“And?” I prodded.
“With Kate still on the loose, I was worried about Rose bein’ off the radar. I knew she wouldn’t answer my call, so I called her aunt Bessie to check on them. Imagine my surprise when Aunt Bessie was still in Layfette County with Rose’s uncle Earl.”
My feet stumbled, then froze in place, but Mason gently nudged me to keep us moving.
“Sorry,” I said. “You caught me by surprise. Maybe they decided to call it an early weekend.”
“Nope. Aunt Bessie didn’t know a thing about it.”
My anger rose up, but I decided to play this light, as though he was barking up the wrong tree. “You do realize that could be considered stalkin’?”
Mason released a soft laugh. “I suppose it could be considered that way. Or it could be considered investigating.”
“So you’re a detective now?” I asked in a teasing tone, even though my stomach felt like it was full of rocks. “Perhaps you should run for sheriff.”
He released another chuckle. “Maybe I should. Maybe then I’d get some straight answers.”
“Mason…”
“You know what I find extremely interesting?” he asked, still spinning me around on the dance floor.
“I haven’t the faintest idea.”
“Since a man with ties to a crime organization in Dallas showed up in little Henryetta, Arkansas, I thought to check in on all the major players in Fenton County… to ensure their safety, of course.”
“Of course,” I murmured.
“Guess who I couldn’t locate?”
I was trying to keep from shaking with fear for my best friend. I flashed him a coquettish smile. “If you’re lookin’ for Daniel Crocker, you’ll find him in a cemetery plot.”
Mason nodded. “That he is, but I’m referring to Skeeter Malcolm. No one seemed to know where he was, which, from what I gather, is quite unusual.”
“You don’t say,” I murmured, knowing that Jed’s gaze was on me. Had Mason noticed him too? That seemed incredibly likely since very little slipped past the man holding me in his arms. “Do you know what I find interestin’?”
“Do tell,” he said.
“I find it interestin’ that the man who keeps protestin’ over and over that he’s my friend keeps tryin’ to find ways to shake me up.”
His arms stiffened. “Neely Kate.”
“No, you hear me out. I know Rose hurt you. I know you felt like a fool for her sneaking the Lady in Black past you for so long, but that doesn’t mean we’re out to sneak one past you now.” I glanced up at him. “Did it occur to you that Rose can spend the weekend with the whole tree full of Keebler elves, and it would still be none of your daggum business? It has nothin’ to do with you.” I took a step backward, out of his grasp. “I thought we were friends, and the way you’re actin’ makes me think I can’t trust you one iota.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way, but perhaps you shouldn’t be hiding things from me in the first place.”
“So you’re sayin’ I can tell you about something awful I did in Oklahoma and you’ll keep it to yourself and won’t turn me in to the law?”
His eyes widened. “Did you break the law, Neely Kate?”
Tears stung my eyes. “That just answered my question.”
I turned and started to walk away, but Mason called out, “Neely Kate. Wait.”
I ignored him, stomping off to the lady’s room, but his longer legs caught up with me in the hallway.
“Neely Kate.”
I spun around to face him. “The world is not black and white, Mason Deveraux. The world is full of gray.” I touched my fingertips to my chest. “I’m not even close to bein’ pristine white. I’m very, very gray. If you can’t accept that, you need to turn around and walk away from me right now.”
“Neely Kate.”
“Do you think I’m a good person?”
He looked taken aback. “What kind of question is that?”
“Answer the question.”
“Of course you’re a good person. What kind of nonsense talk is that?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Are you so sure of that? What if you found out that I killed a man?”
He tried to hide his reaction, but I could see his shock.
“Instead of bein’ so quick to judge people and lock them away, maybe you should get to know them first and find out why they’re doin’ what they’re doin’. You might be surprised what you find.” Turning on my heel, I walked back to the ballroom to find Joe.
I had to talk to Rose. Immediately.
Up Shute Creek (Rose Gardner Investigations #4)
November 2, 2018
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