Brandon’s pulse kicked up a notch. “Tell her not to go.”

“I did.”

“If he knows she knows where to find him, that means he’s baiting her.”

“I know that. But she won’t listen to me! I’m on my way out there to try and intercept her.”

“You stay out of it. The police should handle it.”

“Yeah, no joke. That’s exactly why I’m calling you.”

Brandon stood up and looked around the bullpen. Where the hell was Antonio? He’d just been here a minute ago.

“Listen to me.” He grabbed his keys and headed for the stairwell. “You need to keep away from Mason Lloyd. He’s dangerous, and the situation could escalate.” He waited for her to agree. “Leigh?”

“I know.”

“You know Vanessa’s got a gun, right?”

Silence.

Damn it, she was still hiding shit from him.

“She bought a pistol from Jason on the night she disappeared,” he said.

“I’m aware of that.”

“The whole thing could go sideways, fast, and I don’t want you caught in the crossfire.”

“You think she might shoot him?”

“More likely he’d disarm her in about two seconds flat. She doesn’t know how to handle a gun, and Mason outweighs her by about eighty pounds. He’s a danger to her and to you. So is his brother.”

Brandon went down the stairs, passing a stream of patrol officers coming in for the late shift.

“Leigh? Are you listening?”

“Yeah, but what’s his brother got to do with anything?”

Brandon crossed the lobby, still looking for Antonio. “We think he may have been the one who attacked you at your office. I think he may have gone there looking for this stalker log.” He stepped outside into the chilly evening air. The streets were jammed with rush-hour traffic. “Do you understand what I’m saying, Leigh? Mason is dangerous. Investigators are closing in on him, and you and Vanessa don’t need to be knocking on his door.”

“I’m not going to. I’m going to intercept Vanessa and try to talk some sense into her.”

“How the hell do you even know where this lake house is?”

“Simple Internet search. It pops right up.”

Brandon cursed under his breath as he jogged across the street to the parking garage. He spotted Antonio crossing the intersection with a fast-food bag in hand. Brandon stopped to flag him down.

“You need to stay out of it,” he told her. “I’m on my way. Don’t get involved in a confrontation with them.”

“I don’t plan to,” she said.

Which wasn’t the same thing as saying she wouldn’t, and she damn well knew it.

“Leigh, listen—”

“I have to go now, Brandon. I’ll call you when I find her.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT