Chapter 33
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
The day was clear and bright, completely incongruous with the somber atmosphere of the crowd gathered around Lucy’s gravesite.
Behind a pair of dark shades, Carter scanned the solemn faces seated in the white plastic chairs as the pastor gave his eulogy.
Mason was seated toward the front, and Carter knew he was doing the same.
So far, Carter had spotted Edward and his children, Kaylee and Nate.
Edward had remained dry-eyed and stoic throughout, while Kaylee dabbed primly at the occasional tear.
Nate seemed the most broken up, his face red as he tried to control himself.
Carter felt bad for the kids. No matter what had happened between Edward and Lucy, Kaylee and Nate had just lost their mother.
Afterward, they formed a line and, after a final prayer, began to toss roses on top of the casket. Carter added his to the pile, then headed toward his truck. Mason was already ahead of him, and Carter's phone vibrated an alert in his pocket. He pulled it out to discreetly read the text.
Kane: Silver truck, far left
Carter glanced around, then finally spotted it parked at the very end of a long line of cars along the side of the road winding through the cemetery. He climbed inside, obscured by the heavily tinted windows. “You see anything?” he asked.
Mason sat in the driver’s seat, one hand on the wheel, the other in his lap, looking as condescending as ever. “Nothing. You?” he replied.
“Nope.” Carter turned his attention back to the gravesite. “Keep an eye on them.”
“Trying to tell me how to do my job?” Mason shot back.
Carter threw him a bewildered look. “Why do you always have to be such a jerk?”
Mason's mouth kicked up in a smirk. “I ask myself the same question all the time, pretty boy.”
“Pretty sure I murdered somebody in a past life,” Carter grumbled. What had he done to deserve being saddled with this giant idiot?
Mason let out a mirthless laugh, and they lapsed into silence for several long moments as they watched people slowly make their way away from the gravesite toward their cars.
Carter wasn’t sure exactly what he was looking for, but he had a feeling he’d know it when he saw it.
Edward and his children stood next to the casket, accepting condolences from the guests, and Kellerman remained off to the side, still seated in one of the plastic chairs.
“How’s Audrey?” Mason broke the silence, sounding genuinely concerned, and Carter shot a look in his direction before responding.
“Still sore, but she says she’s okay. Hasn’t been sleeping well.”
“I imagine.” Mason let out a little snort. “You always did get the pretty ones.”
Carter's hackles rose as jealousy engulfed him. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Not a thing.”
Carter couldn’t miss the bitter resentment in Mason's tone, and he turned fully in his seat to face him. “What is your problem? You’ve had a stick up your butt since we were kids. Don’t you think it’s about time to get over whatever adolescent drama you’ve got going on?”
“You think I’m the dramatic one?” Mason's lip curled up in a sneer. “You always had your head so far up your daddy’s rich behind that you never could see anyone but yourself.”
Carter stared at him for a second. “Is that what this pissing contest is about? You’ve spent the last twenty years hating me because my family had money and yours didn’t? I never did a thing except try to help you.”
“Don’t need your kind of help, pretty boy,” Mason shot back.
“Jesus Christ,” Carter replied. “I’ve never known anyone so smart who acts so stupid.”
Mason turned a lethal glare on him. “Call me stupid one more time and see how it works out for you.”
Carter rolled his eyes at Mason's egotistical display. “I said you acted stupid. You were one of the smartest people I knew, could’ve done anything you wanted. In fact, you were probably smarter than our valedictorian. You just never cared about anything.”
A cocky little smirk lifted Mason's lips, infuriating Carter further. He didn’t know why it bothered him so much, except he hated to see someone with so much talent waste every opportunity presented.
“I never could figure that out about you,” Carter said as he studied Mason.
“Aside from being brilliant, you were the best athlete I’d ever seen—football, baseball, didn’t matter what it was; if there was a ball involved, you had it nailed.
You could’ve had a scholarship to any school you wanted, but you threw that away because you’re lazy. ”
The smile slipped from Mason's face, and his eyes took on a flinty expression. “Go screw yourself, Cross. I didn’t want anything to do with you and your little asshat buddies, not even when your coach came crawling to me, begging me to join.”
“Who do you think told him about you?” Carter exploded. “Think he just figured it out on his own?” He let out a little half laugh as he leaned back against the door panel and shook his head. “Should’ve known not to expect anything more from you.”
For the next couple of minutes, they were both silent, watching the stragglers by Lucy’s grave. Finally, Carter snuck a look at Mason. For the first time ever, Mason's cockiness had leached away, leaving his expression thoughtful and borderline insecure.
Carter scrubbed one hand over his face, feeling like a complete idiot.
He didn’t know why he hadn’t seen it before.
Yeah, Mason had been a jerk, and though Carter didn’t know much about his past, he knew his home life hadn’t been the greatest. The kids in school had been idiots to him, and he’d retaliated the only way he knew how—by being defensive and aloof.
“Sorry, man.” After a long moment, Mason gave a small nod, and that was the end of it.
Carter blew out a soft breath as the last of the guests strode away.
All that remained were the caretakers, Edward, and his family.
Kellerman stood off to the side, next to a tree, and Carter wondered if he’d wait until they lowered her into the ground before leaving.
Had he been in love with Lucy? It was all kind of tragic in a way. “Do you think—”
Carter's train of thought was abruptly cut off as he watched Edward stalk toward Kellerman. Even from there, he could tell Edward was pissed. His arms moved in erratic, furious arcs. “Whoa. Check that out,” Carter said.
“He looks pissed,” Mason acknowledged.
Carter watched as Raines’s son stepped between the two men and practically dragged Edward off. Kaylee covered her face, shoulders hunched. Edward threw one more angry look at Kellerman, then looped an arm around Kaylee and guided her away.
“Interesting,” Carter said as Mason put the truck in drive and pulled out.
There was definitely some bad blood there.
Carter wondered exactly when the police would bring Kellerman in for questioning.
They’d spoken with Mayfield early that morning, but Carter had turned down Audrey’s offer to join him there that day.
He wanted her at home where he knew she was safe, and right now, all he wanted was to get back to her.