Chapter Twenty-Four
Honor’s Edge Investigations Office
Sam stepped into the back room of her office building. She found she really hated being here without Nate. There was something about the ranch where she could spend full minutes pretending Nate was just somewhere else. Not rotting in a jail cell.
But here, she could only think about where he was and worry about how he was doing. Fume over the fact she hadn’t been approved as a visitor, and at the same time be guiltily relieved that she didn’t have to see him like that just yet.
Which didn’t help her find a murderer.
Maybe this would, whatever it was. Cal had sounded grim more than excited, so she didn’t hold out much hope as she strode inside.
Cal was waiting in the main offices, pacing the room.
He was strung tighter than usual, just as he had been last night.
Sam and Aly had chalked it up to some weird vibes between him and Jill, but now Sam wondered if this pushback in discovery and whatever he wanted to look at the footage for was more dire.
“So, what is this all about?” Sam asked by way of greeting.
She tossed her purse on her desk and then settled into the seat, booting up her desktop.
“I was heading down to the diner this morning when I came across Jake loitering outside.”
Sam looked from the computer screen to Cal for a minute. She narrowed her eyes. “Did he say why?”
“He claimed he wanted to talk to me, but it just … felt off. Didn’t add up. Especially when all he did was warn me that you’re walking on thin ice.”
“I’d like to toss him onto some thin ice,” she muttered. She opened the client for her security system, thinking about Jake warning Cal about anything. “And just where does he get off warning anyone about anything? He doesn’t give two shits about us, clearly.”
“Yeah, well, that’s why I’m saying it didn’t sit right. Something else is going on.”
“Why is something else always going on? Why is he so deep in all this shit? It doesn’t make any sense. I’d like to—”
“Sam. Focus. Security footage.”
She growled, but she sucked in an attempt at a calming breath and let it out while she brought up the footage from the front camera this morning. Cal came to stand behind her, and they watched it fast forward until someone appeared.
A woman. Sam slowed it back down and immediately recognized her. “That’s Olivia Underwood. The friend Jules was staying with when she died.” Sam checked her phone. No call, text, or email from Olivia that she’d missed. Why had the woman come down…
All thoughts left her head as Jake Hayes appeared on the screen, approaching Olivia.
“What the fuck is he doing?” she muttered.
She wished she had some kind of sound on her footage, but she could only watch as they talked. The conversation wasn’t super long, but Olivia definitely didn’t like what she’d heard. No doubt Jake had told her someone had been arrested, and probably the connection Sam had to him.
Sam swore. She’d forgotten all about letting Olivia know about the developments because she’d been so focused on Nate. It wasn’t going to help her credibility any, but surely … surely Sam could do damage control.
“I’ll call her. Say I saw I missed her. She’ll understand. She’ll tell me what they talked about at least.” Sam looked up the number, dialed.
It rang. And rang. Then went to voicemail.
Olivia was probably just busy, but this didn’t sit right. “Hey, Olivia. It’s Sam Price at Honor’s Edge. I’d love it if you could give me a call back soon as you get the chance. There’s … I’ve got some updates on the case and a few questions to ask.”
She had a very bad feeling she wasn’t going to hear from Olivia. Certainly not quickly. Jake wasn’t going to tell Sam what they discussed, even if she demanded him to. And if he did? Would she be able to trust he was telling the truth?
“I don’t like this, Sam. The way he’s lurking. Maybe it pisses him off more, but I’m leaning toward suggesting you file a complaint. Maybe it does nothing, but it sends a message.”
Sam rubbed a hand over her face. “Maybe.” But she wasn’t thinking about complaints.
She was thinking about what Jake Hayes must know. And the only way to get to the bottom of that. She swiveled in her chair to face Cal.
There was only one option, and he wasn’t going to like it. She considered not telling him. Doing this in secret.
Alone.
But that wasn’t teamwork. That wasn’t the best course of action to get Nate out.
“Cal, I know you’re not going to approve, but I only have one option.”
He eyed her. “I doubt that.”
“Hayes is involved in this too deep. Why was he at my house yesterday? Why was he here this morning? There are too many damn whys.”
“Agreed, that’s why you should file a complaint.”
“A complaint won’t do shit.”
“Sure, but…”
“But what?” Sam demanded.
Cal sighed, all world-weary and exhausted. “Sam, if you get arrested…”
“I’m not going to do anything illegal.” She looked away from him then, because she wasn’t planning on doing anything illegal, but that didn’t mean she’d be above it should the situation arise. “I’m going to do my job.”
“Which is?”
“Investigate. And sometimes investigating requires a little … following.” She got to her feet. She had surveillance equipment in the back storage closet.
“Stalking?” Cal said, following her into the back.
“Potato. Potahto.” Sam waved it away. “And in this case, he did it first.”
“I’m not sure I can get you out of criminal charges if your defense is he did it first.”
Sam shrugged. “So what?” She unlocked the closet door.
She’d want a zoom lens for her camera. An extra battery pack for her phone. Would there be any opportunity to plant some kind of listening device somewhere?
Cal sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Look, maybe you don’t care if you get tossed in jail. I’m not even sure I care. But I know someone who does.”
She turned to face Cal and crossed her arms over her chest. Yeah, Nate would be upset by that, but what did it matter at this point? “Got any better ideas?”
He scrunched up his nose, took a deep breath and noisily let it out. “No.”
“Then I’m doing it.”