Lethal Edge

by Kaylea Cross

  “Me too. Wonder what she’ll do next.”

  Avery tossed her a mischievous grin. “Bet we’ll find out soon enough.”

  ****

  “Tate’s friend is bringing a dog with him?” Nina asked her as they set the table on the back deck later.

  It was a beautiful night out and Avery wanted to enjoy the warmth while it lasted because fall would be here soon. “Yeah, it’s Mason’s therapy dog.”

  “Is he disabled?”

  “Not physically anymore, as far as I know.” But everyone who went to war came home with injuries. Some of the worst ones were invisible. Veterans were suffering all over the country, and made up a disproportionate percentage of the homeless population. “Can you check the pasta?”

  “Sure.” Nina headed inside.

  Avery finished laying the table and then paused to smooth the front of her dress. After seeing Nina in her cute little black sundress with cherries on it—which Avery was sure was no coincidence after the black forest cake incident—she’d put on a dress too.

  The violet-sprigged material was soft and heavy enough that it hung nicely on her tall frame. It wasn’t fancy or as cute as Nina’s, but it felt nice to dress up a bit into something feminine for a change.

  “Ding-dong,” Tate’s voice called out from beyond the kitchen.

  “Come on in,” she answered, and went inside to greet them.

  A white, brown and black dog came trotting in wearing a red bandana around its neck. When it saw her, it lowered its ears and head in a submissive posture, swishy tail wagging softly. “Well, hi there,” Avery said, bending to hold out a hand for it to sniff.

  “That’s Ric,” Tate said, his gaze sweeping right past her to Nina, who stood at the stove. He stared at her a moment, either unsure what to say or stunned into silence by the sight of Nina in her sundress. “Hi.”

  “Hi.” Nina gave him a disarming smile, then completely dismissed him and knelt down to greet Ric. “Oh, aren’t you just so handsome. Huh? Aren’t you the handsomest dog ever?”

  Ric’s back end wagged almost as much as his tail as he rushed for Nina, head down.

  “Ric,” his shadowy owner said from in the hallway. “How do we say hello to ladies?”

  The dog instantly plopped hit butt down in front of Nina and raised his right paw.

  “Oh!” The joy on Nina’s face was downright infectious, and when Avery glanced up from having her turn at shaking Ric’s paw, she noticed something very interesting.

  As Nina fussed over the dog, Avery’s gruff and standoffish partner’s full attention was on Nina. Glued to her, actually.

  Well, well. Maybe she’d misread Tate’s take on her friend completely. And If Nina couldn’t shave off some of his rough edges, no one could.

  Avery smothered a laugh and turned toward the tall silhouette coming up behind Tate. “And this must be Mason.”

  “That’s me.” The man stepped past Tate, revealing himself in the light streaming into the kitchen.

  She was tall, but he was taller than her by several inches, and a little broader through the chest and shoulders than Tate. He had short dark hair and a neatly-trimmed beard, and stunning ice blue eyes.

  He held out a hand. “Avery. Nice to meet you finally. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  She didn’t miss the way his gaze swept over her as she shook his hand. A spurt of annoyance hit her, brought on by his player reputation Tate had hinted at. She’d invited him into her home and didn’t appreciate being sized up just because she was a single, available female.

  She gave his hand a perfunctory shake and let go immediately. “Likewise. Come on in, get a drink and make yourselves comfortable.”

  Mason walked past her to meet Nina. Avery caught Tate by the arm, waiting for him to look at her before speaking. “Remember, be nice,” she murmured, too low for the others to hear.

  He shot her an annoyed look. “I am nice.”

  Everyone helped carry something to the table to eat. When they were all seated, Avery raised her wineglass for a toast. “To good friends, good food, and great strategy.” She winked at Nina.

  “Cheers,” the others said.

  “Tate, how are you feeling now?” Nina asked as she passed him the chopped salad.

  “Not bad, thanks. How was your first sleep in your new digs?”

  “Awesome. I got woken up a few times because of noises I heard. Pipes banging and stuff like that. But now I wonder if it was Charlotte.” Her eyes simmered with silent laughter.

  Everyone looked at her. “Who?” Avery said.

  Nina glanced at her, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips. “Charlotte, the ghost who lives upstairs here.”

  Avery’s eyebrows went up. “What?”

  “You didn’t know your house was haunted?” Nina teased, becoming animated as she relayed the tale Pat had told her earlier. “But apparently she’s not a mean ghost. Just a sad one.” She shrugged. “I mean, if you believe in that kind of thing.”

  Tate was eyeing Nina from across the table with open skepticism. “And do you?”

  Avery kicked his foot under the table. He shot her an irritated glance before focusing back on Nina.

  “Not really,” Nina answered.

  “So…somewhat?” he asked, clearly trying to get a read on her.

  “Well, who am I to say if it’s real or not? I only just got here. I think a longtime resident would know better about that kind of thing than me.”

  “But you’re a scientist.” He was frowning now. Avery nudged his foot again but he ignored her.

  “If there’s enough evidence to support it, why not? There are lots of unsolved mysteries in our universe,” Nina said with an easy shrug.

  Avery could tell her friend was deliberately baiting Tate, and decided it was time to change the subject. “Well, as long as we’ve got a friendly ghost, I’m okay with it.” She turned to Mason. Ric was politely lying beneath the table at his master’s feet, not making a sound or trying to beg. “He’s really well behaved.”

  “Yeah, he’s a good boy.” Mason’s hard features softened in a fond smile as he glanced down at his dog. “Been through a lot together. Same as this guy and me,” he said, nodding at Tate.

  “How did you two meet?” Nina asked, propping her chin in one hand, elbow on the table. Innate curiosity and kindness shone from her warm brown eyes, a little smile on her lips.

  One of the things Avery loved best about Nina was her sense of wonder about the world. Her friend found pleasure in the tiniest little things. Avery could stand to make an effort in that department. Nina was a good influence on her.

  “Yeah, Tate, tell ‘em how we first met,” Mason said, his eyes twinkling.

  “Afghanistan,” Tate answered, a reluctant grin tugging at his mouth. “There was an issue with our barracks at base. Came back from a mission to find all our gear was dumped outside, and a big Canadian flag hanging above the doorway. I went in to ask what the hell was going on, and this dipshit announced we had to find new sleeping quarters.” He jerked his chin at Mason.

  “It was a match made in heaven,” Mason went on. “We were sent out on a joint mission the next day, and Tate and I got to know each other pretty well over the next few days. First time he’d ever worked with Canadian forces.”

  “Never thought Canadians could be such assholes,” Tate joked.

  “What?” Mason feigned shock, putting a hand to his chest. “I’ll have you know that my fellow countrymen are known as some of the most polite and respectful people on earth.”

  “Maybe, but none of the polite ones got deployed on that tour.”

  Mason grinned and helped himself to some pasta. “Come on, you know you loved me right from the start.”

  “You wore me down over the next eight months.”

  “So much that he called me up after I left the military and begged me to take a contracting job with him,” Mason said.

  Tate grunted. “I didn’t beg. Figured you needed something to do
with your sorry ass after you got out.”

  “What made you decide to leave the military?” Nina asked Mason.

  A second of awkward silence answered. Avery internally winced as Mason’s smirk vanished. Nina had no clue that she’d just stepped into some very personal territory. But thankfully Mason was gracious enough to answer her.

  “Medical discharge after the helo we were in went down.”

  Nina’s face filled with alarm. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I wouldn’t have asked if—”

  “It’s fine, no worries.” The smile he shot her seemed genuine enough, but Avery caught the flash of pain in his eyes.

  There was a ghost in the house tonight for sure, but it lived inside this man.

  “Anyway, contracting wasn’t for me,” he continued. “Then Tate called me up a few months ago to tell me about this property that had just come up for sale. Starting up an adventure/training ranch sounded intriguing, and for some damn reason I just can’t get enough of this guy, so here I am.”

  “Well, we’re glad you came,” Nina said with a soft smile. “And Ric, too.” She bent a little to hold out her hand to the dog. Ric’s tail thumped on the wooden deck at the mention of his name, then he shuffled closer to sniff and lick at Nina’s fingers.

  “Thanks, happy to be here,” Mason said, any tension gone now. “And as usual, my dog has stolen the ladies’ hearts.”

  “Because he’s adorable,” Avery said, petting Ric when he nudged her for attention. “Where did you get him?”

  Those piercing blue eyes shot to her. And she’d have had to be blind not to notice the frank male interest in them. Interest she intended to firmly shut down right away. She had no interest in being used and discarded by a man ever again.

  “From a program that has inmates train service dogs for vets. This guy washed out partway through the program, but they thought he’d still make a great service dog. And they were right,” he said to Ric, who gazed up at him with adoring eyes.

  Nina beamed at Mason. “That’s so great.” She leaned over to peer under the table, and Avery noticed the way Tate’s stare dropped to the revealing glimpse of her friend’s cleavage. “Ric, what a good boy you are,” she crooned.

  Ric scooted closer to Nina and leaned against her leg to gaze up at her, his tail thumping harder.

  “Ric,” Mason warned.

  The dog stopped wagging and crept back under the table to lie at Mason’s feet.

  “He was searching for the weakest link in terms of treat-seeking potential,” Mason explained, smiling at Nina. “And I think he found it.”

  It was true. Ric was poised in place at Mason’s feet, gazing hopefully up at Nina from beneath the table.

  “Guilty,” Nina confessed with a grin. “I can’t help it, look at him. Ack! Quick, let’s eat. I can’t stand those sad puppy eyes looking up at me.”

  The rest of the meal passed with entertaining stories about Tate from Mason and Avery. After dinner Nina and Tate cleared the table, leaving Mason and Avery outside.

  Mason leaned back in his chair to regard her, and Avery would have to be dead not to notice all that blatant male power stretched out across from her.

  Mason might have hard edges, but he wasn’t hard on the eyes. “So, Avery. How is it being stuck with that guy day in and day out on the job? Be honest. I’ve been there, done that, so I know what he’s like.”

  “Honestly? Tate’s the best thing about my job.”

  Mason raised his dark eyebrows, his head dipping in approval. “Really? Do tell.”

  “He’s solid, steady, dependable, and with his military service he can handle himself when things go south. Not that they do very often around here. But yeah, I love having him around all the time.”

  And it was going to suck so bad if Tate decided to start up this business with Mason and Braxton and give his notice at the sheriff’s department. She wanted Tate to be happy, but being a detective here without him wouldn’t be the same.

  Nina came out carrying the remainder of the black forest cake. “Who wants dessert?”

  “Me,” Mason said, aiming a sexy half-grin at Avery. “I like sweet things.”

  Well then, you won’t like me. Sweet wasn’t in the list of words she would use to describe herself.

  She gave him a warning look, earning a deep chuckle she liked the sound of far too much. Tate had told her enough about Mason to know he was popular with the ladies. That and his personal baggage was more than enough reason for her to make it clear she wasn’t interested.

  The doorbell rang, breaking the subtle tension between them. “Excuse me,” Avery said, and left the table.

  She walked through the kitchen and down the stairs to answer it. A large, checkered cloth-covered basket sat on the doorstep.

  She grinned. Glancing up, she thought she spotted the top of a curly white head poking just above the boxwood hedges across the street.

  “Nina,” she called out as she carried the basket inside and shut the door. “Come check this out. Round five just arrived.”

  Her friend met her in the kitchen, her eyes gleaming with anticipation when she saw the basket. “No way.”

  “Way.” She set it on the counter. “Let’s see what they did.”

  Whisking back the cloth, they both gaped at the contents. Blueberry muffins. Blueberry syrup in a jar. Blueberry cobbler. Cherry bars. Chocolate bark with cherries and pistachios.

  Nina burst out laughing and Avery couldn’t help but join in. “This is so ridiculous, and I love it.”

  “What’s so funny?” Tate stood in the patio doorway, beer in hand as he watched them.

  “We just have the best neighbors, that’s all,” Avery said, and carried the basket out to the table. “Hope you guys still have some room left.”

  The guys stayed long enough to demolish most of the basket’s contents. Then Tate and Mason said goodbye to Nina, and Avery followed them to the door.

  “Thanks, Ave. Great meal as usual,” Tate said, giving her a squeeze on the way past.

  “Welcome, but don’t get used to it. You can cook for me next time, freeloader. And Nina, too.”

  A smile tugged at his mouth at the mention of her friend. “Deal.”

  She tensed a tiny bit when Mason paused at the door to look at her. She put on a smile. “It was nice to meet you and Ric.” She petted the dog’s head and the back of its neck, unable to not smile at him. He was too freaking adorable with his silky soft fur and mismatched eyes. Plus, this way she was spared from the intensity of the awareness that hummed along her nerve endings when Mason was close.

  “You too. But maybe next time I’ll leave him at home so you’ll pay more attention to me.”

  She glanced up, a swarm of stupid butterflies fluttering around in her belly at that direct, pale blue stare. “I don’t think you’re hurting for female attention.”

  Interest lit his gaze. “Why do you think that?”

  Because I know your type. “Let’s just say I’ve got an inside source on you I consider to be credible.”

  A rueful grin tugged at his mouth. “Don’t believe everything you hear about me, angel eyes.” She started to frown at the pet name but he gave her a respectful nod. “Good night.”

  “Good night.” It was almost a relief to close the door and block out the sight of him.

  The man rubbed her the wrong way and she wasn’t sure why. Since he was Tate’s best friend and might be moving here, she’d better find a way past that, because it looked like she’d be seeing a lot more of him.

  Lying in bed later that night, she thought about dinner. About how Nina was clearly attracted to Tate, and that Tate was into Nina too. Would that be weird and awkward if they got together and broke up? Whatever. They were adults, they’d figure it out.

  It made Avery think about her own life. About how Mason had flirted with her subtly throughout the night, testing the waters and trying to figure out where the boundaries lay. She’d made sure he couldn’t misunderstand that she wasn’t inte
rested, because there was no way she was touching that one with a ten-foot pole.

  Angel eyes? She snorted to herself.

  Mason was ruggedly good-looking, a wonderful friend to Tate and apparently the kind of guy you’d want at your back in a crisis. He also had major baggage, and might be moving here permanently. After barely surviving her divorce, she couldn’t offer anything more than a fling, and that certainly wasn’t happening with Tate’s best friend. She wasn’t an idiot.

  Not anymore.

  Her eyes flew open in the darkness at a soft thud overhead. The only light was the faint glow of the digital numbers of her bedside clock.

  A series of quiet creaks came from above the ceiling overhead.

  Her room was in the turret on the northeast side of the house. The only thing above her was a tiny attic space that had been sealed off by the people Avery had bought the place from. So how come it sounded like definite footsteps up there?

  It could be a raccoon. Or maybe an opossum.

  More creaks. Moving slowly. Tracking across the floor above her. Like someone pacing…

  Avery snorted and rolled her eyes at herself. Damn Nina, putting stories in her head.

  But as she pulled the covers up to her chin, she stared at the ceiling with an uncertain frown, feeling stupid. Charlotte? Is that you?

  Chapter Seven

  Now that Tate had decided for sure he wanted to go ahead with the business, everything was taking too damn long and his current job sucked.

  “Hello? Earth to Tate.”

  Frowning, Tate looked up to find Avery standing in front of his desk with her arms folded. They’d been in the office since seven, getting a few files and reports finished up. Mostly theft cases, a few breaking and entering. Boring shit that threatened to put him in a coma. Not that he wanted murders or other violent crimes to solve here. He was just done with being in law enforcement.

  He blinked at his partner. “Sorry?”

  She frowned at him. “Didn’t sleep last night, or what? You’ve been spaced out all afternoon. Your headache worse?”