Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Tuesday Morning Texts
Audrey: All’s quiet on the bakery front.
Mason: And back?
Audrey: And back. To my relief.
Mason: Glad to hear it. Unfortunately, the notes came back with no fingerprints but ours.
Audrey: Should I be worried?
Mason: I’m going to be around as much as possible, and I’m keeping an eye on the live feed from the camera when I can.
Audrey: Okay, thank you.
Tuesday Night Texts
Mason: I didn’t see anything on the cameras today.
Audrey: I should be relieved, but I’m not. It’s hard to think they’re not coming back. I wish it was sooner rather than later.
Mason: That’s understandable. They skipped one day this past time; it’s possible they’ll be back tomorrow. I should be able to keep a close eye on things.
Audrey: I appreciate that, but I feel bad. I’m not taking you away from anything important at work, am I?
Mason: You understand that you are important, right?
Mason: David would murder me if anything happened to you under my watch.
Audrey: It’s just notes, though. It’s not like anything really bad.
Mason: And we won’t let it get there.
Audrey: Ashley thinks we should lay a trap for whoever it is, but I have no idea how we would do that.
Mason: Has she told Lincoln?
Audrey: Not yet. I told her I didn’t want the team distracted while they’re dealing with all the Marshall Devlin stuff, and she agreed.
Mason: But you don’t mind distracting me
Audrey: That’s why I’m trying to make sure I’m not taking you away from anything important!
Mason: I was just kidding. It’s not a problem at all.
Audrey: Promise?
Mason: Promise.
Audrey: Okay, I’m going to bed. If I can manage to fall asleep.
Mason: Sleep well. I’ve got this.
Wednesday Morning Text
Audrey: Help!
Mason
When Audrey’s text came, only a few minutes after he’d gotten into the office, Mason didn’t bother to check the camera feed. He just went running.
Down the stairs—he wasn’t waiting for the elevator—and out onto the street.
The brisk air nipped at his cheeks and hands as he dodged the people out on the street, ignoring the looks he was getting.
His adrenaline was pumping, his heart racing, and the last time he’d felt like this…
well, he’d been overseas, not in Pittsburgh.
He wasn’t under attack now, but that one cry for help from her, and he felt like he might as well be.
When he came bursting through the front door, he knew immediately what the problem was.
Several customers were in the corner, mouths hanging open.
One of them had their phone up and was recording everything.
Audrey was behind the counter, just behind Ashley, her face pale against the black-and-white striped scarf she was using as a headband.
She was wringing her hands, like she didn’t know what to do.
Which was understandable, because Ashley’s stepdaughter, who was also her stepmother, was standing in front of the counter, screeching at the top of her lungs, and Ashley was yelling back at her just as loudly.
It was difficult to make out what either of them was saying, but he could very clearly hear Rebecca call Audrey and Ashley “Bitches.”
Mason stepped up behind the raven-haired virago and put his hand on her shoulder. They’d met before, often enough that he felt comfortable touching her to get her attention.
She turned, flushed, furious, and blinked after a moment in recognition. Her face went very pale, then flushed hot red again.
“Rebecca,” he said formally, keeping his tone even, despite the desire to shake her for putting that expression of forlorn horror on Audrey’s face. “What brings you to Cupcakes and Crumbs this morning?”
What he was not expecting was for Rebecca’s eyes to fill with sudden tears and for her to throw herself at his chest.
“Wiley is divorcing me!” The wail was heartfelt enough that he felt bad for her, despite the circumstances and despite the fact that she shouldn’t be surprised.
Wiley was Ashley’s father, and he’d cheated on Ashley’s mother with Rebecca.
Their wedding had been the day after the divorce was finalized.
A stand-up guy he was not.
Mason had always pegged Rebecca as spoiled, mostly by her mother, and completely self-centered. He would not have expected an outburst of real emotion over losing her husband, especially this particular husband.
He patted her shoulder, trying not to be too obvious about his desire to peel her off of him.
“Um… I’m sorry to hear that?”
Ashley rolled her eyes, arms crossed in front of her chest.
“I don’t know what she expected. I could have told her my dad was going to cheat on her, eventually. The relationship is ending exactly how it started.”
Rebecca whirled, and Mason managed to get a grip on her to keep her from lunging toward the counter.
“You’re a homewrecker!”
“Takes one to know one.” Ashley smirked. “Besides, your mom was cheating on your dad first. My mom and I know how to stay faithful.”
“I was faithful to Wiley!”
“Sucks to suck.” Ashley shrugged.
“You’re a fucking bitch! You can’t talk to your customers that way. I demand you fire her!” The second sentence was directed at Audrey, and now Mason thought he understood why Rebecca had been calling them both bitches.
“Rebecca, you need to go,” he said, moving around so he stood between her and the counter, his hands on her shoulders, keeping his space from her but also keeping her from being able to attempt violence.
“How about I take you back to Black Fox, and you can talk to your dad? Ashley can’t do anything about her father. ”
Rebecca’s eyes were still full of tears, and she sniffled, sagging now that she didn’t have the object of her ire to focus on.
“But it’s her fault. Her dad is just divorcing me to make her happy.”
“No, he’s doing it because he’s a selfish asshole you were dumb enough to believe loved you,” Ashley called out over Mason’s shoulder, and Rebecca’s expression twisted into a snarl. “I don’t care if you two stay married or not. I don’t give a shit what my dad does.”
The snarl fell as Ashley’s words hit home, and Rebecca looked lost again.
“Come on,” Mason urged gently, turning her away from the counter. “We can go to Black Fox and see your dad. This isn’t helping anything.”
He lifted his gaze as he got Rebecca turned around and headed for the door, and saw a man on the other side of the window, looking around inside the bakery. Maybe he’d just heard the commotion when he was walking by, but there was something about his stance that set alarm bells ringing in his head.
Blue coat with a darker blue collar, made of a rough canvas material. He had a white and navy checked scarf wrapped around the lower half of his face and a black hat pulled down low over his brow, though a lock of light brown hair peeked out on the right side.
Their eyes met.
The man’s eyes widened… and he bolted.
Mason didn’t stop to think; he just let go of Rebecca and ran after him, ignoring the shouts coming from behind him.
Having to get through the door slowed him down just a moment, and the man was fast. Mason noted his blue jeans and sneakers with one part of his mind as he gave chase, but he was already behind.
The man hopped onto the back of a motorcycle, and it roared to life as Mason cursed under his breath, trying to put on an extra burst of speed…
but the bike slipped out of its parking spot and barreled down the street.
There was no license plate on the back, which was illegal, but obviously, the guy didn’t care.
All of Mason’s instincts were pricking at him that this was their note leaver, not Rebecca, but who the man was and why he was targeting Cupcakes and Crumbs…
that was something they’d have to learn.
At least now, Mason had hair color and the fact that he rode a motorcycle—a Yamaha.
Neither of which meant a whole lot—there were probably a lot of brown-haired men who rode motorcycles in the area—but at least it was more than he’d had before.
Even knowing the make and being able to guess at the model wasn’t going to help much.
Puffing from trying to catch up, Mason leaned forward with his hands on his knees, staring at the street even though the motorcycle was long gone.
Who was messing with Audrey’s bakery? And why?
Should he say something to David now?
“Mason?” Audrey’s voice echoed slightly as she called down the street to him.
Mason straightened up and turned around.
The chill in the air was clinging to his damp skin under his shirt, where sweat had beaded, making him feel even colder.
He trotted back to where she was standing in the doorway of the bakery, so she still benefited from the heat inside the store.
He glanced into the area, but Ashley and Rebecca appeared to be ignoring each other now.
“Was it him?” Audrey asked, tilting her head back to look up at Mason as he approached.
“I can’t prove it, but I think so,” Mason replied grimly. “I don’t know why else he would have bolted like that when I did nothing more than look at him.”
“So, he knows who you are, too.” Audrey dragged her teeth across her lower lip, frowning as she stepped back inside so he could follow her and they could close the door.
“It seems that way.” Which meant whoever the man was, he’d been watching. He knew who Audrey’s connections were.
Yet he’d come back for a third time.
Maybe it was tied to Devlin. Maybe the connections were the problem.
He would have to look into whether any of Devlin’s team had light brown hair and a motorcycle.
That would give him an excuse to talk to Zeus and show the other man an olive branch of trust. Ever since the meeting where Noelle’s connection to Devlin had been revealed, Zeus had been keeping to himself completely.
Granted, Mason didn’t completely trust him, but if he was going to stay on the team, something needed to be done.
Lincoln wasn’t firing him, and Zeus hadn’t quit. Which meant it was Mason’s duty to go digging and try to figure out where Zeus’ loyalties lay.
“Is something wrong?” Audrey asked worriedly.
Mason refocused himself. His arms started to move up—the urge to take her in his arms and hug and reassure her was that strong—but he stopped himself just in time.
“No, I was just thinking. I’ve got some ideas. If I come up with anything concrete, I’ll let you know.”
“Okay.” She nodded and sighed, her shoulders dropping. “I wish this wasn’t happening.”
Again, he felt the urge to move closer to her, to wrap his arms around her shoulders.
“Me, too.” Although even as he said the words, they didn’t feel completely true.
It wasn’t that he wanted her in danger or that he liked that she was anxious or stressed…
but he didn’t hate that it gave him an excuse to check on her.
The attraction he still felt to her was strong because he was feeling protective, but surely that would even out, then go away soon.
Because he really needed to get past it.
“Mason, are you going to take me to my dad?” Rebecca asked, coming up and moving between him and Audrey. He stepped back to give himself more space because she had moved right into his.
“Ah, yes. Come on.” At the very least, he could separate her and Ashley, and that was something Audrey wouldn’t have to deal with. She didn’t seem to enjoy any level of conflict, much less the kind Ashley and Rebecca had when occupying the same space. “Let’s go see your dad.”
He turned to go, and the next thing he knew, she was tucked against him, her arm through his.
Mason sighed inwardly.
He really didn’t like being touched by people he didn’t know that well, but Rebecca was his boss’ daughter. It wasn’t that far back to the office. And since he didn’t have a coat, maybe having a bulwark on one side wasn’t the worst thing.
Glancing over his shoulder, he gave a little wave to Audrey and Ashley.
Audrey still looked upset, and he was once again struck by the desire to go comfort her…
but he needed to offload Rebecca onto her father, then he wanted to look into Devlin’s team.
That was the best way he could help her for now.
“I’ll be in touch,” he said, and she nodded.
It felt wrong to leave her there, but what else was he supposed to do?