Page 58 of Dark Shadows
“But you were right about that murder.”
“Yeah.” She stirred cream into her coffee. “Fat lot of good that did.”
“Until now.”
“Until now.” Their eyes met across the table. An understanding settled between them.
Their food arrived, and they ate with easy banter.
“Can I ask you something?” Mason set down his fork.
“Shoot.”
“Why did you agree to come back? Really?”
She considered deflecting, but the honesty in his eyes demanded truth. She took a breath. “Because you asked and because maybe it is time to stop running. I figured you must be a believer since you knew what Emily was wearing. I never told a single soul about the sunflowers on her dress.”
His hand found hers across the table, thumb brushing her knuckles. The touch sent warmth spreading through her.
“Running isn't always bad,” he said quietly. “Sometimes distance gives us perspective.”
“Speaking from experience?”
A shadow crossed his face. “Maybe.”
The weight of the day's discoveries hung between them.
Savanah stirred her coffee, studying Mason's face. “You know, for all we've been through, I realize I don't know much about your life outside of work.”
Mason's lips quirked into a small smile. “Not much to tell. The job tends to take over.”
“No family waiting for you back home?”
A look of fondness settled in Mason’s eyes. “Actually, there is someone. My daughter, Lily. She's ten.”
Savanah's eyes widened in surprise. “You have a daughter?”
Mason nodded, pulling out his phone to show Savanah a picture of a grinning girl with his eyes and a mischievous smile. “She lives with her mom most of the time. The job makes traditional family life challenging.”
As Mason shared a few stories about Lily, Savanah found herself seeing a new side of Mason. He wasn’t just a determined FBI agent, but a father who clearly adored his child, despite their living arrangements, and was still friends with his ex-wife.
“Were you debating on telling me about her?” Savanah asked.
“No. I don’t talk about her much to people who don’t know her. I wouldn’t ever bring my work around her or put her in danger. She’s my heart, you know. You’re one of the few outside my close circle who knows.”
“You trust me?” Savanah asked.
“You could say that.” He grinned.
The waitress dropped off their check. Outside, the morning had warmed, but clouds gathered on the horizon, promising rain.
“I need to see Richard,” Savanah announced.
Mason squeezed her hand once before letting go. “Want company?”
She nodded, grateful he understood without her having to explain. Some conversations needed witnesses.
On the drive to Richard’s house, her phone notified her with a text.
