Chapter 7 Holt
HOLT
The Sandpiper Shores Police Station felt different when Holt walked through the front doors carrying boxes from Teacups.
Maybe it was the weight of what they were about to do, or maybe it was the knowledge that someone within these walls might be working against them.
Either way, the familiar building that had always represented safety and justice in his hometown now felt like potentially hostile territory.
Rad appeared from the back offices as they entered, his expression immediately shifting to professional alertness when he saw the serious looks on their faces.
"Perfect timing. We have a way to create a distraction so your father can do what he has to do," June told him.
"We're going to have a conference with all the staff to discuss the fires.
Everyone needs to stay vigilant, and you can lead the conversation, touching on key points about what they should be looking out for. "
Rad glanced toward Tom's empty office, then back at them. "Shouldn't Chief Morrison be handling this kind of briefing?"
Holt saw the uncomfortable uncertainty in his son's expression and felt a familiar surge of protective pride. Rad was trying to follow proper protocol while also trusting that his father had good reasons for the unusual request.
"There are reasons I can't discuss that require Chief Morrison to keep his distance for a while," Holt said carefully. "So you'll need to run with this for now."
"Okay," Rad said, stepping forward without hesitation, and Holt couldn't help but feel proud of his son's willingness to take on responsibility. He glanced at June, noting the approval in her expression as she watched Rad accept the challenge.
"June will be right beside you to help steer you clear of any pitfalls or prevent you from giving away too much information," Holt continued. "Whatever the two of you do, keep everyone away from their stations until I step back into the conference room."
He handed the Teacups boxes to his son. "And save me one of those cupcakes."
"Dad, really?" Rad said, his eyebrows rising in the expression that reminded Holt so much of his own mother. "You're recovering from a bullet wound, and you want to eat sugar-loaded cupcakes?"
"So now I can't have a cupcake?" Holt replied, letting a note of dangerous warning creep into his voice.
"I've been listening to everything you've told me about taking care of my health lately.
" His eyes narrowed with mock menace. "But trust me, nothing is going to stop me from having one of Margo's cupcakes. "
Rad sighed heavily and shook his head. "Fine. But if you get heartburn or your blood sugar spikes..." He shrugged. "Don't look to me for sympathy."
Holt rolled his eyes as June laughed beside him. The sound was warm and familiar, bringing back memories of countless similar exchanges during their marriage when she'd mediated between him and various authority figures who questioned his choices.
"I'll save you a cupcake," June promised, still smiling. "Now help us get everyone into the conference room." She craned her neck, looking toward the back offices. "Tom doesn't seem to be in his office."
"He's been out since we got back from Lacey's accident scene," Rad told them. "Said he had some business to take care of, and I haven't seen him since."
"Let me get started then," Holt said.
The next few minutes involved a careful choreography of casual conversation and strategic positioning.
June and Rad worked together to gather the staff members who were on duty, using the promise of fresh pastries and important case updates to lure everyone into the conference room.
Holt watched from the sidelines, noting how naturally his son and ex-wife fell into sync, their communication seamless despite having known each other for only a few days.
Once the conference room was full of chattering voices and the sounds of people enjoying Margo's baked goods, Holt slipped away toward the evidence lockup.
The door was locked, but that presented no real obstacle for someone with Holt's training. He disabled the security system with practiced efficiency, making mental notes about each step of the process to determine just how easy it was to break into the supposedly secure room.
As he worked, Holt thought about his conversation with Rad that morning.
His son had mentioned that the cameras in the evidence storage area had been malfunctioning for weeks.
When Rad had asked Tom about getting them repaired, Tom had explained that the system kept shorting out the building's electrical grid, so they'd been shut off until a technician could come from Gainesville to fix the problem.
It was remarkably convenient that the security cameras would malfunction just when evidence started disappearing.
Holt examined the evidence check-in logs, confirming what Rad had already told him.
Every item from Lacey's accident scene had been properly logged and secured in accordance with protocol.
There was no record of anyone checking the evidence out, which meant whoever had taken it either had administrative access to alter the logs or had bypassed the system entirely.
He located the storage area where Rad had placed the decoy evidence and quickly installed a small, high-resolution camera in a position that would capture anyone accessing that section.
The device was nearly invisible when properly positioned, and Holt used his phone to verify that the wireless connection was working correctly.
Moving quickly but carefully, he made his way back to the administrative offices.
The hallway was empty, giving him the opportunity to install cameras outside both his temporary office and Rad's office.
The devices were motion-activated and would record anyone entering or leaving the offices, providing a complete record of who had access to their investigation materials.
As he was finishing the installation outside Rad's office, footsteps in the hallway made him look up. Tom appeared around the corner, his expression puzzled as he took in the empty offices and quiet hallways.
"Where is everyone?" Tom asked, glancing around with a deep frown.
"In the conference room," Holt replied smoothly.
"June and Rad are updating everyone on the Henderson farm fire investigation.
Lacey wanted to know about any reports of displaced animals showing up in people's gardens, and June thought it would be good to ask if anyone has noticed strangers in town lately or someone who seems to turn up at every fire or crime scene. "
"Good thinking," Tom said, nodding approvingly. "I should have organized something like this myself. I was planning to..."
"I know," Holt said, understanding Tom's position. The police chief was caught between wanting to be involved in the investigation and recognizing that his family connections might compromise his objectivity. “I realize how hard this must be for you, Tom.”
"Did you find out anything useful today?" Tom asked, his voice carefully neutral.
"You know I can't share details yet, Tom," Holt said apologetically. "Federal investigation protocols."
"Of course," Tom replied, nodding, though Holt could see the frustration and worry in his eyes. After a moment, Tom stepped closer, his expression becoming more serious.
"Holt," he said quietly, "if it turns out that Clive was the one who hit Lacey.
.." He swallowed hard before continuing.
"Don't go easy on him because of who he is or his connection to my family.
That's not what the Morrison family stands for.
We've been upholding the law in this town for generations, and we've always held our own accountable when they deserved it.
" His jaw clenched with determination. "We live by the rule that no one is above the law, no matter their name or connections. "
Holt felt his admiration for Tom deepen. He'd known the man since they were children, and Tom had always demonstrated integrity and fairness, even when it cost him personally. This willingness to potentially prosecute his own family member only reinforced Holt's respect for him.
"I understand," Holt said sincerely. "And I appreciate you saying that. I promise you will be the first to know as soon as I have anything concrete to tell you.
“Thank you, Holt," Tom said with a tight smile.
“Why don’t you go and check in on the conference?” Holt suggested. “June is holding your staff in there with cupcakes and donuts from Teacups.”
Tom's expression lightened slightly, and he gestured toward the conference room. "Well, if June lured everyone in there with cupcakes and donuts from Margo's, I suppose I should go hear this update." He laughed softly. "After all, I am the police chief."
"You should definitely get in there before they're all gone," Holt agreed, leaning in conspiratorially.
As Tom disappeared down the hallway, Holt felt a pang of guilt about what he was doing.
Tom had been nothing but welcoming and cooperative throughout this investigation, and here Holt was installing surveillance equipment to spy on him.
But the missing evidence and the pattern of incidents targeting key people in the investigation couldn't be ignored.
Holt looked toward Tom's office, considering his options. Installing a camera inside would cross a line he wasn't comfortable with, but placing one in the hallway to monitor who went in and out of Tom’s office seemed like a reasonable precaution.
He quickly installed the device in a position that would capture anyone approaching Tom's office door, then made his way back toward the conference room.
As he approached, he could hear the animated discussion inside, with multiple voices talking over each other in the kind of enthusiastic speculation that happened when people felt they were contributing to something important.
Holt slipped back into the room and positioned himself near the back wall, watching as June and Rad managed the discussion with impressive skill.
June would pose questions that encouraged people to share observations without revealing sensitive information about the investigation, while Rad provided just enough official context to make everyone feel their input was valuable.
The easy rapport between them stirred something complex in Holt's chest. This was what their partnership could have been like if circumstances had been different. This was the kind of natural collaboration that came from mutual respect and shared goals.
And watching them work together, Holt couldn't help but think about what might have been.
Rad could have been their son, raised by both of them instead of growing up with only one parent.
He would have had June's quick intelligence and warm compassion to balance Holt's intensity and single-minded focus.
The thought was both comforting and painful, a reminder of all the choices that had led them to this moment where they were working together as colleagues instead of family.
"Excuse me," a voice said from the doorway, interrupting Holt's thoughts. "Sorry, I'm late for the update."
Clive Morrison appeared in the entrance, wearing his police uniform and carrying the slightly harried expression of someone who'd been dealing with minor emergencies.
"I was out at the Windsor place. The neighbor's kids were playing baseball in the street, and someone hit a home run right through Mr. Windsor's sunroom window again. "
A chorus of sympathetic groans rose from the assembled officers. Colin Windsor's property had been the target of errant baseballs for as long as anyone could remember, and dealing with his complaints was considered one of the more tedious aspects of patrol duty.
"So," Clive said, helping himself to a donut and settling into one of the empty chairs, "any news on who's been setting the fires?"
"We covered that topic already," Rad replied. "Jack can fill you in on what you missed. We've moved on to discussing Dr. Peltz's accident."
Holt kept his eyes focused on Clive throughout this exchange, watching for any telltale reactions.
When Rad mentioned Lacey's accident, he noticed Clive's shoulders tense almost imperceptibly.
It was a subtle response, but Holt's training had taught him to look for exactly those kinds of involuntary physical reactions.
Clive knew something about Lacey's accident. Holt was certain of it.
The question was whether that knowledge came from guilt about his own involvement or from covering for his mother. Either way, Clive Morrison had just moved to the top of Holt's suspect list.
As the discussion continued around him, Holt found himself dividing his attention between watching Clive's reactions and observing the continued partnership between June and Rad.
They had transformed what could have been a dry, official briefing into an engaging community discussion that made everyone feel invested in solving the case.
June caught his eye across the room and gave him a subtle nod, indicating that they'd successfully kept everyone occupied during his surveillance work.
The small gesture of understanding and partnership sent warmth through his chest, reminding him of all the ways they'd supported each other during their marriage.
But as he looked around the room at the assembled officers, Holt couldn't shake the feeling that they were surrounded by both allies and enemies, and the challenge would be figuring out which was which before someone else got hurt.
The surveillance equipment was in place, and soon they'd have answers about who was accessing sensitive areas of the building. Until then, everyone was a potential suspect, including people Holt had known and trusted for decades.
The thought was unsettling, but it was also motivating. Someone in Sandpiper Shores was willing to commit attempted murder to protect their secrets, and Holt intended to find out who it was before they succeeded in their plans.
Looking at June's determined expression as she fielded questions from the group, and seeing Rad's growing confidence as he handled his first major briefing, Holt felt a surge of protective determination.
He would solve this case, and he would keep his family and those he cared about safe.