Page 37 of Artifice

Today had been quite the ordeal.

She had a lot to process, and Tevin was a great one to talk things through with.

She was disappointed when she pulled into the small lot in front of the house and saw his van wasn’t there.

That was fine. They’d have time to talk later. In the meantime, she wanted to do some additional research on Principal Denarau.

She stepped into the bed-and-breakfast, noting that no one was around. Mrs. Potts might be somewhere nearby—or in her private residence.

But for now it was quiet.

Olive walked upstairs, her steps surprisingly heavy.

Something on one of the wooden steps caught her eye, and she bent to pick it up.

She squinted as she stared at the object between her fingers.

It looked like some kind of capsule. Maybe filled with vitamins?

It must have fallen out of someone’s bag as they checked in, she assumed.

She slipped it in her pocket, figuring she’d probably throw it away.

Olive reached her room and froze.

The door wasn’t latched.

She was certain she’d closed and locked it before she left this morning.

In her line of work, she couldn’t afford to overlook those details.

So why was it cracked open right now? Even though she’d requested no housekeeping today, had Mrs. Potts come in anyway?

Slowly she pushed the door open, not sure what to expect on the other side.

She scanned the place, her instincts on alert.

Everything appeared to be just as she left it. Yet something felt different.

Someone had been inside. Olive was certain of it.

Her muscles now tight, she stepped into the room and slowly walked toward her dresser.

She grabbed her laptop and set it on the bed.

Opening it, she tried to type in her passcode.

But the computer quickly told her that too many attempts had been made.

Alarm washed through her.

Someone had tried to gain access to her computer.

CHAPTER 20

Olive hurried back downstairs.

She needed to talk to Mrs. Potts, even if that meant disturbing her at her private residence.