Thirty-Five and a Half Conspiracies (24 page)

He studied me for a moment, then handed me the phone. “Jed, tell Merv she’s sending it now.”

My heart was beating so furiously it felt like it was trying to escape from my chest. I paused to ask myself if this was the right thing to do, and then I said a quick prayer and pressed send.

A
s soon as
it had been sent, I again felt like I was going to throw up. What if I’d just signed Mason’s death warrant? What if I’d just pushed Joe over the edge?

“If Simmons or one of his minions sent that text to your burner, they’ll have expected a response by now,” Skeeter said.

I just shook my head, unable to think about that right now. “Jed? Any news?”

“No.”

I wrung my hands. “What’s goin’ on over there at the station?”

“Merv will text us when he knows something.”

I stood and began to pace.

“Rose.” Skeeter’s voice was stern. “I need you to focus.”

I flung my hands out in exasperation. “How can I focus when I have no idea if Mason pulled this off or even went along with it!”

“Because you started this thing, and you need to follow it through. If Mason did what you asked, he needs you more than ever.”

That stopped me in my tracks. “You’re gonna let me meet J.R.?”

Skeeter’s jaw tightened. “I haven’t decided yet, but we might as well string him along.”

“If he’s behind my kidnapping, won’t it look a bit odd if Lady answers him around the same time Mason got the supposed video?”

Skeeter stared at the wall for several seconds, but then his eyes lit up. “No. It’s perfect. You ask him if he’s behind the ADA’s girlfriend’s murder, and say that if so, you’re impressed. It shows you’ve got your fingertip on the pulse of the county.”

“That I’m a real player.”

“Exactly.”

“I just got a text,” Jed murmured, reading his screen. “Deveraux played his part. Simmons lost his shit and stormed out of the building.”

“And Kate?” I asked.

“She ran out after her brother.”

I wasn’t sure what to make of that. I was devastated that Joe thought I’d been murdered, but deep down I knew Skeeter was right. After Joe stole the journal and had me arrested, I couldn’t trust him with my secrets, especially not if Kate was spending time around him.

“What is Mason doing now?” I asked.

“Forget about Deveraux,” Skeeter said. “Is anyone else acting strange?”

Jed looked exasperated. “I’m getting this second hand, so it’s slow going.”

“Then text the real source!” I protested. “Cut out the middleman.”

He shook his head. “No dice. The source only talks to Merv.”

I wanted to ask more questions, but another part of me didn’t. Someone working in the sheriff’s department was sharing official information with criminals. That person may very well have saved Mason’s life, but what if he or she had previously been loyal to Daniel Crocker?

I shook my head. That was an ethical dilemma for another day.

“Deputy Miller is shaken. The other deputies are worried about Simmons. Deveraux went to the bathroom. No one seems to be acting suspiciously.”

Skeeter picked up the burner phone off the kitchen table. “I’m gonna send them a message.”

I marched over and snatched it from him. “This was my idea, and I set it up. If anyone’s sending a text, it’s me, especially since you wouldn’t let me type the last one.”

He glared at me for several seconds, but I didn’t miss the hint of amusement in his eyes. Finally, he handed me the phone. “Go ahead, but I want to read it first.”

“Fine.”

I pulled up the previous text and started typing, surprised to realize how much better it made me feel to do something productive.

I’ve just been informed about the ADA’s girlfriend’s untimely demise. I can only presume you were behind it. Impressive. We’re on. Location TBA
.

I showed it to Skeeter. “Perfect.”

After I pressed send, he took the phone back and set it on the table. “We need to discuss how this will go down.”

I nodded, but then I heard something that made me freeze in place—my ringtone for Mason.

I sucked in a breath.

“It’s Deveraux,” Jed said, looking at the screen of my personal phone.

Skeeter pointed his finger in my face. “Do
not
answer that. He’s still at the damned sheriff station.”

“Skeeter! Jed said he was in the bathroom. No one will know!”

His jaw tightened. “Why is he calling? We told the fool you’d get in touch with him later.”

“Would
you
be content with that order?”

He waved his hand at Jed. “Give her the damned phone.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “Text only. And do
not
tell him where you are or who you are with.”

“I’m not stupid.” I grabbed the phone from Jed.

Skeeter shot me a look, but I didn’t plan on fooling him. I declined the call and composed a text.

You can’t talk to me now. Someone on your end is watching. I’m safe. I promise.

Where are you?

“Do
not
answer that,” Skeeter said from behind me.

He’d been spying on the screen over my shoulder, but I wasn’t exactly mad. He was in this too. In a way, he had a right to know.

“I’m not,” I said, weariness suddenly washing over me.

I’ll tell you when I can. Do not go to your momma’s house. My vision’s coming true and you’re not safe. PLEASE be careful.

I pressed send and closed my eyes. “They’ll go after him next.”

“Not in the sheriff’s station,” Skeeter said. “They’ll wait. Probably until he gets home. If it were me, I’d attack in the dead of night. But I suspect they don’t just want to kill him—this plan is proof enough of that. They want him to suffer. They’ll probably hold him hostage for a bit and torture him before they off him.”

I spun around, light-headed with terror. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“Fuck, no. But it’s the goddamned truth.”

Jed cleared his throat. “Skeeter.”

He shook his head. “This isn’t some spat at recess, Rose. This is deadly serious. And if you’re making deals with the devil, then you need to know all the facts, ugly or not. You can handle this.” He leaned closer. “You are not some hothouse rose, painstakingly nurtured and trimmed in a carefully controlled environment. You are a rose bush left out in the wild, scraping for survival. You have fought for everything you have, and you thrive on the struggle. You’re called to it. The harder things are, the better you get.”

I stared up at him in disbelief.

“So no more coddling. No more babying. I want nothing more than to protect you and tell you can’t take part in this game. But the truth is, half the time
you’re
the protector.” He glanced at Jed. “So she needs to know the facts—as ugly as they might be—and she needs to help us make informed decisions.”

Jed gave a quick nod, although he didn’t look happy about it.

I stood there in stunned silence, surprised by how empowered I felt. Before, I’d believed I had a chance of seeing this J.R. Simmons mission through, but now I was certain I could make it work.

“I need to protect Mason.” I lifted my chin. “It’s a deal-breaker. We have to take him somewhere safe.”

Skeeter glanced at Jed, who released a long sigh. “Do you have any idea how impossible that is? Where are we gonna take him? Like he’s even gonna go.”

My head swam with fear, but I was tired of living half of my life in fear and the other half in deceit. It was time to face the consequences of my decisions, no matter how much I stood to lose.

“Here.” I looked Skeeter in the eye. “We need to bring him here.”

T
hat went
over like a lead balloon.

Both men started shouting, but after watching them bluster for several seconds, I shook my head. “Someone has to go pick him up. I’ll tell him to park behind the Sinclair station. Whoever gets him can blindfold him to keep from compromising your safe house.”

“No damn way,” Skeeter growled.

Jed eyed me like I’d lost my mind. “Mason’s never gonna agree to it.”

“He will,” I said. “If he thinks he’s coming to me.” I choked on the lump in my throat. “Who do you trust to get him?”

Skeeter looked stunned, but he gave me an answer nonetheless. “Merv.”

“Skeeter!” Jed protested.

“Look.” I put my hand on his good arm. “He’s smart, and he can help us. He wants the same thing we do.”

Skeeter gave me a sardonic grin. “I suspect we have very different ways of going about it.”

I dropped my hand and turned away, my impending loss sinking into my skin. “Not in this instance. We need to have someone around who knows the law if we have any hope of getting our charges dropped.” I took a deep breath and turned around to face them, feeling even surer of my decision. “We need him, don’t you see? We’re all in the thick of this together, like it or not.”

Neither one of them said anything for several heartbeats, and then Skeeter finally turned to look at me. “Think this through, Rose,” he said softly. “It’s all gonna fall apart if you do this.”

I looked down at my ring, my heart grieving. “It was already unraveling. He was puttin’ things together.” I looked up at him, his face blurry through my tears. “See? I told you.” My voice cracked. “He’s a smart man.”

“You’re certain?”

“Yes.”

He nodded. “Call Merv. Make the arrangements.”

Jed looked furious, but he dug out his phone.

I turned and walked into the kitchen, getting a glass out of a cabinet so I could pour myself some water. The clock on the microwave read 12:20.

Skeeter walked up behind me. “Merv will pick him up. Tell Deveraux to be behind the station at one a.m. He’ll have to wear a blindfold, and if he even hints that he’s takin’ it off, Merv will dump him onto the street.”

I nodded.

He leaned his mouth close to my ear. “Rose, you better be damn sure you want to do this. You
have
to know the outcome.”

I bit my bottom lip and racked my brain for some other solution. The bottom line was that he deserved to know the truth. Even if it killed him metaphorically, at least he wouldn’t be literally murdered. Besides, I’d sensed all along that we needed to be working together and pooling all of our resources.

“Yes.” I turned around to look at him. “Does he know who Merv is? That he works for you?”

Skeeter sighed. “Most people know Jed works for me, but Merv tends to keep a low profile, and both of them are careful enough they don’t get charged with anything. There’s a chance he won’t put it together.”

I nodded. “Good. I want to be the one to tell him.”

“I figured as much. I’d send someone else, but this is dangerous enough without adding any more unknowns. If Deveraux’s in the back of a car blindfolded, he’s a sittin’ duck. Merv’s bound to protect him, which means his ass is on the line.”

I hadn’t thought of that.

Skeeter must have sensed my guilt. “That’s his job, so don’t worry about him. He does what I say. Even this.”

“Okay.”

He turned to Jed. “Where’s Deveraux now?”

Jed checked his phone. “He left the sheriff’s office a few minutes ago.”

“Then we’re good to contact him.” His gaze turned to me. “You ready?”

I nodded, then sucked in a deep breath and pushed it out before I called Mason. He answered on the first ring.

“Rose?” He sounded so desperate, I started to cry.

“It’s me. I’m fine, really.”

“Oh, my God. I was so scared.” His voice broke, and he took a moment before he spoke again. “Where are you? How’d you get away?”

“I’ll tell you all about it, but I need you to come here.”

“Of course. Just tell me where you are.”

I fought back a sob. Would he be so eager to see me after he found out my secret? “Mason, you have to listen to me—you’re in danger and I need to protect you, but you have to do as I say.”

He hesitated. “What are you talking about?”

“I need you to come to me, but you can’t know where I am. Someone I trust is coming to get you.”

“Who?” I could hear the suspicion in his voice now.

“Someone who’s helping me. Helping us.”

“Rose?” He sounded worried again. “Are you in trouble?”

More trouble than he could even guess. But I couldn’t tell him that. “I’m safe for now—that’s what matters. Just get here, and I’ll explain it all. Okay?”

“Okay.” But I heard the hesitation in his voice.

“I need you to go to the Sinclair station, the one I saw you at last week. Be there in forty minutes. Park behind the building, and the guy who comes to pick you up will bring you to me … but here’s the unusual part. You have to wear a blindfold. That’s the only way they’ll bring you here. But make sure you’re not followed. ”

“Who, Rose? Who has you?”

I fought another sob.

“Sweetheart, can you tell me where you are? I’ll come get you.”

“I can’t,” I said through my tears. “I’m so scared for you, Mason. They were going to make you watch me get murdered, then I’m sure their plan is to kill you next. Whoever hired them thinks they took care of the first part—now they’ll move on to the second. Just like in my vision. The only way I know how to protect you is to bring you here. Will you come? Please?”

“Sweetheart, I know you can’t talk because of whoever is there. But I’ll come for you, and then we’ll figure out how to get out of this together.” He released a short chuckle, but it was a strained sound. “We’re partners, remember?”

“I love you so much,” I choked out.

“I love you too. I’ll be there soon. We’ll get out of this. I promise.”

For the next hour, I was a mess. Skeeter wanted to talk more about the plan to meet J.R., but I refused to discuss any of it until Mason showed up. He wanted to know more about what I’d found in Kate’s apartment, but I put him off on that too. Part of me worried Mason would find out the truth, then turn around and walk away from me forever. But the rest of me knew he wouldn’t. He’d told me that he’d do anything to bring J.R. Simmons down, and though I knew that was, in large part, for me, it wasn’t only about me. J.R. Simmons stood for everything Mason had fought against for his entire career.

Still, I was pushing his promise to the limit.

A little after one, Merv texted Jed that he had the package.

I pounced on him like a cat on catnip. “Did Mason give him any trouble? Was he followed? Was Merv nice to him?”

Skeeter shot me a look of disgust, but Jed tried to be more patient. “He didn’t give me details, Rose. He literally texted:
I’ve picked up the package
.”

I stood and wrung my hands. I wasn’t sure if it were possible for someone to die of nerves, but if so, I was a goner. “How long will it take them to get here?”

“Merv’s gonna drive him around a bit to throw him off and make sure they aren’t tailed, so maybe twenty-five minutes … a half hour?”

I nodded, trying to catch my breath.

“Rose.” Jed stood and gently cupped my elbow. “Why don’t you lie down and try to get some rest? It’s after one in the morning, and you’ve had a traumatic evening.”

I shook my head. “I’m not laying on any nasty surface in this house.”

“Where the hell do you think you’re gonna sleep?” Skeeter barked.

My mouth dropped open. Stupid me hadn’t even thought that far ahead.

Skeeter got to his feet and rubbed the back of his neck. “We should never have gotten him tonight. We should have picked him up tomorrow morning after getting a good night’s sleep.”

I put my hand on my hip. “It was tonight or not at all. Sure as shoot that they were going to kill him tonight. And besides, you yourself said you thought they’d kill him in the middle of the night!”

He groaned and stomped outside.

Jed sighed as he watched Skeeter walk off, then moved his injured arm and released a low moan.

It was then I remembered he’d lost his sling in the fight, and when I looked more closely, I could see a dark spot on his black long-sleeve T-shirt.

“Jed, you’re bleeding. Let me look at that.”

He sat at the kitchen table and took off his shirt. The sight of his rippling muscles caught me off guard, like suddenly finding out your geeky cousin has become hot. I made myself focus on the white gauze tied around his bicep and the dark spot of blood.

“I expected you to put up some macho fuss.”

He leaned his head back, looking exhausted. “I’m too tired, and I can’t change it myself. I figure I might as well get your help before all hell breaks loose.”

I cringed, but I suspected his assessment of our situation was right.

“There are fresh bandages in the hall closet. Clean sheets too. You’ll sleep in the bedroom at the end of the hall. And Deveraux too … if he wants to sleep with you.”

I sighed. “I know you think this is a mistake.”

“I
know
it is.” He sounded so sure of himself it almost gave me second thoughts. “People like Deveraux don’t hop over the line of legality so easily. He’s got a very clear picture of right and wrong. Have you considered what’s gonna happen if he gets here and decides he wants to wash his hands of the whole thing? Even worse, what if he demands to leave and tell the whole world about you and your secret identity? Or what if he decides to use this against Skeeter, me, or Merv and run to the sheriff? Do you really think Skeeter’s gonna let that happen?”

I gasped.

He gave me a sympathetic look. “Didn’t think about that part, did you?”

I didn’t say anything. The answer was obvious.

Skeeter walked in as I finished tying the gauze over Jed’s wound. There was a no-nonsense look on his face, which I’d learned to mean he was about to issue an order. “When he gets here, we’re gonna deposit him in the living room without taking his blindfold off. He can remove it after we go outside. You have until tomorrow morning to sway him to our side. If he says no, we’ll take him back to town, blindfold on, but tied up this time. And if he threatens to turn any of us in, he will be dealt with.” His eyes found mine. “That is non-negotiable.”

I nodded.

After I cleaned up the dirty bandages and put away the supplies, I found the clean sheets Jed had mentioned and decided to make the bed. The light in the room didn’t turn on with the switch, and there weren’t any lamps to be found. In fact, I realized there wasn’t anything in the room except for the bed. I used the light in the hall to put on the linens, and I was in the process of smoothing a fresh blanket over them when I heard a scuffle in the living room.

“Rose?” Mason’s voice called out. “
Where the hell is she?
”

Merv’s voice followed. “Just stay where you are, and she’ll be out in a minute. But keep that blindfold on until she takes it off.”

I’d already hurried out of the bedroom and was standing at the entrance to the hall, my heart in my throat.

Mason’s hands clenched at his sides. “If you hurt her—”

“Mason,” I said, taking the few steps toward him. It felt like I was dragging a fifty-pound weight with each step. “I’m here.”

He reached for his blindfold, but I stopped him, waiting until all three men had left and shut the door behind them.

His hands covered mine as I lifted the handkerchief off his head, and the tenderness of the gesture almost brought me to tears.

Relief washed over his face, and he pulled me into a tight embrace and buried his face into my hair. He broke down. “I thought I’d lost you.”

“I’m fine. I promise.”

He leaned back and searched my face, worry filling his eyes. “How’d you get away?”

“Someone rescued me.”

“The people who brought me here?”

I nodded.

“They want something from you? Or from me?”

“Let’s just say we have a common agenda.” I pulled on his arm, leading him toward the two kitchen chairs in the middle of the room. “Sit down, and I’ll tell you everything.”

He resisted. “No, let’s try to get out of here. Based on the sounds I heard when I was walking into the cabin, I think we’re close to woods. If we can make it into the trees, we can lose them in the dark.”

I gave him a sad smile. “They’re watching closely. We can’t leave.” That was the truth. Even if I walked out that front door and told Skeeter I was finished, he’d never let me leave. Not until this was all said and done.

Mason let me lead him to the chairs, and we sat there together, his hand holding mine in a tight grip. “What happened, Rose?”

I told him about being kidnapped outside the bathroom in Jaspers, regaining consciousness in the back of the car, and being carried into the cabin and tied to a chair.

“Did they say anything?” he asked gently, but the fire in his eyes told me just how much this was affecting him.

“No. I told them you’d pay to have me released, but they didn’t answer. They left me in the bedroom, and about an hour or so later, I heard a commotion outside. They were dragging a man into the house. They brought him into the room where I was being held and tried to tie him to a chair too, but he wasn’t havin’ any part of that. He put up a huge fight.”

“Who was he?”

I decided to ease my way into this. “They found him in the woods, spying on the cabin. But like I said, when they started to tie him down, he lost it. He slammed the chair into one guy’s head and then tackled the other two. He wrestled a gun from one of the kidnappers, and when one of them pointed his gun at me, this man shot him. He saved my life.”

Mason’s hold on me tightened.

“He helped me get loose, and then they brought me here.”

“They? The guy who drove me here?”

“He’s one of them.”

“Who are they?”

My blood rushed through my head, giving me a dull headache. “Like I said, they want the same thing we do. To bring J.R. Simmons to his knees. And we have the perfect plan to do it, but we need your help.”