Thirty-Five and a Half Conspiracies (31 page)

“What has you so fascinated with her?” J.R. laughed. “All the time I’ve known you, you’ve never had more than a momentary interest in a woman.”

“She’s a business asset.”

J.R. chuckled. “No. I can see it’s more than that.”

J.R. was going to make Skeeter admit his feelings for me. I couldn’t let this man hurt anyone else I cared about.

The gun was still in my hand, but I had no idea how to use it to get myself free. If I tried to shoot him, he’d slit my throat in a heartbeat. In fact, I had a pretty good feeling he’d slit my throat anyway. I looked around the room filled with men desperate to save me, then decided to spare them the guilt of failing.

I grabbed J.R.’s wrist with my left hand. “J.R.,” I said, sounding much tougher than I felt. “This is your last warning to let me go.”

“You’re threatening me?” He laughed and his arm lifted slightly, preparing to slice. Joe and Mason got a panicked look in their eyes, and I knew it was time for me to make my move.

I held the gun tip against his thigh and pulled the trigger while I yanked his wrist away from my neck with all my might. He cried out in pain and crumpled to the floor, the knife still in his hand, his arm outstretched.

Joe rushed toward me, but I turned and got a good stomp on J.R.’s hand with my stiletto heel, partially embedding the end into his now-open palm. “I told you that you were too close for my liking.”

J.R.’s eyes were livid. “I’m going to kill you!”

I started to offer a retort, but J.R. reached for me with his good hand. Joe jerked me away from his father, handing me off to Mason as he kicked the knife across the room.

Joe leaned over his father while J.R. continued to shout a string of threats against me and everyone else in the room.

Mason gathered me into his arms and held me tight against his chest, leading me into the kitchen around the back side of the island while chaos ensued ten feet away. I looked up at him in shock. “You said you weren’t coming.”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry I had to tell you that. I was worried Skeeter would insist on getting his own brand of justice, and then we might never get your charges dropped. We needed someone from law enforcement to be here. Which meant we needed Joe. If Skeeter had believed I was bringing anyone else into this mix, particularly J.R.’s own son, he would have tied me up. Or worse. And I couldn’t tell you in the bathroom because I had the bug in my hand.”

“But you said Joe was missing.”

“He was. I just had to know where to look.”

“And where was that?”

“His old house. I have no idea where he was all day, but tonight he was sitting on the front porch.”

“Where we first met,” I whispered in dismay.

Sadness filled his eyes. “Yeah.”

“How did you know you could trust him?”

“I saw it in his eyes when I was giving him my statement about your kidnapping at the sheriff’s station. Then when I got that message … I almost told him the truth, Rose. I was worried he would do something harmful to himself.”

“How’d you get him to agree to help?”

“I told him your father had set up your kidnapping. He was more than eager to jump on board.”

“But J.R. swore he didn’t do it.”

“Like I’d believe anything that man said,” he said in disgust.

“But Kate …”

“I mentioned your theory to Joe—without telling him about the incriminating evidence you found in her apartment—I thought I’d leave it up to your discretion. But he assured me she had nothing to do with it. He claims she was nearly as upset as he was when she heard the news.”

I pursed my lips. “I still don’t trust her. I’m going to tell Joe about goin’ into her apartment.” Then a new realization hit me. “Joe knows I’m the Lady in Black,” I whispered.

He grimaced, lowering his mouth next to my ear. “Not necessarily. I told him you’d come up with the crazy scheme to dress up as her to trap his father and somehow got Malcolm to go along.”

I leaned back to face him. “And he bought it?”

He gave me a sad smile. “Do you really think he considers you capable of such a thing?” He pulled his hand off my arm. “You’re bleeding. We need to put something on this.”

He opened a kitchen drawer, but Jed approached us from the hall and handed him a bath towel. “It’s clean. I checked.”

I looked around the room. “Where’s Skeeter?”

Jed cringed. “He took off.”

Mason scowled. “Joe’s going to need a statement from him.”

Skeeter’s pride had to be wounded by all of this. I wasn’t surprised he left, but I wished I’d had a chance to talk to him first. “Can it wait until the morning?”

Mason studied my face. “I suppose that’s up to Joe.”

“Did you hear what J.R. said?” I asked. “Is it enough for Joe to use to get my charges dropped?”

“Once I showed up with Joe and convinced Malcolm that we were working with him and not against him, he gave us access to your mic feed. And the cameras.”

“So you saw and heard it all?”

“Yeah.” He looked into my eyes, but something was missing. Maybe he was just tired. “You handled yourself very well. You’re right. You’re good at it.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so I said nothing.

“If nothing else, J.R. will face charges for the murder of Mick Gentry. It was captured on tape, and we have eyewitnesses. Maybe if Simmons is in jail, people will be willing to turn state’s evidence and confess to setting up your charges.”

I turned my attention to the man who had destroyed so many lives. Joe already had his father in handcuffs on the floor, and J.R hadn’t lost any steam issuing his threats. “You’ll pay for this, Deveraux! I’ll destroy you!”

“You can try,” Mason said, sounding exhausted. “But you’ll find it difficult behind bars.”

I had to wonder how difficult it would actually be. J.R. Simmons behind bars could still be a threat.

The towel Joe had wrapped around J.R.’s leg was already soaked with blood, and a new worry hit me.

“Do you think he’ll die?” I asked.

“We wouldn’t get so lucky,” Jed murmured.

“No,” Mason agreed. “But his leg’s going to be messed up for some time.”

“So if he’s gonna make it, what’ll happen to him?”

“He’ll be arrested for murder and attempted murder and a whole host of other charges, and I suspect there will be a grand jury to investigate the crimes on this tape. They can’t press charges from what he said in the tapes, but it can open an investigation. And like I said, people might be willing to turn state’s evidence.” He paused. “You’ll probably have to testify.”

“Will people find out I’m the Lady in Black?”

Mason lowered his voice. “Honestly, I’m not sure anyone would believe it. We can stick with the story that you assumed her persona to trap Simmons. We’ll need Malcolm and Jed to testify about that.”

“We will,” Jed said without hesitation.

“But you would have to commit perjury, Mason,” I whispered.

His face was expressionless. “I told you I’d do anything to keep you safe. That included.”

I might have gotten out of my mess with J.R., but I was still smack in the middle of another. “I love you, Mason.”

He searched my eyes, then pulled my cheek to his chest and held me tight. “I love you too.”

I closed my eyes, feeling renewed hope we’d work this out.

He just needed time.

M
ason wanted
to take me to the hospital for my arm; I refused. It had become a bad routine. Rose gets into danger and someone goes to the E.R.

I was ready for a new chapter in my life.

Besides, I was fairly certain J.R. Simmons would need to go to the E.R. Let him fill the vacant spot.

Joe said he would come by the farmhouse to take our statements in the morning. Since he himself had been an eyewitness to J.R.’s confessions—and crimes—he had everything he needed to press charges. Mason wandered off to talk to a sheriff’s deputy, so I took the opportunity to tell Joe about my suspicions about Kate, including the evidence I’d found in her apartment.

Worry filled his eyes. “I know my sister and I don’t see eye to eye, but I honestly don’t think she’s capable of such a thing, Rose.”

“But you’ll look into it, right?”

“I’ll need to deal with this mess first,” he said, watching as his father was hauled out of the house on an ambulance stretcher, escorted by two deputies I didn’t recognize. “But I promise I’ll look into it first chance I get.”

“Will you?” I asked, but my words were missing any bite. Instead, they sounded as weary as I felt.

He looked me square in the eye. “No more sweeping anything under the rug. My family’s goin’ to atone for our misdeeds.”

“Thank you.” I paused. “I’m sorry you thought I was dead. I … I know how hard that must have been.”

His eyes clouded. “I want to know more about all of that, but I’ll take your statement in the morning when I question you about what happened here.”

“Okay.”

I started to turn away, but he said softly, “Rose.”

I turned back to face him.

“I don’t know what I would have done if …”

I gave him a determined look. “You would have been just fine, Joe Simmons.”

“Maybe so, but Joe McAllister wouldn’t have been.”

And the sad truth was that Joe McAllister was probably the man Mason had found on Joe’s old front porch. I didn’t know what to do about that either.

I started to look for Mason, but I saw Jed standing in a corner, taking in the whole scene. I’d worried that he and Skeeter would be in trouble with the law. Joe assured me that neither of them would face charges, at least not for their role in taking J.R. down, but what would be the long-term repercussions? The fact that he and Skeeter had walked into this with eyes wide open didn’t make me feel any better. The truth was, all of this had been orchestrated at my insistence.

He smiled and held out my personal cell phone as I approached him. “Skeeter says he’ll be in touch.”

“Okay.” I tried to hide my hurt feelings. I couldn’t very well blame him for leaving without a goodbye. He’d said having friends would be his downfall. Did he see tonight as proof of that? Would he cut me out of his life entirely? I was surprised at how much the thought made my heart ache.

“I’m gonna miss you, Rose.”

A lump formed in my throat. My Lady in Black days were over. The guilt that accompanied the disappointment was suffocating. “You won’t miss all the trouble I’ve caused.”

A wry grin twisted his mouth. “Life’s definitely gonna be a whole lot duller.”

I threw my arms around his neck, and I didn’t care who saw. This man had saved my life countless times, and I owed him my unflinching friendship.

He held me tight for several seconds, then said in a brisk voice, “If you ever need help with anything—anything at all—I’m just a phone call away. Skeeter too.”

“Thank you, Jed,” I said as I stepped back, wiping the tears off my cheeks. “I owe you more than I can ever repay.”

He hesitated, then lowered his voice. “You made Skeeter care about something more than his kingdom. Something I’ve never been able to manage. That’s payment enough right there.”

“But I hurt him in the process.”

He slowly shook his head. “Sometimes you have to break something to make it stronger. Remember that.” Then he turned around and left me alone.

Mason stood across the room, his eyes fixed firmly on me. How much had he seen of our exchange? What did he think of me now?

To my relief, Mason walked toward me and wrapped an arm around my back. “Let’s go home.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

He was subdued on the way to the farmhouse, but he had plenty of reason to be distraught. He’d called Maeve as soon as we got into the car, apologizing over and over again for letting her think the worst. At one point he had even broken into tears, but I couldn’t shake the thought that he wasn’t himself with her either.

During the drive, I called Violet first and then Neely Kate to assure them I was okay. I gave them an abbreviated explanation of the last twenty-four hours, although the version of events I shared with Violet was condensed to leave out as much about Skeeter as possible. Both went through a rollercoaster of emotions. Violet’s reaction to my resurrection was best described as shock followed by overwhelming relief, and while Neely Kate certainly seemed to feel the same way, her voice lacked its usual exuberance. However, there was no denying that my best friend had been through a multitude of traumatic events over the last few months. It killed me that I was now one of them. I knew I had a lot to make up to them, even if
this
part of the situation wasn’t my fault.

Mason offered to call Jonah and fill him in on the situation so I could call Bruce Wayne. My business partner sounded wary when he answered, as though he thought he might be picking up a call from a ghost. “Rose?”

“It’s really me.”

“They said you were dead,” he said in a shaky voice. “And that Mason had been kidnapped and probably murdered too.”

“We’re both okay. I got J.R. Simmons to confess.”

“You’re kidding.”

“And tonight the Lady in Black officially retired. I’m done with my brief foray into the crime world of Fenton County.”

He snorted. I wasn’t sure why, but I was afraid to ask.

“Listen, I want you to know … about that day last November when I convinced you to take me to Skeeter … I put you in a terrible position, and I’m so sorry.”

“It was a mutual decision, Rose. We did it together.”

“But I continued on without you and hurt you in the process. I’m sorry.”

“Get some sleep. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

I hung up and caught Mason watching me with that same look he got when he was working out a particularly complex problem.

When we went to bed, Mason held me in his arms, but it felt like he was going through the motions. How could I be in the arms of the man I loved, yet feel so alone? The fact that he hadn’t given me my ring back scared the bejiggers out of me, and I was afraid to push my luck and ask.

The next morning I woke up and found Mason standing in the doorway to the nursery. I got up and padded over to him, shivering with cold. “Mason, what are you doin’?”

“Just thinking.”

I tugged on his arm. “Come on back to bed.”

He looked down at me with a dull look in his eyes. “I’m going to take a shower. I got a text from Detective Pearson. He said the secretary of state’s office is sending someone down first thing this morning to question the DA. Looks like he might be out of a job, which means I’ll probably get my old one back.”

I held onto his arm. “Oh, Mason! That’s so wonderful. I’m so happy for you.”

“Thanks.” He bent over and gave me a light kiss, then walked into the bathroom.

I deserved his aloofness and more, so I shook it off.

I texted Joe to let him know that Mason and I were headed to our separate offices, so he could find us there rather than at the farm. He sent back that he’d drop by to see me later in the morning.

Mason got ready in record time, and it seemed as if he was about to head out the door without a goodbye when he suddenly stopped and walked over to me. He cupped my cheek and gave me a sad smile. “I love you, Rose. Please don’t doubt that. I just need time.”

“I know.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and clung to him. At least he was still here. He was still trying.

I stopped by Maeve’s house to get Muffy and was nearly tackled by her and Neely Kate. Maeve was upset that Mason had been so distant. I told her I’d shared her premonition with Mason … and how he’d reacted to that and the news of all the things I’d been keeping from him.

“He’s upset with me too,” I said. “We just need to give him some space.”

Neely Kate picked up my left hand. “Where’s your ring?”

“I had to give it him to hold before my meeting with J.R.”

“He didn’t give it back to you?”

I glanced down at my hand again, fear sinking its claws into me. “There was so much going on, he must have forgotten.” I forced a smile. “He’s meeting with someone from the secretary of state’s office. I think he’s goin’ to get his old job back.”

“That’s wonderful,” Neely Kate said, but I could see the worry in her eyes. Both women were so unlike themselves, talking about everything except for the giant elephant in the room—that Mason might have changed his mind after finding out everything. It became overwhelming, particularly because I didn’t know where Mason and I stood with each other. “I need to go to the office. I told Joe I’d meet him there to give my statement.”

Maeve pulled me into a hug. “Hang in there, sweet girl. My son can be hardheaded, but he’ll come around. He loves you. Love will prevail.”

“I hope so.”

I was already walking out the front door when she called me back.

“Rose, I’ve gotten more work done on the journal page.” I stopped in my tracks. “Although it might be a moot point now,” she added.

I spun around to face her, letting the door close behind me. “No, I don’t think it is. What did you find?”

“It says something about a police chief, a shed, and something you were looking for—a key.”

I sucked in a breath. The Henryetta police chief had been killed in a break-in days before the fire. Maybe this was another of J.R.’s sins. Anything that could keep him in jail longer was worth pursuing. “That’s great. Thank you.”

“My shorthand book should be here tomorrow. Do you want me to keep deciphering it?”

I cocked my head. “Would you mind?” I lowered my voice. “But let’s still keep this between the four of us—Mason included … at least until we know more.”

She nodded, a grim look in her eyes. “No problem.”

Neely Kate followed me to the office downtown. As we walked into the cozy space together, I asked, “How are things with you and Ronnie?”

She made a face. “The same.”

I wondered what would happen with all the people in the county who’d offered their allegiance to Mick Gentry. Would they kiss Skeeter’s butt now? What would that mean for Ronnie? I was just as worried about him as I was about my best friend. But I had my own issues to deal with at the moment.

We’d barely gotten settled in the office when Joe dropped in, looking even more exhausted than I felt. Muffy jumped all over him, covering him with licks and kisses.

He scooped her up into his arms. “Good to see you giving me love again after the way you growled at me in the barn. I could use a little affection today.”

I put my hands on my hips in an attempt to give him attitude, but my heart wasn’t in it. I just wanted answers. “You never did tell me what you were doing out there.”

“I
did
tell you—you just chose not to believe me. I was worried about you, so I was checking your land. And I did hear something out there. I’m more positive than ever that it wasn’t you.”

“Do you think it was the kidnappers?”

A frown creased the lines around his eyes. “Your guess is as good as mine. Why don’t you tell me what happened at Jaspers?”

We sat down, and I told him about my kidnapping. I hesitated on the next part, but I told him that Jed saved me and I decided to use it to my advantage. That I suggested I meet his father as the Lady in Black and Skeeter went along with it.

He paused and looked into my face, worry in his eyes. “If it’s okay with you, I’d like to leave any mention of the Lady in Black out of this. We’ll just say you were dressed up and wearing a hat. If we include anything about the Lady, it will completely blow up. It’s bad enough as it is without people thinking you could be her.”

“Okay …” I said, stunned. “Thank you.”

“Can you believe my father truly believes you’re her? The
real
Lady in Black?” He laughed, but it sounded forced. “Crazy, I know. But he’s agreed to keep it quiet.”

My heart skipped a beat. “Why would he do that?”

He refused to look me in the eye. “He just did.”

“Joe. What did you do?”

He glanced up, determination making his face rigid. “I got you into this mess. I swear to you I’ll get you out of it. I told you the truth that night in your barn. I was working on something. I still am. Just because my father’s in police custody in the Henryetta Hospital doesn’t mean this is over. We need to make sure he’s good and neutered.”

I believed he meant it, despite the fact that he was talking about his father, but I couldn’t dismiss my lingering fears. “Did you check on Kate’s apartment?”

“Yeah, I stopped by for a brotherly visit. There was nothing there, of course. All the things you saw were gone.”

“Where do you think it all went?”

He shook his head. “I suspect she was investigating our father. She was definitely happy to find out he’s about to be remanded into the Fenton County Jail.”

“But that doesn’t make any sense. Everything I found was about Mason.”

He sighed. “You know she wants you and me back together. Maybe she was hopin’ to dig up some dirt on him to sway you.” He held up his hands in surrender. “And no. I don’t condone her behavior.”

“Joe, what I saw was far more than diggin’ up dirt. It was a full-on investigation.”

He shrugged. “And without any evidence, there’s not a dammed thing I can do about it. But I promise to keep an eye on her, okay?”

It wasn’t okay, but I wasn’t sure what else I could do.

Other than keep an eye on her myself.

“If neither Kate nor your father were behind my kidnapping and the attempts on Mason’s life, who was?”

“If you had asked me last week, I would have told you I wasn’t sure. But after last night, I
know
my father did it. This is totally his M.O.”