“And now we’ve got Marnie Wilson, who’s running for mayor, making secret late-night visits to Beryl Thorne and this mysterious Parker Studies place,” Wyatt added.
Sam’s eyes narrowed as he pieced it together. “It all comes back to the land. Whatever’s on that property, it’s valuable enough to kill for.”
“But how does Jo fit into all this?” Reese asked, her voice laced with concern.
Sam shook his head, frustration evident in his voice. “I don’t know yet. But I’m willing to bet those missing blueprints and documents hold the answer.”
As Sam spoke, Lucy suddenly perked up, her ears twitching. She trotted over to a corner of the room where a stack of old case files had accumulatedover the years. With determined focus, she began to dig, sending papers flying.
“Lucy, what are you doing?” Sam called out, moving toward the dog.
The German Shepherd pulled her head out of the pile, and to everyone’s surprise, she had the station’s infamous octopus toy clamped firmly in her jaws. It was the same toy that had been the source of an ongoing feud between Lucy and Major.
Kevin chuckled, shaking his head. “So that’s where she hid it. Clever girl.”
Major, who had been lounging on Jo’s desk, sat up straight, his green eyes narrowing as he watched Lucy trot to the sunny corner of the room. The dog settled down, placing the toy protectively between her paws, looking quite pleased with herself.
Sam couldn’t help but smile at the canine’s antics but quickly refocused on the task at hand. “All right, Lucy, don’t get too comfortable. We’re heading back to Garvin McDaniels’s place.” He turned to Kevin. “You up for a second look?”
Kevin nodded, already reaching for his jacket. “Absolutely, Chief. Maybe we’ll spot something we missed the first time around.”
“Good,” Sam replied then shifted his attention to Wyatt. “I need you to keep digging into this ParkerStudies angle. There’s got to be something there. Check property records, shell companies, anything that might give us a lead.”
Wyatt’s fingers were already flying across his keyboard. “On it, Chief. I’ll let you know the moment I find anything suspicious.”
“Reese,” Sam continued, “I want you to go through our records. See if there are any other cases involving land disputes or historical property claims in the area. Maybe we’ll find a pattern.”
“You got it,” Reese replied, her voice filled with determination.
As Sam and Kevin prepared to leave, Lucy reluctantly got up, still clutching her prized toy. Major watched from his perch, tail twitching in annoyance.
“Sorry, Major,” Sam said to the cat. “Looks like Lucy won this round.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Sam pulled up to Garvin McDaniels’s house and glanced at Kevin in the passenger seat, noting the determined set of his jaw. “Ready for round two?” Sam asked, killing the engine.
Kevin nodded, his eyes already scanning the property. “Let’s hope we find something this time.”
As they exited the car, Lucy bounded out, her nose immediately to the ground. Sam watched her, a small smile tugging at his lips. If anyone could find something they’d missed, it would be Lucy.
“All right, girl,” Sam said, patting her head. “Show us what you’ve got.”
They approached the house, their footsteps crunching on the icy remnants of snow. The crime scene tape fluttered in the breeze.
Sam took a deep breath as they entered, the familiar scent of the house hitting him. It was a mixture of old wood, dust, and the lingering metallic tang of blood. He pushed aside the twinge of discomfort, focusing on the task at hand.
“Let’s start in the study,” Sam suggested, leading the way down the narrow hallway.
The study was small, dominated by a large oak desk and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. Lucy immediately began sniffing around the baseboards while Kevin moved to the desk.
“If I were hiding important documents,” Kevin mused, running his hands along the underside of the desk, “where would I put them?”
Sam started examining the bookshelves, pulling out volumes at random and flipping through them. “Maybe between the pages of a book? Or behind them?”
After thoroughly combing through the study and coming up empty-handed, they moved on to the bedroom. It was sparsely furnished, with just a bed, a nightstand, and an old wardrobe.
Lucy jumped onto the bed, her nose working overtime as she sniffed the pillows and blankets. Sam couldn’t help but chuckle at herenthusiasm.