Thirty-Six and a Half Motives: Rose Gardner Mystery #9 (Rose Gardner Mystery Series) (12 page)

“Look at how your dreams have grown, and in such a short time.”

“People’s dreams change, Neely Kate.”

“True, but think about it. You have changed
so much
in less than a year. The you who broke up with Joe couldn’t be more different than the you who broke up with Mason. Just like the me who met Ronnie is different than the me I am now. We were held back for so long, Rose, so as soon as the gate was opened, we just busted loose, no looking back. We’re growing and changing so much it’s not fair to ask a man to sit back and accept it. Maybe we need to figure out who we are, all on our own, before we know what we have to offer someone else.”

“But I want Mason,” I sobbed into her shoulder. “I’ll fix it. I’ll fix it all, and then I’ll beg his forgiveness and ask him to take me back.”

“Oh, honey,” she cooed into my ear as she stroked my head.

I fell asleep crying, my heart broken from the knowledge that she was probably right.

W
hen I awoke
, my eyelids were heavy and my mouth dry. Daylight filtered in from the window, and when I rolled over, Neely Kate was gone.

I got out of bed and got dressed, then followed the smell of food to the kitchen. Neely Kate stood in front of the stove. Jed was leaned back in a kitchen chair, legs stretched out in front of him, eyes closed. Muffy was curled up under his chair, watching for Neely Kate to “accidentally” drop scraps.

“Good morning,” I said, opening cabinets to look for a glass.

Muffy’s head popped up, and she ran over to me, jumping up on my legs. I scooped her up and held her close, letting her lick my chin. She’d been missing Mason terribly, so she needed a little extra love from me. Not that it was a problem; it worked both ways.

Neely Kate turned to look at me, a spatula in her hand. “There’s fresh coffee in the pot. And Muffy’s already been outside.” She pointed to the coffee pot on the counter. “I brought her leash from your house, and Skeeter walked her while she did her business.” She turned back to the stove. “I know you worry she’ll run off.”

“
Skeeter
walked her?”

She shrugged.

“I need water before coffee,” I croaked, opening another cabinet door and finding eight shiny glasses, all turned upside down and arranged in neat rows.

“There’s cold water in the fridge.”

I opened the refrigerator door and discovered a pitcher of water as well as plenty of food. I poured a glass, then looked around the cozy kitchen with its pale yellow walls and bright white cabinets and trim. Roosters were everywhere—rooster canisters, rooster wallpaper, even a set of rooster salt and pepper shakers on the wooden kitchen table. It looked like the lair of a rooster serial killer. This was the polar opposite of the cabin where Skeeter had taken me before. “What is this place?”

Jed’s eyes were still closed, and I realized he was asleep.

Neely Kate started to answer, but I held a finger up to my lips and pointed to Jed.

She nodded, then lowered her voice as she flipped a pancake. “This house belongs to the grandma of a friend of Jed’s.”

“Where is she?”

“She’s in Arizona for the winter. The friend stays here while she’s gone to keep an eye on the place.”

“Where’s the friend?”

“Somewhere else,” Skeeter said from behind me. “And he’ll keep quiet, so we should be safe for now, but I’d rather wrap up this situation before anyone figures out where we’re holed up.”

“You mean J.R.?”

“Among other people.” He scowled as his gaze landed on me. “I’ve had a few calls from your boyfriend, each one progressively more threatening.”

I tried to steady my nerves.

“You need to call him and tell him I haven’t abducted you before he sends the state police lookin’ for you.”

I nodded, setting Muffy down on the floor. “I’ll take care of it.”

I went back to the bedroom, but Muffy stayed close to my heels, so I picked her up and set her on the bed. I found my phone in the pocket of the jeans I’d left on the floor by the foot of the bed. I’d missed five calls from Mason and two from Joe, as well as multiple texts.

I sat down on the edge of the bed, rubbing Muffy behind the ears. Rather than listen to the messages, I called Mason straightaway.

“Rose?” he asked, sounding hopeful and worried. “Are you okay?”

Muffy’s head popped up, and she looked up at the phone.

I stroked her head. “I’m fine.”

“Are you with Skeeter?”

“Yeah.” I wanted to apologize for that, but then I realized that’s why I had broken up with him. So I wouldn’t have to apologize. Then why did I still feel so guilty?

“Do you feel safe?”

“Yeah,” I said, sounding as weary as I felt. “I’m safe.”

Muffy rested her chin on my leg, looking so forlorn it brought tears to my eyes.

“Any word on Randy?” I asked.

“He’s in ICU. It’s touch and go.”

We were both silent for a moment before Mason said, “Joe said he told you about J.R.”

“Yeah. He did.”

“Has J.R. called you again?”

I wanted to tell him about my horrific night, but then I’d be dragging him back into my mess. “I think the less you know the better.”

“Goddammit, Rose! Don’t do this!”

“Don’t do what?” I asked, my anger rising to match his.

“I love you! You may have decided we’re done, but I’m still scared to death for you. Don’t make me sit here freaking out because I have no idea where you are or if you’re safe.” His voice broke. “Just think about how you’d feel if the situation were reversed. Would you just write me off if I told you I was breaking up with you to spare you some pain?”

“No, of course not.”

“Then how do you expect me to do the same?”

“I don’t know . . .” My voice shook as tears rolled down my cheek.

“Rose, sweetheart. I know it looked like I abandoned you.” He cursed under his breath. “No. You’re right. I
did
abandon you. You know I have a habit of taking off for a walk after an argument—and that’s all this was, even if it was longer than I’ve ever been gone. It doesn’t make it right, not one iota, but I’ve been absolutely miserable without you, Rose. And now that J.R. is on the loose, and I know he’s coming for you . . . I’m going crazy. I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. I can’t concentrate on my job. All I can do is worry and think about how much I let you down. How I failed you.”

“Mason, stop.”

“
No.
I’m not ready to give up on us.”

“What about what I want?” I asked quietly.

He was silent for several seconds. “Yesterday you said you love me. Have you changed your mind since then?”

“No. Of course not. I love you so much I feel like my heart has been ripped into a tiny million pieces.”

“Then what? You love Skeeter?”

I released a sardonic laugh. “No, Mason. I only love you.”

“Sweetheart, listen. If we love each other, we can make this work.”

“Are they appointing you as the D.A. permanently?”

He hesitated. “I don’t know. Maybe. Probably.”

“And what would happen if it ever got out that Skeeter helped me escape Sam Teagen and his cohort last night? Or that Merv got shot trying to protect me?”

“
What?
” he asked in a panic. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Honest. Think about it.” I paused. “Skeeter and I are piecing things together, and we’re getting close to something. But I’m not doing this with Skeeter because I want to be with him. He can do things you and Joe can’t. Besides, J.R. is after the two of us, and it makes sense for the two of us to work together to bring him down.”

“Only a week ago, just the
two of us
was you and me.” I heard the pain in his voice.

“I won’t ask you to compromise your principles or ethics for me, Mason. Not anymore.”

“So now you’re involved in illegal activities?” His words were pinched.

“No. Not if I can help it, but you know that my connection to Skeeter would hurt you. If it ever got out, your career would be over. I can’t do that to you.”

“Splitting up is a huge decision, Rose. It affects both of our lives. You should let me have a say in it.”

I knew he had a point, and now I was more confused than ever.

He was quiet for several seconds. “Rose,
please
. I understand why you’re with Skeeter, and I know he’ll do his best to keep you safe, so if you think this is the best way to bring J.R. down, I trust you.”

“
What?
”

“I’m not going to deny that I’d rather you do it by the book. But we both know that doing it by the book won’t work with J.R. Simmons. And if there are any two people out there who can bring him down, it’s you and Skeeter Malcolm.” He paused. “And you have no idea how hard it is to admit that.”

“That I’m not doing it by the book?”

“No. That you’re doing it with him,” he barked, then continued in a softer voice. “I’m saying that as the Lady in Black, you proved that you are more than capable enough to take J.R. down. I have no doubt in your ability. It’s still hard to accept that you are doing this with
him
. On multiple levels. But I’ve wrestled with this since you called me yesterday, and I’ve accepted it.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“I know he loves you—that’s why he’s so protective of you. But—call me a fool—I also believe he’ll never act on it unless you want him to.”

“Like how things were with you and me last fall.”

“Yeah. I want to trust you, Rose. Just be open and honest with me instead of trying to hide what you’re doing. I
never
want you to feel trapped by me. So if working with Skeeter to bring J.R. down is our best option, then you have my full blessing and support.” His voice broke. “But all I ask is that you come home to me when it’s all said and done.”

“Oh, Mason.”

“You don’t have to give me an answer. Just please give me updates, no matter how vague. Otherwise, I’ll go crazy.”

I could give him that. “No specifics.”

“I can live with that.” He paused. “I love you, Rose. I want this to work, but I know we need to fix some things. That’s what I wanted to talk about last night—only, I did a piss-poor job of articulating myself yesterday afternoon. I want to fix us, so go get the bastard and come home to me so we can get started.” Then he hung up before I could say another word.

Muffy started to whine, and I leaned over and rubbed her behind the ears. “Don’t give up on us yet, Muff.”

I felt like crying, but I smiled when she licked my nose.

Neely Kate appeared in the doorway to the bedroom. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I said, standing. I slid the phone into my front jeans pocket, then set Muffy on the floor. “I think I am.”

Skeeter and Jed were already seated at the table with empty plates in front of them, and with heaping plates of pancakes and bacon in the middle. I got situated in one of the empty seats, and Neely Kate handed me a cup of coffee, giving me a worried look. I wanted to reassure her that I was fine, but I really didn’t want to tip Skeeter or Jed off about my breakup with Mason. I needed to be on top of my game, and I sure didn’t want them worrying that I would be distracted.

“We need to get the bag,” I said, looking at Skeeter. I’d filled Neely Kate in on most of the details before we’d gone to sleep the night before. I could only presume Skeeter had done the same with Jed.

“I’ve already had one of my boys drive by the alley. It’s still under surveillance. There’s no way we can retrieve it yet.”

I sighed as I took a sip of my coffee. “What are we gonna do?”

He grimaced as he heaped three pancakes onto his plate. “Seems to me that the most important file in the stack—or at least the most intriguing—is the one about the Simmons’s housekeeper.”He returned the platter to the middle of the table. “You’re sure you didn’t see it before in Kate Simmons’s apartment?”

I looked at Neely Kate. “You saw more files than I did. Do you remember anything like that?”

She shook her head. “Nuh uh. I would have remembered because everything else had a direct connection to Mason.”

“And you’re sure you saw them all?” Skeeter asked. “Do you think you could have missed it?”

“Well, I suppose,” Neely Kate said. “But I don’t think so.”

Skeeter nodded, then turned to me. “Do you remember what you saw?”

“Not much. I was running out of time, so I just stuffed it into the bag. I made the connection because I recognized the address of one of her previous employers as Joe’s parents’ house.”

“So Kate’s interest in Roberta is new?” Skeeter asked as he attacked his pancakes. “Maybe because Anna showed up? The real question is
why
she showed up.”

“And also why Roberta left the Simmons’s house in the first place,” I added. “Do you think she told her granddaughter why she left?”

“No.” Skeeter shook his head. “Not a chance. But I know someone we can ask.”

“Who?” Neely Kate and I asked at the same time.

“Hilary Wilder. She might know something.

“I guess they grew up together, huh?” I asked.

“The way I heard it, Hilary spent more time at the Simmons house than her own,” Skeeter confirmed. “I’m not surprised. Her momma was a conniver and a schemer. She was a difficult woman to be around for any length of time.”

Neely Kate curled her upper lip. “Guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

Skeeter shrugged. “Hilary was different back then—sweeter and naïve, as hard as that is to believe—and she took to Roberta, too. Everyone did.”

I had a hard time envisioning a non-conniving Hilary, but it gave me hope that there was still a good person buried deep down. If her mother had been terrible, it was no wonder she’d grown attached to Roberta.

“Kind of like Maeve,” I said to Neely Kate. “Everyone loves her like they loved Roberta.”

“Hilary might know something,” Skeeter said. “I think you should talk to her.”

“
Me?
You knew her.
You
talk to her.”

Skeeter shook his head. “Hilary’s smart. She was always at the Simmons’s house, and she saw me there with J.R. plenty of times. I wouldn’t put it past her to recognize me. And if she does, she’d be too scared to tell me anything. It has to be you two.”

“Well, there’s no way she’s talkin’ to me,” I protested. “She hates my guts.”

“Get Violet to talk to her,” Neely Kate said. “She and Hilary kind of became friends over the whole baby nursery thing.”

The blood rushed from my face. How could I have forgotten about Violet’s condition? “Violet can’t talk to her,” I said. “She’s leaving for Texas tomorrow.”

“Texas? What on God’s green earth is she gonna do in Texas?” Neely Kate asked in disbelief.

“I . . . uh . . .”

“No,” Skeeter barked. “I want it to be one of us.”

“I’m telling you,” I said, shaking my head, “she’s never gonna talk to me.”

“Then you’re gonna have to find a way,” he said, his eyes meeting mine.

“You’re really gonna send me off to talk to Hilary while J.R. Simmons is on the loose?”

“Hell, no,” he said with a snort. “Jed’s gonna go with you.”

“So we figure out how Roberta ties into all of this, then what?” Neely Kate asked. “Kate has to know her old housekeeper’s granddaughter is in town.” She turned her attention to me. “Remember last week when she said she was stickin’ around for the show? She knows.”