“What do you mean you don’t see the bag in the Dumpster? Where the hell are you?”

“I stopped by my office, so I decided to check the trash bin from the roof. Now, before you say anything, I’m perfectly safe.”

He was quiet for a beat before he asked, “You’re sure the bag’s gone?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.” I pushed out a breath of frustration. “What if Teagen saw me drop it? Roberta’s file was in there, James. If they found it, they know that we know there’s something goin’ on.”

Skeeter grunted. “What if J.R. and Kate started the file after they realized Anna was back in town—working for you, no less. Now they know you’re onto them, so they snatched her, and Decker tried to play hero, so they took him, too.”

I hated to admit it, but that was the likely scenario.

“I’m gonna swing back by the nursery to see if Deveraux’s mother has any leads on where to look for them.”

“Okay,” I said. “Sounds good.”

“Now get the hell off that roof,” he barked, and then the decibel level of his voice decreased significantly. “And get the journal page. My bookkeeper thinks she has someone to read it for us. Jed’ll know where to drop it off.”

I could ask Maeve, but she was at the shop. Besides, Bruce Wayne and Anna had been abducted out from under her nose, and I didn’t want to put her in any more danger. But I knew someone else who had a copy. If he left it for me somewhere, no one would be the wiser.

“I’ll get it.” I hung up, then stuffed my phone into my back pocket. “Come on,” I said, determination in my voice. I was getting Bruce Wayne back, and I was going to take that slimy bastard down for the count.

“Where are we goin’?” Neely Kate asked, following me as I strode upright across the rooftop—no reason to hide being up here now.

“To see Mason.”

Chapter 15

“What do you mean we’re going to see Mason? Why?”

I climbed over a ledge to the next roof top, moving in the direction of the landscaping office.

“Rose! Why?”

I stopped and ran a hand over my head. I needed to think this through. If I wanted to keep Mason safe, it would be better to call him and tell him what I needed than to show up at his office. I dug my phone back out.

“Anna and Bruce Wayne are missing,” I explained to Neely Kate, finding the speed dial for Mason’s number. “I think Teagen found the duffel bag. Which means he knows we saw the file on Roberta. They probably snatched Anna from behind the nursery to find out the reason she’s working for me.”

“But we don’t even know the reason.”

“Exactly, but they probably think we’re colluding, which is bad.” I sounded so matter-of-fact, as though I were discussing the weather, but I was trying my best not to panic. If Bruce Wayne had been kidnapped, I was partially responsible. I wasn’t sure I could live with that.

“Bruce Wayne was snatched, too?” Her voice rose in panic.

“We don’t know that for certain, but there’s a good chance.”

“So why do you need to see Mason?”

“Maeve’s working and Mason has a copy of the journal page in his office. I’m going to ask him for it.”

“And what makes you think he’ll just give it to you?”

“Because it’s mine.” I took a deep breath to quell my fear. “While I’m calling Mason, why don’t you try calling Bruce Wayne’s phone to see if he answers?”

Nodding, she dug her phone out of her purse. “Good idea.”

I began to pace while the phone rang. When Mason answered, he sounded worried. “Everything okay?”

“No, it’s not, but I’ll spare you the details and tell you that I am fine. But I need your copy of the journal page.”

“Why not get it from my mother?”

“Because she’s working for Violet, and honestly, trouble is following me like a black cloud, and I don’t want to lead it to her door.” Disappointment sank through my body like a rock. This meant I needed to stay away from Violet, too. But I didn’t have time to think about that right now. “I know you took a copy to the office. Can you put it somewhere for me to pick up so I’m not seen with you or in your office?”

“You’re not out in the open, are you?” he asked in a panic. “You really need to be hiding.”

“No questions, Mason. The less you know, the better. But we’re onto something big. I need that page.”

“So you found someone to translate?”

“No questions.”

“This concerns me, too, Rose.” He groaned. “I know all this secrecy was the agreement, but please let me help you. I’ll meet you somewhere, and we’ll work on this together.”

“Not this time, Mason. I have to do things the dirty way. It’s our only hope for getting through this, and you know it. You told me the same thing two months ago—only, I was too naïve to listen.” Would things be different now if I had? No use looking back. “Will you put a copy somewhere for me to find?”

“I’ll meet you somewhere.”

“No, I need you to leave it somewhere. I don’t want you tied to me in any way from here on out.”

“I don’t feel comfortable just leaving it somewhere, especially if we’re being watched. But I’m pretty sure there’s somewhere we won’t be seen. Meet me at my car in the parking garage.”

“Why?”

“I have something I need to give you, and I can’t do it in the courthouse. Can you get there without risking yourself too much? How close are you?”

I hesitated. “Close.”

“Give me ten minutes. And come alone. Be careful, sweetheart.” He hung up before I could answer, but then, what could I have said? Reminded him that we were broken up? I couldn’t deny that it felt good to know he cared.

But I had bigger things to deal with than my love life.

Neely Kate was shoving her phone into her pocket with a grim expression.

“No answer?” I asked.

“No.”

“Then we really need to talk to Hilary. I just hope she knows something.”