“I’ll throw you over my shoulder if I have to. It’s too dangerous for you right now.” He took a deep breath. “He could’ve killed you already. Jesus, you were alone with him. It could have been so easy. I just thank God he didn’t.” He walked down the hall and out of sight.
“I need to stop by my apartment for more clothes,” she said a little louder, knowing she had no other choice but to comply.
He walked into the room carrying a duffle bag. “You’ll buy some when we get there. C’mon. Viola is going to meet us since Dave is out of town on business. The others are staying back. As soon as the medical examiner confirms that’s O’Brian’s body we have, they’re bringing in Showalter. If all goes well, he’ll be in custody in a matter of days.”
Shelby followed him outside, still trying to grasp what was happening. Focus on the case, not on the man.
It would take all her training to turn off her heart.
Chapter Twenty-One
“Open up! I know you’re in there!” The shouting and pounding continued, pulling Mason out of sleep and into a massive hangover. The empty bottle of Macallan slipped from his grasp as he stood and grabbed his pounding head. Walking was tricky since each step magnified the pulsating sensation. He needed about a gallon of water and four aspirin.
He wrenched the door open and winced when something slammed into him.
The sun…shining in his face.
“Quit yelling,” he groaned, and turned, leaving the door open for Jedrek and his cousin. They could find their own way in. He needed to make it back to the couch before he decided walking was too overrated and sat on the floor en route.
“Dude, you’re a mess,” Jedrek said, though whatever he was carrying was making so much noise he could barely hear his words.
Mason dropped his head into his hands when he made it back to the starting position. Small victory.
Jerome picked up the empty bottle and put it on the coffee table. “We brought you some food.”
Mason opened one eye to look at the man. “Why are you here?” He could only image why his contact within the SEC had shown up at his home, and he didn’t like any of the possibilities. He lifted his hand. “Never mind. I don’t want to know.” He glanced at Jedrek. “Can you get me some aspirin from the kitchen?”
Jedrek lifted a bottle and shook it. “Came prepared.” He opened the medicine, poured out some pills, and handed them to Mason with a bottle of water. He downed them in one swallow while Jedrek opened the noisy paper sack. “Breakfast of champions,” he said as he handed Mason some kind of sandwich. He didn’t care what kind it was. His stomach growled at the smell, and he snatched it away.
“When’s the last time you ate?” Jedrek asked as he sat in the chair across from him.
Mason shrugged, and said around the bite he took, “Don’t know. What day is it?”
“Sunday.”
Mason groaned. “Shit.” He had to get over this hangover or tomorrow he’d be worthless at the office.
“Wanna tell me why you haven’t been by the club or answered our calls in over a week? I haven’t seen or heard from you since the scene Tuesday night.”
Mason glanced at Jerome. “Ask your cousin.”
Jerome frowned. “I don’t know. I haven’t heard from you since you called asking about Agent Landry.”
Mason’s stomach turned, so he dropped the half-eaten sandwich and fell back against the couch, rubbing his face. Shelby, God, he’d done nothing but think about her for days, and when he couldn’t turn off his brain, he tried drowning it in liquor.
Yeah, he was paying for that now.
“Who?” Jedrek asked, stone-faced as usual.
“Don’t, Parker,” Mason bit out, glancing at Jerome, warning him not to say anything. “You shouldn’t even be here.”
Jerome sat on the couch, looking confused. “I have an update, but you wouldn’t answer the phone I gave you. I called cuz here to let me in. You asked for my help, and—”
“I knew it was a fucking mistake, going to the feds,” Mason snapped. He looked at Jedrek, and mimicked in a stoic voice, “My cousin works for the SEC. He can help you.”
“I do not sound like that,” Jedrek said, crossing his arms, brooding as usual.
“Yeah, you kinda do,” Jerome said, smiling briefly before focusing on Mason. “You left your office on Wednesday and haven’t been back. Why? Did something happen?”
Boy, did it ever. “Tell me something. How much control do you have over this investigation?”
Jerome frowned. “I’m not sure I’m following.”
Mason licked his lips and narrowed his gaze. “I found discrepancies in William Baxter’s accounts. I came to you to report him. I did it for selfish reasons, I admit. William is incompetent, and I want his job. When I found those reports, I saw an opportunity, and I took it.”
“Yeah,” Jerome said slowly. “I know.”
Mason sat back and laced his hands together. The longer he was awake, the better he was feeling. It could’ve been the food or the medicine…or both, but he was starting to feel human again. His heart still ached, but he couldn’t do anything about that now.
“Do you know everybody assigned to the case? What their assignments are?”
Jerome shook his head, looking confused still. “No. It’s a joint effort between the SEC and the FBI. When you first came to us, we weren’t sure the extent of Baxter’s deceit. Once we realized the magnitude, our director pulled in the FBI. But you don’t have to worry. I know a couple of those agents personally. Rick McMillian is team lead. He’s a good guy. Viola Lane and I have worked together before, too.”
Jedrek’s head snapped up, and Mason’s gaze slid to his. His partner’s eyes narrowed, and Mason knew the guy remembered her from the other night. Too late to keep him out of the loop. If he hadn’t put the pieces together yet, Mason was about to do it for him.
“And Agent Shelby Landry?” Mason asked Jerome.
“What the fuck?” Jedrek exploded.
Jerome jumped. “What?”
Mason looked at Jedrek and completely understood his rare display of emotion. “I found out Wednesday, which is why I haven’t felt like taking any calls.”
Jedrek’s head whipped to Jerome. “Do you know about this?”
Jerome’s eyes got bigger, and he looked completely lost. “No, he doesn’t know,” Mason answered for him, but looking at Jerome as he replied. “I called him Wednesday, and he told me she’s a linguistics expert.”
“I just fucking bet she is,” Jedrek spat. Mason had to beat down the ridiculous urge to defend Shelby. His partner wasn’t implying anything Mason hadn’t outright accused her of himself.
“She is,” Jerome said. “And she was able to bring something to the case no one else could.”
A string of expletives flew from Jedrek’s mouth.
“I’m fully aware what her skills are,” Mason said, unable to stop the smile of sarcasm. “But do you know why the fuck the FBI is investigating me when I was the one who turned in Baxter?”