Cooper glanced up from his phone, where he’d been scrolling through what looked like old articles. “We did a quick sweep of the first note and envelope, but the camera view was obscured. The perp knew exactly where to stand to avoid being seen clearly,” he said, before turning to Dale. “Kind of déjà vu, right?”
What was that about?
Cas’ jaw cracked, and frustration was evident in his eyes. “Smart enough to avoid cameras but still wants to leave a message. This isn’t someone who’s just playing around.”
Harper looked at the team, feeling a mix of gratitude and unease. She appreciated their dedication, but the thought of someone watching her, trying to intimidate her into giving up on Mary’s story, made her skin crawl. “I’m sorry this is turning into such a mess. I didn’t mean to drag you all into it.”
Mac shook his head, his expression firm. “You didn’t drag us anywhere, Harper. This is what we do. We’ve got your back, and we’re going to get to the bottom of this.”
“We’re all in,” Cas said, squeezing her hand, sending a welcome rush of warmth through her body.
“Yeah.” Dale nodded, his gaze steady. “So don’t worry. This is what they do.”
She cocked her head. “What about you? Have you decided to work here?”
Her cousin’s boyfriend had two job offers. One was here and the other was with the sheriff.
He blinked, then sighed, scratching the back of his head. “No, I haven’t decided anything yet. But I will soon.”
Carter reappeared then, a determined look on his face as he held up a printout of a still image from a camera near the library. “I’ve got a blurry shot of someone approaching Cas’ truck, but it’s hard to make out any details. They knew the camera angles well. I’m running it through facial recognition to see if we get any hits, but it might take a while.”
Cas thanked Carter, then turned back to Harper, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. “I’m not going to let whoever’s doing this scare you off.”
Harper squeezed back, trying to draw strength from his steady presence. She appreciated his confidence, but the knot in her stomach wouldn’t quite loosen. “Neither will I. But I’m just…this was supposed to be about Mary. About understanding what happened to her. I didn’t think it would get this intense.”
Cas leaned closer, his voice low and serious. “That’s why we’re all going to see this through. But if we’re going to do this, we have to be smart. That means letting us help.”
She nodded, her resolve hardening. She didn’t like feeling vulnerable and she refused to back down now, not when she was so close to uncovering the truth. “Okay,” she said with a lift of her chin. “Then we’re all in.”
Mac stood, glancing at the rest of the team. “Let’s get to work. We’ll dig into the families, look deeper into Johnson’s background, and see what else we can pull from the footage.”
“Shit,” Cas muttered with a shake of his head. “I was thinking about how anyone could possibly have known about Harper reading Mary’s diary, and it just hit me. We were discussing it at Harland Title and Tag yesterday, and there were several people within earshot.”
Air funneled into her lungs. “You’re right. I mean, we weren’t talking loudly, but anyone with decent hearing could’ve picked up on it. Especially the receptionist.”
“But also the two agents and their clients at the time,” Cas pointed out.
Damn. He was right.
“This receptionist? Middle-aged, bun, cat-eye-shaped glasses?” Carter asked.
She nodded.
“Then we’ll send Coop there to pay her a visit. She’s got a thing for him.” Carter grinned and Cooper grumbled.
“And Cas’ dad,” Harper added, remembering how the woman had blushed scarlet when Sam had spoken to her.
Carter’s brows rose, amusement lighting his eyes. “Perhaps Sam should accompany Coop. I’m sure between the two of them, she’d give up state secrets.”
They chuckled, and she appreciated the lifted mood.
“If you think of anything else Mary mentioned in her diary that might help, let us know,” Mac said.
Harper nodded, standing up alongside Cas. “I will. Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate it.”
Cas set a comforting hand on her back as they made their way out of the conference room. Tension lingered in the air, but Harper felt a little more grounded knowing they had a team of experts on their side.
As they stepped into the hall, Cas turned to her, his eyes filled with determination. “We’re going to find out who’s behind this, Harper. I promise.”
