Thirty-Two and a Half Complications

by Denise Grover Swank

  “I’m used to it.” I shrugged, trying to lower my gaze, but he held onto my chin.

  “I’m glad Neely Kate is your friend.”

  I smiled. “Me too.”

  “Speaking of mean people, what’s going on with Violet? What in the world is she doing spending time with Joe? It’s damn obvious Joe’s only hanging around her to try to upset you and make you jealous. But what’s her motive?”

  “I honestly have no idea. Probably the same thing.”

  “Is she still coming for Thanksgiving?”

  “We haven’t discussed it, but I can’t imagine she would want to after all of this.”

  “Is it still okay if my mother comes?”

  “Of course! She’s staying here, I hope?”

  “I talked to her today before my phone died. She agreed to join us for Thanksgiving after I convinced her you wouldn’t have it any other way. She plans to drive down and spend tomorrow night with us. Then she’s going to spend Tuesday and Wednesday looking for a place for me to move into.”

  My back stiffened. “Oh…” I said softly.

  He was silent for a moment. “That was our arrangement, and it looks like I’ll finally get the insurance check in another week or so. I’ve overtaken your office and everything else in the meantime. I’m sorry to have imposed on you for so long.” He was silent for a moment. “Mom says she’ll even come back to help me furnish it.”

  I bit my lip to keep from crying. Why was I getting so upset? He wasn’t moving far away, just back into his own place. In Henryetta. I needed to put this into perspective. “You’ve lived alone for a long time. I’m sure it’s been a difficult adjustment living with me. You’re probably eager to have your own place again.”

  “No, Rose. I’ve loved every minute of living with you. There’s nothing better at the end of an awful day than coming home to see your smiling face.” He kissed the top of my head. “Not to mention going to bed with you every night and waking up to your sweet smile in the morning.” His hand on my waist slid higher, until it rested beneath my breast. His voice turned husky. “Along with all the things we do in your bed. And other places.”

  My insides warmed and I shifted so I could press myself against him more. “I like those parts too.”

  He lowered his mouth to mine and kissed me gently before growing bolder.

  “Mason?” I asked breathlessly.

  “Yes?” He lifted his head to look at me, his eyes filled with lust.

  “What if I don’t want you to move? What if I want you to stay?”

  His hand slid up my back, pressing me closer to him. “I’d give you just about anything you want, Rose. You only have to ask.”

  “But what do you want? I’d only want you to stay if it’s what you wanted too.”

  A grin tugged at his mouth. “If you’re asking if I think it’s too soon for us to officially live together, I confess it’s faster than I would consider prudent. But I’ve thrown all the rules out the window with you. What we have defies any rules. I know this farmhouse is yours, and I would never presume ownership, but when I’m here with you, I feel more at home than I’ve ever felt before.”

  I smiled back at him. “Yesterday, when I was at the crime scene and I just wanted to go home, I realized part of the reason this place feels like home is because you’re here. Please stay.”

  He gave me a long slow kiss and lifted his head to look at me. “I can’t think of any place I’d rather be. I love you, Rose. I promise you that I’ll always do my best to make you happy.” His words were thick with emotion.

  “Oh, Mason. You already do.” I started to get up. “Let’s go upstairs.”

  He held me in place, his face turning serious. “Before we do, I want to talk to you about one more thing.”

  I settled back against him, anxious. “Okay.”

  “You know I’ve been working on this special case and I didn’t want to talk about it prematurely. But I’ve hit a wall, and I’m not sure how to broach it with you.” He hesitated. “My special project…it involves you.”

  “Me?” My head jerked up. “You mean Dora’s death?”

  “No, something else.” He paused, looking nervous, which worried me. “Ever since you told me about J.R. Simmons’ blackmail attempt when we were on the run from Crocker, I’ve been concerned about the threats he’s dangling over Joe’s head to keep him in line. I’ve been gathering evidence to bring Joe’s father down, but I’m facing a mountain of dilemmas. The first being that we live in completely different counties, which means I have no jurisdiction over him unless he does something in Fenton County. And despite all the digging I’ve done, I can’t find any evidence directly linking him to this place.”

  “I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s never even been in Fenton County.”

  “You could very well be right. I could try to involve the state police, but J.R. has influential people in his pocket, people who would immediately squash any investigation I tried to hold. Not to mention my career would be on the line if he gets word of what I’m doing. That part doesn’t bother me as much as the thought of tipping him off does. If he realizes I’m trying to gather ammunition to use against him, he might strike first. And I want to avoid that at all costs, obviously.”

  My stomach was in knots. “I don’t want you to put your career on the line for me, Mason.”

  “I’m not even going to dignify that statement with a response except to ask you a question: Wouldn’t you do the same for me?”

  He had a point. I sighed. “So we’re stuck.”

  He tipped my face up to his. “Do you really think I’d sit back and let your safety be jeopardized?”

  “But your hands are tied.”

  “Not necessarily.” He hesitated. “We can fight fire with fire. It’s dirty, but that seems to be the only language J.R. Simmons understands.”

  I wasn’t sure I liked the sound of this. “What would you do?”

  “I’d find sensitive information on his family to use as a counter-threat.”

  My breath stuck in my chest. “How many family members does he have that are dirty enough for that to work?”

  “One.”

  The full meaning of what he intended hit me. “You want to bring Joe down?”

  He didn’t answer.

  I took several deep breaths. “I know he has a past, and that he’s gotten himself into plenty of trouble. Joe told me so himself. That’s how he dug the hole he’s in now. But is there enough out there to bring him down?”

  He paused. “Yes.”

  “What kind of threat would get J.R. to listen?”

  “Joe has done enough misdeeds to face prison time, Rose.”

  My heart threw itself against my ribcage and I sat up straighter. “You’re asking for my blessing to throw Joe in prison.”

  “No.” His voice was firm. “I’m asking for your blessing to dig up proof to back up all the rumors floating around about him.”

  “You’re not gathering information just to sit on it, Mason. You plan on using it.”

  “J.R. threatened to have you arrested for your mother’s murder. Don’t delude yourself into thinking you’re safe. You’re safe for now until he deems you no longer necessary. Then he’ll have you arrested just to prove he can.”

  “But you’ll protect me if it comes to that.”

  “You know I’d move heaven and earth to save you, but I suspect J.R. will make sure I’m stripped of power before he makes his move.”

  “So you’re in danger too? Because of me.”

  He gave me a soft smile. “No, Rose. My career was in J.R. Simmons’s hands long before you entered the picture. Don’t forget that he’s the one who had me sent here after Savannah’s death.”

  “But you don’t know that for a fact. You only have suspicions.”

  “My conclusion is based on circumstance and instinct, but you and I both know he was behind it.”

  I shook my head, trying to wrap my head around what he was suggesting. Gather
evidence to put Joe in prison? I couldn’t be a part of that. “I can’t. No matter what stunts Joe pulls to try and get me back, I’d never do that to him. Ever.”

  “Rose. There’s more.”

  My eyes sank closed and I pressed my back into the sofa. “Okay.”

  “You told me that the information he has on Violet is true. She did have an affair with Mayor Brody MacIntosh. But something else is also true.”

  My insides quaked. I wasn’t sure how much more I could take.

  “Mike did bribe county officials.”

  My eyes flew open as my anger erupted. “How can you say that, Mason? My brother-in-law would never do that.”

  He gave me a sad smile, keeping calm against my sea of rage. “It was when he was first starting out. He was in rough financial shape, and he faced having to redo a commercial building’s plumbing. It was going to cost him thousands of dollars he didn’t have. He was young and he had a brand-new baby. He was scared, so he bribed an inspector one time. He regrets it. Deeply.”

  I shook my head and whispered, “How do you know?”

  “I went to see him this afternoon, Rose. I wanted to find out how J.R. had twisted the truth to use against him. That man’s favorite thing to do is take a small seed of truth and transform it into a scenario that’s exponentially worse.”

  It was too much and my stomach revolted. I jumped off the sofa and ran to the powder room, barely making it to the toilet before losing the meager contents of my stomach. I hung over the commode dry-heaving through my tears.

  What was I going to do?

  Mason stood in the doorway and when I was ready, he helped me to my feet. I washed out my mouth and the tears from my face before turning toward him.

  He grabbed my face in both hands, his eyes burning with intensity. “I love you, Rose. And I’ll do anything and everything in my power to protect you. Don’t for one second think you can ask me not to.”

  I shook my head. “I can’t condone this, Mason. I just can’t.”

  “I know you and Violet are fighting, but would you really subject her to public ridicule? Because you know what will happen if this town gets wind of her affair. Will you stand by and watch Mike go to prison for a stupid mistake he made years ago? Do you want him to lose his business and the kids?” Tears filled his eyes. “And then there’s you, Rose. J.R. could put you in prison for a long time. If you’re pregnant, what about our baby? Do you expect me to stand back and risk letting all that happen without doing everything I can to take away this man’s power?”

  “There has to be another way. There has to be. You just said J.R. has evidence to put Mike in prison for something stupid he did in his youth. Well, you’re trying to do the same thing to Joe.”

  “No.” His mouth pressed into a thin line. “Mike made one mistake when he was twenty. Joe’s still screwing up. I can give you a list from just this year. I’ve heard rumors of multiple DUIs, along with instances of obstruction of justice and misuse of power. Never mind the drunk and disorderliness and assault charges.”

  “No.” My voice broke.

  His eyes darkened with anger. “Not to mention the fact that he killed my sister, Rose! He may not have held the knife in his hand, but he stripped away any bit of protection she might have had by turning the police against her.” Rage radiated off him.

  “Is that what this is? Revenge?” I shouted. “Is this your way of punishing him for what he did?”

  His hands shook at his sides, but his voice was deadly calm. “Do you really believe that? You think I’ve been waiting to strike at him, using you to get back at him?”

  “Joe said you were known in Little Rock for your patience in the courtroom and that you’d lull the opposition into complacency before going in for the kill. He told me that you were only with me so you could hurt him. That you’d destroy us both to avenge your sister’s death.”

  He took a step backward, his face ashen. “Do you really think me capable of such a thing?”

  I started to cry. “No. I don’t know.” I shook my head. “But maybe there’s some truth to some of it.”

  “Which part, Rose?” His voice sounded strangled. “The part about me using you or planning to destroy you?” He turned around and headed for the living room.

  “That’s not what I meant, Mason.” I followed in his wake. “Mason, please.”

  He didn’t stop until he reached the front door, his hand on the knob, his back to me. “Joe claims I have some master plan… Did it ever occur to you that maybe he has one instead?” He turned around to face me, the pain in his eyes gut-wrenching. “Congratulations to Joe Simmons and the entire Simmons family. Once again they’ve stolen someone I love.” He opened the door and stomped down the steps.

  “Mason, please don’t leave. Please.”

  He stopped next to his car door and stared up at me. “You don’t trust me, Rose. And if you don’t trust me, we have nothing. There’s not one damn thing left to say.”

  As he started to get into his car, my anger boiled over, flowing out of my mouth. “Goddammit, Mason Deveraux!” I shouted. “You do not get to make your accusations and leave! Stop being such a baby and listen to me!”

  Both of us were frozen in shock for a moment, surprised by my outburst.

  He stood behind the open car door, not getting inside but not backing away either. “I can’t stay, Rose.”

  “God, Mason. I love you, but you can be so freaking stubborn!”

  “Is that why you wanted me to stay?” he shouted.

  “No! But it needed to be said.” I walked to the top of the porch steps and ran a hand through my tangled hair. “Yesterday you told me that I couldn’t walk away from the mess I made with Joe. Well, you can’t leave after what we just said.”

  “Rose.”

  “No!” I stomped down the steps and pushed him against the car, slamming his door shut. “Don’t you dare walk away from me like that.”

  “What more is there to say? You don’t trust me.”

  “Who the bejesus said I don’t trust you? I didn’t say I didn’t trust you. You fabricated that in your head.”

  “Don’t you put this on me, Rose,” he forced out. “You’re the one who told me you believe what Joe said.”

  “Now you are deliberately skewin’ my words! I do not believe what he said.” He started to push past me, but I shoved his chest with my hands. “You’re not going anywhere until we settle this!”

  “You want to do this out here?”

  “It’s as good as any place, so yes, let’s do it out here.”

  “Fine.” He sank back into the side of his car. “If you don’t believe Joe, then why would you throw his accusations at me?”

  “Because I told you I think there’s some truth to them.”

  The front porch light reflected off the hard glint in his eyes. “You want me to stand here while you accuse me of using you?”

  “No! God, no Mason! Anyone with any sense can see that you love me. There’s no way on God’s green earth you would intentionally hurt me. You’ve proved that over and over and over again. I’d trust you with my life, Mason. I did trust you with my life. So stop! You’re insulting me.”

  “Then what the hell are you saying?” he bellowed.

  “I’m saying that there’s no love lost between you and Joe. You think he’s responsible for Savannah’s death. Add on to that the fact that he’s an officer of the law who’s committed multiple crimes worthy of jail time.”

  He didn’t answer, but his chest rose and fell underneath my fingertips.

  “Mason, your job is to prosecute people for the things you say Joe has done. Of course you want to use this opportunity to make him pay for his crimes. You can’t deny it!”

  He still didn’t answer.

  “But as aggravating as Joe is, he’s trying to change, Mason. I can see it. You of all people are a proponent of people straightening out their lives for the better.”

  “This is different, Rose. Joe’s past isn’
t just Savannah.” His voice broke. “He’s flouted the law countless times.”

  I took a deep breath, worried how Mason would answer my next questions. “I know that driving drunk is irresponsible and dangerous, but did he ever do anything else really bad besides that? Like murder or…?”

  “Rape?” The word was ugly, sneered from his mouth.

  I held my breath and nodded.

  “No. Apparently, Joe Simmons does have his limits.”

  I grabbed the front of Mason’s shirt with both fists. “He’s acting out, Mason. I’ve met his family. They are horrible, terrible people. I can’t even imagine growing up with vile people like that. It’s no wonder he’s behaved the way he has in the past.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Do not make excuses for his behavior. You grew up with a hateful mother and you’re not anything like him.”

  “All I’m saying is that he’s made plenty of bad choices, but he’s trying to be a better person. So please don’t stoop to J.R. Simmons’ level, Mason. You’re a better person than that.”

  “Am I?” His voice was hard.

  I reached my hand up to his face and rubbed his stubbled chin with my thumb. “Yes, you are. You have more integrity in your pinky toe than most people have in their whole bodies. It’s one of the things I love most about you.”

  His shoulders slumped.

  “By resorting to J.R. Simmons’s playing field, you’re letting him win. You’re letting him take advantage of the man I love.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know what to do, Rose,” he said, his voice little louder than a whisper. “It’s like I told you, something bad is about to happen. I can feel it. I don’t know how else to protect you. I’m scared to death.”

  I stood on my tiptoes, my mouth hovering under his. “We’ll find another way.”

  He leaned his forehead against mine. “I don’t think there is one.”

  “There is. There’s always another way.”

  His arm snaked around my back, pulling me hard against his body, and he kissed me as though I was about to be taken away from him forever.

  Part of me wondered how much time I actually had.