by Jen Talty
“That’s some tough love.”
“Sally can’t get into the details, but Trip is only the tip of the iceberg.”
Mason nodded. “She called my office last week to discuss the times we picked him up. When I tried to get more information, she gave me crap about not having clearance.”
“She gives me that shit all the time,” Tim said as he sat on the bench in front of the shelter. Tim had always had a bleeding heart, but he made it his life’s mission to help victims of domestic abuse. His mother and younger sister ran from his father when he’d been just ten years old. The underground helped them stay protected from their abuser, and when Tim left the military, he didn’t have to think twice about what he wanted to do with his life. “She’s really stressed by whatever case she’s working on, and I know it goes way bigger than Trip and whatever trouble he’s gotten himself into.”
“Trip is bad news. And I don’t think he’s going to let go of his wife and stepdaughter easily.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that.” Tim stood. “One thing my wife did tell me was that they’ve been following him, and he’s banging some bank teller from Relcor County.” Tim raised his finger. “Oh, and he’s been married twice already. And there’s a pattern of abuse, so he might be at the point where he wants them gone. A county sheriff is coming over to take their statements. As long as they press charges, they will be able to pick him up.”
“What does Sally have to say about that?”
Tim shrugged. “She’s worried it will fuck up her case, but she knows I’m not letting this go. She’s in with them right now.”
“Why? This isn’t a federal case.” Mason understood that if the FBI had a solid case against Trip for anything, then both Rhonda and her mother could be potential witnesses.
Tim arched a brow.
“I get she’s working on something, but I’m worried she’ll scare them into going back to him, and that would be bad,” Mason said.
“I think she’s the key to pushing the mother to go after him with everything she’s got. I’ll make sure you’re kept in the loop.”
“If Sally doesn’t do the trick, you should have Blaine and Kaylee come in and talk to them about the Federal Witness Protection program.”
“Only necessary if Sally is bringing charges, and sadly, I don’t think she’s got anywhere near enough, yet. But the sheriff should be able to just with the documentation of the beatings. If you thought Rhonda looked bad, you should see what the asshole did to his wife.”
“Sally has a point. If the sheriff picks him up now, it could blow her case.” Not that Mason wanted the dirtbag on the streets, but putting Trip away for a longer period of time would be better for society in general.
“If she thinks that’s the case, then she’ll talk the local in charge into postponing for the greater good,” Tim said.
“If I were in charge, I’d definitely follow the Feds lead only because you’re going to make sure they are safe.”
Tim rested his hand on Mason’s shoulder. “We’ll keep them safe. I promise.”
“I really appreciate this.” Mason was about as big of a bleeding heart as Tim.
“You’ve always been there for me. It’s the least I can do for you.” Tim glanced over his shoulder as the front door to the shelter swung open. Sally strolled through the opening wearing typical dark slacks, white shirt, and dark sport coat. Badass would be the best descriptor for Sally. Mason wouldn’t want to get in a brawl with her because he knew without a doubt, she could take him.
“Hey, Mason.” Sally leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He’d met Sally during a raid his first year back from the Marines. He asked her out on a date, but when he introduced her to Tim, sparks flew like the Fourth of July.
There were days Mason figured he was destined to be a third wheel for the rest of his life.
“How did the interview go?” Tim asked what Mason was thinking.
“Mom and daughter are ready to do whatever it takes to rid them of Trip Snider, but I’d move them as soon as possible.”
“Why?” Mason asked, hoping to get more information.
“Because we’re not going to pick up Trip just yet.”
“That makes sense,” Mason said. “But if I knew what kind of case you’re building with them, perhaps I can help.”
“If I find anything I think you should know, my department will gladly share,” Sally said. “I need to get going. See you at home, babe.” She kissed her husband with a loud smack before heading toward the parking lot.
For the most part, his police department didn’t pound their chest like gorillas marking their territory in an act of aggression. They never shied away from a joint task force of any kind. But he did always hate how secretive the alphabet agencies could be at times.
“I will forever be indebted to you for introducing me to that woman,” Tim said.
“You stole her from me.” Mason certainly didn’t mean the words that tumbled out of his mouth. He’d known Sally of all five minutes before she fell hard and fast for Tim. And the more Mason had gotten to know Sally, the more he realized she was not the woman for him at all. The whole thing had been a running joke with Tim, as well as Scott.
But the concept did leave Mason with a heavy heart. He still wanted what they had.
Mason’s phone vibrated in his back pocket. He pulled it out and groaned.
“What’s wrong?”
“Lilly,” he mumbled, staring at the text message. He should take his sister’s advice and block Lilly’s number, but that would be a dick move. Besides, he was the assistant chief of police. The entire town had his cell phone number. “When I didn’t use her to list my cottage for rental, I thought that might get her to back off.”
“That woman sure knows how to hold a grudge, but not with you, and that is something I can’t figure out. You’re not that great of a catch.”
“Better than you are.” He reread the text, looking for clues that this was just another one of Lilly’s ploys to get him alone.
Lilly: Sorry to bother you. I didn’t want to call 9-1-1, but I think someone broke into my office. The door was ajar when I returned from lunch.
He’d warned her more than once that calling the police for anything but an emergency was criminal. He even threatened her with a fine. But if he didn’t go check it out, he’d be irresponsible.
Mason: I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.
Part of him wanted her to just call 9-1-1. The fire department as well as one of his officers would be dispatched to the scene. But something told him that kind of manpower wasn’t necessary.
“Why the hell are you texting her back? You’re half the problem.” Tim shook his head.
“Duty calls.” Mason shoved his phone in his pocket and turned on his heels. He didn’t want to see the frustrated look on Tim’s face or hear why Mason was a whack job to go running every time she cried wolf.
“You should send one of your officers. Or Blaine. She hates Blaine.”
Mason raised his hand over his head. “Heading back to town will give me a chance to stop by and see my new tenant. Again. I might even ask her out.”
“I heard she’s hot.”
Mason paused mid-step. Destiny had been in town all of a few hours. How the hell did Tim know anything about her? “Who’s hot?”
“Destiny. The party planner,” Tim said with a hint of amusement. “Did you forget my nephew works at the local news station? He covered the incident at the diner, and he texted me about how you’re all googly-eyed over her.”
Mason glanced over his shoulder. “For the record, I wasn’t googly-eyed. But I am interested, so don’t go fuck it up for me.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it. Best of luck. I’ll call you later.”
It had only been a few months since Julia had ripped his heart out and stomped on it with her high heels, but for the first time since then, Mason had a bit of a spring to his step. Crazy that it happened with a woman he’d only known for
five minutes. He frowned. In the very back corner of his mind, he had to wonder if his interest in the sexy party planner had more to do with getting Lilly off his tail or proving to his family he was moving forward.
Or, that he really liked her.
He’d have to take her out on a date and find out. Of course, he’d have to take it very slow. No jumping in with two feet. He needed to get to know her first. Find out everything about her.
And make sure she wasn’t a liar or had some deep, dark, hidden secret that would break his heart.
Again.
He pulled onto Main Street and parked in front of Lilly’s realty office. She was basically the only realtor in town, which annoyed just about everyone who needed one either to sell or rent. Lilly had no self-awareness and thought the world evolved around her and her desires. The worst part for Mason was that he didn’t actually believe Lilly wanted him at all. She wanted what he represented. It was more about the uniform and not the man. She wanted the respect that his position commanded.
She wanted everyone to see her as a woman who had it all. If only she could see some of her faults and was honest with herself, maybe she might find a man who would love her.
But Mason would never be that man.
He keyed into his computer that he was officially checking out a call from a citizen. If it was anyone else, he might not file an official report, but when it came to Lilly, he felt the need to document everything professionally.
He made his way to the front door. The bell rattled as he stepped inside. “Lilly?”
“Thanks for coming.” She scurried from the back office. “It’s the back door that I’m concerned about, but I can’t imagine why anyone would want to break in here. It’s not like I have anything of value.”
“Let me take a look.” He sidestepped around her, avoiding her outstretched arms for a hug. She had no understanding of personal space or boundaries. Or the fact he was on duty. That said, if Destiny wanted to hug him while in uniform, he wouldn’t say no.
“I was getting a house ready to be shown, and when I came back, the door was open. I know I locked it.” Lilly followed him into the back room.
He had half a mind to tell her to go across the street and get Blaine, just so he could have some breathing room.
She loitered over him like a kid salivating for a piece of candy.
Ignoring her, he examined the wood near the lock on the door. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. No sign of forced entry.
“You must not have locked the door,” he said matter-of-factly.
“What?” she huffed, shoving her hip to the side as she planted her hand on the curve. “Why would you say that? Why do you always think I’m lying about stuff like this. You know, this town isn’t free of crime and—”
“Lilly,” he said sternly. “I’m not accusing you of anything.” He closed the door, twisting the lock back and forth a few times. “The lock wasn’t broken. The wood around the lock hasn’t been damaged. If you had locked it, this would look a whole lot different.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because I’m good at my job. Don’t you use the alarm service that I have for everyone?” The purchase of the strip mall had been the best investment he’d ever made. He did his best to keep the cost down for all his tenants, including Lilly, who sold it to him when he’d returned from the Marines.
That’s when her obsession had begun, even though he’d been with someone else at the time. His only mistake had been taking Lilly out a few times shortly after that breakup. She did everything she could to destroy his relationship with Renee. If he was being honest with himself, Lilly might have had something to do with sending Renee packing. But that was only one small issue in a plethora of problems.
She let out an audible sigh. “That, I did forget to turn on.”
“I suggest you remember to use it. That way you will know for sure if someone broke in. Now I best be on my way.”
Lilly reached out, curling her long-manicured fingers around his biceps. She smiled like a woman who was on the prowl. “Meet me for drinks tonight. I want to thank you for stopping by.”
His eyes grew wide. She’d just accused him of calling her a liar, and now she wanted to take him out for a drink.
“Sorry, but I can’t tonight.” He patted her hand before uncoiling her grip. “I’ll see you later, Lilly.”
“I’ll be at Tony’s Bar and Grill on Dunkirck with some friends if you change your mind.” She strolled to the front door, making her hips sway wider. “I’m thinking about asking our newest member of the town to join me and my girlfriends.”
He breathed slowly out his nose. He wasn’t going to take the bait. “That’s awfully nice of you to include Destiny.”
Lilly glanced over her shoulder. “So, you’re going to change your mind then?”
He shook his head. “Sorry. Be safe and don’t drink and drive.” He pushed past her and turned north, wishing he had parked his car closer to the other end of the strip mall, because he did feel the need to warn Destiny of Lilly’s insanity. Of course, Destiny might not even be there.
Why the hell did he care if Lilly saw him stroll over to Destiny’s Dream? He owed Lilly nothing.
He peered into the glass window of the shop. It was dark, with no sign of anyone being around. He tried the door.
Locked.
He could go home and let Coop out, giving him a reason to stop in and check on his tenant.
He shook his head. Dumb idea. Not only would Coop end up going nuts the second he left to return to work, he had no real reason to go there while on duty.
He’d stop by after work.
With tears stinging her eyes, Destiny carefully set the unfinished cross-stitch over a picture of Riley. This was the only thing she kept from her past life. She just couldn’t part with it, even though it was a constant reminder of what she’d lost, and what Lucas had taken from her.
If her handler knew she had it, he’d probably have a cow. He’d made it very clear that she wasn’t to take anything that could link her to her old life.
This could certainly do that, but if she left it behind, she’d be no better than Lucas when it came to their child.
She swiped at her cheeks and closed the nightstand drawer. She didn’t look at it often, but she needed the items close by for those moments she needed to be reminded of all the pain Lucas had caused, especially when she had those insane moments where she missed the asshole.
The only thing she missed was the idea of having a man in her life, and Lucas was a coward, not a man.
Well, hell, she missed the excitement and adrenaline that the lifestyle of being Lucas’ woman had provided. But she knew that sensation was fleeting, and the letdown would be devastating. She needed to continue on this boring, simple, stress-free life. She would get used it. A thought she relied heavily on.
The sound of a dog barking caught her attention.
Another thing she missed from her old life and another element she wouldn’t allow into her current one.
No relationships.
No pets.
She closed her bedroom door. The front of the cottage faced the town only a little over a mile away. Behind the cottage was a forever wild patch that backed up to Thief Lake. According to her landlord, there was a trail that would take her to the park on the lake. He also mentioned that there was a kayak in the shed that she was welcome to use.
When she’d asked him how she was supposed to get it to the lake, he responded with a straight face, “You carry it over your head.”
Well, she was going to have to get used to doing things for herself.
She pulled down a wine glass and stared out the back window, watching a very large German shepherd race around the sexy police officer’s backyard. Mason stood on the back porch in a pair of jeans, a blue T-shirt, and bare feet. He sipped on a bottle of beer as he watched the dog run wildly.
So, the good cop had a dog.
All the more reason to sta
y clear of him.
Turning her back to the window, she leaned against the counter and sipped her wine. Every world possession she owned had been unpacked and put away. It took her all of two hours. She supposed if she had furniture or knickknacks, it might have taken her days, but all she had were clothes and a box of fake family pictures that she set out in the family room. It reminded her of images that came with picture frames. They had pretty people in them, but no one knew who they were.
That was her life.
The clock on the microwave blinked seven in the evening. In her past life, she’d be preparing for the big game, making sure all the details were in order. The table wouldn’t start for hours, but she’d be running around, ensuring the house would be on the winning side. She never once felt guilty. She figured all the players she took money from were criminal, and not your typical white-collar crimes, so who cared.
Of course, she ignored the fact that what she was doing was no different, and she could have gone to prison for a long time.
She told herself giving evidence and going into the Witness Protection Program was her debt to society for taking a shit ton of money from organized crime, drug lords, and the rest of the armpit of the earth. She no longer needed flashy cars and million-dollar jewelry. She’d traded in her high heels for comfortable wedges.
The silence in this small town sent a shiver up and down her back. A slight breeze tickled the leaves. The noise reminded her of the eerie music played in horror movies right before someone got stabbed.
Knock. Knock.
She jumped, sending half her red wine down the front of her white shirt. Great. The last thing she wanted was company. Although, going to bed at eight at night was even less appealing.
Quickly, she filled her glass, ignoring the stains forming on her ruined shirt. She gasped as she approached the front door. There stood Mason in his damn sexy T-shirt and low-hanging jeans.
“Hi, Mason,” she said, stepping onto the porch. She searched the yard for the dog, but it wasn’t anywhere to be found.
