The Second Life of Nick Mason (Nick Mason #1)(50)

“Hello, whose dog is this?” It was Diana from somewhere behind him.

“This is Diana,” Mason said. “She manages the restaurant.”

Lauren looked up at Diana as she came down the stairs. “Um, hello,” she said.

Diana gave Mason a look and reached out to shake Lauren’s hand.

“This is Lauren,” Mason said. “She works at the pet store over on Grant Street.”

The two women eyed each other closely.

“I see,” Diana said with a cool smile. “And this is her dog?”

“No,” Mason said. “Max is mine.”

“That’s interesting,” Diana said. “Were you planning to tell me?”

Mason got quiet. Both women stood there, watching him.

“Can we step outside for a moment?” Mason said to Lauren. Then to Diana, “Excuse us, please.”

He guided Lauren outside to the sidewalk.

“I’m working at her restaurant,” he said. “I haven’t found a new place yet.”

“I’m sorry, Nick. I shouldn’t have come here.”

“I’m glad you’re here,” he said, trying to keep his voice cool and even. He’d been working so hard to follow his rule about keeping his personal life and his professional life separate, a rule that seemed more vital now than ever. Even if it was more and more impossible. Having Lauren here at the town house and, hell, having her meet Diana . . . This did not belong on the program.

“I got a lot of stuff going on today,” he said. “Would you mind looking after Max for a while longer? I don’t want to leave him here all day alone.”

“I could probably do that.”

“I’ll try to stop by your place tonight. It might be late.”

Lauren looked at him carefully. “You’re gonna call me first, right?”

“Yes,” he said. Then he went back in to collect Max, who already seemed interested in the pool. Diana just stood there, watching him. By the time he got Max back downstairs, the garage door was open and Diana was already driving off in her BMW.

“That’s your roommate,” Lauren said as she watched the car disappear down the street.

“Like I said—”

She put a hand up to stop him. “You don’t owe me any more explanation, Nick. I’ll see you later.”

She gave him a quick kiss and he could feel the hesitation even then. But then she smiled and got in the car with Max.

Mason let out a long breath and went back inside to get cleaned up for the day. A few minutes later, he was in the Camaro on his way to the restaurant. He hadn’t gotten the chance to talk to Diana about the cars, but he noticed when he got there that she had parked in back of the building again. There were no parking spots on the street, but when he went in the side lot he got the space closest to the street. Anyone coming by would see the car there.

He went inside and found her in the kitchen.

“Lauren seems like a lovely girl,” she said to him. “And Max seems like a great dog. I’m sure you’ll be very happy together.”

“How much trouble are we in?”

“You’re lucky I love dogs,” she said, handing him the keys to the BMW.

Mason left the kitchen. He was still shaking his head when he got into her car. Then he settled back in the seat and his assignment came back to him. An almost smile left his face as he started the car and headed out into the day.

When he got to Fuller Park, both of Harris’s cars were parked in front of the house. One car had spent the night there. The other must have arrived in the morning to pick up the woman. He watched her come out and leave in that car. Harris was back to one driver and two bodyguards.

They all got in their car and left.

He followed them through the South Side again. It was a different set of businesses today, including the barbershop and the restaurant from Mason’s original list that they hadn’t hit the day before, but it was the same routine. Go in and pay a quick visit, Harris carrying his laptop. There was one laundromat where Mason could actually see in through the window. Harris sitting there at a table with the laptop open, the manager sitting down next to him. The bodyguards standing by, looking serene. Harris gave the man a hug when he stood up, then he and the bodyguards came out and got in the car and went on to the next business.

By the end of the afternoon, Mason had put in another long day of watching. He was starting to worry that they’d eventually clock him. You can only trail a man for so long, no matter how well you do it, before he turns around and takes a good look at you.

The next stop was different. They headed back north, over the river, and parked by a little coffee shop near Homan Square. The three men got out and went inside. Mason saw Harris sitting at a table with two strangers. His bodyguards were at a separate table nearby. Half an hour later, all five men came out together. Mason got his first good look at the men Harris had been meeting with. They were both wearing dark suits. One man was older and acted like he was in charge of the whole meeting. His hair was cut close, so fair it was almost white, and there was something almost paternal about the way he put his arm around Harris’s shoulders. There probably weren’t too many men around who did that.

Mason had seen enough cops in his life. These were definitely cops.

They stood outside on the sidewalk for a few minutes. Then the two cops got into a black Audi and drove away. Harris and his men kept talking for a moment. Their friendly smiles were long gone. Then they got into their car and left.