Page 78 of Hidden Resolution

“A camera,” he replied in disgust. “Why the hell didn’t we consider that she’d have security measures in place?”

“She wants us to step into the backyard. And there’s no guarantee she won’t pull something or shoot us where we stand,” Zack said, expression grave.“I can’t ask you to take that risk.”

Before he uttered the last syllable, an explosion rocked the ground, and burning debris dropped mere feet in front of them.

“No!”Zack shouted, running for the house.

Mason tackled him right when he would have flung himself into the inferno. Years as a protective big brother had him instinctively covering Zack’s head and locking him within his embrace. If let free, he’d charge into the blaze and self-harm on a lost cause.

Zack was rabid in his grief, clawing and fighting to be free. Regardless of how fucking much the fist to Mason’s face hurt, he wasn’t letting him go.

“Jacob!”Zack screamed. “I’ve got to get to Jacob!”

Wrecked, Mason rocked Zack, praying his unrelenting embrace held.

Their devastation was complete.

Hours later, while Mason answered the lead detective’s questions for what felt like the hundredth time, he monitoredZack from the corner of his eye. Perched on the step at the back of the rescue vehicle, his brother was a shell-shocked zombie, allowing the paramedics to treat his minor cuts and burns. The police attempted to question him, but his dazed mind was reflected in his dead-eyed expression.

As if a power switch flipped him back to life, Zack dropped his blanket, climbed from the back of the rig, and stalked toward the pair of body bags. His hand was on the zipper of the closet when Bucky reached him. Though he tried to dissuade Zack, he was met with resistance.

“Excuse me.” Mason had stepped away from the detective, but stopped as Dane approached Zack.

He blew out a breath, confident their younger brother could reason with him.

Although he took persuading, Zack eventually climbed into Dane’s black SUV.

Mason stalked over and set the full force of his rage on Bucky.

“You find her, Buck,” he snarled. “I don’t care what you have to do, or who you have to rough up to do it, but you fucking find that black-hearted bitch.”

“Don’t you think we’ve been trying?” Bucky fired back.

“Not hard enough!” Mason snapped, pointing at the bodies. “Not fucking hard enough! My n-nephew…” His voice broke. “My nephew lies there. Proof of your department’s incompetence. And don’t think for one second Christie’s done. She’ll come after Zack next. If anything happens to him, I swear to God…”

The threat was an implied promise, though Mason wasn’t dumb enough to verbalize how badly he wanted to tear the fucking world apart. But if Psycho Christie hurt his brother, all bets were off the table.

23

Another thirty minutes passed before Mason was given the okay to drive Shonda home. He was highly impressed with how she’d stood beside him, uncomplaining, as she provided detailed information and unthought-of insight to the officers. But she’d been swaying on her feet, and he had called it quits. Odds were, if law enforcement didn’t have enough with the first three rounds of questioning, a fourth wouldn’t suddenly solve the crime and direct them to Christie’s whereabouts.

He pulled into her complex’s parking lot and cut the engine.

Mutually drained, they stared at her building in silence. Minutes ticked by before either found the energy to move.

“Come on,” he said, his voice raspy to his own ears. His damn throat ached like a bitch from the rush of smoke. “I’ll see you inside.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I do,” he argued, shifting to meet her devastated eyes. “For my own peace of mind, Shonda, I really do.”

Once they were out of the vehicle, Mason reached for her hand, gripping it tightly as they made their way up three flights of stairs.

“I’ll go in and check everything out. You wait here, and please, keep your phone in hand,” he said.

“Do you really think Christie will be in my apartment?” she asked with a furrowed brow.

She was right to be skeptical, but Mason wasn’t fucking around with anyone else’s safety. Especially not hers.