He crumpled the note in his fist, heart racing. His mind spun with questions, but one thought echoed louder than the rest.
Someone knows.
Kevin shoved the note into his pocket, his hands trembling as he reached for his car door. He quickly slid into the driver’s seat, locking the doors behind him.For a moment, he just sat there, staring straight ahead, his breathing shallow.
Who else knows about the thumb drive?
He started the engine, his thoughts racing as fast as his heartbeat. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he had crossed into dangerous territory—territory where someone was watching his every move.
As he pulled out of the parking lot, that sense of unease stuck with him, heavier now. Whatever this was, he was in deeper than he’d ever imagined.
And someone was making sure he knew it.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Later that afternoon, Jo hadn’t made any progress tying Garvin to Stanley Clifton when Sam returned with Lucy, her tail wagging as she padded into the station. Jo noticed a streak of blue on her tail.
“Lucy, what did you get into?” Jo asked, crouching down to inspect it.
Sam chuckled, shaking his head. “Marnie’s volunteers were painting campaign posters. And guess who was there?”
“Who?” Jo asked, though she already had a sinking feeling she knew the answer.
“Desmond Griggs.” Sam’s voice carried a note of disdain.
Jo’s eyebrows shot up. “Griggs? Really? What’s she thinking?”
Sam shrugged. “She says she’s giving him a chance.”
Jo snorted, reaching for a pair of scissors from Wyatt’s desk. “Good luck to her. He’s more likely to burn her campaign down than help it.” She carefully snipped the painted fur from Lucy’s tail. “Any luck with Marnie?”
Sam shook his head, running a hand through his salt-and-pepper hair. “She’s sticking to her story. Says she was never interested in the property.”
Jo snorted. “Sure, because pushy’s her style.”
Wyatt glanced up from his computer. “So Marnie’s lying?”
“Seems like it.” Sam nodded. “Or Garvin was. But why lie? What’s so special about that land?”
Jo’s mind raced, recalling her conversations with Garvin. Something about the way he had talked about the property stuck with her. “He told me he didn’t trust her—said she was too aggressive.”
Sam frowned. “Think he could’ve been confused about who else was interested?”
“Doubt it. He was sharp.” Jo paused, the puzzle pieces still not fitting together. “He mentioned something about the land having ‘potential,’ but I thought he meant the view. What if it’s something else?”
“Like what?” Wyatt leaned forward, interest sparking in his eyes.
“I don’t know. But whatever it is, it’s enough for Marnie to lie.”
The room fell silent as the implications hung in the air. Jo could almost see Sam turning the information over in his head, trying to make sense of it.
Wyatt broke the silence. “You really think she’d kill for it? She’s running for mayor.”
Sam met his gaze. “And since when have politicians been squeaky clean?”
Wyatt smirked. “Fair point.”
Jo crossed her arms. “Marnie wouldn’t be the first official involved in something shady. Might not even be the first one to kill.”