Page 73 of Hidden Resolution

Mason averted his face.

“Nicely done,” she murmured with an appreciative smile.

“Years of practice.”

“Your brother is an easy mark. Now spill.”

“You aren’t going to let this go, are you?” he asked with a weary sigh.

“Not on your life.”

As he studied her, Shonda forced herself not to squirm. Did he see a pathetic excuse for a woman who had outstayed her welcome to steal longing looks at his clueless older brother? She hoped he considered her as nothing more than Erica’s concerned best friend. Anything else would be humiliating.

Another check revealed Mason glowering at them.

“What’s he so angry about?” Zack asked.

“He probably thinks I am going to seduce you to the dark side like I did to Dane,” she quipped, making no effort to keep her voice down.

Zack sputtered. “You and Dane? What did I miss?”

“While you were outside, your mother sent Mason for coffee. When he didn’t promptly return, she sent me to find him,” she explained. “Connie had the bright idea to convince Dane to steal a kiss. Mason broke his nose.”

Zack laughed for the first time in hours.

“It’s not funny!” she exclaimed.

He laughed harder as Mason surged to his feet, flipped them off, and stormed out the door.

Shonda giggled. “Okay, so maybe it’s a little funny.”

“I wondered where they were. Thought maybe they were making a dinner run.”

“No, your mom drove Dane home. She said she wanted to take a nap, but would return with food for everyone.”

“So you’ve been stuck in here, subject to the silent treatment for the better part of the day with my idiot brother and me. Poor girl.”

Waving impatiently, she said, “Okay, enough stalling. Now we’re alone, tell me what’s going on? And don’t you dare say ‘nothing.’ I want to help.”

“I can’t involve you in this, Shonda.” He popped up to pace. “Christie is clinically insane. It’s impossible to know what’s going on in that messed-up head of hers.”

“I’m involving myself. Erica’s the only family I have left. We’re sisters of a sort,” she insisted.

As a kid, Shonda had spent many holidays alone. Eva was always gallivanting to places unknown, and Luigi rarely showed, claiming the restaurant couldn’t survive without him. As she got older, Shonda would drive to Erica’s house to hang out.

Erica was her person. The closest thing to a sister she had.

Wordlessly, Zack unlocked his phone, pulled up his messages, and gave her the device. The photos were horrifying, and Shonda cried out.

“Ohmygod!” Erica’s battered and bloodied face triggered her vomit reflex, and Shonda swallowed hard. “Have you shown these to the police?” she asked.

“Not the recent ones. Christie wants me to meet her. Alone. You can see where she intends to call me.”

As she studied the background of the pictures, a half-baked plan formed.

“Zack? You know I’m an ex-Realtor, right?”

His brows dipped in confusion until the realization hit, and hope flared in his eyes.