Page 21 of Hidden Obsession

“I guess so. And being caught in my mess too. I can’t wait until we catch this guy. I’m already tired of looking over my shoulder.”

Mason nodded before forking up the last bits on his plate. He then started clearing the table, trying to find a way to bring something up without Cleo shutting it down. “That’s the plan for today. We’ll have a team meeting to see what we’ve gathered so far and if there’s anything we should dig deeper into. I want to take a look at someone you told me about yesterday, that Jeffrey Spears guy.”

The way she tensed was instantaneous. “I told you, Mason. Nobody knows where I am. Nobody is looking for me. They probably knew I would’ve been a problem and not submissive enough for his tastes. There’s no way the stalker is related.”

Mason wasn’t so sure about that, but what raised his curiosity was how adamant she was about shutting the possibility down. Investigations could be done quietly to prevent raising suspicions and she should know that. “Cleo, we still need to look into it.”

She finished clearing the table, and Mason feared for his dishes when she almost threw them in the sink. “I didn’t confide in you so you could dig into that part of my life. It has nothing to do with the stalker. I told you, I have no enemies, no family. Promise me you won’t stir anything up. Please, Mason.”

Seeing the stubborn look on her face, Mason hesitated before nodding, but the discussion was far from over. If someone from her past was a possible threat, Mason knew he wouldn’t be able to keep his promise and still protect her.

* * *

The drive toget coffee before heading to Alliance was heavy with silence. Mason knew Cleo was still defensive about what they’d discussed. He regretted losing the intimacy they had enjoyed earlier, but it couldn’t be helped, her safety was paramount.

Mason parked close to the Alliance entrance and Cleo got out the car without a word and disappeared inside. With a sigh, Mason got out and went into his office to gather his notes and his thoughts before the meeting. Cleo busied herself with her own and was ignoring him, which made him grind his teeth, but he left her alone, hoping she would see why he wanted to explore every possibility to keep her safe.

He went to his office and sat in his chair, closing his eyes to try to clear his mind. Should he believe Cleo and not check into Spears? His gut was against it, and he usually listened to it thanks to his experience as an investigator, only this time, he had painted himself into a corner.

“Why isn’t Cleo smiling this morning? What did you do?” Opening an eyelid, he saw Mercy leaning against the door jamb, arms crossed, and brows furrowed. Before he could answer, she stepped in and closed the door behind her. “I know you and Cleo had a date last night because she borrowed one of my dresses. And I can see by the look on your face it didn’t go to plan.”

Mason swiveled to face her. “It has nothing to do with the date. The date was perfect, everything was perfect.”

Mercy sat in front of him, putting her booted feet on the desk. “Well, from the look on both your faces, you could have fooled me. Or was it what happened after the date that was disappointing?”

He scoffed at that thought. “Not that it’s any of your business, but it was perfect too. It’s the morning after that went south and it’s my fault.”

The blond agent nodded. “Of course it’s your fault, but I’m curious to find out why before I put my boot up your pretty ass.”

Mason smiled at her threat, although he knew that Mercy Broussard wasn’t all talk, she could absolutely put her boot anywhere she wanted. “She told me about her past last night.”

The surprise on her face was evident before she whistled softly. “Whoa, things are serious between you two. She’s said a few bits and pieces about herself to us, but not much. The fact she’s opened up to you means she cares about you.”

Mason rubbed his chest as Mercy’s words sink in. “That’s the trouble. Part of what she said, someone she told me about, may be linked to her stalker. I might be wrong, but I want to check it out, be certain. Unfortunately, I told her what I was planning this morning, asked her if I could dig, and she went ballistic and made me promise to leave it alone. So I’m kind of stuck now.”

Mercy nodded, looking concerned. “Nicholas brought her bike in this morning to look at it. Her tire didn’t just go flat on its own, someone slashed it. She didn’t see it because it was dark. Nick will take care of it, and he told me it’s up to you if you want to tell her or not.”

A curse flew out his mouth. It was becoming difficult to juggle protecting her without pissing her off. He knew he was walking a very fine line.

“As I said, Cleo’s talked a bit about her past when us girls have gotten together. The potential threat you’re talking about isn’t Jeffrey Spears by any chance?”

His eyes zeroed on Mercy’s who was clearly coming up with a plan. “Maybe.”

Removing her boots from the desktop, she brought her chair closer and put her elbows down instead. “OK. Hypothetically. Maybe I remember that name all by myself and wonder if he’s related to Cleo’s stalker. And because I care about her, and I have no idea what she may or may not have told you about her past, I start a discreet investigation on my own. I’ll be careful and make sure Cleo doesn’t have a clue where I am and what I’m doing, because yes, I remember she does our expense reports.”

Mason smiled at how cunning Mercy was. “That’s a lot of maybes. And if Cleo finds out about it…”

“I’ll take the blame, and you’ll be off the hook.”

That didn’t feel right for him. “I take responsibility for what I do, Mercy. I don’t hide behind anybody.”

Shrugging off his reply, she stood. “You’re not hiding anywhere or behind anybody. You’re investigating the leads we’ve already gathered while I’m focusing on something else that may be inconsequential. Don’t worry, if it’s what you want and I find something significant, I’ll pull you with me into the line of fire to tell Cleo. In the meantime, protect my friend, and get your ass into gear to take this stalker down.”