Page 66 of Hidden Resolution

Although Shonda wasn’t surprised by his rage, Bucky Whitmore was, and he blinked at the vitriol directed at him. As a department supervisor, he usually played things by the book. But clearly, even good-natured Bucky had reached his limit. He shoved Zack hard enough to make him stumble.

“Zack, you need to calm the fuck down.”

The harshness of the move and the steel tone prompted Zack to comply.

“I’m sorry,” he replied after a long minute. He made a point to shake each officer’s hand. “I really do appreciate what you aredoing. I’m…” Raw desperation flickered behind his attempted composure as he shook his head.

If Erica hadn’t been missing, Shonda might’ve found the whole incident tragically romantic. The man was beside himself, unhinged with worry, and still trying to keep it together for the people around him.

“We’ll find her,” Bucky promised, clapping his shoulder.

Zack nodded, throat working as he tried to hold back the panic. “If you’ll excuse me.”

Recognizing the signs of unraveling, Shonda followed him. If she wasn’t mistaken, he was about to become completely unglued.

“Breathe,” she urged, sitting beside him and rubbing his upper back.

“I-I…c-can’t…”

“You can, or you wouldn’t be speaking right now.”

With a jerky nod, he worked to regulate his breathing. Mindlessly looking for an anchor, he grounded himself by gripping her thigh.

Mason chose that precise moment to enter, and his gaze immediately zeroed in on Zack’s hand. The black expression on his face could’ve curdled blood.

“The only reason I’m not ripping it off is because you’re hurting,” Mason said, deceptively calm. “After this, all bets are off.”

Oddly, his possessiveness had a calming effect on Zack. In what had to be an instinctive move meant to irritate, he slid his hand slightly higher. Not quite offensive, but it drew a warning growl from Mason.

“Just making sure that’s the way the wind blew,” Zack said.

“Dickhead.”

“Asshat.”

The exchange might’ve passed for banter if their eyes hadn’t been lit with equal parts grief and rage. When Zack stood to pace, Mason sat down beside her.

A small, quivering voice pierced the room. “Dad?”

They all shifted to find Jacob in the hallway, pale and wide-eyed.

Zack was at his side in seconds. “Hey, lil man.”

“Is it true? Is Erica missing? Was it my mom who hurt her?”

Zack hugged his son fiercely, gaze landing on Dane, who stepped into view behind Jacob with an unreadable expression. He shook his head.

“Who told you that?” Zack asked.

“I heard Grandpa yelling at Grandma,” Jacob said. “He said it was all Grandma’s fault. That she cud-cod…”

“Coddled?” Zack supplied.

“Yeah, coddled her too much. That maybe if she hadn’t hidden the fact that Mom hadn’t died in the fire, this would never have happened.”

Shonda managed to suppress a gasp, and beside her, Mason’s face turned to stone.

Judith had known the entire time!