Read Targeted (Callahan & McLane Book 4) for Free Online Page B

hours abruptly exhaust him. He wanted to find a quiet corner and simply hold her. Maybe that would make Denny’s death exit his brain instead of constantly circling like a bird of prey, never slowing down. It was always present, always demanding his attention, never letting him relax.
    “I’m so sorry, Mason,” Ava whispered. “Are you okay?”
    “I am now,” he said gruffly, aware of several sets of eyes watching them. They could all go to hell. He needed a minute with her and he was going to take it. He heard Zander introduce himself to Nora Hawes.
    Ava pulled back and looked him in the eyes, studying him closely. He must have appeared in control because she turned to Nora, holding out a hand.
    “You’re the OSP detective for this case? I’m Special Agent Ava McLane. I’m engaged to Mason, but my boss doesn’t have a problem with me on this case. Do you?”
    Detective Hawes automatically took Ava’s hand, sizing her up. “It doesn’t seem right to have an investigator intimately involved with a witness.”
    Mason held his tongue. The ball was in Ava’s court, and she didn’t need any help from him.
    “You’ve been briefed on what we’d believed was Special Agent Weldon’s suicide?” Ava asked.
    “I have.” Nora said, tipping her head toward Mason and Ray. “Everyone here has been.”
    They’d all been stunned by the connections involving the masks and law enforcement. Everyone felt that the probability that the two cases were unrelated was minuscule.
    “Think of our role as more of observers looking over everyone’s shoulders,” Ava said seriously. “Special Agent Wells will be the FBI primary. We want to know if our agent was murdered, just as you want to find Denny Schefte’s killer. We’re here to make certain every rock is looked under twice.”
    Nora held her gaze. Ray and Zander both looked away from the tension between the two women.
    “I’m sure that will be fine,” agreed Nora. She gave a sincere smile. “I like your frankness, Special Agent McLane.”
    Ava nodded. Zander and Ray looked relieved, and Mason felt the air clear.
    “The feeling is mutual, Detective Hawes.” Ava glanced at the men. “Glad to know there was a calm head present this morning.”
    “You’re telling me,” said Nora. “I thought this group was about to go cowboy and start combing the woods for a killer when I got here.”
    “It’s a beautiful location. Rugged, too,” said Ava. She did a slow scan of the area, but Mason knew she wasn’t admiring the scenery. She was getting a feel for the location.
    Mason followed her gaze, trying to look at the area through fresh eyes. When he’d first arrived a few days ago, he’d appreciated the beauty. The deep red of the cabin against the dark firs. The mist at the tops of the trees in the early mornings. Tiny lavender petals among the tall grasses. After Denny’s death, all he saw was a crime scene.
    The property was tainted.
    The crime scene techs moved in and out of the cabin. They’d already removed the evidence from behind the woodshed and enlisted all the responding officers for a grid search of the immediate wooded area, which hadn’t turned up a speck of evidence. No footprints, no gum wrappers, no dropped trash.
    How did the killer get Denny to leave the house?
    Who did it?
    A flash of dark yellow darted between the firs, and Mason spotted a shoulder and the back of a head rapidly moving away.
    “Someone’s running through the woods.” He took off after the figure without waiting to see who’d follow, thankful he’d put on tennis shoes that morning instead of his usual cowboy boots.
    Behind him he heard Detective Hawes shouting instructions to fan out through the woods and cut off the suspect. He ignored her. No one was between him and the runner, and he wasn’t going to pause to listen to directions.
    His heart pounded in his chest, his adrenaline spiking. He dashed between the trees and underbrush, pushing through limbs and leaves,