Page 53 of Mason

“She doesn’t know how to play, but we can teach her.” Mason pulled up the other chair in the room and urged Jo to sit. “Kade, go find two more chairs.”

For the next three hours, Jo sat and learned to play poker. It was a lot of fun, and she laughed at the guys when they got all competitive. She had no idea a game of cards could elicit such foul language from three grown men, but they did keep her entertained.

Two men came into the room, and Jo looked up. She didn’t know either of them, but guessing from the cheap suits they wore, she’d peg them as police.

“Jo, this is Detectives Archer and Harper.”

“Ms. Maxwell,” Archer greeted her. “We’re sorry to have to drag you down here on your birthday, but it was necessary. Has Mason filled you in on what is going on?”

Jo nodded. “I saw my bank account balance and nearly had a heart attack.”

“I can imagine,” he said. “We do have some questions for you, though.”

All three of the brothers bristled, and she waved them down. “Of course.”

“Do you know anyone who might hold a grudge against you? One who would go through all the trouble of trying to frame your boyfriend for embezzling money from his fraternity and then transferring said money into your account?”

“No.” She didn’t even have to think about it. “I’m new to New York and have a handful of friends. As far as I know, I haven’t made anyone angry with me.”

“Except for your ex,” Harper interjected.

Jo frowned, not liking his tone. “Well, yes. Ray was upset when we broke up, but he wouldn’t do this. When it comes to computers, he knows how to access email and Google. That’s about it.”

“Does he know anyone who would know how to hack a computer?”

“I don’t know.” She wasn’t talking to Ray these days, and she had no idea if he’d made those kinds of friends or not.

“So, it’s possible he could have had a friend or even hired someone to do this?”

“I guess, but I don’t think so. He wouldn’t do something to get me arrested.”

“Men who have been spurned can do things we never thought possible.”

She decided then and there she didn’t like Detective Harper. He just rubbed her the wrong way.

“You owe quite a bit in medical bills, yes?” Harper continued.

Mason stopped her from answering. “Jo has nothing to do with this, and I won’t let you badger her.”

“She has quite a bit to do with this, as we’ve told you before,” Harper said, his tone hard. “If you can’t let me ask her questions, I’ll have you escorted out.”

“In that case, I think it’s time we called a lawyer for Mason and Jo.” Kade’s expression went from neutral to nuclear in two-point-five seconds. Jo was a little awed. “We came here so you could make it look like you were investigating them, not so you actually could. We’ve already established they’re not guilty—”

“You’ve established that,” Harper interrupted. “I haven’t. I’m investigating all leads, including both of them.”

“Then they won’t be answering any questions until their counsel arrives.”

“Are you sure you want to play it like this, Kincaid?” Harper stared Kade down. “It would be better for everyone if they simply answered our questions.”

Kade smiled, but it wasn’t at all friendly. “You forget I was FBI. A suspect should never answer any questions without his attorney present, and once an attorney has been requested, all police questioning will stop until counsel arrives.”

Harper’s lips thinned, but he left without another word. Archer shot Kade an apologetic grimace and followed him out.

“He thinks we did this?” Jo burst out as soon as the door closed.

Kade looked over at the mirror. “I think we shouldn’t discuss this further until your attorney arrives.”

“I don’t have one.”

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