Mason Black (The Complete Collection): 6 Gripping Crime Stories: The Complete Collection + BONUS Story

by Adam Nicholls

  ‘They’d better. You’ll have me standing by you.’

  Mason smiled, re-realising how much he’d liked working with her all those years ago. ‘I appreciate that – I really do – but isn’t there something else that needs to be addressed?’ It was better out in the open. The tension was killing him – he would rather be arrested here and now than suffer another uncomfortable second.

  ‘What’s that?’

  ‘You know… Wendell said that I–’

  The captain waved a hand in dismissal and stood. ‘I didn’t hear everything she said. See, I’m a little hard of hearing. Besides, there was some damage to the recording.’

  Mason glared up at her. ‘You mean…’

  Cox patted him on the shoulder and lowered her lips his ear. ‘Promise me two things; I want to know that he suffered unimaginably.’

  Mason nodded. ‘What’s the second thing?’

  ‘I never want to hear anything about this again.’ She turned and left, rounding up the officers who had set up the recordings. ‘Let’s get all this wrapped up.’

  In the distance, the sounds of ambulance sirens grew louder. Mason raised his nose to the sky and drew a deep breath. He could smell fir trees and damp grass, and was suddenly so incredibly grateful to have his freedom. The only question remaining was what to do with it.

  87

  Evie sat quietly in the wheelchair while Mason dealt with the hospital receptionist. When he returned, he was wearing a smile so fake that it made him look like an editorial cartoon.

  ‘This really isn’t necessary,’ she said. ‘I can walk.’

  ‘Sorry, sis. Doctor’s orders. You have to take it easy for a few days.’ He took the handles and scooted her out to the front of the building, where Bill was due to collect them at any minute.

  The cold air hit Evie’s legs, making her knees shake. Unfortunately, she still hadn’t had a chance to change out of the hooker outfit. She’d worn it the night she had been taken by Alison Wendell, and for as long as it was still on her body, it served only as a reminder. ‘I want to know something.’

  Mason came around and kneeled by her wheelchair so he could look into her eyes.

  ‘Is it true?’

  ‘Is what true?’

  ‘Don’t play games with me, Mason. Is it true, what Wendell said?’

  For a moment, he stared at her, then his eyes looked all around her, avoiding contact. ‘Yes. It’s true. I know you don’t approve, and I’m not exactly proud of it, but–’

  ‘Oh, fuck that.’ Evie hit his shoulder, but he didn’t budge. She struck again, letting out her frustration. ‘Fuck that, and fuck you. You think I care that the sick bastard was sliced up? He got what he deserved. But you could have told me.’

  Mason shook his head. ‘I’m sorry, Evie. I didn’t think you would want to hear it.’

  ‘I always…’ The single teardrop blurring her vision surprised her. It had always taken a lot to make her cry, so where had this come from? ‘I always thought you and I had this… this thing. That we could trust one another and had no secrets.’

  ‘I do trust you.’ He took her hand.

  ‘But I don’t trust you. Not now. How could I?’

  While Mason stood with a look of guilt upon his face, a steady wind picked up and cooled them. It swooped down from the sky and brushed along Evie’s knees. She didn’t mind too much. It was just nice to be heading home. ‘I’ll come around, Mason. It will just take time for us to rebuild that trust.’

  ‘Say no more.’

  Bill finally arrived, hopping out of the car and helping Evie into the front seat. He made sure she was comfortable, then excused himself for a moment while he talked to Mason outside. ‘Sorry, Evie. We just have one last thing to discuss, and then we’ll get you home.’

  Typical, Evie thought, sadly doubting that the trust would ever return.

  88

  The moment the car door closed, they got down to business.

  ‘Your court hearing is on Thursday,’ Bill told him. ‘Meanwhile, don’t take any long-distance journeys. Maybe it’s a good opportunity to take a few days off. Get your bearings, rest up. All the good stuff.’

  Mason thought of Amy. Both she and Sandra would be torn up about Joshua having died. He would be sure to spend some time with them. And then Diane popped into his mind. Mason felt just awful for having involved her in this big mess, and he would be sure to thank her somehow. ‘Thanks, Bill. And what about you?’

  ‘Me? I’m fine. To tell the truth, I just feel terrible that you’re the one who suffered all that.’ He looked around at Evie, who was picking at her fingernails inside the car, not listening. ‘If you need me to come forward and take responsibility…’

  ‘No. That won’t be necessary.’

  ‘But if you change your mind, it’s the least I can do after everything you’ve done for me.’ Bill folded his arms across his chest as the leaves swirled around their legs. ‘Do you regret it? What we did to Wendell?’

  ‘Marvin?’ Mason asked. ‘Not in the slightest. He messed with my family, and I’d do it all over again. My only regret is that I didn’t protect my loved ones enough.’

  ‘Well, they’re here, aren’t they?’

  Mason chortled. ‘I suppose. Come on, let’s go home.’ He climbed into the back seat of the car and watched out the window as San Francisco rolled by. The beauty of the city made him think about his life here, and what he could make of it. As soon as the court trial was over, he would be able to make a start.

  But first, there was one more thing he had to do.

  89

  One week had gone by, and Mason was a free man. The courts had ruled him as falsely accused and acknowledged his efforts in bringing the killer known as Lady Luck to justice. The details on the fate of her brother, the Lullaby Killer, had gone undisclosed.

  Before Mason could celebrate his freedom, however, he’d first had to attend the funeral of Joshua. Although many frowned at him for being present (some even held him responsible for Joshua’s death), he felt it his duty to comfort his family.

  After the service, they’d headed to Briar’s Bar. The drinks were free and Joshua was barely mentioned. It seemed to be just a group of people who had lost someone, coming together as one and holding each other upright.

  ‘I have to get going,’ Mason said to Amy, who sat quietly and sipped on her lemonade straw. ‘Remember to call me if you need anything, all right? Anything at all.’

  ‘Like a puppy?’

  Mason smiled – not at the joke itself, but in admiration that she still managed to maintain her sense of humour. ‘If you need anything else.’ He stood, kissed her on the top of the head and went out into the cool outdoors. The air was fresher here, and he enjoyed it for a moment before heading back to his beloved Mustang.

  The bar’s door swung open, and Sandra came out, looking up both ends of the street. When she saw Mason standing by his car, she jogged over to him, waving her arms to catch his attention. ‘Not going to say goodbye?’

  ‘It looked like you had your hands full in there.’ It wasn’t the truth. In fact, he had only wanted to avoid being the person she depended on. In times of misery, he knew that the person who offered the most support was believed to be the most dependable. That false belief would only be damaging to her.

  ‘Do you think that…’ Her head tilted towards the ground.

  ‘I’m sure Joshua didn’t want to hurt you.’

  Sandra cupped her mouth. ‘He aimed the gun at me and…’

  Mason took her in his arms, rubbing her back as she nuzzled into his neck. ‘Ssh, it’s all right. He was just scared, Sandra. People do crazy things when they’re scared. You know he really loved you.’ He almost believed it himself.

  ‘You really think so?’

  ‘He took a beating from me and stuck around, for God’s sake.’ He laughed as he pulled her away, his hands still softly on her shoulders. ‘If that doesn’t prove his dedication, I don’t know what–’


  Sandra leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. Mason could feel her hot tears on his cheeks, her lips dry and shaky as she kissed him hard.

  Mason pulled away. ‘I’m sorry, I… You don’t want this.’

  ‘I do.’ Sandra nodded desperately.

  ‘No, you just think you do. Anyway, I can’t… I mean, I’m here for you, always, but as nothing more than a friend. I’m sorry.’

  Sandra wept into her own hands.

  ‘Hey, you have a daughter in there who is suffering the same loss as you. Why don’t you head back inside, comfort each other. She’s a strong girl, Sandra. She’s really keeping it together. We could learn a thing or two.’

  Sandra laughed, sniffling. ‘Thank you.’

  Mason watched her run back inside, got into his car and drove away. Deep down, he could finally feel some sort of closure from their divorce. Now that it didn’t feel as though he was expendable – discarded goods – he could move on and be the person he wanted to be.

  It was perfect timing, too – Diane was waiting for him at her house, where he would soon pick her up for their first official dinner date. Whether it would go well or badly, Mason couldn’t be sure. He was just happy to be alive.

  90

  The sun was only just rising in Utah, when the one they called Anarchy climbed off the sobbing woman and zipped up his pants. He looked to her husband, who was bound and gagged, having been forced to watch the whole thing.

  ‘Why…’ The woman sobbed, holding her arms over her bare chest, her knees meeting her breasts. Her face was red with a hot flush of tears.

  Anarchy slung his jacket over his back and slid on his sunglasses. He was barely thirty, and had many years of fun like this ahead of him. ‘Why?’ He laughed, climbed over her and whispered into her ear, ‘Because I can.’

  With one quick strike, he pushed her head into the wall, making a spider’s web in the plasterboard. Her head fell, dazed, as she fell unconscious. Her husband uttered muffled cries of outrage and disgust.

  ‘Don’t take it personally,’ Anarchy told him, while picking up the nearby newspaper. He took the cigarette from his ear, placed it in his mouth and lit it with his Zippo. The flame still alive, he took it to the newspaper, which quickly caught ablaze. ‘This was for my pleasure, not for your pain.’

  On his way out of the apartment, he dropped the newspaper onto the kitchen table and turned on the stove. Its gas hissed out quickly, leaving him only a short window of time to get out of there.

  Anarchy closed the door behind him and crossed the street to his Harley Davidson while taking a drag from his cigarette. Behind him, he heard a thunder-like explosion. People crossed the street in dramatic panic, running to aid whoever was inside.

  It was the perfect way to start the day, Anarchy thought as his bike roared to life between his legs. He flicked the remainder of his cigarette into the street and tore down the road, a whole new day ahead of him – his next stop: San Francisco.

  RUIN

  MASON BLACK (BOOK 3)

  Adam Nicholls

  1

  They were in the darkest streets of San Francisco, stumbling their way home. It wasn’t exactly the safest route, but at least they had each other.

  Marion – the more attractive of the group, with a tendency to flaunt it – stuck to the middle, her sister latched on to one arm and niece on the other. It was a way of supporting each other after a night of heavy drinking. They sang lazily together as they scuffed along the empty street.

  Only it wasn’t empty.

  Upon seeing the figure in the distance lingering under one of the few streetlights, Marion stopped in her tracks. ‘Can we go the other way?’ she asked quietly.

  Her sister, Bianca, looked concerned. ‘Why?’

  ‘I don’t know. I guess I just feel a bit uncomfortable.’

  ‘Come onnnn,’ Lucy, the niece, moaned. At only twenty, she was too young to be drinking, and yet, had probably swallowed the most.

  Marion didn’t know what it was, but she just had a feeling about the man up ahead. It was like when you woke up in the morning and just knew that something bad would happen. Nonetheless, she tried to convince herself that she was just being paranoid. ‘All right.’

  They hurried on, trying not to look at the man as they passed from streetlight to streetlight. It wasn’t until they were directly across the street from him that he pushed himself away from the wall and headed in their direction.

  ‘Excuse me.’ His voice was strong but somehow relaxed.

  Marion froze, realising that her family had stopped walking too. She looked at them – Lucy, who seemed not to be paying too much attention, and Bianca, who only scrunched up her face and shrugged.

  ‘Could I trouble you for a light?’ the man asked, their backs to him.

  Marion turned and saw the cigarette hanging loosely between his lips. On closer inspection, he was something of a looker. He was well built, had a perfectly strong jaw and a full head of thick, dark hair. ‘Sorry, I don’t smoke.’

  The man smiled, and the women went on their way.

  Seconds later, his footsteps came rushing behind them. ‘Maybe you can help me with another problem.’

  This time, Bianca took the stand. She turned, almost ripping her arm away from her sister. ‘Look, creep, we’re just trying to find our way home. Leave us alone.’

  Marion, her legs suddenly starting to shake, watched the man’s expression turn from concern to humour. It was like he had been caught doing something wrong, and an embarrassed smile began to creep through.

  And then he took out the gun.

  ‘Actually,’ he said with a mischievous grin, ‘I was hoping you’d come home with me.’

  2

  They were on the doorstep again, Diane kissing him in the teasing way that she usually did. It had been a year now, and the honeymoon period was still not dying out. If anything, their connection was stronger than ever.

  Mason had even confessed his sins to her – the truth about having murdered the Lullaby Killer, the guilt after having Evie taken from him. It had been due to his own carelessness anyway, but Diane wouldn’t let him see it that way. Perhaps that was what made them work so well together.

  ‘Have fun today.’ Diane kissed him again, pulled her bag over her shoulder and headed off down the street.

  For a moment, Mason watched her leave, savouring everything about how wonderful she was. With life being every bit as precious as he knew it to be, he was almost expecting this perfect companionship to fall apart.

  Pulling up at his office for the first full day of work in months, Mason stopped the car and took a deep breath. Being a private investigator wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. There was paperwork to organise, permits to apply for, invoices to send. And every now and then there would be a case that would truly test him.

  Mason climbed out and stopped immediately, gawking at the man outside his office. He was a frail-looking gentleman pacing back and forth. His shoulders were hunched and his arms were folded across his chest. The most noticeable thing, however, was that his face was reddened with tears.

  ‘Are you okay, sir?’ Mason asked, shuffling a bundle of paperwork under his arm and reaching for the office key with his free hand.

  The man glanced up suddenly, as if he hadn’t known he wasn’t alone. He looked at Mason, over his shoulders, then back again. ‘Are you Mason Black?’

  ‘I am. How can I help?’

  ‘Sorry to bother you, but… Well, I…’ The man looked down again, interlacing his fingers and examining them in all-too-conscious a manner. It wasn’t until a singular tear dropped to the ground that he raised his head again. ‘There’s been a kidnapping.’

  Mason stopped still, feeling nothing but sadness for the man. It had obviously taken everything he had to even say it aloud. It was impossible to tell just how he would extract the rest of the information from the poor guy. ‘We had better talk inside,’ he said, struggling to open the door with his hands full. />
  The man looked once more over his shoulder, then followed Mason inside.

  3

  When the man finally stopped crying, he settled into the chair and introduced himself.

  ‘Chris Healy,’ he said, holding out a slightly quivering hand.

  Mason took it, shook, then sat across from him at his desk. He clasped his hands together into a ball and rested his chin upon them. ‘Please, in your own time.’

  There were a few moments of awful silence in which the only noises in the room were that of the heating kicking in with a soft hum and Chris’s heavy breathing. They were the short, desperate gasps of a man trying not to burst into tears again.

  Eventually, he sat up. ‘You see, it’s my wife and daughter. They went out to some bar together and… they didn’t come back. That was four nights ago.’

  Mason remained silent, allowing him to speak. He clicked out the tip of his pen and grabbed a notepad, then began to scribble notes as he listened intently.

  ‘They were with my wife’s sister, Marion.’

  ‘Uh-huh.’ Mason kept scribbling, deliberately avoiding eye contact so as not to take the man away from his ease. ‘Go on.’

  ‘I’ve been in contact with Marion’s family. They haven’t heard from her either. It’s like… one minute they were there, and the next they were gone. Like there was no in-between – as if there wasn’t a moment when everything suddenly went wrong. All the while, I was lounging around at home like some goober, eating pizza and watching crappy TV.’ Chris Healy began to shake again, sinking his head. ‘I’m sorry.’

  Mason sat back in his chair and breathed deeply. ‘You say kidnapped.’

  ‘What?’ Chris’s head shot back up.

  ‘Outside, you said they had been kidnapped. Those were your words. Have you had some kind of ransom note?’

  ‘No. I… No.’

  ‘Then forgive me for asking,’ Mason leaned forward, his palms lying flat across his new oak desk, ‘but why do you assume that somebody has taken them?’