Mason scoffed. “I think I deserve to know if my business partner is racing headfirst towards self-destruction.”
Dash sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
“What you do in your personal life is your own, but…” Mason said.“You’rethe one who said Emerson Walker might destroy everything we’ve built—and I believed you. Should I or shouldn’t I be worried?”
Dash eyed Mason. “I don’t know.”
Mason leaned on the wall behind him, shaking his head.
Dash eyed him, realizing he had a lot more riding on this than just a business and a few employees. He might lose his friendship with Mason if he tanked the company. “Maybe it’s time to put your name on the letterhead and the doors, like I suggested from the start.”
Mason sighed.
“That way, if I make the wrong move, you could drop my name and tell folks I was fired—and then you can run it yourself. Without losing anything.”
“I’d lose you,” Mason said.
“I can still work from the shadows. My biggest strength has always been behind computer keys anyway. I can do that anywhere with a network connection.”
“I never wanted to be the face of the company. I still don’t.”
“It’s the only way, Mason. We need to protect you—and the other employees.”
“What are you saying? Are the two of you now a thing?”
“I’m saying this is the way out for you. The way I don’t ruin you, too.”
Mason scoffed. “In other words, you’re going to see him again. And tempt ruination for yourself?”
“I don’t know if I can stay away from him!” Dash yelled.
The shout felt like it lingered in the awkward silence that hung between them.
“You’re a grown adult. If he’s who you want, knowing all the risks, so be it. Put my name on the damned door if you think it will protect the business. I don’t care.”
“It might not come to that,” Dash said.
“Hopefully not,” Mason muttered.
“I’m sorry. I know you wanted to remain the mostly silent partner and act the peon.”
“I’ll get over it.” Mason yawned, stretching his arms over his head. “I’m going to go home and get some shuteye. Are you working today?”
“I found out that Jaye was a regular at the Dragon but no one I spoke with remembers the last time they saw him there. I want to dig through the arrest records from the previous raid and see if he was potentially picked up. No one seemed to know Jaye was a Lachlin, which makes me wonder if he used an alias. Same first name, different last, perhaps? If he had a fake ID and was arrested that night, his mugshot will be there.” A thought hit him. He could go to Central Precinct and do a proper request for records instead of hacking the system. The Records Department was in the same building, and if he happened to see Randall Walker while there, even better.
Emerson said he’d talk to his brother, but Dash would feel a lot better if he heard it straight from Randall himself. A little reassurance he was safe would help calm his frazzled nerves.
Mason yawned again.
“Why don’t you crash here?” Dash asked. “The guest room is all yours to use.”
“I think I’ll take you up on that,” Mason said.“AfterI make myself another bowl of cereal.”
Dash chuckled and watched Mason return to the kitchen.
Once the hallway was mopped up, he’d watched the news until he got all the publicly known information about the body found near the raid. Once he’d gotten a bite to eat and changed into a lightweight sweater and slacks, he headed to the Municipal Center.
The place was in utter chaos when he arrived. Outside on the steps, the Commissioner of the Guard was holding a press conference about the deceased alpha. A throng of reporters clung to his every word.
