Sam was the first to break the silence, his tone direct. “Jo, you were over there often, bringing him meals. Could you have left it behind?”
Jo shook her head firmly. “No way. I never took my hair out of the holder there.”
Wyatt cleared his throat. “Maybe you took it down for a minute, adjusted it?”
“No,” Jo said, her tone steady. “I’m sure of it.”
“Maybe one fell out of your pocket?” Wyatt suggested.
Jo considered it but shook her head. “Unlikely. I don’t carry extras on me.”
An uneasy silence fell. Jo could feel her teammates’ eyes on her, their minds working through the implications. The unspoken question was clear: if she hadn’t left the hair tie, then who had?
Sam ran a hand through his hair, his frustration barely contained. “Look, we all know Jo wouldn’t hurt Garvin. But we also can’t ignore this. We have to do this by the book, Jo. No shortcuts.”
Jo straightened, meeting his gaze head-on. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Wyatt leaned forward, his eyes narrowed in thought. “When was the last time you saw him, Jo?”
Jo took a steadying breath, recalling. “Four days before he died. Brought him some of Bridget’s soup. We talked on the porch, but I didn’t go inside because he was a little under the weather.”
“And you’re sure you didn’t leave anything behind?” Sam pressed.
Jo looked him in the eye, her voice unwavering. “Positive. I checked in the mirror before leaving that day. My hair was tied back, and it stayed that way.”
Kevin tapped his pen on his desk, brow furrowed. “So if you didn’t leave it… someone planted it.”
The realization hit them all at once. Reese broke the silence, voicing the conclusion they’d all reached. “Someone’s framing Jo.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Later that afternoon, Jo sat at her desk, her mind still reeling from the revelation that someone was trying to frame her. She’d gone through several emotions since finding out, but now, she was just plain mad.
Sam approached, his footsteps heavy with concern. He pulled up a chair, sitting down beside her. “How are you holding up?” he asked, his voice low and gentle.
Jo looked up. “Fine. Angry. More determined than ever to find who did this.”
“Right. And why. I mean, is it something against you? What was the reason for leaving something that points to you. Or maybe they just happened to find the hair tie and used it to muddy thewaters?”
Jo’s hand instinctively went to her ponytail, which was tied with the very same ties. “I doubt it. It’s not like I take it out much, and when I do, I put the tie around my wrist.”
“Are you missing one?”
Jo shrugged. “Don’t think so. Hard to tell, though. I buy them by the package and don’t exactly keep an inventory or anything.”
Wyatt and Kevin, who had been hovering nearby, exchanged glances before joining the conversation. Wyatt leaned against a nearby desk, his arms crossed. “We need to figure out where they could have gotten your hair from,” he said, his tone analytical. “It might give us a lead on who’s behind this.”
Kevin nodded in agreement. “Any ideas, Jo? Have you noticed anything strange at your place lately? Any signs of a break-in?”
The thought sent a chill down Jo’s spine. “God, I hope not,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “The idea of someone being in my house, going through my things...” She shuddered, unable to finish the sentence.
Sam’s jaw tightened, his protective instincts kicking in. “Let’s not jump to conclusions. There might be a simpler explanation.”
Wyatt nodded, his brow furrowed in thought. “He’s right. Think about it, Jo. Your hair is probably all over this station. Near your desk, in the cruiser...”
“Not to mention the countless places around town where you might have lost a few strands,” Kevin added. “It wouldn’t be hard for someone to collect a sample without breaking into your house.”
Jo felt a small wave of relief wash over her. “That... That actually makes me feel a bit better,” she admitted. “But that means they’d have to work hard and with intention to just find some hairs.”