Chapter 8
Cassidy was hyper-aware of Mason behind her as she descended the stairs. She was hyper-aware of him at all times. He was just so…larger than life. Not only was he tall and broad, but his presence commanded attention. If Colin hadn’t been staying with her, she might’ve done something monumentally stupid and propositioned her sexy bodyguard.
He waited until they were on the path before he spoke. “Earlier you said Tandi had a key to your place. Who’s Tandi?”
How to explain her flamboyant, eccentric neighbor? “Tandi Tremane. She lives next door. She watches over my place when I travel.”
“Do you trust her?”
“Absolutely.”
He slowed his pace to match hers and they strolled leisurely along the winding sidewalk. They were passed by runners and people on bikes, scooters and skateboards, but the walkway was large enough to accommodate everyone.
“I’m going to make some changes to your security. I’ll be replacing the locks and adding an alarm. Until we catch this guy, I don’t want you giving out a key or the code to anyone.”
“What about Colin?”
“He’ll only be here a couple more days, right?”
“Yes, he’s going home the day after opening night.”
“Then he doesn’t need it.”
“Okay.” Colin would probably argue, but she’d defer to Mason. He was the expert. “How do you know it’s a he?”
“Excuse me?”
“You said, “until we catch this guy.” I just wondered why you thought it was a man?” Especially since she had her share of female adversaries.
He hitched a shoulder. “Just going with statistics.” He glanced down at her. “Do you think it could be a woman?”
“I’ve no idea.”
“Any enemies that would want to hurt you?”
She had her share of fan letters, some creepy and others downright sick. Some people didn’t like that she broke up with Marcus and they blamed her. Others sent proposals of marriage or their underwear. Gross. She’d even had to serve restraining orders to two separate stalkers. “There are people who dislike me, but I don’t think enough to want me dead.” She hoped.
“Let’s start with those first.”
She inhaled deeply. “A man started sending me really disturbing letters two years ago, calling himself my husband. He talked about us going away and spending the rest of our lives together with our three children. He’d even named them. Then he started showing up at the studio, trying to talk his way inside by telling the guards we were married. One night, he followed me to the grocery store and he wouldn’t leave me alone. I tried to get him to leave, but he started to get angry, accusing me of having an affair. He was seriously twisted. Luckily, an off-duty cop oversaw the exchange and escorted him out. He made sure I made it to my car safely and then encouraged me to take out a restraining order, which I did. Surprisingly, it worked, and he left me alone.”
“What’s his name?”
“Kurt Samuels. He moved on from me to an actress and he broke into her home. He was arrested and committed to a facility. He hung himself soon after.”
Mason typed notes on his iPhone. “Who else?”
“There was an assistant producer last year who kept asking me out. I turned down his advances, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer. He became obsessive, following me and sending gifts, some very inappropriate, like sexy lingerie. I repeatedly asked him to stop, but he didn’t listen. It was bad enough that we worked together, but every time I turned around, he was there, whether it was a restaurant or the bank. Then one day, he cornered me in one of the studios. Thankfully, one of the cameramen came in before anything could happen and scared him off. But that was the last straw. I went to Russell and told him what had been happening. He flipped out, firing him on the spot and calling security to immediately escort him from the premises. I took out a restraining order on him, too, in case he tried to come after me. It seemed to shock some sense into him. He hasn’t bothered me again.”
“What’s this joker’s name?”
“Barry Nelson. After Russell blackballed him, he couldn’t find work in town cleaning toilets. He had to take a job producing community theater in San Diego.”
Mason tapped more notes. “I’ll verify his whereabouts. Who else?”
“There are three…well, now two of the pros on the show who never warmed up to me, or any of the newer dancers. When I first started, things would happen like my dance shoes would go missing or my outfit. I didn’t have proof it was them, but I’m pretty certain. Russell found out and sat everyone down and told them if we couldn’t get along, he’d be forced to make changes. The hazing stopped after that, but not the snide comments or snarky smiles and whispering. I learned to ignore them and to always lock my trailer. That’s why I don’t think someone planted the snake. It had to have crawled in on its own.”
“I don’t think so. We checked for any holes that it could crawl through and didn’t find any. Also, the snake wasn’t native to this area. Someone could’ve dumped a pet, I guess.” He tapped some more on his iPhone screen. “Who are the dancers that cause problems?”
“Irina Dubov and Bryan Bergan. They treat all the newer dancers the same way. Irina is the ringleader. Bryan worships the ground she walks on and would jump off a cliff if she told him to. I don’t think he’s ever had an original thought in his head.”
“You said three but now two. Who was the other one?”
“Lacy Brubeck. She was a pro on the show until a few weeks ago. I’m not sure why she was let go, but Irina accused me of getting her fired. While I wasn’t a fan of hers, I would never petition for someone to be fired unless there was good reason. Her disliking me wasn’t enough cause.”
More tapping. “Who else?”
She cringed. He made it sound like she had a fleet of enemies, which now that she thought about it… “People weren’t happy when I dated Marcus.”
She glanced at Mason to see his reaction—only he wasn’t there. She spun around. He’d quit walking, quit typing. He was staring at her like she’d grown two heads.
“Marcus Howe? Harlow’s partner?”
“Yes.”
“You dated him?”
“Yes.”
His eyes narrowed. “How serious?”
She lifted her shoulders. “Not very. I had a crush on him growing up and when he asked me out, I was flattered. It only lasted about a month.”
“Hum.” He started typing again.
Now it was her turn to narrow her eyes. Of course, the effect was ruined since he was staring intently at his phone. “Mason.”
He looked up, his brows raised.
“What did that hum mean?”
“What hum?”
“The one you let out just now.”
He shook his head. “Nothing.”
“Tell me.”
“Fine. I just thought the guy was gay,” he muttered under his breath.
She smiled sadly. She didn’t think Marcus was gay—she knew it for certain. She’d heard whispers over the years but didn’t believe them until she dated him. Others knew or guessed. Only Marcus didn’t realize, or more likely, accept it. He overcompensated by trying to present himself to the world as a lady-killer. He flirted with anyone with two X chromosomes, serial dated, rarely spent the night alone.
“Who wasn’t happy you dated?”
“His fan club, mostly. They crucified me in chat room and online forums. I got hate mail. That season, the show made action figure dolls of us and some disgruntled fans sent mine back to me in separate envelopes for each of the body parts.”
“That’s quite disturbing.”
To say the least. They started walking down the path again. “Yeah. But the hoopla wore down. Marcus started dating Britt, the newest dancer and I was forgotten.” He tried to date all the new women, but none lasted more than a few weeks. Britt hadn’t returned the following season and Cassidy wondered if Marcus was the reason. He’d be setting his sights on Emma soon. She made a mental note to have a talk with the young woman.
“What’s your relationship with Marcus now?”
“We don’t have one. He wasn’t happy that I was the one to break it off. It damaged his pride. He likes to be the one who ends relationships. We dance together when the show calls for it but otherwise, he ignores me, which is fine by me. I don’t want or need his friendship.”
“Do you think he could be involved?”
She thought about it. Marcus was a narcissist and she’d dented his ego. Still, it was so long ago and they’d both moved on. He’d dated at least two dozen women since then. It seemed like a stretch to think he’d come at her now. “I don’t think so, although, something happened in rehearsals for the group number.”
“What?”
“I know this sounds silly, but I have a favorite pair of shoes. I’ve had them for years, since I used to dance competitively. I’ve taken care of them. Babied them. But when I went to put them on, someone had sawed off the heel.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No. But I don’t think it’s something Marcus would think of doing. Irina, yes. And she was so mad at me, accusing me of getting her friend fired.”
“Where did you keep the shoes?”
“In my gym bag, which I left unattended in the studio.”
“What about your trailer. Who has a key besides you?”
“Russell. The head of security.”
“You haven’t given it to anyone else? Colin? Another dancer?”
She shook her head and moved closer to him when two skateboarders raced by. “No one.”
They passed a shack selling fish tacos. “You hungry?” Her stomach chose that moment to growl and he smiled. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
They walked up to the window and placed an order. When it was ready, he picked up the tray and carried it to a picnic table. She dug into the taco, the tastes exploding in her mouth. “Um, this is good,” she said. When there was no response, she glanced up. Mason was staring at her intently.
Clearing his throat, he said huskily, “You have a drop of sour cream…” Then he reached over and brushed his thumb next to her mouth. She jolted at the contact. “Here.”
“Thanks,” she murmured, her appetite suddenly transforming into a different kind of hunger. She wanted this man. He made her feel safe. He made her feel feminine. He was strong, intelligent and he listened to her. She was falling in love with her bodyguard.
#
Mason tossed their trash into a bin and placed the tray in a holder. What had come over him earlier, reaching over to brush the sour cream off Cassidy’s face as if he had the right to touch her? She didn’t complain or flinch away, but she was his client. He’d been hired to protect her, not seduce her.
He turned to see her smiling at him and it took everything in him to keep from marching over, yanking her into his arms and kissing her until they were both breathless. He needed to find a way to manage the overwhelming lust that gripped him whenever she was near.
The sun was starting to set over the Pacific and a warm breeze blew off the ocean as they strolled leisurely back to her apartment. What would she do if he grasped her hand and laced their fingers together?
“Mason?”
“Hum?”
“I asked if you’ve ever seen a green flash.”
“Oh, uh, no, I haven’t.”
“Come on.” She grabbed his hand and damn if his heart didn’t skip a beat. She looked back at him with a smile and guided him to the sand. She dropped his hand and he mourned the loss of contact. She reached down and removed her sandals. “Easier to walk on sand,” she told him.
He removed his footwear, stuffing his socks in his boots and carrying them with one hand. She grabbed his other one and they made their way to an empty bench and sat down to face the water. The beach was still crowded at dusk. The sun was an orange ball as it slowly descended to the horizon. Just before it disappeared, a flash of green appeared. It lasted no longer than two seconds, but it was a compelling sight to see. Several people clapped and cheered.
He glanced at Cassidy beside him. “That was sublime.”
“I know, right?” Her smile was wide. “It gets me every time.”
Now that the show was over, the beach was slowly emptying. Mason had no desire to leave. He’d happily spend the rest of his life beside Cassidy. Damn. One green flash and he was getting all sappy and maudlin.
He stood. “We should head back. I need to run some background checks and do some digging on the potential unsubs.”
She stood too. “What’s an unsub?”
“Sorry. It stands for unknown subject. The person who’s been causing all the problems.”
“I should’ve known that. I watch Law and Order SUV.”
By silent agreement, they continued walking along the surf instead of returning to the concrete walkway. She didn’t reach for his hand and damn if he wasn’t disappointed. When they arrived at her building, she led him to an outdoor shower next to the pool to rinse the sand off their feet.
“Colin has to wonder what happened to us,” she murmured as they climbed the stairs together. He noticed how dark her end of the building was compared to the other side.
“No security lights out here?”
“Yeah…oh, it looks like it’s burned out. I’ll notify the super.”
As they neared the fixture he grabbed her arm. “Watch out for the glass.” She circled around the shards as he stopped to peer at the casing. Not burned out. Broken. A bad feeling crept down his spine. He grabbed her arm again, stopping her.
“What?”
She followed his gaze to her door. Sticking out of the wood plank was the black hilt of a knife. He crowded her closer to the building while extracting his SIG Sauer. His eyes scanned the area, looking for any threat.
“Oh, no, Colin. He’s inside,” she whispered.
“Let me have the key. I go first.”
She fumbled in her purse and handed it over to him. As he eased closer to the door, he realized the knife was anchoring a piece of paper. Using the flashlight app on his phone, he read the typed message: You never know when your next dance might be your last dance.
From beside his shoulder, Cassidy gasped. She reached for the note but he stopped her. “We don’t want to touch it. After I clear the apartment, we’ll call the police.”
It wasn’t prudent for her to wait outside. The only safe place was with him. “Stick close to me when we go in.”
She nodded and grabbed onto his bicep with both hands. Inserting the key in the door, he silently turned the handle and eased the door wide. The sliding glass door to the deck was open, letting the sound of the crashing waves fill the space. The television was on, but no lights.
“Colin?” Cassidy’s voice was panicked.
A head popped up from the couch, blond-tipped hair askew. “Cass?” He winced and covered his eyes when she flipped on the lights. “Where have you been?”
Mason closed the door and bolted it. “Have you been here the whole time we were gone?”
“Yeah. I guess I fell asleep watching television.”
“Stay put,” he instructed Cassidy as he took off to check her bedroom. Colin was struggling to his feet.
“What’s going on, Cassidy?”
The apartment was small, so Mason cleared it quickly, along with the bathroom and closet. He dialed the police and told the dispatcher to have the cops come in silent. He didn’t want lights and sirens blaring, drawing attention to the crime scene. Next, he called Sawyer to let him know what happened. When he left her bedroom, he found Cassidy and Colin standing in the open doorway, reading the note pinned to the door. He rolled his eyes. Was that staying put? “Don’t touch it,” he snapped. Colin snatched his hand away. “The cops are on their way. Come back inside.”
Cassidy looked embarrassed as she closed the door. “He wanted to see the note for himself.”
Colin hobbled to a bar stool and awkwardly hiked himself up. “I was here the entire time.”
“You didn’t hear any odd sounds?”
“Not a thing,” he admitted. “I’m a pretty sound sleeper, and I had the television blaring. What the hell is that? Some kind of veiled threat?”
“Not so veiled,” Mason muttered. “Do you have a lightbulb?”
“I think so.” Cassidy opened a cabinet in the kitchen and rummaged around, coming up with one. He thanked her and after instructing them to stay inside, he went out to change the bulb and wait for the police.
He’d just snapped pictures of the message when the police cruiser squealed into the lot. He motioned for them to come upstairs. Russell had made a police report after the lighting incident and the snake, so Mason gave the two men background details and then showed them the latest threat. They took pictures and then confiscated the knife and note as evidence.
Mason shook their hands, took the card they offered and handed them one of his in return. After they departed, he spun around and came face to face with an Amazon. He jerked to a stop. The woman wore a brightly covered head wrap in tones of blue, red and yellow that complimented her ebony skin, with a matching kaftan. Bracelets circled both wrists, which were currently fisted on her hips. She stood at least six-foot, the head wrap adding several additional inches. She could be anywhere between thirty and sixty. Mason couldn’t tell from her smooth, wrinkle-free skin the color of milk chocolate.
“Mind telling me who you are?” Her voice was deep and sultry.
“Tandi Tremane?” he guessed.
Her brown eyes narrowed. “That’s my name. What, sir, is yours?”
He smiled and held out a hand. “Mason Rossi. I’m with Cassidy Swain.”
She sucked in a breath and grasped his hand with both of hers. “Goodness. Dimples. I can see why Cassie brought you home.”
“It’s not like that.” Unfortunately. “I’m her bodyguard.”
Tandi’s entire demeanor changed and she snapped upright, dropping his hand. “Why does Cassie need a bodyguard?”
“Actually, I wanted to speak with you about that. I have a few—”
The door opened behind him. “Hi, Tandi.”
Bracelets jangled as the woman rushed to hug Cassidy. “Girl, what in the world is going on? A bodyguard? And good Lord, a gorgeous one at that,” she mock-whispered, sending him a saucy wink over her shoulder.
Cassidy ducked her head. “Come in and we’ll tell you what happened.”
Tandi glanced from Cassidy to him and back. “Okay.”
Mason followed the women inside. Colin had returned to the couch and propped his leg up with pillows, but he was watching them avidly.
“Have you seen anyone suspicious hanging around here the last few days?” Mason asked her.
She eyed Colin. “You mean besides this one?”
“Oh, gosh.” Cassidy slapped a palm against her forehead. “I totally forgot to introduce you. Tandi, this is my friend Colin.”
Tandi walked over and shook his hand. “We’re more than friends, Cass,” Colin pouted. “We were inseparable for years.”
Tandi’s brows hiked several inches in question.
“Not like that,” Cassidy explained. “We were partners. Dancing partners,” she added when Tandi opened her mouth.
“Ah. Of course.” She turned back to Mason. “To answer your question, no, I haven’t seen anyone strange and I do keep an eye out. Some might call it nosy, but I prefer to think of it as being careful.”
“I agree,” Mason told her. “Someone left a threatening note on Cassidy’s door tonight, so I appreciate your vigilance.” He extracted a card from his wallet. “If I’m not here, give me a call if you see anyone suspicious.”
She wagged her brows. “Can I call you anytime?”
He grinned. “Sure.”
“Oh, good Goddess.” She waved a hand in front of her face, as if to cool off. “Those dimples.” She sighed dramatically, and then turned to Cassidy. “Do you think it could be that unhinged man from last year?” She faced Mason again. “I ran him off several times myself.”
“That was Barry Nelson. I told Mason about him.”
“You didn’t tell me,” Colin groused, pushing to his feet. “Who the hell is Barry Nelson?”
“An assistant producer on the show. He asked me out and wouldn’t take no for an answer. I had to serve him with a restraining order.”
Colin hobbled to her and wrapped her in his arms. Mason heard a low growl and realized it was coming from his throat. Tandi gave him a knowing look. Great. He was doing a sorry job of keeping his attraction to himself.
“I wish you’d told me, Cass,” Colin chastised after he eased back, but he didn’t let go of her arms, much to Mason’s annoyance. “I’d have dropped everything to be here for you.”
“That’s sweet and I appreciate it, but it wasn’t necessary. After he was served with the restraining order, he left me alone. I haven’t heard from him in months.”
Colin turned narrow, accusing eyes on him. “Shouldn’t you be going after him? Isn’t that your job?”
Mason inhaled to calm his rising temper, still, he couldn’t keep the rumble from his voice. “My one and only job is keeping Cassidy safe.”
Colin threw his arms wide. “How can you do that if this man is running around loose, threatening her? Leaving notes and snakes and trying to kill her, for God’s sake.”
“We don’t know he’s the suspect. The police have his name and they’ll question him.” Plus, he’d sent a note to Tyler Redmond to dig up all the dirt on Barry Nelson.
Colin huffed. “I still think you should be going after him.”
“Col, he’s doing the job he was hired to do, so leave him alone.”
He appreciated Cassidy’s defense, but he didn’t need it. He’d be glad when the other man left. Not only was he condescending and irritating, but Mason didn’t like the way he touched Cassidy whenever she was near. Right now, he was holding her hand. It took every ounce of restraint to keep from marching over and forcibly removing his grip.
“That’s my cue to leave,” Tandi announced, her dress billowing around her in rippling waves as she spun to the door. “I’ll keep an eye out and call if I notice anything untoward, Mr. Hunky Bodyguard.” With a wink and smile, she breezed out the door.