Bridget looked up, a hint of vulnerability in her eyes. “I’m trying to be. After everything Jo’s done for me... I just want to be there for her now.”
Kevin nodded, understanding all too well the weight of past mistakes and the desire to make things right. “Well, I think you’re doing a great job.”
As he finally turned to leave, Kevin’s mind was racing. He was excited about the prospect of spending more time with Bridget, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were getting into something bigger than they realized.
Walking to his car, Kevin made a mental note to double-check his home security system before Bridget came over. He couldn’t risk anything happening to her. As he drove away, he caught sight of Bridget in his rearview mirror, still visible through the bakery window. She was smiling, and that made Kevin smile too.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Wyatt shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his eyes fixed on Marnie’s campaign headquarters across the street. The clock on his dashboard read 9:47 p.m., and he’d been parked in the same spot for over an hour. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, his other hand absently tracing the outline of the tattoo hidden beneath his sleeve.
The tattoo was a constant reminder of the secret he carried, a burden that weighed heavily on his conscience. Wyatt often wondered if his colleagues suspected anything. He knew Kevin had skeletons in the closet, but Wyatt doubted they were as dark as his own.
A movement caught his eye, pulling him from histhoughts. Marnie Wilson emerged from the building, her honey-blond hair gleaming under the streetlights. Wyatt straightened in his seat, adrenaline coursing through his veins as he watched her climb into her car.
As Marnie pulled away from the curb, Wyatt counted to ten before starting his engine. He eased into traffic, maintaining a careful distance as he followed her through the quiet streets of White Rock.
The chase gave Wyatt a rush, reminding him of his younger days when he’d first discovered his talent for computers. Back then, it had been about the thrill of pushing boundaries, seeing how far he could go without getting caught. Now, those same skills were put to use for a greater purpose, even if the methods weren’t always strictly by the book.
Marnie’s car turned onto a familiar street, and Wyatt’s eyebrows rose as he recognized her destination. The Thorne residence loomed ahead, its imposing facade a stark contrast to the more modest homes surrounding it.
Wyatt pulled over, killing his headlights as he watched Marnie park in the driveway. She exited her car and strode purposefully to the front door, which opened before she could even knock. Beryl Thorne’s petite figure was silhouetted in the doorway for a moment before both women disappeared inside.
As he waited, Wyatt’s mind wandered to the case at hand. Jo’s suspension had hit the team hard, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that Marnie was somehow involved. But how? And what was her connection to Beryl Thorne?
A few minutes later, the front door opened again. Marnie emerged, clutching a thick manila envelope to her chest. She hurried to her car, glancing around furtively before getting in and driving away.
Wyatt waited a beat before following, his curiosity piqued by the mysterious envelope. What could be so important that Marnie would make a late-night visit to Beryl Thorne to obtain it?
They drove for about fifteen minutes, leaving the residential area and entering a more industrial part of town. Marnie finally pulled up in front of a nondescript building with a small, unassuming sign that read Parker Studies.
Wyatt parked a block away, watching as Marnie entered the building with the envelope. He glanced at his watch—10:32 p.m. An odd time for a meeting, especially for someone running for mayor.
With Marnie out of sight, Wyatt pulled out his laptop. If there was one thing he excelled at, it was digging up information that others wanted to keephidden. His fingers flew across the keyboard as he began his search on Parker Studies.
To his surprise and frustration, he found... nothing. No website, no business listings, not even a mention on social media. It was as if Parker Studies didn’t exist at all.
Wyatt’s brow furrowed as he dug deeper, employing some of his more questionable skills to breach firewalls and access restricted databases. Still, he came up empty-handed. Whoever was behind Parker Studies had gone to great lengths to keep their operation off the grid.
Two hours crawled by, each minute feeling like an eternity as Wyatt alternated between watching the building and attempting to uncover any information about Parker Studies. His eyes were starting to burn from staring at the computer screen when movement at the building’s entrance caught his attention.
Marnie emerged, her face partially obscured by the shadows. Wyatt noticed immediately that she no longer carried the manila envelope. Whatever had been inside, she’d left it at Parker Studies.
As Marnie’s car pulled away from the curb, Wyatt discreetly followed at a safe distance. He followed her to her home, noting the moment when the lights in herhouse flickered off one by one. Sighing, he decided it was time to call it a night.
On the drive back to his own place, Wyatt’s mind buzzed with new questions. What exactly were the Parker Studies, and how did they connect to Marnie Wilson? And did this have anything to do with Garvin McDaniels’s murder?
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The next morning, Sam arrived at the station early, his mind still churning over Jo’s suspension. In the reception area, Reese was hunched over her computer, her brow furrowed in concentration.
“Morning, Reese,” Sam called out. “You’re here early.”
Reese looked up, her eyes bright with excitement. “Chief! I’ve got something. The program spit out a match for that partial plate and car description that Kevin got from the neighbor.”
Sam’s pulse quickened as he moved to stand behind Reese’s chair. “What have you got?”
“It’s registered to a Clara Hartwell,” Reese reported, pulling up the information on her screen. “She’s a local land surveyor and historical researcher.”