I wanted to protest, but Muffy was squirming in my arms, so I set her down in the yard. She continued to whimper while she did her business, then hung close to my leg, so I squatted and rubbed the back of her head while watching for Mason’s silhouette in the windows.
The more likely reason behind the breakin was me. Did this have anything to do with my shenanigans with Neely Kate earlier in the day? Had I done this to Muffy? Or maybe Eric at the Burger Shack thought I knew something after my strange behavior the day before. Of course, it could have something to do with Skeeter. He’d told me that someone was after Mason. He’d also told me about Mason’s meeting with his boss before Maeve did. Anger and betrayal rose up inside me at the very thought. But it didn’t make sense . . . Unless I was deluded, he was trying to earn my trust, and besides, what could he possibly want from me other than my “gift”? Anyway, Skeeter Malcolm was smart, so if he’d wanted to break into my house, he wouldn’t have been this obvious about it.
Mason emerged from the house as headlights appeared on the driveway. He walked down the steps toward me.
“You’re supposed to be in the truck,” he said without recrimination.
“It didn’t feel right with you inside and all.”
He tried to give me a reassuring look as the sheriff car parked on the other side of my truck.
“Mason, I’m sorry.”
“Why are you saying you’re sorry?”
“This is probably my fault.” One way or the other, it always was.
He pulled me close. “This isn’t your fault, Rose,” he murmured against my hair. “You’re safe, and Muffy seems to have calmed down. That’s all that matters.”
Joe walked up to Mason and me, all business. He’d changed out of his uniform and was dressed in jeans and a leather coat. I expected Muffy to bolt for him, but she seemed too scared to leave my side, so I picked her up and cuddled her. If Joe noticed the fact that she didn’t run to him, he didn’t comment—instead he honed in on Mason.
Joe started to say something, but Mason interrupted him. “Rose only knows there was a breakin.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked.
They ignored me, Joe’s face hard. “I want to look around.”
Mason nodded. “I haven’t touched anything. Come on in, and I’ll show you.” Mason looked up at me. “Rose, stay outside.”
I put Muffy down, then put my hands on my hips. “No! You tell me what’s going on.”
Mason moved over to me and grabbed my upper arms. “Sweetheart, I really need you to stay outside with Muffy. Once Joe—who, as you know, is trained to go over these things—says it’s clear, then you can come in. Okay?”
I wanted to know what they were hiding, but I figured it would be better to press them for information after they’d looked around. “Okay.”
Relief washed over his face, but he still seemed really worried. “Thank you.”
I glanced up at him, wondering what was inside that was spooking him so, but I let him leave with Joe, who appeared to be getting angrier by the second.
They disappeared into the house, letting the front door gape open. I kept expecting the upstairs lights to turn on, but they never did. That was odd. If we’d been burgled, wouldn’t they look upstairs?
About five minutes later, both men emerged through the front door, and Joe started to yell. He waved his hands around and gave Mason a shove. To my surprise, Mason didn’t try to fight back.
I was up the porch steps faster than a lightning bolt. “Joe McAllister! You get your hands off my boyfriend!”
Joe took several steps back, his chest heaving as he jabbed a finger at Mason. “I told you this was a bad idea!”
Mason didn’t say a word.
“What’s going on?” Fear lodged in my throat. “What’s inside my house? Who broke in and why?”
Neither one of them answered me.
“I have a right to know! Who did I upset this time?”
Mason’s eyes flew open. “Rose, no one’s upset with you. It was me.”
I blinked. “What are you talking about?”
“Whoever broke in went to my office and broke a lock on the desk drawer.”
That meant they were after something Mason had been working on at home. “Did they steal some of your work papers?”
He shook his head, but he looked worried. “No. I can’t figure out what they were after. There’s a file in there that might have been of interest, but it wasn’t taken.”
“Get a damned safe, Mason!” Joe shouted.
I spun around to face Joe. “Why are you yelling at him?”
“Because he’s putting your life in danger! He’s bringing his work home, and now people are breaking into your house, Rose.”
“Oh.”
Mason released a heavy breath. “I think you should spend the night at Violet’s house.”
“And where do you plan on staying?”
“Here.”
“Then I’m not goin’ anywhere.”
“Rose,” he pleaded with me.
“You said they were here looking for something—just in your office—and it doesn’t look like they took anything.” I flung my arms out from my side. “So they’re done. They’re not coming back.”
“We don’t know that.”