Page 55 of Falling Stars (Wild at Heart #2)

MAVERICK

Baylee is quiet as I drive her car back to the ranch. She hasn’t asked why I’m back. It makes sense. She has a lot on her mind.

Just as we’re reaching the turnoff to the ranch, she shakes her head. “Let’s go back. Let’s try to retrieve the footage from the third camera.”

“Didn’t you do that already?”

“Maybe I did something wrong. I swear it worked when I installed it. I watched you and Rhett set up the first two, and I thought I could figure it out.” When she turns to me, the agony in her eyes breaks my heart. “Please, Mav. I can’t just sit in the camper all night and not do anything.”

With a nod, I make a U-turn. It’s after midnight when I pull into the alley behind her shop. She unlocks the door, flips on the lights, and beelines it to her desk in her back office.

I pull up a chair and sit next to her. “Let’s watch all the footage. Maybe we missed something. And if we can’t pull up the third camera, maybe we can find a tech company that can.”

“That’s a good idea.” She pulls her hair into a bun, and then her fingers move over the keyboard. “Here’s the first angle. It faces the left side. ”

Rhett and I set up the two cameras so we could see the front of the salon, so this camera includes all the stations along one wall, the small receptionist’s desk, and the plate-glass window.

I figured if someone tried to break in again, this way we might have some idea of who did it.

We planned to install the third camera so it faced the back door, but the shipping got delayed.

Unfortunately, the only thing this angle shows is Baylee cleaning her station. When the lights go dark, we watch past the time Leo was stolen, and then she runs around the room flipping the lights on again and shouting his name.

Fuck. I can’t handle the turmoil in her voice. I wrap my arm around her. “We’re gonna find him.”

She closes her eyes briefly, but doesn’t say anything, just clicks on the second camera, which faces the stations on the right and the door.

But we rewind too far. In this footage, three stylists work on clients, and when Rory crosses the room, Baylee frowns.

“This isn’t right.” She closes out of the file and clicks on the one labeled with today’s date.

The same footage pulls up. “This wasn’t today.

Rory called in sick. Damn it. I assumed when the deputy pulled up the video, it was the correct one.

I should’ve been watching over his shoulder. ”

“Bay, this is a lot to process. You’re doing your best. Anyone looking at this would think it’s the correct video.

” We triple-check the file. It has today’s date.

But it’s the wrong footage. “Maybe someone tampered with it.” I call the sheriff to update him while she works on pulling up the third camera.

When I get off the phone, she’s angrily tapping at the keyboard. “I swear this worked a few days ago.”

“Maybe the third camera was tampered with too.”

She closes her eyes and lowers her head for a second. “I feel like I’m missing something. Like there’s a piece of this puzzle I’m not seeing. ”

“Did you check the applications folder? Sometimes things get saved there as a default.”

Her head jolts up, and she reaches for the keyboard. “Oh my God. Is this it?”

She clicks on a file, and a video starts to play.

I lean forward. “Is this the correct footage?”

“Yes! I’m wearing the same clothes, and Leo’s in his froggy jumper.”

I watch her unlock the door and bring him into the office.

We fast-forward through the video. There are spots where she brings Leo out in between clients, and we catch a glimpse of her shoulder carrying the baby or the back of her head as she heads into the office.

Sometimes a stylist will come into view for a second.

Finally, Baylee starts paying bills and eventually closing down.

My heart beats like a drum as she unlocks the back door to drag the trash to the dumpster. She blocks the back door open so she can get back in.

I keep waiting for someone to sneak in from the back. To walk right past her. To snatch Leo and carry him into the alley.

Instead, someone walks in from the front.

Someone with blonde hair and a baby blue raincoat. And like the person knows there are cameras, she keeps her hood up and head down.

I rewind it and pause on the figure.

Baylee sucks in a breath. “I know that coat. That’s what Kira was wearing at the rodeo.”

Son of a bitch. I dial the sheriff. When he picks up, I tell him to get back to the salon. “You’re gonna want to see this.”