Chapter 46
CHAPTER 46
O live remained sitting in Reid’s office as she thought through what Tevin had just told them.
So Lucy had somehow connected with Andy. Maybe she was trying to convince him to help her out in acquiring this property. In fact, maybe he was the one who put that document in the attic.
But who had killed Andy? Was Lucy truly behind all this? Even Andy’s death? Had he turned on her, so she’d lashed out and killed him?
Olive had a hard time believing that. Lucy didn’t seem like a cold-blooded killer. Save the animals, but human death is okay? Did those two thoughts even fit together?
Not in theory.
They still had some details to think through before all the pieces fit.
“Can I see that video again of the man Jon and Edgar met with in the woods?” Olive asked.
Tevin sat in the chair beside her and put his laptop on his lap. “Of course. I can pull it up now.”
“Is there a way you can cast it to the TV?” She nodded to a screen perched in the corner.
“I should be able to do that.” Tevin continued to look at the screen and tap on the keyboard. “Just give me one . . . little . . . second.”
Reid grabbed the TV remote and flipped the power on.
A moment later, the video began playing.
Reid glanced up at the TV from behind his desk. “Is there something specific you want us to see?”
“I want to examine the footage again, except this time on a bigger screen,” Olive said. “Plus, you never saw it, did you?”
“No, I didn’t. I only heard what you told me about it.”
“There’s got to be a way we can connect all these dots,” Olive said. “If we can figure out who this man is in the video, then maybe we will.”
They finally reached the part of the footage where the black truck pulled up and the man in the Stetson stepped out.
“Pause it here.” Olive’s voice rose with tension.
Tevin did as she asked.
“You can barely see the glimpse of the man’s face here.” Olive stood and pointed at the man with the hat on. “Is there any way to enlarge it?”
“It’s going to lose some of its quality,” Tevin murmured. “But let me see what I can do.”
He did just that.
The image on the screen was distorted. But a new detail appeared that Olive hadn’t noticed before. A detail that could mean something.
Before she could say anything about it, Reid flew to his feet, hands fisted at his sides. “I know exactly who that is.”
Then he stormed from the office.
Olive rose to her feet.
He’d recognized one of his guys in that video. Olive thought she knew which one.
But she needed to stop him before he did something he might regret.
“Reid!” Olive called after him.
He didn’t stop. Instead, he charged outside, a man on a mission.
Olive turned back to Tevin and said over her shoulder, “Let the sheriff know that something’s up.”
Tevin nodded and grabbed his phone. “On it!”
Olive took off, scrambling to catch up with Reid.
Before she could reach him, he barged into the feed barn.
A few seconds later, Olive rushed inside, the scent of hay and dirt rising around her.
She glanced ahead and saw that Reid already had Cooper by the shirt collar and pressed against the wall.
“How could you do this to me?” Reid demanded.
“What are you talking about?” Cooper sounded half respectful and half outraged as if still contemplating which reaction he wanted to go with.
“You’ve been working with those two goons who’ve been after us,” Reid said. “The ones who killed Andy.”
Olive stood where she was, her muscles bristled and ready to act if necessary.
“I still don’t know what you’re talking about.” Cooper shook his head.
Reid pressed him harder into the wall. “Stop lying to me.”
“Reid, you’re one of my closest friends?—”
“Don’t give me that!” Reid snapped. “Don’t pretend I’m your friend while you secretly stab me in the back.”
Cooper opened his mouth again, and Olive expected him to deny Reid’s statement.
Instead, he remained quiet.
“You better start talking,” Reid said.
As he said that, Olive texted Tevin and Trick.
If Cooper really was behind part of this, then it was time to call in backup—before things turned even uglier.
“Why?” Reid released Cooper, but the man remained against the wall as if locked in place. “Why would you do this?”
“It’s not what you think. Andy was never supposed to get hurt. He just pushed a little too hard. Was a little too nosy.”
“What does that mean?” Reid growled.
“It’s complicated.”
“Why don’t you be a man and own up to what you did? Stop making excuses.”
“How about everyone stops making excuses,” a new voice said.
Olive stiffened as she recognized who the voice belonged to.