“Shit. What was the note? You said it was under the dog dish? That’s fucked up.”

“Yeah, it said he doesn’t leave ransom notes.”

Ray snorted.

“And I can’t find the dog. He didn’t eat his dinner last night.”

“You think he took the dog?” Ray was incredulous. “It’s a stray, right? Maybe it went home.”

“I’ve got a bad feeling about it.” Mason had a gut-wrenching pain at the thought of the innocent animal being abused simply because it had been coming around his house.

“I doubt he took your dog. But the bat . . . that’s crazy. Does that mean . . .” Ray trailed off, and Mason could almost hear the gears grinding in his head. “He implies with the dog note that he took Henley? And before that, he took your bat and murdered Josie? There can’t be two different people who decided to pay your house a visit.”

“I know,” said Mason. “It’s linking Josie’s murder and me to Henley’s case.”

“That doesn’t make sense. There’s no common element between Josie and Henley.”

“Not yet.”

“What’s the FBI think?” Ray asked.

“They’re wondering what the connection is. Same as we are.” Mason swallowed hard. “What are they saying about me downtown, Ray?” He shouldn’t care. It shouldn’t matter what a bunch of cops were whispering behind his back.

But it did.

He’d spent nearly twenty-five years as a cop. He had the soul of a cop. He’d lost his wife and most of his relationship with his son because he’d put the job first. His integrity as a person and a detective was all he had left. If that was ripped away . . .

“Christ, I don’t know.”

“Yes, you do. What’s going around?”

Ray was silent for five seconds. “Everyone is stunned, but no one is believing it. Sure, there’s evidence that you were there, but it doesn’t prove that you did anything to hurt Josie. The guys are behind you, Mason.”

Mason exhaled, feeling mildly dizzy from holding his breath.

“I’m doing what I can, Mason. I’m pushing for every scrap of evidence to be reexamined. I’ve talked to the techs, making certain things were handled correctly. So far, everything seems on the up and up, but I’m fighting for you.”

“Thanks. That really means something.” It did.

“You talk to the union?” Ray asked.

“Someone has called twice and left a message for me to call them back.”

“Call them back!”

“I don’t have time. I don’t want to deal with that right now. I’m trying to stay focused on Henley,” Mason argued. He didn’t want to talk to the union rep. He had no patience for bureaucracy.

“They’ll keep an eye on the investigation. You need to let them know you were placed on administrative leave.”

“I think they know,” Mason said dryly. The first voice mail from a union rep had come an hour after Schefte had taken his gun. He figured Schefte had informed them.

“This is your job, Mason.”

It’s my life. Without my job, I’ve got nothing. “Yeah, tell me something I don’t know.”

“They’ll be knocking on your door if you don’t call them back.”

“I’ll talk with them then. You see the newspaper this morning?”

“Yes, Jill showed it to me. At least your name isn’t in it.”

“But for how long? That article just screams for some deeper questions,” Mason said.

“No one downtown will give a reporter your name.”

Mason snorted. “Sure they will. I can think of at least three guys who’d love to see me miserable.”

“You need to learn to be nicer to people. No more burning your bridges when someone pisses you off.”

“I’m not very good at turning the other cheek,” Mason admitted.

“No shit. Don’t worry about it. If it happens, it happens. You’ll be cleared eventually.”

“After they call for my head to be mounted on a pole.” Mason rubbed his forehead. Maybe it was time to retire. A quiet little cabin at the coast or up on Mt. Hood. Somewhere there weren’t any people.

He’d be bored out of his brain in a month.

“What’s Schefte’s position?” Mason asked, not certain that he wanted to hear the answer.

“He’s walking the line. Doing everything by the book.”

“I know that. But what’s he saying?”

“Nothing.”

“Shit.”

“I know. I’d expect him to at least tell people not to jump to conclusions. He’s been strangely silent on the whole thing. I tried to ask him about it, and he told me it wasn’t any of my business and to get back to work.” Ray was angry. “If my partner isn’t my business, then what is?”

“Thanks, man.” Mason didn’t know what to think of Schefte’s reaction. Was there someone higher up that was pressuring him? Telling him to keep his mouth shut? “What about IA?” Internal Affairs hadn’t approached him yet, but it was inevitable.

“If they’re poking around, I haven’t heard or seen anything yet.”

“They will.”

“All they’ll find is that you didn’t kill anyone. We all know it, Mason.”

“Yeah, but why do I have to prove that I didn’t do it? That’s not how it’s supposed to work.” He exhaled. “This is sucking the life out of me. I don’t know what I’ll do if . . .”