Page 30 of Noble Hops

Which left two possibilities as far as Cam could discern.It was taken or it was hidden.“There a safe it could be in?”

“The wife says not usually, but yes, there is one, and yes, it could be in there.”

“She didn’t check?”Aidan asked.

“She can’t get into it.”Moore’s dark gaze shifted back to Cam.“I understand you’re the man to talk to about cracking it.”

Cam hesitated, and Nic, who’d been quiet until then, came to life, laying a hand on his shoulder.“We can wait?—”

Cam shook his head; this was necessary.“We don’t have time.”

“Okay, then,” Moore said.“Talley, let’s go talk with the wife.Get us clearance.”

“I’m gonna coordinate with the techs,” Lauren said.“If his laptop is here, we’ll get them to process it on the scene so I can get right to work.”

They headed out of the garage, leaving Cam behind with Nic, whose hand was still on his shoulder.Cam covered it with his, squeezing.“Thank you.”

“Of course,” Nic said.“We can let Aidan give it a go first.”

Cam shook his head.“I’ll be fine with you here.”He slid his hand off.“Though should you be?”

Nic’s brow furrowed, eyes thankfully sparking again at the challenge.“Meaning?”

“This is your dead father’s dead executive assistant.”

“He’s also my star witness in the case against my dead father’s loan shark, who’s also his uncle.”

Cam lifted a brow, Nic having made his point for him.“Conflict of interest much?”

“My only interest here is justice.And not dying.”He stepped back, hands on his hips.“I don’t see a conflict.”

Not yet.

But it was plain as day.And growing by the day if not by the minute.Cam didn’t voice the concern, though, the both of them distracted by a commotion on the other side of the crime scene tape at the end of the drive.

As they approached, Vaughn’s blond head was easy to spot.

“Civilians are not permitted on the scene, sir,” one of the officers said to him.

Vaughn pointed at Harris’s wife, who’d stood upon seeing him.“That’s my niece,” he said, calm as could be, a hint of impatience in his voice but no anger.He was confident he’d get through eventually.“Beth Kincaid.”

“He means you aren’t permitted on the scene,” Cam said, coming to stand next to the officer.

“I beg to differ, Agent Byrne.”He flashed him a smile, absurdly inappropriate given the context, then flashed Nic an even brighter one.“I have a right to be with my family.”

Cam was not at all amused.He ducked under the tape, coming up in front of Vaughn.“Not if you’re a suspect.”

“Beth called me in tears.She said Harris committed suicide.”

Cam stepped closer, getting in Vaughn’s face.“Cause of death has not officially been determined.”

“Let him through,” Nic said behind him, likewise eerily calm.

Cam glared over his shoulder.Nic’s eyes were anything but calm, stormy icy blue instead, and the set of his shoulders, his spine...Cam knew that look.

Determined, Nic had a plan and needed Cam to trust him.

Glancing back at Vaughn, Cam lifted the tape and Vaughn scooted under it, stopping in front of Nic.