“How did things shake out for Mason in this trial?”

“He lost everything, and Junie got everything she asked for, including full custody of their two-year-old daughter.”

Theo heaved a sigh. “Well, the reasons Mason might have hated Mina are a little clearer now,” she said.

“The night she died she was going on a date.”

“You said she was using Flirt, right? The app?”

“That one was her favorite. She used that one the most.”

“There are pictures on these apps I assume?”

“Sure, but that doesn’t mean the pictures match the people. I mean, it’s all a crapshoot. I’ve used some of these sites. Men and women alike are both guilty of using pictures taken years ago. Everyone has become a pro at photo manipulation, and some people use photos they find online of other people. You agree to meet, and just hope like hell they look even slightly like the photos they’ve posted. Dating sucks, Theodora.”

Theo opened the container with the Skittles inside and scooped out a few. “I know exactly how much dating sucks, my friend,” she told Ashley. “I never used an app, but I’ve had my fair share of crappy dates.” She popped one of the candies in her mouth. “If Mason was looking for payback, he could have made a fake profile on Flirt, right? He could have just searched for Mina and set up a meeting.”

Ashley thought about this for a second. “Yeah, but she would’ve booked the second she saw him. She never would have gone through with it.”

Theo munched on her candy. “That’s probably why he needed a horse sedative. Mina wasn’t going to go quietly.”

“Holy shit.”

“What?”

“I just remembered what Junie did for a living.”

“Don’t tell me. She’s a veterinarian?”

Ashley blinked her big blue eyes. “She specializes in large animals.”

“I don’t know how he would have had access if their split was as brutal as it sounds, but one thing I’ve learned is, where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

Ashley closed her eyes and Theo saw a tear escape her lashes. She reached up and took hold of Ashley’s hand.

“No one deserves to die the way Mina did.”

“Ash—”

“I’m not saying what she did was right. Not in high school, and not just recently in the courtroom. She didn’t always make the best decisions. We had that in common, her and me. I figured this was a phase she needed to go through. I hated that she was going out with so many guys, but I’ve known her since elementary school. I knew if I told her that, she’d just get mad, think I was judging her. I knew she would freeze me out. I thought it was better to keep my mouth shut and be there for her, and when she was on the other side of whatever this was, she’d know no matter what that I would always be there for her.”

“You were a good friend to Mina, Ashley.”

“And that’s probably why Mason came after me, too.”

“Unfortunately, that might be true. But if you had known that this might happen, would you have abandoned her? Would you have stopped being her friend to keep yourself safe?”

“No.”

“Of course not.”

“That’s why he went after you, too.”

“Ashley, the fact that you and I are close brought me to Mason’s attention, but there are a lot of reasons he might hate me that have nothing at all to do with you.” The two of them watched one another for a moment. Theo raised a finger. “He lost his business, right?” Ashley nodded. “I run my own business. A couple of them, actually.” She held up another finger. “He’s had to deal with a lot of legal issues, and, let’s face it, a lot of people have good reason to hate lawyers. I’m a lawyer. Good or bad, lawyers had a hand in the situation he wound up in. He might have taken that anger out on me.” She held up a third finger, “and quite possibly the worst thing about me is that I’m a female. He was on a roll in his payback by the time he got inside my office last night. He’d already killed Mina, and at that point in time, he was sure you were dead, too. He probably figured he was eventually gonna go down for both of your deaths, he might as well keep going while his rage still burned.”

“I’m so sorry I put you in danger.”

“You did no such thing,” Theo argued. “We were faced with an unstable, volatile and incredibly angry person. But we made it, Ash. We’re still here. There’s no way he’s gonna walk away from any of this. Mason Wright is done. Now, what we need to do is keep living lives that are meaningful, and to find ways to celebrate and honor people like Mina.”

“You’re right, Theo,” Ashley told her.

“Oh, I almost forgot to ask … were you with a blond guy last night?”

“Yeah,” Ashley answered quickly. “Well, not with him. I ran into him. His name is Luca Gregory. We were friends in high school. I called Wyatt like I told you I was going to. He didn’t pick up, so I left him a message and asked him to meet me at The Copper Queen. I was halfway through a beer just waiting on him when Luca came up to the table. We talked for about twenty minutes, then I decided Wyatt wasn’t gonna show, so I left.”

“Then what happened?”

It looked like Ashley was trying hard to remember, but the memories coming to her mind had become painful. Her eyes filled with tears again.

“Um, well, Luca walked me to my car, and then he turned and walked away. That’s when I felt a sharp pinch in my neck. The next thing I remember was waking up on the floor of the cabin.”  

19. HOUSE CALL

Theo could hear the sound of Indigo’s voice as she drew on the large chalkboard that had been affixed to the front of Ashley’s oversized desk. It sounded like she was telling Jupiter a story, and if Theo knew Jupiter—and she was fairly certain that she did—she knew he was sitting quietly, listening attentively as only a canine can.

In the two days since the attack, Jordan had spent some time in the Brubaker Building. There had been no damage done to the lobby or the kitchen, although police had dusted for fingerprints and left their powder behind. When he stood just inside the front door, everything looked as it should. Theo’s office had been an entirely different story.

There were no remnants of the mess Mason Wright had left as Theo sat at her desk. All of her beloved books, photographs and other items had been straightened, and Jordan had gathered all the broken pieces of the snow globe, boxing the base and the small figurine of Big Ben for Theo to tuck away somewhere safe. The water had dried, and the plastic snow stuck to the wooden floor. Jordan had scrubbed that all away and cleaned the large rug that sat beneath Theo’s desk. Had she not been the one to lock a madman in this room, she might never have believed it had ever happened.

Theo turned and looked at the photo of the Murphys at Disney World again. Cleopatra still had her arms over her head and her mouth was still open, but she didn’t seem to be yelling anything in particular.

Theo blinked, her eyes moving to Owen. He held a six-year-old Theo in his lap. Her mouse ears were a bit askew, but she was grinning. She looked like she was exactly where she needed to be. Theo filled her lungs with the deepest breath she could manage, then let it out slowly, her gaze never leaving the photograph. She realized that’s how she was feeling at that very moment; a bit askew, but exactly where she needed to be. She’d have to work on the grinning part.

Theo had turned her computer off and was getting ready to collect Indigo and Jupiter when her cell rang.

“Hi, Ashley.”

“Theo … I need your help …”

“Ash? Are you okay?”

“I hurt. I hurt so much. Will you come?”

Theo grabbed her pack and headed out of her office. “Of course. Five minutes, Ash. I’ll be there.” She pocketed her phone. “Indie,” she called. “Jupe! Come on, guys, let’s go!”

Theo checked the front door although she’d never unlocked it, then ushered child and dog toward the back the building.