The dog seemed chipper despite sleeping outside in such cold weather, Mason thought. He could hear his father’s voice when a very young Mason worried about the cows and sheep sleeping outside: “That’s why God gave them fur coats.”

He ran his fingers through the dog’s fur. It was awfully thick. And that crate was probably the warmest place the dog had slept in weeks. He should have rigged up a bed for the dog sooner.

But he’d wanted the dog to return to its home. The argument for it being a stray was growing stronger and stronger. Maybe he should take it in to a vet and get it scanned for a chip.

Maybe a young boy was missing his dog.

Jake had begged for a dog for years, but neither Mason nor Robin had seen themselves as dog people.

Mason frowned, a memory of Jake hovering just at the edge of his consciousness. Had Jake tried to bring home a dog? No. It was a memory of Jake playing baseball and a dog running around the infield. One of the dads had caught the dog, and it didn’t have a collar. Jake had begged Mason to bring the dog home with them. He must have been about ten. The batter’s helmet was big and loose on his head, and the bat looked like a caveman’s club next to his bony arms.

Mason had refused, and Jake hadn’t spoken to him for the rest of the day.

Mason scratched the dog’s ears, and the dog rested its chin on his knee, staring at him in adoration. He felt his antidog stance slowly crumbling to pieces. So far, this mutt hadn’t been any extra work. He seemed self-reliant. Just needed some food and shelter. And definitely a checkup.

Maybe he’d let the vet decide. If there was no implanted chip, then Mason would keep him.

His phone vibrated. Ray.

Mason stared at the screen. You’ve got to talk to him.

The last thing he wanted to do was talk to a human. Right now, the dog was ideal company.

“Hey.” Mason’s manners wouldn’t let him ignore the call.

“Mason. Where are you?”

The dog huffed at the sound of Ray’s voice.

“Was that a dog? Are you at home?” Ray asked.

“Yeah, I’m outside.”

“Why? It’s freezing.”

“I’m just checking on the dog. Then I’m headed back to Jake’s.” Real life was slapping him in the face. As much as he wanted to run away to the coast, he had a responsibility to his son and his extended family to see them through their tragedy. Henley missing made his personal problems the equivalent of chewed gum on the bottom of his boot.

“Schefte said he talked to you,” Ray started.

“Say what you mean. He didn’t talk to me. He took my fucking gun and badge.”

“I was getting to that.”

Mason bit his tongue. Ray didn’t deserve his anger. “Fuck, sorry.”

“Yeah, I know.” Ray was silent for a moment. “Jill wants to know if you’ll come over for dinner.”

“Hell, no. You think I want Jill’s sad eyes staring at me all evening? Besides, I need to be at Jake’s. That’s what I’m supposed to be doing.”

“They’ll get it straightened out, Mason.”

“I know I didn’t beat Josie’s head in with a bat. But for some reason, I’m feeling as guilty as I would if I had done it. Schefte talks to me like I let down every person in blue, when the fact is, I didn’t do it!”

“I know you didn’t do it,” Ray stated.

“Shit. Hearing you say that makes me feel guilty, too. What the hell is wrong with me?” Mason scratched the dog’s chest, wanting to toss the animal in the back of his vehicle and take him to the beach. What kind of pansy was he that he wanted to run away with a dog?

“Someone is messing with things. Schefte told me you had new prints done and they still matched. That means someone planted your prints in Josie’s apartment. And I suspect that will be the person who killed Josie. Who would have your prints?”

“Any OSP employee,” Mason stated. “Any server at any restaurant I’ve ever eaten at. Take your pick. With some simple supplies, it’s pretty easy to pick up and transfer prints.”

“Okay. Let’s look at this a different way. Who did you piss off that wants some payback?”

“Over twenty years of perps. Robin’s divorce attorney. The jerk who cut me off on the interstate today, who I honked my horn at.”

“Shit. So half the state. What’d you do to Robin’s attorney?”

Mason snorted. “I don’t remember. I may have called him a money-hungry asswipe for dragging out the process. For an amicable divorce, it cost a hell of a lot and went on forever.”

“You’re being targeted for something.”

Mason thought on that for a long second. “But why? What’s the gain? I’m not going to go to prison for something I didn’t do.”

“No, but you’re gonna look really bad until it’s all sorted out. Wait until the press gets a hold of this.”

Mason groaned. “I don’t need this right now.”

“I’m going to start looking over Morales’s shoulder on Josie’s case and asking some questions. Something is very wrong there.”

“What’ve Morales and Hunsinger been saying in the office?”

“Not a word. But I’ve been swamped, so I haven’t seen them for more than thirty seconds. I’m kinda enjoying working with Makitalo on his cases. He’s quiet and mellow.”