Ripple of Secrets: Rose Gardner Mystery Novella #6.5 (Rose Gardner series Book 3)

by Denise Grover Swank

  “I understand it only too well. But you’re going to get hurt.”

  “Not if I’m careful.”

  I leaned back and looked into his face. “Mason, you have to tell me exactly what it is you’re doin’. The not knowing is making my imagination run wild and it’s scaring the bejiggers out of me. Someone tried to kill you last week. How can you be so sure J.R. Simmons wasn’t behind it?”

  Skeeter Malcolm thought his own turncoat men were the perpetrators, but I wasn’t convinced. Occasional visions were my only precognition “gift,” but some deep instinct told me I was right. There was more to this story than met the eye.

  Mason cupped my cheek in his hand and looked into my eyes. “Sweetheart, it was Mick Gentry and his men.”

  “He said it wasn’t.”

  “He’s a murderer and a liar. His word doesn’t mean much.”

  This was getting me nowhere in my quest to make him stop, so I took another tactic. “I know your trip to Little Rock had something to do with J.R. Simmons. Admit it.”

  Though he didn’t look away, his jaw tightened slightly. “I was there on off-the-record business.”

  “J.R. Simmons business.”

  “I can’t tell you everything, Rose.”

  “You’re not telling me anything.”

  “It’s safer for you that way.”

  “Why? He already wants to hurt me. It’s not like he’ll be any more or less inclined to go after me if you tell me what you’re doing.”

  He released a heavy sigh. “It’s not necessarily J.R. Simmons I’m worried about. You could be considered an accomplice.”

  It took several seconds for his words to sink in. “You’re doing something illegal to help me,” I whispered.

  “I love you, Rose. I will protect you.” He stared into my eyes as he said it, his gaze filled with fierce resolution.

  I shook my head. “No. We’ll find another way.”

  “I have to get ready. We’ll talk about this more tonight.” He kissed me gently and stooped to pull out more clothes from a drawer.

  “Where are you going?” I asked as he shut the drawer.

  “Sweetheart, I promise you this is official business.”

  “About J.R. Simmons?”

  “No.” He groaned. “Rose, you have to trust me.” He stood in the doorway to the bathroom and watched me. “Do you trust me?”

  Trust was a two-way street. Mason had a chest full of secrets that he kept locked away in the name of Fenton County business and my own safety, and while that irked me to no end, I couldn’t deny I had plenty of secrets of my own. Huge ones that could potentially destroy his career if they ever came to light. But one thing I knew without a doubt about this man was that he loved me and was determined to keep me safe. And at the moment, that scared me more than all the half-truths and lies of omission. “It’s not that simple, Mason. There are many ways to trust or distrust someone.”

  I expected him to get angry, but he gave a short nod instead. “Okay, fair enough. Do you trust that I’m telling you the truth about my meeting?”

  I studied his face. “Yes.”

  “Then that’s a good start.”

  A good start. As he turned to go into the bathroom, I couldn’t help wondering how we’d jumped back to the beginning.

  Chapter Four

  Joe

  Winter in southern Arkansas is a fickle bitch. One minute she’s warm and sunny and you only have to wear a light coat, then the next day she’ll throw freezing rain at you.

  Today, she was in fine form.

  It matched my mood.

  I almost called Deveraux to cancel our meeting. The county road crew had taken care of the highways, but they hadn’t gotten out to the county roads yet, and while the roads weren’t completely iced over, they had enough slick patches to make driving treacherous. Of course, it might not have been so bad if we’d met at the courthouse or somewhere in town, but after my chat with my father the previous day, I figured that other than official sanctioned Fenton County business, the less we were seen together in public, the better. For both of us.

  Which was why I suggested we meet somewhere out of the ordinary. And now it was biting me in the ass as my car slipped and slid on the unsalted paved road.

  I’d driven past the deserted gas station on County Road 110 over a dozen times, including on my drive home from El Dorado the previous afternoon. It had occurred to me that it would be great hidden meeting spot. The nearby woods had reclaimed part of the gravel parking lot on the right side, and the left was angled back enough that someone could park a car behind it without being noticed from the road. But Deveraux had only been in Fenton County for seven months, and he’d spent most of his time at the courthouse. When I suggested that we meet at the Sinclair station, he couldn’t place where it was until I mentioned the giant faded dinosaur in front.

  His car was idling behind the building, but I didn’t notice it until I pulled around the corner. It really was the perfect location for clandestine meetings, and though I appreciated that fact for my present purposes, I filed away a reminder to myself to check the place more often for mischievous activities.

  Deveraux got out of his car as soon as I pulled up, and the scowl on his face let me know he wasn’t in a good mood. I unlocked the door so he could slide into the passenger seat.

  I didn’t waste any time. “What were you doing in Little Rock last week?”

  If he was surprised by my question, he didn’t let on. “I’m not sure why you care, Chief Deputy.”

  “Cut the shit, Deveraux. My father knows.”

  His jaw tightened and he looked out the windshield into the trees. “And…?”

  “And he wants to know why you were there.”

  “What did you tell him?”

  “That I didn’t have a freaking clue.”

  He turned to face me, but his eyes were guarded. “And he bought it?”

  “Yeah, because it was true.”

  He turned back to face the windshield. “And that’s exactly why I’m not going to tell you.”

  “He’s watching you like a hawk, Deveraux.”

  “I’m not surprised.”

  “Did it ever occur to you that you’re putting Rose in more danger?”

  He didn’t answer. I considered telling Deveraux that I had a way of saving Rose from my father’s blackmail—one that would allow him to back out of his crazy scheme—but I knew he’d never go for it. Besides, I wanted to get more answers before I volunteered any information.

  I had to know far he planned to go. “Did you take her with you?”

  His jaw tightened. “Maybe you should ask Rose.”

  My temper flared. “I’m asking you, you asshole. The only reason I’ve put up with any of this is because I was deluded into thinking you could protect her, but from what I can see, you’re just making things worse.” I took a breath and forced myself to calm down before continuing. “Now where the hell was she? Because she sure as hell wasn’t here.” He started to say something, but I interrupted, “I know Muffy was at Maeve’s.”

  This time he was the one to show surprise. Of course, he had no idea how much time I’d spent at his mother’s house lately. He probably figured I knew about Muffy from Violet.

  “She was in New Orleans with Neely Kate.”

  “New Orleans?” Something pinched in my heart, catching me by surprise. Rose had never left the state of Arkansas before, despite the fact that Henryetta was so close to the Louisiana border. Over the summer, I used to suggest that I could drive her over the state line just for the sake of it, but she’d always insist that when she left the state, it would be for a real purpose, not just to say she’d done it. I’d always thought I’d be the one to take her, although it made sense she would do it with someone else now. But the knowledge still hurt.

  “I wanted her to be out of town while I was gone, and I asked her not to tell anyone she was leaving or where she was going.”

  “Why?”

&nb
sp; “Because I know your father is watching. And because someone tried to kill me last week. What’s to keep them from going after Rose next? I didn’t want her with me in Little Rock, but I wasn’t about to let her stay here by herself, either. I figured she’d be safe if she left town without telling anyone. How many more reasons would you like?”

  My back stiffened. “You think she’s not safe here? I would have watched out for her.”

  “She doesn’t want you to watch out for her. She would have insisted on staying at the farm, and you know it.” He turned and glared at me. “And before you can say it, no you would not have stayed there with her. Not after the way you accosted her in November.”

  I fought to regain control. “You’re a rebound, Deveraux. She thinks she wants you, but she’ll figure out the truth sooner rather than later.”

  He reached for the door handle. “Since we’ve resorted to this part of the conversation, are we done?”

  I groaned. “No. That’s not our only problem.”

  He sat back in the seat. “Go on.”

  “My father and I had a chat before I left yesterday, and like our conversation this morning, it started with the purpose of your visit to Little Rock. Then it moved on to another topic.”

  “Which was…?”

  “The Fenton County crime world.”

  Deveraux turned completely to face me.

  I continued, “He wants me to back off on arresting Mick Gentry.”

  His eyelid twitched. “Why?”

  “He wants the criminal elements in town to sort themselves out.”

  “And what does that mean?”

  “He wants Skeeter Malcolm eliminated.”

  “He wants you to arrest him?”

  “No. He wants Gentry to take care of him for us.”

  “He wants him murdered?”

  “Yeah.”

  “And what did you say?”

  I grabbed the steering wheel in a tight grip. “What the hell does that mean?”

  “It’s your father. Don’t you pretty much jump and ask how high?”

  I narrowed my eyes. “Do you really think I take my position as the chief deputy so casually?”

  “If we threw your father out of the equation, I would say you’re a great deputy. Better than this county has seen in decades.” He paused and looked momentarily pained by the admission. “But we both know he has you on a short leash…and the woman we both love is at the end on a choke hold. You’ll do whatever he tells you to do.”

  “Would you rather I didn’t?”

  He scowled. “No, but I don’t like the idea of J.R. Simmons dictating how the Fenton County sheriff’s department does its job.”

  “How do you think I feel?” As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized I’d set him up.

  Shockingly, he didn’t take the bait. “Why does your father want Malcolm out of the way?”

  “I don’t know, but I don’t like it.”

  “And he wants Mick Gentry to take over as the kingpin?” he asked, incredulous.

  “Or at least do the dirty work of taking care of Malcolm.”

  “But why does he care what goes on here?”

  “He says the sheriff is going to announce his retirement. My father wants me to run. I think he’s trying to make himself look good.”

  “That still doesn’t explain why he cares about who runs the Fenton County underworld. Does J.R. Simmons have business here?”

  I sighed. “Not that I knew about, but he mentioned something about you that makes me think he does.”

  “Me?”

  I’d laid awake half the night trying to figure out what to tell Deveraux. I knew I had to be careful in what I said—and didn’t say. “He claims he moved you to Fenton County because you were apathetic, and he suggested some of the citizens here might not like your newfound hunger for justice.”

  “Like my encounter with the much-loved Daniel Crocker.” Mason’s jaw tightened. “Your father has some stake here in Fenton County. Some illegal activity that Malcolm is impeding. Do you have any idea what it could be?”

  “How the hell would I know?”

  “He’s your father.”

  “Here’s a news flash for you, Deveraux,” I said, my temper rising. “I’m in law enforcement for a reason.”

  “So you can cover up your daddy’s illegal activities?”

  “Is that why you think I’m here?”

  “You’re obviously considering kowtowing to him.”

  “Get the hell out of my car!”

  He grabbed the door handle and shoved the door open. “Gladly.”

  After I watched him climb into his car and drive away, I wondered why I’d let myself lose control. But more importantly, I realized that I’d never told him there was someone out there who still wanted him dead.

  Part Two

  Chapter Five

  Mason

  I pulled into my parking spot in front of the courthouse, but instead of getting out, I gripped the steering wheel and berated myself for the millionth time in the last twenty minutes.

  My temper had gotten the best of me. I reached for my phone to call Simmons, but I decided to give it another hour. I was still pissed and I couldn’t afford to lose it like I had earlier.

  Dammit.

  It didn’t help that I’d gone into the meeting in a bad mood after my disagreement with Rose. Both Rose and Joe were right, of course. I’d been in Little Rock digging for dirt on J.R. Simmons. And while I hadn’t come back with any hard evidence, I had found two promising leads. One was a possible bribery scheme in Columbia County involving a construction company getting a county government job.

  The second was trickier. It involved a possible extortion scheme, and in Fenton County, no less. The only problem was that it had happened twenty-five years ago. It was definitely past the statute of limitations and worthless to me in terms of toppling J.R. Still, something nagged at me not to let it fall off my radar. Rumor had it that the shady dealings had gone down in the summer and fall of the year Rose’s birth mother had died…and the company involved was the very one that had employed Dora Middleton.

  What if her birth mother had somehow been involved?

  And while part of me knew I should tell Rose, I’d kept it from her—along with everything else I’d learned in Little Rock—when I came home. It wasn’t intentional. As soon as she came home, I learned that she and Neely Kate had been suspects in the murder of a psychic in New Orleans. She’d waved it off as nothing, saying that she hadn’t called me for help while I was in Little Rock because she knew I was working on something important, and besides, there was nothing I could have done.

  And that was the part that freaked me out the most. She could have been arrested for murder and I would have been powerless to help her.

  Then I took it one step further: if J.R. Simmons pulled the trigger on his fabricated evidence, he was sure to have me removed from my position, and I’d be powerless in Fenton County too.

  Finding solid evidence was the key to bringing Joe’s father down, but I could have a stack of evidence against him and it wouldn’t do me one iota of good if no one was willing to do anything with it. And one thing was certain—J.R. Simmons’ reach was very deep in Arkansas.

  It hadn’t surprised me to learn he knew about my trip to Little Rock, but it meant he was watching me more closely than I’d suspected. Simmons hadn’t gotten where he was by being stupid. He had to guess that Rose had told me about his fabricated evidence…and that I wouldn’t sit by idly without trying to do something about it. Which meant I had to be even more careful.

  I was still under the philosophy that the less Rose knew about my quest, the safer she’d be, but I realized that if I continued to keep things from her, I would risk losing her. Of course, I couldn’t tell her everything about my work—the particulars of the sting operation Joe and I had been working on for the last few weeks had to be kept strictly confidential. And Joe had only agreed to help me dig up dirt on J.R. in a
limited capacity so long as Rose didn’t know about his involvement. But she had a right to know what I had discovered about J.R. Simmons. I just needed to be prepared to ignore her pleas for me to stop investigating.

  I pulled up her name on my phone and called her, thankful when she answered. “Rose, I’m so sorry. Will you forgive me?”

  She was silent for a moment and fear rooted in my gut. What if I’d pushed her too far? I was relieved when she finally said, “Of course, Mason. I know you think you’re protecting me—”

  “You’re right, sweetheart, that’s always been my reasoning, but I’ve realized it’s wrong to keep you in the dark.”

  “You have?”

  “I’m still not convinced it’s the right thing to do, but you have the right to know.”

  “Thank you.”

  “But I still can’t tell you everything,” I warned. “I’ve promised some people I won’t tell anyone they’re involved.”

  “Okay. I understand.”

  “Can you meet me at Merilee’s for lunch? Say noon.”

  “Of course.”

  “I love you, Rose. I hate when you’re upset with me.”

  “I love you too, Mason. Everything’s going to be okay.”

  I hoped she was right, not only about us, but about everything else too.

  I hung up and stared at the courthouse. While I was sure Joe was keeping something things from me, I was fairly certain he’d told me the truth about everything else. The intention of my visit to Little Rock had been to find evidence incriminating J.R., but it looked like the proof I wanted was literally buried in my own backyard.

  I pulled the keys out of my ignition and unlocked my glove compartment, then pulled out a burner phone I’d bought in Little Rock. If J.R. was watching me, I needed to be more careful with my calls. I stuck the phone in my coat pocket and headed up to the office.

  My secretary looked up from her computer as I walked through the door. “Good morning, Mr. Deveraux. Did you have a merry Christmas?”

  I offered her a smile. “I did, Kaylee, and you? Did Del get you that scarf you wanted?”