave me purpose.” She lifted one shoulder. “On the other hand, I feel blessed to have a daughter to raise. I can’t imagine life without Lily.”
His unreadable gaze shifted to the board. “How long before Dante demanded your return?”
“A year. Dante started sending threatening emails and texts. I tried to reason with him. He didn’t want me around, not really. Why not let Fran marry Leo? The only reason he didn’t come for me sooner was because Father’s health was failing. Dante had to establish his authority in his place. By then, you and I were together.” Her chest became tight. “I couldn’t leave you. I wouldn’t have...”
There was a knock on the door. Sighing, Mason strode over and yanked it open. “Yes?”
Candace didn’t look the least bit abashed for interrupting them. “Lily wants a snack. Mind if I get something from the vending machine?”
Mason looked at Tessa. “Is that okay with you?”
“Of course.”
He left the door ajar, a sign he was done rehashing the past. “The hardware store opens in an hour. I need to buy a new window. Cruz volunteered to be our lookout today.”
“You have loyal friends.”
“The best a guy could ask for.”
Mason joined the other officers, and Tessa went to the break room. Not surprisingly, Candace didn’t stick around for long. When it was time to leave, Silver and Cruz walked with them to Mason’s truck and waited until they were buckled in. Cruz got into his personal vehicle, a beat-up Jeep Wrangler. Silver let them out of the gate and waved them off.
Conversation was sparse during the short ride to the edge of town, where Benson’s Hardware was located. S
he and Lily remained in the truck and Cruz in his Jeep while Mason shopped. He emerged twenty minutes later with the window.
“We’re fortunate they had it in stock. A trip down to Maryville wouldn’t be ideal.”
“How much was it? I’ll repay you.”
Backing out of the space, he shot her an incredulous look. “No way.”
“Replacing your window is the right thing to do.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I’m not taking your money. In fact, once this is over, we’ll have to sit down and have a long chat. I plan to support her.”
Anxiety stung her like a thousand fire ants. Would he take her to court and attempt to get full custody? Worse still, would he try to keep Tessa’s visits to a minimum?
She averted her face and tried to push aside those worries. Mason had always been a fair person. She had to believe he hadn’t changed in that aspect.
They left the hardware store behind and passed several touristy shops. One in particular held special memories.
“The Village Tinker is still in business?”
“I go in there at least once a week for fudge.”
She studied his profile. She missed his smile, his laugh, his good opinion of her.
“Rocky road?”
He glanced over. “It’s the best.”
“You never even tried butter pecan,” she protested, falling easily into their friendly argument over the confection.
“I didn’t have to. I know what I like.” His focus shifted to the rearview mirror, and he tensed. “We’ve got company.”
