CHAPTER 9 The Enemy of My Enemy
Mason wanted me to stay inside.
Naturally, that meant my first instinct was to leave.
Not because I was reckless.
Because being photographed outside the house of the man I had just slept with had already transformed the afternoon into a crisis, and sitting upstairs while Mason paced through the living room making calls felt like surrendering control over my own life.
Again.
I pulled on my sweater and found him standing near the front window.
His phone was pressed to his ear.
“No, I haven’t heard from him.”
Pause.
“I said three years.”
Another pause.
His expression hardened.
“Then find another number.”
He ended the call.
“Who was that?”
Mason turned.
“You’re supposed to be upstairs.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
“Emma.”
“Rules.”
He exhaled.
“My agent.”
“You asked your agent to find Derek?”
“I asked him to find someone who can.”
I crossed my arms.
“And then what?”
“I call him.”
“That simple?”
“No.”
“Good. At least we agree.”
Mason moved toward the window and looked outside again.
The anonymous photographer was no longer visible.
That didn’t make me feel better.
“Did you check the back?”
“Yes.”
“Garage?”
“Yes.”
“Neighbors?”
“I’m not interrogating the neighborhood.”
“You kind of should.”
Mason looked at me.
“You’re taking this remarkably well.”
“I’m not.”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
“I’m deciding whether panic is useful.”
“It isn’t.”
“Exactly.”
His mouth moved slightly.
Then his phone rang.
He checked the screen.
His expression changed.
“Who?”
“Unknown.”
My stomach tightened.
“Answer.”
Mason gave me a look.
“You’re not my coach.”
“Answer.”
He did.
“Hello?”
Silence.
I watched his face.
Then his jaw tightened.
“Derek.”
Everything inside me went still.
Mason turned away.
“How did you get this number?”
I could hear a faint male voice through the speaker, but not the words.
Mason’s shoulders stiffened.
“No.”
Pause.
“No, you don’t get to do that.”
Another pause.
His voice dropped.
“Stay the hell away from her.”
My pulse jumped.
He listened.
Then his face changed.
Confusion.
“What?”
I stepped closer.
Mason looked at me.
“Put it on speaker,” I whispered.
He shook his head.
I glared.
Rules.
He closed his eyes briefly, then hit speaker.
A man’s voice filled the room.
Older than Mason.
Rougher.
“You finally listening?”
Mason’s expression turned cold.
“Say it again.”
Derek laughed softly.
“I said I’m not the one taking pictures.”
I looked at Mason.
He looked back.
“Then who is?” Mason asked.
“Don’t know.”
“Bullshit.”
“Still charming.”
“Derek.”
The humor vanished.
“I sent the messages.”
My stomach dropped.
Mason’s hand tightened around the phone.
“Why?”
“Because she deserved to know who she was getting involved with.”
“That isn’t your decision.”
“Interesting coming from you.”
Mason’s jaw clenched.
“What does that mean?”
“You always decide what people can handle.”
I said nothing.
Because annoyingly, that wasn’t entirely wrong.
Derek continued.
“Montana. Travis. You buried half of it.”
“I told her what happened.”
“Did you?”
Mason looked at me.
I felt the old uncertainty return.
“What else?” I asked.
Silence.
Then Derek said, “Emma Bennett.”
Hearing my full name in his voice made my skin crawl.
“Hi.”
Mason stared at me.
I ignored him.
“You’ve been texting me.”
“Yes.”
“Why not contact Mason directly?”
“Because he wouldn’t answer.”
“That’s probably true.”
Mason’s eyes narrowed.
Derek laughed once.
“I like her.”
“Don’t,” Mason said.
“I didn’t take the photographs.”
“Then how did you know where she was?”
“I didn’t.”
That stopped us both.
I looked at Mason.
He leaned toward the phone.
“Explain.”
“I texted her last night. That’s it.”
“What about today?”
“I sent nothing today.”
I pulled out my phone.
The new messages were from the same number.
At least, they appeared to be.
“Same number,” I said.
Derek went silent.
Then, “Read it.”
I read the last message aloud.
“Because he didn’t disappear by accident.”
Silence.
Mason’s face went hard.
“Derek?”
“That wasn’t me.”
Cold moved through my stomach.
“You expect us to believe that?” Mason asked.
“You don’t have to.”
“Convenient.”
“Check the number carefully.”
I frowned.
I opened the message details.
Same area code.
Same first six digits.
Different final two numbers.
My stomach dropped.
“It’s not the same.”
Mason looked at me.
“What?”
“The last two digits.”
He took the phone.
Compared them.
Swore.
Derek became quiet.
“Someone wanted you to think it was me.”
“Who?” Mason demanded.
“That’s what you need to figure out.”
“You know who.”
“No.”
“Travis?”
Silence.
Then Derek said, “Travis is dead.”
The room went still.
Mason stared at the phone.
“What?”
I stopped breathing.
Derek’s voice lowered.
“They found him.”
“When?”
“Two years ago.”
Mason looked genuinely shocked.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“Because nobody connected the body until last year.”
“What body?”
“Remains.”
I swallowed hard.
Mason sat down slowly.
“Where?”
“Idaho.”
“How?”
“Exposure. Probably.”
“Probably?”
“There wasn’t enough left to prove much.”
My stomach turned.
Mason rubbed a hand over his face.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you hadn’t spoken to me in three years.”
“That doesn’t answer the question.”
“Yes, it does.”
Silence.
Then Mason said, “Did you kill him?”
I froze.
Derek laughed bitterly.
“No.”
“Did you hurt him?”
“I threatened him.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
“No.”
The answer came hard.
“I didn’t touch him.”
Mason stared at nothing.
Derek continued.
“After Noah paid him, Travis got scared.”
“Of you?”
“Maybe.”
“Why?”
“Because I told him if he went near your family again, I’d make him regret it.”
Mason closed his eyes.
“That sounds exactly like you.”
“I was angry.”
“So was I. Look how well that worked out.”
Silence.
Derek didn’t defend himself.
Then I asked, “Why did Travis disappear?”
“I don’t know.”
“You must have a theory.”
“I think he ran.”
“From who?”
“Everyone.”
I leaned against the kitchen island.
Derek continued.
“He owed money.”
“What kind of money?” Mason asked.
“Gambling.”
Mason looked up sharply.
“You never told me that.”
“You never asked.”
“Stop saying things like that.”
“He owed people in three states.”
I stared at Mason.
This was bigger than the old blackmail story.
“How much?” I asked.
“A lot.”
“Could someone have killed him?”
“Possible.”
“Then what does any of this have to do with Emma?” Mason demanded.
Derek went quiet.
“That’s the problem.”
“What?”
“It shouldn’t.”
I felt cold.
Mason stood.
“Meaning?”
“Whoever is watching her isn’t doing it because of Travis.”
“Then why mention him?”
“To scare you.”
The answer came instantly.
Derek’s voice hardened.
“And it worked.”
Mason turned toward the window.
I watched his face.
Fear.
Not for himself.
For me.
Derek continued.
“Someone knows the exact pieces that get under your skin.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“You always know someone.”
“Not this time.”
Mason swore.
“Where are you?”
Another pause.
Then Derek said, “Twenty minutes away.”
Mason’s head snapped up.
“What?”
“I’m in Seattle.”
“Why?”
“To see you.”
“No.”
“Too late.”
“Derek—”
The line went dead.
Mason stared at the phone.
I waited.
Then: “Your family is exhausting.”
He looked at me.
“You’re not meeting him.”
I laughed.
“No.”
“That wasn’t funny.”
“Neither was the instruction.”
“Emma.”
“He came here because of this.”
“He came here because he has no boundaries.”
“That sounds familiar.”
Mason looked offended.
“Completely different.”
“It really isn’t.”
He walked toward me.
“I don’t know what he wants.”
“Then we find out.”
“No.”
“Stop.”
“Stop what?”
“Protecting me by excluding me.”
His expression hardened.
“There is someone watching this house.”
“Which is exactly why I need information.”
“And exactly why you should leave.”
“Go where?”
“Home.”
“So they can follow me?”
That stopped him.
I hated seeing him realize I was right.
“We call the police,” I said.
Mason nodded reluctantly.
“Already did.”
I blinked.
“When?”
“While you were getting dressed.”
“Good.”
“They’re sending someone.”
“Also good.”
“Then you go home with security.”
“No.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Mason, someone took pictures of me walking into your house. If I leave alone, we don’t know what happens next.”
“I’ll take you.”
“That’s worse.”
“Why?”
“Because whoever this is clearly wants your attention.”
His jaw tightened.
That landed too.
My phone rang.
Noah.
Mason and I looked at each other.
“Did you tell him?” I asked.
“No.”
I answered.
“Hey.”
Noah didn’t bother with hello.
“Are you at Mason’s?”
I closed my eyes.
“How do you know?”
“Because someone sent me a picture.”
Mason swore.
“What picture?”
“You standing outside his house.”
My stomach dropped.
“From what number?”
“I don’t know.”
“Send it.”
“Emma, what the hell is going on?”
“Send it first.”
A few seconds later, the image arrived.
Same photograph.
Different message.
**Ask your sister how well she really knows Cole.**
Noah’s voice hardened.
“I’m coming.”
“Noah—”
“Don’t leave.”
“We already called the police.”
“What?”
I heard movement.
“Why did you call the police?”
Mason stepped closer.
“Put me on.”
I gave him the phone.
“Bennett.”
Noah immediately started shouting.
Mason held the phone away.
“Finished?”
More shouting.
“Someone photographed her outside the house.”
Silence.
Mason’s face changed.
“No, Derek didn’t take it.”
Pause.
“He admitted to the first messages.”
Noah said something.
Mason froze.
“What do you mean, you know?”
I stared.
Mason switched to speaker.
Noah’s voice filled the room.
“I got one yesterday.”
My stomach dropped.
“What?” I said.
Silence.
“Noah.”
“I got a message yesterday.”
“What did it say?”
Another pause.
“Stay away from Cole if you want your sister safe.”
Mason went completely still.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” I demanded.
“I thought it was a troll.”
“You thought a threat involving me was a troll?”
“You have any idea how many crazy messages athletes get?”
“That is not an excuse.”
“I know.”
Noah sounded angry at himself now.
Mason spoke slowly.
“What number?”
Noah sent it.
I checked.
Different again.
Same area code.
Similar pattern.
Mason stared.
“Burners.”
“What?” I asked.
“Cheap numbers.”
Noah said, “I’m fifteen minutes away.”
“You’re already coming?”
“Yes.”
Of course he was.