In the parking lot of the Lockwood Group, Mason turned off the engine. Sitting in the car, he pondered for a moment and decided to call Zoe.

Zoe refused to answer.

Mason did not persist in making more calls. He leaned back on the leather seat and quietly lit a cigarette, contemplating whether Zoe was upset because of his rough treatment last night or because he left abruptly in the middle of the night. Zoe must have heard Ava’s words on the phone.

With one hand gripping his phone, he wondered