“Leave Mason out of this.”

“I’ll be more than happy to. If he lets us have our party of two. Come see me tonight, my sweet Rose. You know where to find me. Don’t forget the tequila.”

The phone went silent and Mason lowered it to the coffee table. “Why did you answer the phone?”

“He called from Violet’s house, Mason. I knew she wouldn’t call unless it was important. Does he have Violet? I thought she was safe.” My voice rose in panic.

“She is. Jeff told me that she and the kids are with your aunt and uncle.”

“But he’s in her house.”

“Because he wanted to talk to you and he knew you’d answer if he called from her number.”

“What if he has her? He wants me to meet him tonight at The Trading Post.”

“He didn’t say it was a trade. He’s bluffing. I’ll have Jeff check on Violet, but I’m sure she’s fine.”

“You don’t know that! You’re just trying to keep me from getting more hysterical.”

He grabbed my shoulders and looked into my face. “Take a deep breath. He’s trying to spook you and it’s working. We’ll make sure your family’s safe, okay?”

I nodded. It was all I could manage at the moment, but I couldn’t stop myself from crying.

He dug out his phone and called his friend, filling him in on what he’d heard.

“One more thing, Jeff.” Mason’s voice was tight. “Crocker threatened me personally.” He paused. “Could you ask the state police to check on my mother?”

I gasped, new tears coming to my eyes. I’d never forgive myself if something happened to his mother. Not after the way he’d lost his sister.

Mason frowned in response to something Jeff said. “Just get back to me as soon as possible. Rose is pretty worried about Violet.” Mason hung up and took my hand in his.

“If Violet’s missing, I’ll have to go meet with him,” I said after several seconds.

“Like hell you will.” His voice was deceptively calm. “He knew I was listening and he’s bound to know the sheriff’s office is protecting you after the Henryetta Police Department’s failures yesterday. There’s no way he’s going to announce where he’s headed. He knows he’d be arrested on the spot.”

What he was saying made sense, but I could never live with myself if something happened to Violet and I could have prevented it.

The chief deputy called back twenty minutes later and Mason began to pace as he told him that Violet and the kids were safe, but her house in Henryetta had been broken into and vandalized. Mason knelt in front of me. “Rose, I need to know if there’s anything in Violet’s house that could lead Crocker here. Did she have the address or any papers relating to the farm?”

I shook my head. “No. Nothing.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah.”

“Jeff’s going to send deputies to The Trading Post, but there’s no way Crocker will show up. He doesn’t expect you to be there either, but when he calls back, he’ll try to use the fact that you weren’t against you.”

“When he calls back?”

“This isn’t moving fast enough for him. And it’s only going to get worse. He’ll call again to try and flush you out.”

My stomach twisted.

“Don’t answer your phone. It will just encourage him.”

I had no desire to talk to him again. “If he finds me and you’re with me, he’s going to hurt you, Mason.”

He grabbed my hand and rubbed the back of it with his thumb. “He’s not going to find you.”

The sense of foreboding from earlier returned, this time twice as strong. “I think you should go somewhere else. It’s too dangerous for you to be here with me.”

His face softened. “Rose, where would I go?”

“I don’t know.”

“I’m not going anywhere. I’d be worried sick if I wasn’t with you.” He stood. “I found a bottle of wine in the pantry. I think we need some.” He disappeared into the kitchen and came back with a bottle and two wine glasses. He poured some for each of us and handed me a glass before sitting next to me on the sofa.

I took several gulps, then spun the glass in my hand, staring at the scarlet liquid. “If he finds me—”

“He’s not going to.”

I jerked my head around to look into his eyes. He had to listen to me. “If he does, he’s going to kill me. He’ll torture me first, and then he’ll kill me.”

He turned to face me. “You can’t think about it. That’s why he called you. He wanted to make you worry. By dwelling on it, you’re letting him win.”

“No, Mason. I have to think about it. If he finds us, you can’t let him get me.”

“Shh…” He pulled my head against his chest. “Crocker was at Violet’s house. There are bound to be witnesses. He’s getting sloppy. They’re going to catch him. We have to believe that.”

“I think you’re underestimating Daniel Crocker.”

“If he knew where you were, he’d already be here. You’re safe.”

I closed my eyes and sank into him. “I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t here with me. I’d go crazy.”

“That would make two of us, so no more talk about sending me away.”