Chapter 26
“I hate to be the new employee who needs things right away,” Tyler said as he stepped into the compound, seeing Logan near Mary’s desk. He rubbed the back of his neck.
Logan looked up, his expression instantly at ease. “Don’t worry about it. And for the record, this is your place now. Your place of business, your coworkers, your base. Any time you need to be here, Tyler, you come.”
Gratitude flooded Tyler’s chest at being included so easily, so completely. Nodding, he said, “Thanks. I appreciate that. More than you know.”
True to her efficient reputation, Mary already had his employee ID badge and key card ready. She slid them across the counter with a warm smile.
“You’re all set, Tyler. This gives you full access to the cleared areas. If you have any trouble with the card, let me know.”
“Thank you, Mary,” he said, meaning it.
Following Logan, he moved through security and stepped into the main room. It was quieter than before since several of the Keepers were out on missions. But those who were around looked up and greeted him immediately.
“Hey, man, how’s Justice and her dad?” Sadie asked, concern softening her usually no-nonsense tone.
Tyler walked closer, pulling up a chair at the long table where some of them were gathered. “Jack’s hanging in there. He’s strong. But Justice…” He exhaled slowly. “She’s carrying the weight of worrying about him, running the shop, dealing with the vandalism, and trying to keep her people steady.”
Sadie nodded knowingly. “That’s a lot.”
“It is,” Tyler agreed. He ran a hand over his jaw. “I wondered if we caught anything on the security feeds. I don’t expect anyone here to work it personally. But if you can show me how, I’ll go through them myself.”
Cory waved him over from a bank of monitors along one wall. “Come on. I’ve been working on it. I can show you what we have so far.”
Tyler didn’t hesitate. He slid into the chair next to Cory and leaned forward, his attention immediately drawn to the screen.
“I’ll warn you, though,” Cory said as he clicked through some footage, “we’re not getting much from McClay’s security setup. The cameras are decent inside the garage bays and the reception. But outside? Not so much.”
Tyler narrowed his eyes at the blurry feed now playing. A shadowy figure moved along the edge of the property, their form hunched, a hood pulled low, and a medical mask hiding the lower half of their face.
“Dammit,” Tyler muttered, his fists clenching. It was worse than he’d hoped but exactly what he feared. “Can’t even tell if it’s old or young, male or female.”
“Exactly,” Cory said grimly.
From across the room, Todd chimed in. “The detective working the case will definitely check where Jordy and Debbie McClay were last night.”
Tyler nodded. “Justice is certain they’re the only ones with a grudge deep enough to do this.”
Cole walked over, arms crossed loosely over his chest. “But what’s their motivation?” he asked, his brow furrowed.
Tyler opened his mouth to respond automatically, but then paused. Cole’s question deserved a real answer, not just a quick assumption.
He thought back to the story Justice had shared with him late one night, her voice tight with emotion as she explained the family fractures.
“They think they were cheated,” Tyler said finally, his voice low.
“Jack inherited the business. Jordy got a payout, but he spent it. Now he’s angry that Jack still has something valuable. ”
Cole rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “If they want money, though… why damage the business? Seems backward. You’d think they’d want it to stay profitable, at least if they were hoping to strong-arm some kind of payout later.”
Tyler leaned back slightly, considering Cole’s point before answering. “How often do you find someone motivated by greed actually thinking through their actions?”
Todd chuckled, low and knowing. “Not very often. Sure, we’ve dealt with smart criminals before.
People who made their fortunes by being cold and calculating.
But from what little I’ve heard about Jordy and Debbie?
They sound like the type to lash out. More adolescent behavior than the adults they are. ”
“You said the magic word—adolescent,” Frazier said, stepping closer. “Could this just be a stupid prank? Some kid or a group of kids making a dumb decision?”
Tyler didn’t answer right away. He turned his gaze back to the paused security footage, studying the blurred figure on the screen. Sadie had already zoomed and sharpened it as much as she could, but it was still too distorted to discern much about the person.
Cory tapped a few keys, and the video sprang to life again.
“Look at how they throw,” Sadie said, frowning at the screen. “I hate saying this because it sounds sexist, but… it looks like they’re throwing like a girl.”
Her words drew a few more Keepers over, curiosity pulling them closer.
Cory backed up the video and played it again in slow motion.
They watched the figure step into the frame, lift an arm, and toss a brick toward the window.
Then they stooped, picked up the bottle, and lit the fuse before throwing it through the shattered glass.
They didn’t have a clear enough view of how the figure walked or stood. Nothing concrete. Nothing helpful.
“You’re thinking someone would throw it like a baseball,” Todd said, his arms crossed as he leaned closer to the screen. “But they just kind of lobbed it… enough to smash the window, but not with any real power behind it.”
Tyler stared at the screen, frustrated. He couldn’t tell if the throw suggested a man, a woman, or just someone not used to throwing at all. A low rumble of dissatisfaction built in his chest and vibrated through him.
“Justice said there haven’t been any client complaints,” he muttered. “No issues with the work, no bad reviews, no former employees holding a grudge. And all their current staff are loyal.”
“And the police aren’t reporting any other vandalized businesses nearby?” Todd asked.
Tyler looked over at Sadie, who shook her head immediately.
“That’s one of the first things I checked,” she said. “Nothing. It’s quiet.”
Tyler scrubbed a hand down his face. “I’m gonna head into town. Buy more security cameras. Better ones. Where’s the best place to get those around here?”
He was startled when a ripple of chuckles spread around the room.
He blinked, caught off guard, until Logan walked over and clapped a hand on his shoulder.
“The best place to get security gear is right here,” Logan said, grinning.
“We all use the same setups in our homes. Top of the line. I was actually going to talk to you about getting yours installed soon. And since Justice is now part of your watch, along with her shop, we’ll get her taken care of, too. In truth, she’s ours, too.”
For a second, Tyler couldn’t process the generous offer. But he wasn’t about to refuse… Justice and her dad were worth it.
But Logan must have read the hesitation in his eyes because he shook his head firmly. “There’s no charge. It’s part of being a Keeper. Protecting your family and your people is who we are.”
Tyler exhaled, the air leaving his lungs in a rush. He met Logan’s steady gaze, feeling something stronger than gratitude rise inside him. “Thank you,” he said roughly. “For… everything.”
Logan smiled, slow and sure. “The longer you’re a Keeper, the more you’ll understand what that means.” He clapped Tyler on the back. “Consider this your employee welcome present.”
Cory walked over, Todd close behind, both of them wearing easy, determined grins.
“We’re both going to help you,” Cory said. “The job’ll go faster since we’ve got two houses and a business to set up. Plus, we can give you some tips on what you’ll need where.”
“Let’s do Justice’s house and the business today. Mine can wait until tomorrow,” Tyler said.
“Bert’s pulling the gear right now,” Todd added.
Overwhelmed and deeply grateful, Tyler tossed out a heartfelt, “Thank you,” to the group. Not just for their help but for making him feel like he wasn’t alone in any of this.
He followed Cory and Todd down the hall to the supply area where Bert waited, organizing the equipment.
Two hours later, the three men headed out, armed with a full array of top-tier security systems. The back of their vehicle was filled with pro wireless cameras for outdoor use, featuring long-range night vision and facial clarity at a distance.
They had door and window sensors with a smart control hub, indoor cameras to cover key areas, and motion-activated floodlights with high-resolution cameras for the shop perimeter.
As Bert had explained, everything was tamper-resistant, rugged, and durable.
Now standing inside Jack and Justice’s living room, Tyler spread out the equipment on the coffee table and explained what they were installing.
Jack leaned heavily against the arm of the couch, studying it all with a frown. “I hate like hell to think this is necessary,” he grumbled. He scratched his chin and then added, “You need to let me know what the cost is for here and down at the shop.”
Tyler shook his head slightly. “I don’t think that’s gonna be necessary, Jack. But I’ll bring it up with Logan.”
Jack’s mouth tightened, but he nodded. “Since I have a contract with Logan for the helicopter inspections, I’ll talk to him, too. It’s not that I don’t appreciate everything you all are doing. I just hate the idea of anyone spending money because of my brother’s foolishness.”
“You know,” Tyler said, trying to offer a little comfort, “we couldn’t identify whoever vandalized the shop. It might not have been him.”
Jack gave a sharp bark of laughter, no humor in it. “Well, he called me this morning. Right after the detectives talked to him. Swore up and down that he and Debbie didn’t have anything to do with it. Then gave me an earful for even thinking about it.”