Open Case File [COMPLETED]

No Turning Back (Part 3)

Because it was asked for and your wish is my never ending delight. (Also it's part of the Carter Faking Her Death saga)

Also it's kinda short, sorry about that. If you have an issue take it up with management.

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Mason pressed his hands into the countertop, watching as the coffee dripped into the pot. The house remained quiet around him, Yvette visiting her parents for the day. Though he'd never say it, Mason found Yvette's decision to visit her parents only four days after he settled back into their house a bit odd.

But that was fine. His wife could do what she wanted. He was simply happy to be back in their bed. The cabin in the woods had been terrible. Also keeping Carter company for long stretches of time could get to a person. Best to be home.

Mason's phone beeped behind him and he snatched it up.

Carter: He's on his way over.

In an instant, Mason cataloged how fast he could pack all the necessary things he needed and escape the house.

Could he use the back door as a further precaution against being seen and tracked? He'd have to leave his phone, which could be traced. Could he get to his car in time? But his license plate could be tracked as well. What was the likelihood that he could steal a car and make it far enough away before police noted the stolen plates?

Someone knocked on the front door and Mason swore.

Sure Carter had warned him, but without an adequate amount of time.

He hated her. Forget what he admitted in the cabin to her, he took it all back. He hated Carter Owens.

When Mason peered through the peephole, his heart seized in his chest. How could one man look so utterly terrifying while simply standing there?

For a second, Mason debated again whether it was worth the risk of running to the back of the house and escaping that way.

"Mason."

Even through the door, Mason heard the tone of command in Donovan's voice.

There was no escaping this. There had to be a way to escape this. There wasn't. He knew this.

Swearing violently in his mind, Mason opened the door.

"If you're going to punch me can you give me a warning," Mason said. "I feel like not knowing would hurt more."

Donovan stepped inside and Mason stepped back.

"I'm not going to punch you, Mason."

"You aren't?"

"I'm not certain if I'm going to punch you or not."

Why did that feel more disconcerting to Mason than if Donovan had announced that he was going to punch Mason? Maybe it was the fact that if Donovan didn't know, when he made up his mind the punch would come out of nowhere, possibly while one of them was speaking.

Ten minutes, Owens couldn't have given him ten minutes warning that Donovan was on the hunt.

"Yvette isn't here," Mason said.

Why'd he admit that? So Donovan knew murder was an option because there'd be no one to walk in on the crime.

"I know," Donovan said.

He knew? If he knew that...

Planned, all of this was planned. Owens and his wife had orchestrated all of this.

He knew he never should have married a beautiful smart woman. That was his downfall, falling for a woman who knew what needed to happen to make relationships mend and made it happen.