Thirty-Four and a Half Predicaments Bonus Chapters: Rose Gardner Mystery by Denise Grover Swank

1
    Mason
    T he sheriff’s car pulled away with Rose inside, and I was too shocked to do anything other than give in to the terror clawing inside my chest.
    My worst nightmare had just come true.
    Rose was just arrested for her mother’s murder. J.R. Simmons was exacting his revenge.
    Then a movement to my left caught my attention. Joe Simmons—chief deputy sheriff of Fenton County. Rose’s ex-boyfriend. Daddy’s boy.
    Traitor.
    He turned his back and strode to his sheriff’s car and I lost it.
    “ You fucking bastard! ” I tore loose from the hold of the two sheriff’s deputies beside me.
    He continued walking, ignoring my tirade, which only made me angrier. I launched myself at him, slamming him into his car.
    He turned with a viciousness on his face that caught me by surprise, but only enraged me more. I got in two punches before he reacted, shoving me away. I lunged for him again, so furious my only thought was to make him pay.
    Hands grabbed me, dragging me away from the man who’d ruined Rose’s life. Again. How many times would he continue to hurt her?
    I tried to jerk loose, but the two deputies held tighter.
    Simmons advanced toward me, fury in his eyes. “I could throw your ass in jail, and no one could get you out of it.”
    “Not all of us have daddies to get us out of every fucking mess we make.”
    He stopped in front of me, his hands fisted at his sides.
    Anger burned in my chest. “She’ll hate you forever for this. You know that, right?”
    His jaw tensed and rage covered his face.
    “What? She wouldn’t go back to you so you just did what your daddy told you?”
    He swallowed. “I don’t answer to you, Deveraux.”
    “No, you made damn sure of that, didn’t you?” I spat, trying to pull loose from my captors. “You set this up perfectly. Made me think you were working with me when you were working with your father all along.”
    His fist connected with my jaw while the deputies held me in place. A murderous look filled his eyes. “ Shut your mouth, Deveraux .”
    To my surprise, Deputy Miller took a step toward Joe. “Chief Deputy Simmons,” he barked, “he’s restrained!”
    Enraged anew, I pulled free from the deputy on my right, trying to get another swing in at Simmons, but he stepped out of reach.
    “You set me up all along!” I shouted. “You convinced me to set up the formal questioning, then you turned on me! You claim you love her, but you used me to hurt her! You son of a bitch !”
    The other deputy grabbed my arm again and jerked hard enough to send a shooting pain through my shoulder.
    “You set Rose up too, didn’t you? You conveniently shot the person whom your father hired to take the journal, then took it yourself.” My voice rumbled with anger. “He’s cleaned up all of your messes, now you’re cleaning up his .”
    Joe grabbed handfuls of my shirt and jerked me against his chest. His eyes were wild. “ Shut. Up. ”
    I pulled against my restrainers again to no avail. Then the vision of Rose’s horrified face filled my head and all the fight bled out of me, fear following in its wake. “Did you see her in that jail cell last July?” I demanded. “Did you see her panic as the bailiff dragged her from the courtroom? Do you have any idea what she’s going through right now? Do you even care ?” I choked on the last words, Joe’s betrayal sinking deep into my gut. I pulled free from Deputy Miller, then leaned over, hands on my knees, trying not to be sick. “You got what you wanted, you son of a bitch .” I rose and pointed to his car in defeat. “Now get the hell off her property.”
    Something flickered in his eyes, then he turned around and strode toward his car while I fought to keep myself together.
    The deputy next to me clamped a handcuff on my wrist. “Mason Deveraux, you’re under arrest for assaulting a Fenton County deputy sheriff.”
    I didn’t resist. Part of me didn’t care, and besides, there was no denying it. Joe’s swollen