Chapter 30
The SUV idled in the far corner of Red Rocket Burgers, where the parking lot gravel gave way to dry weeds and empty soda cups. The sun was low and orange behind the hills, casting long shadows and bathing the cracked pavement in gold.
Laurel Snow sat in the back of her own SUV, wedged between Huck Rivers and Officer Tso. Walter was at the wheel, his gaze scanning every car that passed on the two-lane road in front of them. The windows were cracked, as the rain had finally let up.
Laurel picked at a cooling container of fries, more out of habit than hunger.
“Tell us about the labs,” Huck said, finishing his burger.
“We found yew tree derivatives in the lab,” she said, her voice low. “Mostly alkaloids with neuroprotective potential—early stage compounds. They’re testing them for dementia. Legit research, by the looks of it.”
Huck glanced at her. “Nothing that would hurt anyone?”
She shook her head. “No sign of human trials. No pathogens, no toxins, and nothing biohazardous was found. We discovered no trace evidence that connects to the deaths. The place was spotless.”
Huck chewed a fry like it had personally offended him. “What about the Defense Department contracts?”
“There are random procurement records,” Laurel said. “We found nothing to do with the yew compounds, but the evidence response team might find more than we did. They’ll have mountains of paperwork to go through.” She checked the clock. “She should’ve passed by now.”
“She will,” Walter said without turning.
“I shouldn’t have left her,” Laurel muttered. “I hate this.”
Huck looked over. “She’s not alone. We’re five minutes away.”
“She’s sixteen,” Laurel snapped, then softened her tone. “She thinks she’s part of the team. She is. But she shouldn’t be out there alone, playing undercover.”
Walter looked over his shoulder at her. “Are you going to tell Kate?”
Laurel winced. “I think I’m supposed to, right? Kate is my friend, and she runs our office. Viv is a smart and ambitious girl, but nobody goes undercover without a full backup in place. I’m hoping Viv will tell Kate.”
Then Walter straightened a little in his seat. “Subaru. Coming in from the south.”
Laurel leaned forward between the seats. A battered Subaru trundled past the burger joint at a steady speed—rear fender held by duct tape, one hubcap missing. Familiar. That was Viv’s boyfriend’s car. “That’s her.”
Walter pulled onto the road, moving up on the vehicle and flashing his lights.
Viv looked in the rearview mirror and then waved.
She drove another half mile before signaling and turning into the gravel lot of a rundown tire shop.
Laurel let out a quiet breath as Walter eased the SUV forward and parked behind the Subaru, engine still running.
Huck’s voice was quiet. “Stay in the middle. Tso? Go get the keys from Nancy Drew there and follow us back to the office.”
Officer Tso stepped gracefully from the vehicle, shut the door, and walked to the Subaru.
Laurel nodded, lips pressed together. She watched through the windshield as Viv stepped out of the Subaru, hoodie sleeves pushed up, messy bun lopsided, eyes bright.
She wasn’t nervous. She looked excited like she had something to tell them.
Officer Tso didn’t need to say much and just held out his hand.
Viv placed the keys in his palm without hesitation. Laurel watched her closely. No attitude. No fear. Just energy and purpose showed on her face.
Tso nodded toward the SUV. Viv gave a small smile and jogged over, climbing into the front passenger seat and looking back at Laurel.
Laurel exhaled as relief filled her. The nearby trees swayed in the early evening breeze, skeletal pines casting long shadows across the gravel lot. A minivan rumbled past on the road, its side door held shut with bungee cords.
Laurel focused back on Viv. “What in the world were you thinking?”
Viv grinned, apparently a little breathless from the excitement of it all. “I’ve been working there for a few months, so me checking things out was easy.”
Laurel shook her head slowly. “Viv? There are protocols for going undercover. You broke all of them.”
The girl rolled her eyes. “Seriously? Nobody would suspect me. All I did was nose around a little bit more than usual.”
Walter started the engine and pulled out into the street.
Huck leaned forward, his voice low and firm. “A sniper shot into those offices just the other day. You will not go back. Call them and say your schedule doesn’t allow for the internship and that you’re very sorry.”
Viv frowned. Most people folded when Huck used that voice. She didn’t, not quite, but her energy dipped. “I actually had fun today,” she said. “And I think I was helpful.”
Laurel watched her carefully. Viv looked so young all of a sudden, despite the sharp mind and fast mouth.
Too young to be anywhere near this. Her stomach twisted.
This was on her—Laurel was the one who’d encouraged her.
Encouraged all three girls to follow their interests, really.
Pushed Viv toward law enforcement and criminal justice. Toward this world.
Was that a mistake?
Laurel wasn’t accustomed to kids. Never had been one, not really.
She’d skipped childhood by being so much younger than everyone else at school.
But somewhere along the way, she’d gotten close to this one and her sisters.
Close enough that the fear had a name now.
It wasn’t just worry. It was responsibility.
And the worst part was, she wasn’t sure what the right move was anymore. “Does your mom know about your afternoon?” she asked, her voice gentling.
Viv paled.
“That’s what I thought,” Laurel said. “I appreciate your initiative, but it’s too dangerous. I’m sorry, Viv.”
The girl nodded, not happy, but not pushing back either. That helped. A little.
Laurel hesitated, trying to shift the weight off her chest. “However . . . did you find out anything interesting today?”
“Yes.” Viv hopped in her seat. “Seriously. Nobody pays attention to interns, so I kind of had free run of the place. The techs aren’t careful at all about the security panels. I just walked inside after a couple of them. Not the clean rooms, but the rest. It was awesome.”
Laurel shook her head. “Viv. Your mother was kidnapped in an earlier case, and it hit the news. You have the same last name. If anybody at the lab really takes a deep look at you, they’ll know your mom works for the FBI. You are not going back.”
“Fine.” Viv groaned. “But for now, guess what? There’s a door on the bottom fourth floor, to the side of the clean room, that you can barely see. Did you see it during the tour?”
“No.” Laurel took out her phone and typed out a quick text to the evidence team to find the door and go through it. “Did anybody see you down there?”
Viv shrugged. “Sure, but like I said, nobody paid me much attention.”
Huck dug into the bag at his feet and handed a cheeseburger to the girl. “What else?”
She unwrapped it, smiling. “I had lunch in the break room, and I’d say that Bertra isn’t very well liked. She’s running the facility, and most folks don’t seem to like her.”
“Why not?” Laurel asked.
“She runs everything. Staff rotation, lab access, internal security. She’s polite, but everyone acts like she might pull the floor out from under them at any second. People are tense. Real tense.”
Huck eyed the bag. They’d bought tons of burgers. “Anyone say it out loud?”
Viv gave a small nod. “One lady named Jane joked that Bertra probably hired the sniper who took out Sandoval. People laughed, then got real quiet.”
“And Dr. Liu?” Laurel asked.
“I asked three people about her. One said she didn’t know, and the other two just walked away.
One of them looked . . . scared. Not annoyed.
Scared.” Viv pushed her hair away from her eyes.
“Everyone believes that Melissa Palmtree died by falling down those stairs, and that Larry died by suicide. There are no whispers about either of them.”
Laurel exchanged a glance with Huck.
Viv wasn’t finished. “I think I stumbled onto something else, too.”
“Go on,” Laurel said.
“I went to Bertra’s office and the door was cracked.
She was talking to a guy named John Fitz.
He was wearing a lab coat and his badge showed he had top clearance, but that’s the only time I saw him.
Bertra was mentioning something about moving the next round to the other lab, but she stopped talking when I stepped in. ”
Huck’s eyes narrowed. “So you are on her radar.”
Viv shook her head. “Not at all. I played dumb and said I was ready for my next assignment. She bought it, I think.”
As they pulled into their parking lot, Laurel spotted Kate’s Volkswagen Bug parked to the right of the doorway.
“Let’s go up and let your mom know about your afternoon.
Then I want you to run me through the entire day again, step by step, with names and faces.
I’d also like descriptions if you have them. ”
Viv exhaled next to her, shoulders slumping a little. “Great,” she murmured, and looked away, out the passenger window. Her phone buzzed in her hoodie pocket, and she pulled it out to read the screen. “It’s from Oakridge Solutions.”
Laurel’s eyes snapped to the screen. “Please answer and put it on speaker so we can all hear.”
Viv obeyed, swiping to connect and holding the phone between them. “Hello?”
Bertra’s voice poured through the speaker, smooth and cultured.
“Vivienne, I just wanted to personally tell you what a fantastic job you’ve been doing lately.
The team has been very impressed. You have asked thoughtful questions, you’ve kept up, and you’ve showed real initiative.
We don’t see that very often at your age. ”
Viv swallowed, glancing back at Laurel, then Huck. Her voice was small. “Thank you.”
“I’d like you to come in early tomorrow,” Bertra continued. “Very early. There’s a special project I want you on. I’d like to brief you myself before the others arrive, and we’ll get you to school on time.”
Laurel stiffened. Huck’s expression visibly darkened.
Viv glowed. “What time? I have class at eight.”
“How about six?” Bertra cut in, still sounding chipper. “This is a rare opportunity, and I think you’re uniquely suited for it. I could really use your help.”
Viv blinked, excitement flushing her face.
Laurel sharply shook her head. What was Bertra up to? Did she know Viv had snooped around?
Viv frowned.
Huck placed a hand on the back of Walter’s seat, leaning in to stare at the girl.
Viv sighed. “I’m sorry. I don’t think I can make it.”
“I must insist,” Bertra said. “We need you.”
Laurel stared at the screen and then gave a short nod.
A smile burst across Viv’s face. “All right. I’ll be there at six.”
“Excellent.” Bertra ended the call.
The line went dead.
Silence filled the SUV.
Huck looked at Laurel. “Well?”
Laurel wasn’t going to allow Viv to be in danger again. “I don’t like this. Viv? You are absolutely not going back to that lab.” She looked at Huck. “I can send them out of town on vacation.”
Viv winced. “I have practice after school, Vida has a piano recital tomorrow night, Val has a test on Friday, and then I have a big game this weekend. We can’t miss those.”
Laurel sighed. “Huck? Can you spare someone to be on her through the weekend?”
Huck nodded. “Tso and Jordan could rotate as cover for Viv.”
Viv slapped her hand to her head. “My mom is going to kill me.”
Huck handed the bag of food to the girl. “Give her a burger. Maybe she won’t be so pissed.”
Viv took the bag. “Ha. I wish.”