Page 60 of Before the Night Falls
Tyson looked confused. “Get what?”
“The mask!” Her voice rose in panic. “The Casanova mask!”
He stepped forward to look inside the box.
Then he turned back to her, concern etched across his features. “I don’t know where that came from.”
He led her to the couch and lowered her there. Then he called for Hobbes.
His assistant rushed into the room. “Yes?”
“Do you know where that mask came from?”
Hobbes glanced in the direction Tyson pointed. His face went still, and then he shook his head. “I’ve never seen it before.”
“How would someone get inside to leave it there?”
“I have no idea,” Hobbes admitted.
“Call security and look at the footage. I want answers.”
“Yes, sir.”
Tyson turned back to Olivia. “I didn’t know it was there. I promise.”
Olivia nodded, believing him.
But how had someone gotten inside to leave that mask? To send her that reminder of what had happened? And, most likely, of what was going to happen?
“I’m sorry, Olivia,” Tyson murmured.
The tenderness in his tone nearly broke her. She wanted to tell him everything—about the mask, about Paul’s call, about her fears that Brian Elliot hadn’t been The Admirer after all.
But she couldn’t form the words. Not yet.
Instead, she straightened her shoulders and stood. “I feel like I should lie down.”
“Olivia.” Tyson took a step toward her, then stopped himself. The restraint was visible in every line of his body. “You’re not facing this alone. Not anymore.”
For one wild moment, she wanted to cross the space between them, to feel his arms around her, to believe that safety was possible again.
But she knew better.
Getting close to Tyson would only complicate things—for both of them.
“Thank you.” Her voice cracked. “For understanding.”
“Always.” The word felt like a promise neither of them was ready to make.
As she headed upstairs, Olivia couldn’t shake the image of the mask from her mind.
The roses were counting down. Six would be next.
And after that, four. Then two.
And finally, one.
Then this guy—or this imitator—would grab her.
